Sustainable use of aquatic ecosystems is high on regional, national and international agendas and central to the implementation of international agreements on biological diversity, fisheries and fish stock management. This book covers theoretical and applied aspects of sustainable management, with emphasis on addressing implementation issues.

Responsible fisheries management is of increasing interest to the scientific community, resource managers, policy makers, stakeholders and the general public. Focusing solely on managing one species of fish stock at a time has become less of a viable option in addressing the problem. Incorporating more holistic considerations into fisheries management by addressing the trade-offs among the range of issues involved, such as ecological principles, legal mandates and the interests of stakeholders, will hopefully challenge and shift the perception that doing ecosystem-based fisheries management is unfeasible. Demonstrating that EBFM is in fact feasible will have widespread impact, both in US and international waters. Using case studies, underlying philosophies and analytical approaches, this book brings together a range of interdisciplinary topics surrounding EBFM and considers these simultaneously, with an aim to provide tools for successful implementation and to further the debate on EBFM, ultimately hoping to foster enhanced living marine resource management.

From fisheries to persistent organic pollutants to climate change itself, no other environmental principle in environmental law has produced as much controversy as the precautionary principle. Unlike a preventive approach in which action is taken provided that the threats to the environment are tangible, with a precautionary approach, authorities are prepared to tackle risks for which there is no definitive proof that the damage will materialize. The ramifications of this increasingly apparent approach are profound and cut across all areas of risk assessment and management, environmental law, policy and regulation in every major sector. However, to date little thought has been dedicated to the implementation of the precautionary principle in a wide array of environmental circumstances. This authoritative handbook addresses the legal aspects of how the precautionary principle is implemented in different sectors, and examines its successes, failures, strengths and weaknesses. Sectors and subjects covered include chemicals, GMOs, marine pollution, fisheries and nature conservation, and the book draws on cases in the EU, in the USA, and Nordic countries, where the use of precaution has been gathering momentum. Ultimately, the book provides an indispensable appraisal of the question - increasingly important in the era of human-induced climate change - of whether the precautionary principle is relevant, indeed essential, to avert major environmental and health risks, and how and when it can be used successfully. Published with MARIE CURIE ACTIONS

Fisheries are in a state of crisis throughout the world. While there has been some success, truly effective fisheries management seems beyond our grasp. The knowledge needed for proper management contains a broad array of facts and connections from statistical stock assessments, to the information that allows government agencies to track compliance with rules and beyond.This book describes the state-of-the-art knowledge about fishery systems. Seldom seen in a scientific publication regarding fisheries science, this book presents a multidisciplinary perspective of fisheries management. Leading fisheries scholars with backgrounds in biology, ecology, economics and sociology ask how management institutions can learn and put their lessons to use. The Knowledge Base for Fisheries Management offers a unique overview of the world of fisheries management and provides the background to draw conclusions of what is needed to improve management.Covering a wide range of regimes, case studies and professional perspectives, this publication will be an obliged reference to anyone involved on fisheries management, assessment, policy making or fisheries development all over the world.* The only book on the market that analyzes fisheries in a biological, sociological and economic way* Fills a gap, focusing not only on the production of knowledge for fisheries management but also on how it is used in all steps of the management system and the decision making processes * Focuses on the hot topic: scientific knowledge and society-science based policies * Documents disseminated research from many different management systems, both European and world wide

Advances in Marine Biology has been providing in-depth and up-to-date reviews on all aspects of marine biology since 1963 -- over 40 years of outstanding coverage! The series is well-known for both its excellence of reviews and editing. Now edited by D.W. Sims (Marine Biological Association Laboratory, Plymouth, UK), with an internationally renowned Editorial Board, the serial publishes in-depth and up-to-date content on a wide range of topics that will appeal to postgraduates and researchers in marine biology, fisheries science, ecology, zoology, and biological oceanography. - Rated "Number 1" in the highly competitive category of Marine and Freshwater Biology by ISI in the 2000 ISI journals citation report - Maintains an Impact Factor of 3.37, the highest in the field - Series features over 35 years of coverage of the research