1. Fishers’ Training Material Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries
Activity Code: O4-A2 Developed by Ege University

2. Training Objectives
After completion of the training session trainees are expected to be able to:
Recognize how ecosystem benefit human societies
Understand the concept of Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM)
Realize a new management approach is required to address the many threats and issues facing capture fisheries.
Describe some of the benefits of using an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management
Explain how EAFM complements other approaches
Understand complexities of multiple societal objectives
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3. Definitions and concept
What is an ecosystem? “An ecosystem can be defined as a relatively self-contained system that contains plants, animals (including humans), micro-organisms and non-living components of the environment as well as the interactions between them.”
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4. Definitions and concept
Ecosystem services and benefits
Supporting – e.g. food webs of plants and animals
Provisioning –e.g. supply of fish for animal and human food
Regulating – e.g. coastal protection and resilience against variability and change, as well as natural disasters
Cultural – e.g. recreation, cultural and traditional heritage values
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5. Definitions and concept
Ecosystem approach The Convention on Biodiversity defines the ecosystem approach as “It is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way”
The ecosystem approach is the way to implement sustainable development.
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6. Definitions and concept
Fisheries management
An integrated process that aims to improve the benefits that society receives from harvesting fish.
Existing fisheries management in the regions will differ among countries and locations. But, some possible characteristics are common and similar;
Mainly focused on target species and stock assessment
Single sector specific (fisheries)
Mainly control of fishing (e.g. gear, time and area restrictions)
Based on biological objective e.g. maximizing production
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7. Definitions and concept
Ecosystem approach to fisheries management -more holistic than single species approach -consider indirect effects on habitats and food webs -act to maintain valued ecosystem goods and services -identify potential conflicting management objectives -considertradeoffs among management objectives
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8. Why we should move to EAFM?
Fishery resources are seriously degraded in the region with many issues
Existing fisheries management does not cover all threats and issues and can often fail
A broader and more inclusive approach is needed that expands on existing management
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9. Why we should move to EAFM?
What are the benefits?
Integrated approach that allows trade-offs when balancing human and ecological well-being
Allows adaptive management – leading to more effective planning
Increased stakeholder participation
Provides a way to consider large-scale, long-term issues (e.g. climate change)
Increased political support
Can help unlock financial resources
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10. Course work (1 hour)
A piece of paper and a pan will distribute to each participant. Participant will write on a paper what they know about existing fishery management in their country and failure of the existing fisheries management according to their experience. Then they will discuss on existing fisheries management and ecosystem approach to fisheries management.
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11. Components of EAFM
Ecosystem Approach is the way to implement sustainable development. Sustainable development is about maximizing the ecosystem benefits but at the same time not degrading the systems to the extent that the benefits cannot be sustained.
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12. Ecological Well-being for future generations
Components of EAFM
Sustainable development
Ecological Well-being
Good
Governance
Human Well-being
for future generations
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13. Components of EAFM Ecological well-being
Healthy ecosystems that maximize ecosystem services
Biodiversity that leads to ecosystem resilience
Supportive ecosystem structure and habitats
Healthy oceans, coastal areas and watersheds
Food webs based on diverse sources of primary production
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14. Components of EAFM Human well-being
Material living standards (income, food and wealth)
Health
Education
Food security
Basic human rights e.g. political voice and influence
Social connections and relationships
Living environment (present and future conditions)
Economic security and human safety
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15. Components of EAFM Good governance
The way rules and regulations are set and implemented (both formal and informal).
It includes:
planning and implementation mechanisms
processes and institutions through which citizens and governing groups voice interests, mediate differences, exercise legal rights and meet obligations
compliance and enforcement
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16. Principles of EAFM Key principles: Good governance Appropriate scale
Increased participation
Multiple objectives
Cooperation- coordination
Adaptive management
Precautionary approach
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17. Principles of EAFM Good governance has 8 major characteristics:
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18. Principles of EAFM Three dimensions: scales - extremes
1-Ecological scales
single species --- large marine ecosystem
2-Socio-economik scales
village ---coastline
3-Political/governance scales
single jurisdiction ---multiple jurisdictions
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19. Principles of EAFM Participation is central to the process
Stakeholders
Fishers and their associations
Governments (district-national)
Fishery related (e.g. Boat owners, money lenderd)
Compliance and enforcement
External agents (e.g. NGOs, researchers)
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20. Principles of EAFM
EAFM deals with interactions within the fishery sector and with other users
Each sector and user group probably have their own objectives
Need to balance these objectives
Requires stakeholder engagement and negotiation
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21. Principles of EAFM
EAFM involves cooperation and coordination among many stakeholders.
