Presentation to EU DGMARE Thematic Workshop on Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management with special attention to tuna RFMOs.

1. @DickeyCollas
ICES & EBFM
Mark Dickey-Collas
ACOM Chair

2. Roots of Ecosystem Based
Management (EBM/EBFM);
Ecosystem Approach
Now embedded in much national/supranational
legislation (e.g. EU marine strategy framework
directive, marine spatial planning directive,
common fisheries policy etc)
Socio-ecological system
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.630547/full

3. Requesters of advice
all committed to EBM
Governments &
intergovernmental
organisations.
NEAFC/OSPAR
collective arrangement

4. https://www.ices.dk/advice/Pages/Ecosystem-approach.aspx
ICES considers EBM as the primary way of managing
human activities affecting marine ecosystems
• Implementation of EBM is a continuous &
iterative process
• Principles of EBFM and EBM are clear
• Being incorporated into every facet of ICES
EU MSFD HELCOM

5. Key phrases:
• management of human activities
• achievement of good environmental status
• consideration of collective pressures
• sustainable use
• regionalization
• trade-offs
• stewardship for future generations
• optimization of benefits among diverse
societal goals
EBM & EBFM ‘aware’ advice is the responsibility of the advisory committee (ACOM).
Advisory plan: https://www.ices.dk/news-and-events/news-archive/news/Pages/Advisory_Plan.aspx

6. Making advice for EBFM operational…
1. Influence of a dynamic ecosystem on fisheries
2. Impact of fisheries on the ecosystem
3. Put fisheries into context of other maritime activities & pressures
EBM ‘aware’ framework & implementation plan being developed

7. 1. Influence of a dynamic ecosystem on fisheries
• Where appropriate, account for productivity changes in stocks
(recruitment, growth, natural mortality) in stock assessments,
forecasts & reference points – audit of application.
• Consider changes & overlaps in distribution of stocks in advice
• Where appropriate, consider alternative productivity scenarios in
management strategy evaluations (MSEs) – audit of application
• Account for consequences of catches from mixed fisheries in advice

8. 2. Impact of fisheries on the ecosystem
Develop metrics & report on
• Occurrence & impact of bycatch in fisheries (Bycatch Roadmap)
• Fisheries impact on & services from seabed, including vulnerable
marine ecosystems (VMEs)
• Synthesizes of status of fish stocks in an ecoregion
• Trade off between seabed impact & value of catch
https://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2020/2020/Roadmap_ICES_Bycatch_Advice.pdf

9. 3. Put fisheries into context of other
maritime activities & pressures
• Determine the priority anthropogenic pressures in an ecoregion
• Develop metrics & report on trends in species biodiversity &
ecosystem structure
• Provide information & methods for Ecologically or Biologically
Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) designation
• Assessment of threatened/endangered species & habitats
• Monitor & report the occurrence of invasive species

10. https://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2020/2020/Guide_to_ICES_Advice.pdf
EBFM is as much about how you give advice,
as what is in the advice – 10 principles of ICES advice

11. Transparency of methods & approaches
https://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2020/2020/Guide_to_ICES_Advice.pdf
https://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2021/2021/Advice_on_fishing_opportunities.pdf
1.1.2 to be published in 2 weeks

12. Example
EU request for pressure & impact of bottom contacting fishing gear
on seabed, & trade-offs in the catch & value of landings
• Clarify management objectives with EU
• Data compilation & quality assurance
• Method development & analysis
• Peer review
• Stakeholder engagement
• Draft & publish advice
http://ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/Special_requests/eu.2017.13.pdf
VS

13. Experience from North Atlantic
1. EBM enables new benefits & opportunities; make the business case.
2. Yes, we can! Adequate mandates & effective tools exist for EBM.
3. Integration of human dimensions is essential for EBM;
diversify the conversation.
4. Stakeholders don’t see their stake in EBM; engage & target ocean
literacy to professionals.
5. A sustainable future requires a sustained investment in EBM;
commitment is key.
https://www.atlanticresource.org/aora/sites/default/files/GalleryFiles/
Publications/2019-06_Report_AORA_EA2OHS_vision_document.pdf

14. Thank you!
@DickeyCollas
@ICES_ASC

15. https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/principles.shtml

16. Bottlenecks to implementing EBM
Rudd et al 2018
• Conflicting interpretations of laws & mandates
• Administrative practices, routines, power dynamics, maritime boundaries
• Imbalance across industrial sectors
• Challenges of stakeholder involvement & coproducing knowledge
• Conceptualizing EBM is context-specific
• Crises swamp longer-term priorities