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.

"By examining a suite of over 90 indicators for nine major U.S. fishery ecosystem jurisdictions, Link and Marshak systematically track the progress the U.S. has made toward advancing ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) and making it an operational reality. Covering a range of socioeconomic, governance, environmental forcing, major pressures, systems ecology, and fisheries criteria, they evaluate progress toward EBFM in the U.S., covering a wide range of longitude, latitude, and parts of major ocean basins, representing over 10% of the world’s ocean surface area. They view progress toward the implementation of EBFM as synonymous with improved management of living marine resources in general, and highlight lessons learned from a national perspective. Although US-centric, the lessons learned are applicable for all parts of the global ocean. Though much work remains, significant progress has been made to better address many of the challenges facing the sustainable management of our living marine resources"--Publisher's description.

This book provides cutting-edge scientific idea and novel concepts on the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. It begins by reviewing the scientific fundamentals and problems currently faced by conventional fisheries science, based on population dynamics. In turn, it reviews the theoretical basis of ecosystem dynamics, including selected ecosystem indicators. Surplus production and balanced harvests are discussed in the ecosystem dynamics context. Several ecosystem-holistic indicators are described, but particular emphasis is placed on two: the noxicline (gain in entropy due to loss of biomass) and resilience, which are expressed as ecosystem (holistic) points of reference for defining allowable harvest rates. Both biological (population) and ecosystem (holistic) points of reference are subsequently analyzed in the context of fisheries management and conservation. An adaptability concept is also discussed as a management policy for facing climate change. In closing, the concepts presented are applied to six study cases involving a range of different ecosystems and fisheries.

Showing how big-picture patterns can help overcome the failures of conventional management, this book is ideal for students, researchers and professionals involved with marine fisheries. It explores not only the current practice of the 'ecosystem approach' to fisheries management but also its critical importance to even larger perspectives. The first section gives a valuable overview of how more and more of the complexity of real-world systems is being recognized and involved in the management of fisheries around the world. The second section then demonstrates how important aspects of real-world systems, involving population dynamics, evolution and behavior, remain to be taken into account completely. This section also shows how we must change the way we think about our involvement in, and the complexity of, marine ecosystems. The final chapters consider how, with the use of carefully chosen macroecological patterns, we can take important steps towards more holistic management of marine fisheries.

"Sustainable use of aquatic ecosystems is high on regional, national and international agendas and central to the implementation of international agreements on biological diversity, responsible fisheries and fish stock management. Since 2001, when political commitments were made to implement the ecosystem approach, countries have begun to incorporate ecosystem considerations into their fisheries management and have met with varied success." "The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries covers both theoretical andapplied aspects of sustainable management, with a particular emphasis on reviewing concepts and addressing implementation issues in the form of case studies from around the world. Personal experiences are considered from diverse backgrounds and discuss the constraints encountered, strategies identified and best practices to facilitate further implementation."--BOOK JACKET.

An approach that encompasses the human and natural dimensions of ecosystems is one that the Wider Caribbean Region knows it must adopt and implement, in order to ensure the sustainable use of the region's shared marine resources. This volume contributes towards that vision, bringing together the collective knowledge and experience of scholars and practitioners within the Wider Caribbean to begin the process of assembling a road map towards marine ecosystem based management (EBM) for the region. It also serves a broader purpose of providing stakeholders and policy actors in each of the world's sixty-four Large Marine Ecosystems, with a comparative example of the challenges and information needs required to implement principled ocean governance generally and marine EBM in particular, at multiple levels. Additionally, the volume serves to supplement the training of graduate level students in the marine sciences by enhancing interdisciplinary understanding of challenges in implementing marine EBM.

This book will illuminate the deep and often underappreciated connections between basic ecology and fishery science, and will explore the implications of these linkages in crafting management strategies for the 21st century.