Institutional cooperation and coordination.
How do you achieve this?
Talk to others
Link in with existing arrangements (e.g. ICM, inter-agency activities)
Share information
Harmonize work plans/budgets
Memorandums of understanding/binding agreements
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22. Principles of EAFM Learning while doing Evaluate Improve Discard Work
More uncertainty
Less uncertainty
TIME
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23. Principles of EAFM
“… where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation” (UNCED, 1992)
Lack of information should not be used as reason for lack of action
Where there is uncertainty, management actions should be less risky
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24. Importance of planning
Plans are needed to implement policies
High level principles and policies can not be implemented as they stand
EAFM plans provide a link between higher level policy (e.g. National fisheries policy) and management actions on the ground
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25. Importance of planning
Linking policy to action
An example:
The national policy might be to promote healthy ecosystems.
This is too broad as there are a number of issues that will need to be addressed.
In the EAFM, one of the issues might be degraded seagrass and the objective is to restore and protect the seagrass.
The stakeholders have all agreed that the best way to do this is to have no-take areas allocated within the seagrass beds.
Restoring and protecting seagrass will help meet the policy of “healthy environment”
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26. Importance of planning
Healthy environment
Policy
Restore and protect rocky reefs
EAFM Plan
Allocate no-take area to prevent fishing in selected rocky reef areas
Management actions
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27. Importance of planning
Good planning; provides a clear sense of direction promotes transparency considers alternative courses of action is based on the best information available
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28. Management measures and approach
EAFM measures can adapted to the extension of traditional fisheries management.
Thus the range of input and output controls and technical measures (including spatial measures) used to regulate fishing mortality remain highly relevant; but these controls will need to be considered in a broader context.
This means recognizing that the range of measures chosen should not only address a series of target species concerns, but should also enhance ecosystem health and integrity.
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29. Management measures and approach
Technical measures
Fishing gear regulations
-Mesh size restrictions
-By-catch reduction
-Lost gear measures
-Precautionary approach in the use of high impact fisihing methods
-Adjustment to fishing operations and methods
Spatial and temporal controls
Control of the impact from fishing gear on habitats
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30. Management measures and approach
Input (effort) and output (catch) control measures
Controlling overall fishing mortality
Catch controls
Ecosystem manipulation
Habitat modifications
Population manipulation
Rights-based management approachs
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31. An example to EAFM practice: New Zealand
1960 capacity problems in inshore fisheries
1963 removed the restrictions on fishing effort
1965 provided guarantees on loans for fishing vessel
increase fishing capacity!!!
Early 1980s overfishing and over capitalization within inshore fleets
Late 1980s Intense consultations among stakeholders
Introduction of Total Allowable Catches (TACs)
and Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs)
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32. An example to EAFM practice: New Zealand
The introduction of ITQs, together with the financial assistance to restructuring, was designed to reduce fishing capacity.
The initial adjustment retired tones of catch from New Zealand fisheries.
The reduction in the size of the fleets, whether it was due to this assistance scheme or to the subsequent introduction of ITQs, was dramatic.
The number of vessels dropped by 22 percent between 1983/84 and 1986/87 and there was a further 53 percent reduction resulting from the use of ITQs between 1986/87 and 1994/95.
As this rationalization primarily occurred in the country's inshore fisheries, one of its effects was to redirect investment into deep-water fisheries.
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33. Practice in Laboratory
Two work: 1- Size measurement of marine animals 2- Age determination of fish
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34. Size measurement
Fish
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35. Size measurement
Bivalve mollusc
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36. Size determination on Crustacean
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37. Age determination of fish
The scales, otoliths (ear bones), and other bony parts of fish often contain a record of seasonal growth patterns.
This is because fish grow faster in the summer than in winter, due to higher temperatures and increased food consumption.
Patterns in the scales and otoliths reflect this change: summer zones are wide, and winter zones are narrow.
Fish age, in years, can therefore be determined by counting the number of paired summer/winter growth zones.
One pair of such zones is called an annulus (plural, annuli).
Thus, the process of ageing fish is similar to finding the age of a tree by counting rings in the wood.
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38. Age determination from scales and otoliths
Scale Otolith
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39. Age determination practice on otolith
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40. Questions & Answers
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