Ecoviability for ecosystem-based fisheries management

TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a specific methodological framework, called viability modelling, to quantify the bio-economic and ecosystem risks associated with the adoption of status quo strategies and challenge the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management.

Abstract: Reconciling food security, economic development and biodiversity conservation is a key challenge, especially in the face of the demographic transition characterizing many countries in the world. Fisheries and marine ecosystems constitute a difficult application of this bio-economic challenge. Many experts and scientists advocate an ecosystem approach to manage marine socio-ecosystems for their sustainability and resilience. However, the ways by which to operationalize ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) remain poorly specified. We propose a specific methodological framework—viability modelling—to do so. We show how viability modelling can be applied using four contrasted case-studies: two small-scale fisheries in South America and Pacific and two larger-scale fisheries in Europe and Australia. The four fisheries are analysed using the same modelling framework, structured around a set of common methods, indicators and scenarios. The calibrated models are dynamic, multispecies and multifleet and account for various sources of uncertainty. A multicriteria evaluation is used to assess the scenarios’ outcomes over a long time horizon with different constraints based on ecological, social and economic reference points. Results show to what extent the bio-economic and ecosystem risks associated with the adoption of status quo strategies are relatively high and challenge the implementation of EBFM. In contrast, strategies called ecoviability or co-viability strategies, that aim at satisfying the viability constraints, reduce significantly these ecological and economic risks and promote EBFM. The gains associated with those ecoviability strategies, however, decrease with the intensity of regulations imposed on these fisheries.

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Please note that this is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The definitive
publisher-authenticated version is available on the publisher Web site.
Fish And Fisheries
November 2017, Volume 18 Issue 6 Pages 1056-1072
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/faf.12224
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00409/52009/
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Achimer
http://archimer.ifremer.fr
Ecoviability for ecosystem-based fisheries management
Doyen Luc
1, *
, Bene Christophe
2
, Bertignac Michel
3
, Blanchard Fabian
4
, Cissé Abdoul
4
,
Dichmont Catherine
5
, Gourguet Sophie
6
, Guyader Olivier
6
, Hardy Pierre-Yves
7
, Jennings Sarah
8
,
Little Lorne Richard
9
, Macher Claire
6
, Mills David Jonathan
10, 11
, Noussair Ahmed
12
, Pascoe Sean
5
,
Pereau Jean-Christophe
1
, Sanz Nicolas
4
, Schwarz Anne-Maree
10
, Smith Tony, Thebaud Olivier
5, 6
1
Univ Bordeaux, CNRS, GREThA, Pessac, France.
2
CIAT, Decis & Policy Anal Program, Cali, Colombia.
3
IFREMER, Unite Sci & Technol Halieut, Plouzane, France.
4
UMSR Univ Guyane, LEEISA, CNRS, IFREMER, Cayenne, France.
5
CSIRO, Oceans & Atmosphere, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
6
Univ Brest, CNRS, IFREMER, Unite Econ Maritime,IUEM,AMURE,UMR 6308, Plouzane, France.
7
Univ Montpellier 3, CEFE, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
8
Univ Tasmania, Ctr Marine Socioecol, Hobart, Tas, Australia.
9
CSIRO, Oceans & Atmosphere, Hobart, Tas, Australia.
10
WorldFish, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
11
James Cook Univ, ARC Ctr Excellence Coral Reef Studies, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
12
Univ Bordeaux, IMB, Bordeaux, France.
* Corresponding author : Luc Doyen, email address : luc.doyen@u-bordeaux.fr
Abstract :
Reconciling food security, economic development and biodiversity conservation is a key challenge,
especially in the face of the demographic transition characterizing many countries in the world. Fisheries
and marine ecosystems constitute a difficult application of this bio-economic challenge. Many experts
and scientists advocate an ecosystem approach to manage marine socio-ecosystems for their
sustainability and resilience. However, the ways by which to operationalize ecosystem-based fisheries
management (EBFM) remain poorly specified. We propose a specific methodological framework-viability
modelling-to do so. We show how viability modelling can be applied using four contrasted case-studies:
two small-scale fisheries in South America and Pacific and two larger-scale fisheries in Europe and
Australia. The four fisheries are analysed using the same modelling framework, structured around a set
of common methods, indicators and scenarios. The calibrated models are dynamic, multispecies and
multifleet and account for various sources of uncertainty. A multicriteria evaluation is used to assess the
scenarios' outcomes over a long time horizon with different constraints based on ecological, social and
economic reference points. Results show to what extent the bio-economic and ecosystem risks
associated with the adoption of status quo strategies are relatively high and challenge the
implementation of EBFM. In contrast, strategies called ecoviability or co-viability strategies, that aim at
satisfying the viability constraints, reduce significantly these ecological and economic risks and promote
EBFM. The gains associated with those ecoviability strategies, however, decrease with the intensity of

2
Please note that this is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The definitive
publisher-authenticated version is available on the publisher Web site.
regulations imposed on these fisheries.
Keywords : biodiversity, ecological economics, ecosystem approach, fisheries, scenario, viability

Ecoviability
Contents
1 Introduction and motivations
2Ecoviabilityapproach,modelsandscenarios
2.1 A m ulti-species multi-feet dynamic model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2 The ecoviability objectives . ..............................
2.3 Fishing scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4 Ecological and economic metrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3Resultsasasynthesisofdifferentcasestudies
3.1 Case studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2 Formalization and calibration of models for the case studies . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3 Viability constraints of the case studies . . . ....................
3.4 Ecoviability scenarios . . . . ..............................
3.5 Viability performances of scenarios . . . . . . ....................
3.6 Synergy or tradeoff between risk and economic expectations . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.7 Viable effort or vessels reallocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4Discussion
4.1 Ecoviability is globally well suited to EBFM. ....................
4.2 Ecoviability allows models of intermediate complexity adapted to EBFM . . . . .
4.3 Ecoviability directly deals with sustainability ....................
4.4 Ecoviability provides an adaptive management with respect to uncertain ties . . .
4.5 Ecoviability can capture the dynamics of biodiversity . . . .............
4.6 Ecoviability can represent the short term vs. long term choices . . . . . . . . . .
4.7 Eco viability can allow underlining the role of tec hnical change . . . . . . . . . . .
4.8 Ecoviability can rely on many fisheries management tools .............
3

Ecoviability
5Conclusions
4

Ecoviability
1Introductionandmotivations21
Reconciling food securit y with biodiversity conservation is among the greatest challenges of the22
cen tury, especially in the face of the world demographic transition (Godfray et al.,2010;Rice&23
Garcia, 2011). The creation of the IPBES (International Panel for Biodiv ersity and Ecosystem24
Services) at the interface between decision support and scientific knowledge is in direct line with25
these concerns. Implementing this bio-economic perspective is especially challenging in the case26
of fisheries and marine ecosystems. Marine and coastal ecosystems are experiencing accelerating27
changes affecting species and communities at different biotic scales, sometimes with alarming28
trends and largely unknown consequences (Butchart et al.,2010;MEA,2005). Thesechangesare29
partially due to past and current fishing pressure, thus questioning the sustainability of current30
fishing activities and food production systems, and raise key questions in terms of food security,31
especially for developing countries with high demographic growth. Climate change complicates32
and exacerbates the issues by inducing new, or intensifying existing, risks, uncertainties and33
vulnerabilities.34
As a consequence, ensuring the long-term ecological-economic sustainability of marine fish-35
eries systems, and preserving the marine biodiversity and ecosystems that support them, have36
become a major issue for national and international agencies (FAO, 2013). In response, an37
increasing number of marine scien tists and experts advocate the use of ecosystem-based fishery38
management (EBFM) accounting for the various ecological and economic complexities at play.39
Pikitch et al. (2004) for instance claim that EBFM is a new direction for fishery management,40
essentially reversing the order of management priorities so that management starts with the41
ecosystem rather than a target species, while FAO (2003) proposes the following definition:42
“An ecosystem approach to fisheries strives to balance diverse societal objectives,43
by taking into account the kno wledge and uncertainties about biotic, abiotic and44
human components of ecosystems and their interactions and applying an integrated45
approach to fisheries within ecologically meaningful boundaries.”46
The way to operationalize this EBFM approach, however, remains challenging (Sanchirico et47
al.,2008;Doyenet al.,2013),alongwiththeidentificationofmethods,approachesandtools48
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Q1. What are the contributions in "Ecoviability for ecosystem-based fisheries management" ?

The authors propose a specific methodological framework-viability modelling-to do so. The authors show how viability modelling can be applied using four contrasted case-studies: two small-scale fisheries in South America and Pacific and two larger-scale fisheries in Europe and Australia.