ECOSYSTEM BASED
FISHERY MANAGEMENT
WHAT IS AN ECOSYSTEM?
WHAT IS THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM?
IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS IN THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM? IS THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM JUST THE CORAL REEF AND THE OPEN SEA?
HOW DO HUMAN ACTIVITIES IMPACT THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM?
WHAT DOES ALL THIS FISHERY ECOSYSTEM HAS TO DO WITH FISHERY MANAGEMENT?
A PRODUCTIVE FISHERY DEPENDS ON THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM BEING SUSTAINABLE AND IN FUNCTIONAL CONDITION. TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE ALL MUST KNOW BETTER THE SPACE INHABITED BY THE FISH AND SHELLFISH THAT MAKE UP THE FISHING RESOURCES.
WE MUST KNOW ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WATER, THE SPECIES THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA AND HOW THEY DEPEND ON THE CONDITIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO GROW, FEED AND REPRODUCE.
HERE, WE WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME CONCEPTS (CATCH LIMITS, FISHING SEASONS AND CLOSED AREAS) SO YOU CAN SEE HOW FISHERY MANAGEMENT IS USED TO MAINTAIN A SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE AND ARE BASED ON THE ECOSYSTEM. ENJOY IT!
WHAT IS AN ECOSYSTEM?
AN ECOSYSTEM IS DEFINED AS ALL THE ORGANISMS - THE BIOTIC (ALIVE) COMPONENTTHAT INHABIT A PARTICULAR SPACE IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FACTORS - THE ABIOTIC COMPONENT, OR THE NON-LIVING FACTORSAND THE PROCESSES THAT MAKE THEM CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER.
BIOTIC ABIOTIC
MANGROVES
OXIGEN
SEA GRASSES
TEMPERATURE
CLAMS
SALINITY
CURRENTS
FISHES
INVERTEBRATES
WIND
RAIN
WHAT IS THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM?
THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM IN FISHERIES IS THE SUM OF THE BIOTIC COMPONENTS, INCLUDING ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE FISH AND ALL OTHER SPECIES THAT MAKE UP OUR FISHERIES, RANGING FROM BACTERIA, ALGAE, AND INVERTEBRATES TO WHALES.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE HUMAN BEING IS AN IMPORTANT BIOTIC COMPONENT WHEN WE TAKE SPECIES FROM THE SEA TO BRING THEM TO OUR TABLES.
THE ABIOTIC COMPONENT IS THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF ORGANISMS LIVES INCLUDING FACTORS SUCH AS: 1) WATER, 2) TEMPERATURE, 3) LIGHT PENETRATION, 4) SALINITY, 5) NUTRIENTS, 6) DEPTH, 7) SUBSTRATE, OR SEABED, AND 8) OCEAN CURRENTS. THESE CONDITIONS DEFINE THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL HABITAT FOR ALL SPECIES IN THE ECOSYSTEM.
IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC COMPONENTS IN THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM?
DIFFERENT PROCESSES IN THE ECOSYSTEM CONNECT ONE SPECIES TO ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY THROUGH FOOD WEBS. ALSO, BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES CONNECT THE ABIOTIC COMPONENT WITH THE BIOTIC COMPONENT. FOR EXAMPLE, CORALS, WHICH MAKE UP REEFS, OBTAIN CALCIUM CARBONATE FROM SEAWATER WITH WHICH THEY FORM THE EXTERNAL SKELETON, AND THE CONCH USES IT TO FORM ITS SHELL. THE OCEAN CURRENTS AND TIDES CONNECT FROM THE SHORE TO THE DEEP WATERS AND FROM OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY COME FROM.
IS
IN THE U.S. CARIBBEAN REGION, THE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM INCLUDES, MANGROVES, ESTUARIES, SANDY BOTTOMS, SEAGRASS BEDS, SHALLOW AND DEEP-SEA CORAL REEFS, AND THE WATERS OF THE OPEN OCEAN. FISHES MOVE THROUGH THESE SPACES DURING THEIR LIFE CYCLE. INLAND ACTIVITIES SUCH AS RUNOFF, WHICH TRANSPORT WHAT WE DEPOSIT IN RIVERS AND END UP IN THE SEA, AND CONSTRUCTION ON THE COAST, CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM.
