1. ECGS – 017: Fisheries management Talk nr 6:
A) Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM),
B) Developing objectives, indicators and benchmarks for EAFM

2. EAFM: Short definition
Version 1

3. Ecosystems in a fishery context
Fish depend upon their surrounding supporting ecosystem (water, habitats) to survive and produce
Managing fisheries in isolation from what they affect and are affected by has proven to be relatively ineffective and unsustainable
Fish depend upon their surrounding supporting ecosystem (water, habitats) to survive and thrive.
Managing fisheries in isolation from what they affect, and are affected by, has proven to be relatively ineffective and unsustainable. 3

4. Ecosystem approach
It is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way (CBD 2000)
EA is often used interchangeably with ecosystem- based management (EBM)
We have considered what an ecosystem is. We now introduce the ecosystem approach: Definition comes from the Convention on biodiversity (CBD).
Important to stress that EA is an INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT APPROACH.
Also used interchangeably with EBM = Ecosystem-based management
The ecosystems approach is the way to implement sustainable development.
The ecosystem approach is the way to implement sustainable development. 4

5. Sustainable development
“Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” 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.
Ensure we all agree with this; course is grounded in the concept of Sustainable Development. Management should be aimed at achieving sustainable development. NOTE that it is “Development” that needs to be sustainable. Development is improving human well-being (wealth, health and happiness) in a way that does not jeopardize the ability of sons and daughters to enjoy similar development opportunities.
Sustainable development can be thought of as maximizing the ecosystem benefits but not degrading the system to the extent that future generations (our sons and daughters) can also maximize their benefits. Refer to same definition on visuals gallery on wall.
We will be linking fisheries management to sustainable development in more detail in the next session. 5

6. Ecological Well-being for future generations
Sustainable development
Ecological Well-being
Human
Well-being
Good
Governance
Here is a visual that helps us understand sustainable development. Sustainable development can be thought of finding a BALANCE between human well-being and ecological well-being through good governance for future generations. We will look into what “ecological well-being” and “human well-being” and” good governance” are in the next few slides.
for future generations 6

7. 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
Ecological well being means:
Healthy ecosystems that maximize ecosystem services – supporting, provisioning, regulatory and culture
Biodiversity that leads to ecosystem resilience
Healthy oceans, coastal areas and watersheds in terms of pollution
Food webs based on diverse sources of primary production
And (not included) ecosystem structure and habitats that support animal life and life cycles. 7

8. 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
There are several dimensions of human well-being:
Wealth: material living standards, income, consumption
Health
Education
Food security (having adequate access to food)
Basic human rights including a political voice and influence
Social and cultural connections and relationships; and
Security – both economic as well as physical. 8

9. 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
This definition is adapted from AusAID This explains that governance is the way that rules and regulations are set and implemented. These rules can be both formal and informal. Good governance covers a broad range of activities and arrangements that ensure good planning, participation, as well as compliance and enforcement. 9

10. Why an Ecosystem Approach?
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
Benefits are of EA are further considered when considering EAFM, but good to introduce them here (slides 19+20). The main benefits are:
1. EA facilitates trade offs. This helps resolve inter-sectoral conflicts; enables consideration of diverse stakeholders’ priorities and allows better balancing of resource use objectives with conservation objectives.
2. EA also allows adaptive management = by learning from the outcomes of previously employed management.
3. Reiterate that EA allows for more inclusive and equitable fisheries and coastal marine resource planning and decision making. Increased stakeholder participation can result in:
more transparent planning
increased equity in the use of coastal resources
recognizes cultural and traditional values
protects the fishing sector from the impacts of other sectors and vice versa
promotes gender equality
 Benefits continue onto next slide. 10

11. EAFM builds on existing fisheries management : “the move towards EAFM”
EA/EBM
integrated management across sectors
multiple use management
target and bycatch
considers habitats
fishery impacts on the ecosystem
threats to the fishery from external factors
good governance/
participatory
socio-economic benefits
target species
fish focused
production driven
managed through control of fishing
government driven
Moving from left to right we can see that EAFM, therefore, is a broadening of existing (or conventional) fisheries management that focused mainly on target species (species that could be eaten or sold). EAFM is the sectorial version of EA/EBM.
We, therefore, talk about “Moving towards EAFM”.
Multi-sectoral EA/EBM is also often aspired to (e.g. through considering large marine ecosystems).
Refer to Module 3, section 4, Table 2 Moving towards EAFM continuum. 11

