COLLABORATING FOR A BALANCED ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

Collaborating for a balanced ecosystem approach to fisheries management. Exploring key themes across Europe’s fisheries, with three new films the SEAwise project showcases how SEAwise researchers and stakeholders have worked together towards holistic and balanced fisheries management in Europe.

Following on from the project’s first film released earlier this summer – ‘Shifting Seas: The Western Waters Story’, which addresses climate change impacts on fish and fisheries in the Bay of Biscay and Celtic and Irish Seas, our final instalment of three short films stories key themes emerging across SEAwise’s remaining Case Study regions – the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

The films convey emerging messages based on the project’s assessments across these regions, from the importance of accounting for the whole ecosystem in the Baltic Sea to how spatial planning and stakeholder collaboration are shaping future approaches to management in two distinct European regions: the North Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

 A dynamic research programme working to operationalise Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) across Europe, SEAwise has involved the collaboration of scientific researchers, policy makers, and stakeholders to develop tools and actionable, tailor-made advice, which fits the specific management needs of each of the project’s Case Study regions.

With the project coming to a close, these films showcase the voices of SEAwise’s researchers and stakeholder network, including fishermen and industry advisors as they navigate the journey towards achieving effective fisheries management in Europe.

The Baltic Sea Case Study – ‘The Case for an Ecosystem Approach’

One of the world’s fastest changing marine areas, the Baltic Sea has seen considerable declines in key stocks in recent years, leading to zero catch quotas for Western Baltic cod and herring. With the Baltic ecosystem facing multiple human pressures, from fishing to eutrophication, scientists predict the region faces a significant challenge in achieving fisheries and environmental sustainability goals.

The SEAwise Baltic Sea film communicates how management can help steer stocks in the right direction and play a role in supporting recovery of the Baltic’s ecosystem. A key message coming from our research and which we wanted to emphasise with this film was the holistic approach needed to address challenges in this region.

“It is possible to restore Good Environmental Status in the Baltic Sea, but it needs more than just fisheries management, it needs broader societal action from tourists, from farmers, fishers, to the shipping industry. We have to see our ocean as a complex environment.” – Dr. Stefan Neuenfeldt, SEAwise Baltic Sea Case Study Lead, DTU Aqua.

Overall, the Baltic Sea presents a clear case for the implementation of a whole-of-ecosystem approach to management, accounting not only for fisheries impacts, but the full suite of drivers affecting the region.

The Mediterranean Sea Case Study – ‘Navigating a Complex Seascape Together’

SEAwise’s work in the Mediterranean Sea has focused on the Adriatic Sea, and Western and Eastern Ionian Sea.

Under its Biodiversity Strategy, the EU has committed to designating at least 30 per cent of land and 30 per cent of its sea as protected, with a third strictly protected by 2030. However, SEAwise results indicate that the current protected area network in the Mediterranean is insufficient to help achieve targets to reduce bycatch and seabed impacts as a result of fishing. Key policy recommendations coming from SEAwise include new Marine Protected Area (MPA) sites and a suite of fisheries management measures which will better support sustainability of the whole ecosystem.

As part of our Mediterranean case, we spoke to Italian and Greek researchers from either side of the Ionian Sea about differing approaches to management and the challenges surrounding balancing nature protection, and the social and economic needs of society in a crowded space. The film spotlights the importance of striving towards effective governance via active stakeholder collaboration and capacity building with fishers and industry to design tailored management measures suited to the unique social-ecological systems in the region. The film’s core message is about working together.

“If all stakeholders collaborate to strengthen the interface between science, industry, and society, and align around common goals by showing coherent and consistent support for EBFM approaches, creating a unified pressure for change, there is hope that we will also trigger a political and institutional response and can move towards practical implementation of EBFM in Greek waters.” – Dr. Vassiliki (Celia) Vassilopoulou, SEAwise Eastern Ionian Sea Case Study Lead, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR)

The North Sea Case Study- ‘Balancing trade-offs’

Socio-ecological systems, including the marine, are deeply inter-connected. Decisions relating to each dimension impacts the others, and can entail social and ecological ‘trade-offs’. With the ultimate goal of looking outside the box of traditional fisheries management, throughout the project, SEAwise’s research priorities have been co-designed with a range of stakeholders from the fishing industry to NGOs via participatory workshops with the EU’s Advisory Councils and in various other fora.

Bridging the science-policy-stakeholder interface, our final Case Study film spotlights the importance of stakeholder engagement and shares the perspectives of SEAwise partners, alongside members of the North Sea Advisory Council (NSAC). The film unpacks the concept of managing for ‘trade-offs’ and how science provides insights and tools for decision makers and stakeholders to base their decisions on, and to discuss trade-offs and their priorities.

“SEAwise presents operational examples of EBFM. This is key to convincing and motivating managers to embark on this pivot to a more holistic management. It’s important that we ensure this space for stakeholders to discuss and negotiate trade-offs and make decisions that are inclusive and fair.” – Tamara Talevska, Executive Secretary, North Sea Advisory Council (NSAC)

View the films on the SEAwise Youtube Channel: https://loom.ly/JBNuc2M

Image credit: SeaWise