This document aims to provide a better understanding of the role of the economic, institutional and sociocultural components within the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) process and to examine some potential methods and approaches that may facilitate the adoption of EAF management. It explores both the human context for the ecosystem approach to fisheries and the human dimensions involved in implementing the EAF. For the former, the report provides background material essential to understand prior to embarking on EAF initiatives, including an understanding of key concepts and issues, of the valuation of aquatic ecosystems socially, culturally and economically, and of the many policy, legal, institutional, social and economic considerations relevant to the EAF. With respect to facilitating EAF implementation, the report deals with a series of specific aspects: (1) determining the boundaries, scale and scope of the EAF; (2) assessing the various benefits and costs involved, seen from social, economic, ecological and management perspectives; (3) utilizing appropriate decision-making tools in EAF; (4) creating and/or adopting internal incentives and institutional arrangements to promote, facilitate and fund the adoption of EAF management; and (5) finding suitable external (non-fisheries) approaches for financing EAF implementation.

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.

The basis of this How-to Guide is the identification of key minimum components for legislating for EAF (17 components that should be included in sector-specific legislation), the operationalization of those key components into concrete drafting steps, and the provision of relevant examples from national legislation, largely from Africa but also from other parts of the world. The review will also provide a synthesis of existing challenges and trends in legislating for EAF. In summary, the How-t o-Guide will assist managers by: • describing the component that should be reflected in legislation; • identifying the specific elements that need to considered in the drafting of legislation; • setting out answers to the questions posed as justification for the relevance or significance of the component; and • outlining the steps to take in drafting, with reference to examples that could provide inspiration.

The implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) contributes to sustainable fisheries in various ways. The EAF-Nansen Programme has assisted several countries to understand, adopt and use an ecosystem approach in the management of their marine and coastal fisheries. The ecosystem approach to fisheries implementation monitoring tool (EAF IMT) is a tool for decision support and planning in the fisheries management process. It can be used by countries in strategic and operational planning processes for their fisheries, assisting them to determine where they are making acceptable progress and where there continue to be gaps and difficulties to address.