Development of Practices for Ecosystem-based Fishery Management in the United States: the North Pacific CAPITOL HILL OCEANS WEEK JUNE 9-10, 2004 David L. Fluharty School of Marine Affairs University of Washington

FOCUS ON FISHERIES AND ECOSYSTEMS 1996 SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES ACT MANDATES ECOSYSTEM PRINCIPLES ADVISORY PANEL – REPORT TO CONGRESS DRAFT BILLS FOR MSFCMA REAUTHORIZATION CALL FOR ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT APPROACHES MANAGING OUR NATION’S FISHERIES: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. D. Witherell, Ed. Proceedings of a Conference Washington. D.C. Nov , CHESAPEAKE BAY FISHERIES ECOSYSTEM PLAN

ECOSYSTEM-BASED FISHERY MANAGEMENT “USING WHAT YOU KNOW “USING WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE ECOSYSTEM TO MANAGE FISHERIES”

ECOSYSTEM-BASED FISHERY MANAGEMENT IS NOT ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT

PREREQUISITES OF ECOSYSTEM-BASED MGT. EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF FISHERIES BY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ABILITY TO ENFORCE REGULATIONS ABILITY TO MONITOR HARVESTS - INCLUDING BYCATCH ABILITY TO CONTROL CAPACITY TO FISH

U.S. OCEAN COMMISSION REPORT 2004 “REFINE THE EXISTING FISHERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM…. TO STRENGTHEN THE USE OF SCIENCE AND TO MOVE TOWARD A MORE ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT APPROACH.”

Example: Alaska Groundfish

ALASKA REGION ASSESSMENT Witherell, D., C. Pautzke and D. Fluharty An ecosystem-based approach for Alaska groundfish fisheries. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 57: Pat Livingston, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA Alaska Groundfish Programmatic SEIS

ECOSYSTEM APPROACHES ALASKA “What’s Different?” INTEGRATION OF SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT FOR CONSERVATION AND ALLOCATION/ SCIENCE-BASED MGT. CAP ON TOTAL HARVESTS CONSERVATIVE CATCH LIMITS BYCATCH ACCOUNTING INDUSTRY FUNDED OBSERVER PROGRAM FISHERY MARINE PROTECTED AREAS BAN ON FORAGE FISH HARVEST

Ecosystem Measures and Influences Gear

INTEGRATION OF SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT SCIENTIFIC AND STATISTICAL COMMITTEE PERFORMS PEER REVIEW – COUNCIL ACCEPTS ADVICE 1995 ECOSYSTEM CHAPTER IN ANNUAL STOCK ASSESSMENT FISHERY EVALUATION REPORTS 1996 ECOSYSTEM COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED

ECOSYSTEM STATUS: Physical Environment and Links to Production

CONSERVATIVE CATCH LIMITS AND BYCATCH ACCOUNTING

FISHERY MANAGEMENT MARINE PROTECTED AREAS APPROXIMATELY 25% OF CONTINENTAL SHELF IN BERING SEA CLOSED TO TRAWLING APPROXIMATELY 60,000 SQ.N.MI.

Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures 1990, Sea lions listed as Threatened-closures around haulouts and rookeries Seasonal and spatial apportionment of pollock, cod, and mackerel from 1991 Prohibition on forage fish harvest Additional Area/fishery closures in 2001

IMPLEMENTATION - EFH FULL LIFE-CYCLE APPROACH IDENTIFY EFH [100 % OF AREA] MEASURES MUST MEET STANDARD TO MINIMIZE TO EXTENT PRACTICABLE EFFECTS OF FISHING ON HABITAT [MITIGATE EFFECTS THAT ARE MORE THAN SIGNIFICANT/ NOT MORE THAN TEMPORARY]

IMPLEMENTATION - NEPA STELLER SEA LION EIS 2002 [AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE] ALASKA GROUNDFISH PSEIS VOLUMES + EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PAGES WEIGHT 41.5 LBS. 19 KG

ECOSYSTEM –BASED MGT. POLICY ADVICE CHANGE BURDEN OF PROOF APPLY PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE PURCHASE “INSURANCE” LEARN FROM MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE USE INCENTIVES TO ACHIEVE GOALS PROMOTE FAIRNESS AND EQUITY

EXPECTATIONS FISHERIES WILL CHANGE UNDER ECOSYSTEM-BASED MGT. FISHERIES WILL BE MANAGED FOR ABUNDANCE NOT SCARCITY, I.E., LOWER HARVEST RATE FROM HIGHER BIOMASS LESS FISHING CAPACITY AND EMPLOYMENT BUT HIGHER INCOME AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY

EXPECTATIONS [CONT.] PRACTICES WITH HIGH HABITAT IMPACTS REPLACED BY ALTERNATE FISHING TECHNIQUES GREATER USE OF SPATIALLY EXPLICIT MANAGEMENT MEASURES RESTRICTIONS ON FISHERIES TO ACCOMPLISH OTHER GOALS, E.G., BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION

ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROACHES ARE BEING DEVELOPED NOAA FISHERIES TECHNICAL GUIDELINES 2004 PILOT PROJECTS FUNDED NEW ENGLAND MID ATLANTIC SOUTH ATLANTIC GULF OF MEXICO MICHAEL SISSENWINE. NOAA FISHERIES, DIRECTOR OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMS AND CHIEF SCIENCE ADVISOR