HOW DO HUMAN ACTIVITIES IMPACT THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM?
EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED IN THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM. OUR ACTIVITY AS CONSUMERS (PREDATORS OF THE HIGHEST LEVEL) AND AS A SOCIAL ENTITY SHAPE MANY OF THE ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ECOSYSTEM.
WE ALWAYS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT WHEN WE DISPOSE OF USED WATER, WE BREAK A CORAL, WE ERODE THE COASTS, AND WHEN WE FISH WE IMPACT THE ECOSYSTEM, THE SPECIES, AND THEIR ECOLOGICAL BALANCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, FISHING IMPACTS THE COMPOSITION AND SIZE OF FISH AND INVERTEBRATE (LOBSTER, CONCH) POPULATIONS PRESENT IN THE ECOSYSTEM. THEREFORE, IT IS NECESSARY THAT BOTH FISHERMEN AND ALL OF US WHO USE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES THAT OCCUR IN THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM AND SUSTAIN THE FISHERIES.
WHAT
DOES ALL THIS FISHERY ECOSYSTEM HAS TO DO WITH FISHERIES MANAGEMENT?
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT IT CAN ABSORB DISTURBANCES, KEEP ITS STRUCTURE AND DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS AS INTACT AS POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO A HEALTHY STATUS.
TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE FISHERY RESOURCE, YOU NEED TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF THE ECOLOGY OF THE AREA WHERE YOU FISH AND KNOW THE IMPACT OF BOATS AND FISHING GEAR.
RESPECT THE ESTABLISHED MANAGEMENT MEASURES, SUCH AS: CLOSED SEASONS, NO-FISHING AREAS, LIMITATION OF FISHING GEAR AND SIZE LIMITS OF THE SPECIES CAUGHT, AMONG OTHERS.
THE CFMC CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, IN A PARTICIPATORY MANNER, TOOLS TO UNDERSTAND AND MEASURE THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BIOTIC, ABIOTIC AND ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS (HUMAN - ORIGINATED IMPACT). THIS IS KNOWN AS ECOSYSTEM-BASED FISHERY MANAGEMENT (EBFM)
HOW THE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM IS INTEGRATED TO ESTABLISH FISHERY MANAGEMENT MEASURES?
TO ACHIEVE A STABLE ECOSYSTEM AND A SUSTAINABLE FISHERY RESOURCE, WE NEED TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF THE ECOLOGY AND SPECIES OF THE PLACE WHERE YOU FISH. KNOW THE IMPACT OF BOATS AND FISHING GEAR. RESPECT THE ESTABLISHED MANAGEMENT MEASURES, SUCH AS: CLOSED SEASONS, NO-FISHING AREAS, LIMITATION OF FISHING GEAR AND SIZE LIMITS OF THE SPECIES CAUGHT, AMONG OTHERS. THE CFMC CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, IN A PARTICIPATORY MANNER, TOOLS TO UNDERSTAND AND MEASURE THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BIOTIC, ABIOTIC AND ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS. THIS IS KNOWN AS ECOSYSTEM-BASED FISHERY MANAGEMENT (EBFM).
WHAT ACTIONS DOES THE CARIBBEAN FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (CFMC) TAKE TO APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM IN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT?
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR PUERTO RICO, ST. THOMAS / ST. JOHN, AND ST. CROIX, THE CFMC HAS INCORPORATED THE CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT, ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH) AND HABITATS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST (HAPC). THESE DOCUMENTS DEFINE IN DETAIL THE SPECIFIC HABITATS IN WHICH THE SPECIES THAT ARE FISHED ARE FOUND AND THE HABITATS ON LAND THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THESE.
WHAT DOES ESSENTIAL HABITAT MEAN FOR THE FISHES?
SOME SPECIES OF FISH AND OTHER ORGANISMS THAT MAKE UP THE FISHERY RESOURCES ARE FISHED IN AREAS OF CORAL REEFS AND THE OPEN OCEAN. HOWEVER, THEY CAN LIVE THEIR JUVENILE OR REPRODUCTIVE STAGES IN THE MANGROVE OR IN ANY OF THE OTHER ECOSYSTEMS. FOR THIS REASON, THEY ARE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL FISH HABITATS.