12. EAFM complements other approaches
Co-management
Existing fisheries management
Integrated coastal zone management
EAFM complements other approaches that you may know:
The all-encompassing circle is EA/EBM. Within this we have:
co-management
integrated coastal zone management (ICM or ICZM),
Marine spatial planning (MPS), and existing fisheries management.
All of these approaches recognize that management must deal with broad ecosystem management (both natural and human components) and try to optimize the social and economic benefits.
Other approaches, such as Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) are similar, but at a different scale.
Diagram shows relationships – actual degree of overlap will vary from country to country – but not too extremely, e.g. so that EAFM falls fully within ICM.
Let participants explain why they think that circles should be moved to reflect the situation in their particular country.
EAFM
Marine spatial planning
EA/EBM 12

13. EAFM & objectives and indicators
Self explanatory 13

14. 3.1 Management objectives 3.2 Indicators and benchmarks
We are now at Step 3. This step has 5 sub-steps. In this module we will look at 3 (i) develop management objectives, (iii) develop indicators and benchmarks.
Refer to large flipchart of this on wall to keep up as reference throughout course. Show where we are in course. 14

15. Building the EAFM plan
We have already developed the VISION and GOALS.
The next step is to add OBJECTIVES, INDICATORS & BENCHMARKS. 15

16. What specifically for this issue do you
3.1 Developing objectives
Management objective
Priority threat/issue
Ask:
What specifically for this issue do you
want to achieve?
LINK Issue to the objective. Remind participants that you develop objectives IN CONSULTATION with all possible stakeholders (refer to various stakeholder meetings/ workshops) as explained in Startup B. This process will end up with having multiple objectives. 16

17. What you want to achieve!
Objectives
Achievable through management actions
Management objective
management objective = To reduce the % of juvenile fish caught
 management objective = Improve the health of the ecosystem
Step 3.1 The objective should be a way of achieving the agreed FMU goal (agreed in step 2.3). An objective is a formal statement detailing the desired outcome of management.
Need some examples of good and bad objectives. Bad objective because it is something that you can not manage through action. Trainer must have thought of some related to specific FMU issues that have come up before lunch.
Good objective = clear and specific. Bad objective = too broad, ‘health’ not defined, ‘ecosystem’ not defined. 17

18. Sources of knowledge for aims
Legislation: national and international
International agreements
National agreements
Court decisions may help
Interviews of stakeholders (e.g AHP or Bayesian net)

19. 3.2 What is an indicator?
It measures the current status at one point in time (e.g. temperature, number of fish, area of mangroves)
When compared with an benchmark, the indicator provides a measure of how well you are meeting the objective
May only show the direction of development, not absolute status of the considered system
INDICATORS – Measure of where you currently are
BENCHMARK – What you compare the indicator to inform how well you are meeting the objective
Indicators should be linked to the objective. Very often indicators are developed and data collected without considering what they can be used for and what they are to be compared against
An indicator must be linked to an objective 19

20. Fishery resources example
Goal
Maximum sustainable yield for fishery
Objective
Reduce the % of juvenile fish caught in the fishery
Indicator
% of juvenile fish at sample sites
You have 1 goal, then there can be various objectives, each with related indicator. Elicit from participants examples of other objectives and possible indicator for this goal. 20

21. Ecological example Goal Objective Indicator
Minimized impacts on vulnerable and endangered species
Objective
Minimize the number of turtles caught in the fishery
Indicator
Number of turtles caught (based on sample)
You have 1 goal, then there can be various objectives, each with related indicator. Elicit from participants examples of other objectives and possible indicator for this goal. 21

22. Social example Goal Indicator Objective
Maximum social benefits for the fishery
Objective
Increase/maintain employment in the harvest and post-harvest sectors
Indicator
Number employed in the harvest/post-harvest
You have 1 goal, then there can be various objectives, each with related indicator. Elicit from participants examples of other objectives and possible indicator for this goal. 22

23. Governance example Goal Indicator Objective
Improve compliance and enforcement
Objective
Strengthen compliance and enforcement cooperation amongst different agencies
Indicator
Coordination group formed, multi-agency compliance plans formulated & groups meeting regularly with agreed minutes
You have 1 goal, then there can be various objectives, each with related indicator. Elicit from participants examples of other objectives and possible indicator for this goal. 23

24. Indicators must be “SMART”…
Specific (in terms of quantity, quality and time)
Measurable (easy to measure with acceptable cost)
Available (from existing sources or with reasonable extra effort)
Relevant (to objectives and sensitive to change)
Timely (to ensure usefulness to managers)
SMART is a common acronym for indicators. Participants must know these. A also stands for ‘achievable’. 24

25. What is a benchmark?
A target, limit, or baseline that provides a reference for comparing the indicator
Target = where you want to be
Limit = where you do not want to be
Baseline = where you have come from
(e.g. Target: Increase the area of mangroves by xx% by 2020)
 Remember: when the indicator is compared to benchmark it tells you how well you are meeting the objective
A target, limit, or baseline that provides a reference for comparing the indicator
Target = where you want to be
Limit = where you do not want to be
Baseline = where you have come from 25

26. Simple example Objective: Indicator: Benchmark:
Reduce the fever of a sick patient
Indicator:
The patient’s body temperature
Benchmark:
37 degrees Celsius in 2 days (target)
In this simple example, the objective is to reduce a patient’s fever. The indicator is the patient’s body temperature and the benchmark is 37 degrees Celsius. 26

27. Indicators and benchmarks
This is another example but in this case we have plotted it as a time line. The indicator e.g. the percentage cover of coral or the number of fish is plotted over time. At the beginning, the indicator was above both the limit and target benchmarks (and in the green). After several years the indicator has dropped below the target (into orange). EAFM started at this time and the indicator has increased to be above the target (in the green again) 27

28. Data & information for the indicators and benchmarks
Data and information are needed for the indicators and benchmarks
Use existing data
Collect new data, if necessary
Use participatory approaches, if possible
Note: Data & information is a cross-cutting theme. It was needed for scoping to set the background and now for indicators and benchmarks
Determine which data is needed to report on agreed indicators. Ensure you are collecting data on all 3 EAFM components. Use existing data (either from your own fishery/ organisation; or find out through collaboration if the data you require is already being collected by others, to avoid duplication of resources.) Tie method selection to available resources (revise design or find additional resources.) Choose methods that involve key stakeholders. 28

29. Key indicator questions
What: what needs to be measured?
Who: who will measure them?
Where: where will the data come from?
Elaborate as much as needed and link to Start Up B and participation issues, Principles (information needs) as well as Step 1.3 scoping (data collected acts as baseline): explain how greater involvement of stakeholders in monitoring/ evaluating interventions (Step 5.1) can lead to greater ownership= motivation/ sustainability. 29

30. Participatory M&E Stakeholders are involved in:
- developing the indicators and benchmarks
- collecting data
- deciding on the methods to use
Indicators developed locally have more relevance
Link to increased participation as EAFM Principle # 3. Explain how greater involvement of stakeholders in monitoring/ evaluating interventions (Step 5.1) can lead to greater ownership= motivation/ sustainability. Stakeholders can decide their own indicators (measures of ‘well being’ and ‘improved livelihoods’ are culturally and socially specific, they encompass more than purely economic unit of income).
Challenge: who has selected indicators you are currently using? Could other stakeholders have been involved? What can you change as part of EAFM process- i.e. be more inclusive?
Challenges: what do we mean by wellbeing? 30

31. Key messages
Management objectives are developed. This involves agreeing on what is to be achieved for each high-priority issue
Objectives are paired with indicators and benchmarks to be able to assess whether the objective is being achieved
Self explanatory. 31