Fisheries and Ecosystems Approach

Definitions: Fishery – includes marine resources that can be used these are: fish, shellfish, clams, corals and many more living organisms which are used for many purposes.¹⁰

Over 70 % of global stocks are over fished that number includes ∼10 % that are depleted severely.

Fish stocks may suffer because of:

• Pollution coming from land
• Marine habitat alternation and also destruction
• Non-sustainable and destructive fishing techniques for example trawling
• Global climate change

Solutions

• We can’t manage fish
• We can’t manage climate
• We can’t manage the ecosystem

BUT WE CAN MANAGE HUMAN ACTIVITIES -> Sustainable Fisheries⁹

Establishing an Ecosystem Approach to Management: "North Sea example"

Bergen Declaration – Fifth International Conference on the Protection of the North Sea⁸

During that meeting repentances of different countries agree that management of North Sea will be guided by the conceptual framework. That guidelines are set out in Annex 2, which includes:

• the development of general and operational environmental goals;
• best use of available scientific and technical knowledge about the structure and function of the ecosystem;
• best use of scientific advice;
• integrated expert assessment;
• coordinated and integrated monitoring;
• involvement of all stakeholders; and
• policy decisions and control and enforcement.