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Marine Fisheries of the United States - Moving From Single-Species, Gear-Restricted, Area-Based Management to a More Holistic Ecosystem-Based Approach?

Robert Brock

National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA), MARYLAND, USA

Theme: TH5

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is entrusted with the science-based conservation and management of the living marine resources within federal waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States (US). Traditionally, the NMFS has used time- and area-closures, and gear restrictions to protect spawning aggregations, migrating endangered species, and essential fish habitat. These approaches have usually been reactionary in nature and sought to control short-term harvest. With species for which NMFS has adequate stock-assessment information, one-third of the stocks are considered 'overutilized' and almost one-half are deemed 'below optimum population levels.' Clearly, utilizing other 'tools in the fishery management toolbox' appears warranted. With serious stress to many fish stocks, and perhaps spurred on by a Presidential Executive Order, several of the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils) and the NMFS have adopted more of an ecosystem-based precautionary approach by setting up subcommittees and/or proposing 'no take' marine protected areas (MPAs) as insurance against scientific uncertainty and natural variability common in fisheries. Whether it be molluscs in the Gulf of Maine, reef fish in the Florida Keys, demersals along the California coast, area closures in the Gulf of Alaska, or the development of the largest 'no take' MPA along the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, this contribution will highlight examples in the US of the potential benefits, as well as possible pitfalls of moving from reactionary restrictions to more of a pro-active ecosystem-based management by NMFS and the Councils.