Mangrove and the river mouth Sand and mud bottomWHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL FISH HABITATS IN THE U.S. CARIBBEAN?
IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA THERE ARE ECOSYSTEMS FROM THE SHORE TO THE OPEN SEA, WHICH, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE CONNECTED BY WATER AND CURRENTS, HAVE VERY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
AMONG THE MOST COMMON ECOSYSTEMS ARE MANGROVES, ESTUARIES, OR RIVER MOUTHS, SANDY BOTTOMS, SEAGRASS BEDS, SHALLOW AND DEEP-SEA CORAL REEFS, AND THE OPEN OCEAN.
WHAT ARE HABITATS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST (HAPC)?
THEY ARE HABITATS IN WHICH ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ARE PRESENT:
1) IMPORTANCE OF THE ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION PROVIDED BY THE HABITAT.
2) THE AREA OR HABITAT IS PRONE TO HUMAN-INDUCED DEGRADATION.
3) THE HABITAT IS STRESSED.
4) IS CONSIDERED RARE.
Shallow-water coral reef Water columnWHAT’ IS A FISHERY ECOSYSTEM PLAN (FEP)… ANOTHER PLAN?
IT IS NOT ANOTHER PLAN; IT IS THE DOCUMENT THAT CONTAINS THE INFORMATION THAT IS THE BASIS FOR THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLANS DEVELOPED BY THE CARIBBEAN FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT, INTERESTED PEOPLE FROM ALL BRANCHES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SCIENTISTS, FISHERS, AND OTHER PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE FISHERY RESOURCES INHABITING THE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS HAVE BEEN CONSULTED. ITS CREATION HAS THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
WHAT IS A FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN?
IT IS THE DOCUMENT THAT CONTAINS THE NECESSARY SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS. THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLANS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED THROUGH CONSULTATIONS WITH FISHERMEN, VENDORS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER PEOPLE RELATED TO FISHING WHO IDENTIFY THE SPECIES THAT ARE CAUGHT. THEN THOSE MEASURES NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE ECOSYSTEM, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FISHING RESOURCE AND THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE FISHING COMMUNITIES ARE ESTABLISHED.
HOW DO CITIZENS PARTICIPATE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN?
THE CARIBBEAN FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL HAS AN ADVISORY PANEL, MADE UP OF FISHERMEN AND OTHER INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS FOR EACH OF THE MANAGEMENT JURISDICTIONS: PUERTO RICO, ST. THOMAS / ST. JOHN, AND ST. CROIX. THESE PEOPLE PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF THE FISHERY: THE SPECIES, THE DATA OF EACH ONE AND IF THERE IS A NEED TO REVIEW ANY INFORMATION IN THE MANAGEMENT PLAN. IN ADDITION, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE HELD ON EACH ISLAND IN WHICH ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS CAN PARTICIPATE.
Texts - Álida Ortiz Sotomayor, Graphics - Paco López Mújica
Editor - Diana MartinóAcknowledgements to: Graciela Garcia-Moliner, Vanessa Ramirez, Edgardo Ortiz Corps, Marcos Hanke and Miguel Rolón for their helpful comments. For more information on Ecosystem Based Management go to: www.caribbeanfmc.com www.noaa.gov/fisheries.html
Grant # NA20NMF4410008
HOW IS SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM INTEGRATED TO ESTABLISH FISHERY MANAGEMENT MEASURES?
WHAT DOES ESSENTIAL HABITAT MEAN FOR THE FISHES?
WHAT’S A FISHERY ECOSYSTEM PLAN (FEP)… ANOTHER PLAN?
WHAT ACTIONS DOES THE CARIBBEAN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (CFMC) TAKE TO APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MARINE FISHERY ECOSYSTEM IN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT?
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL HABITATS FOR FISH IN THE U.S. CARIBBEAN?
WHAT IS A FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN?
WHAT ARE HABITATS AREAS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST? (HAPC)
HOW DO CITIZENS PARTICIPATE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN?