Developing an equitable and ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management

Authors

Ruth A. Davis, University of WollongongFollow
Quentin A. Hanich, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

103423

Publication Details

R. A. Davis and Q. A. Hanich, 'Developing an equitable and ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management' in H. Scheiber, J. Kraska and M. Kwon(ed), Science, Technology, and New Challenges to Ocean Law (2015) 124-148.

Additional Publication Information

ISBN: 9789004299610

Abstract

Much of the current literature on ecosystem based approaches to fisheries management focuses on the ecosystem impacts of fishing activities, and requirements to develop management plans that look beyond just target stocks. While this narrow interpretation is appropriate for fisheries with a limited diversity of stakeholder interests, particularly in isolated regions such as Antarctica, it requires a far more holistic approach in multispecies or multi-gear fisheries which feature a diverse range of socio-economic interests from both developed and developing states requiring a far more holistic approach. In such cases, for example the Pacific island tuna fisheries, it is important to consider management priorities-both in terms of target stocks and their broader ecosystem-and the varying distribution of the conservation burden and benefits among communities in developed and developing states. This paper outlines the legal and policy framework for the equitable distribution of the conservation burden and benefits within the context of ecosystem based approaches to fisheries management, using the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) as contrasting case studies.