How integration of ecological indicators into multispecies-multifleet management evaluation models changes management impacts

To deliver tools to support implementation of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) in Europe, we must consider how the integration of ecological factors such as environmental conditions and predation interactions in complex multi-species and multi-fleet management models affects their outcomes. These models are used to understand the impacts of different fisheries management strategies on fish stocks, and environmental status under different climate and fishing scenarios.   

As part of our Evaluation of Fisheries Management Strategies in an Ecosystem Context work theme, SEAwise investigated how including these different ecological factors impacted the outputs of models designed to analyse the impacts of fishing management strategies on fish stocks and environmental conditions.

SEAwise research

Different models were considered across three SEAwise case study areas. Most use the FLBEIA framework – a multi-stock, multi-fleet model that requires inputs similar to those required by the single stock assessment models traditionally used in management, meaning they are easily comparable. Other models considered in the research include ecosystem based models such as EwE and StrathE2E which are both used in conjunction and comparatively with FLBEIA. 

Results by Case Study are presented below:

  • In the Mediterranean Sea, the inclusion of predation interactions for juvenile hake and red mullet was performed with an ecosystem based model but was not transferable to FLBEIA. The latter shows that some scenarios (e.g. FMSY) can help mitigate the impact of climate change on stock productivity
  • In Western Waters, the impacts of considering environmental effects in the Bay of Biscay varied between stocks and fleets. In the Celtic Sea, the EwE model produced comparable outputs when environmental factors are included; however, it does not capture rapid changes in stock biomass.
  • For the North Sea, there was close agreement in changes in the levels of landings and discards between scenarios from both the FLBEIA and StrathE2E runs when ecological factors were included.

What happens next?

Building on these findings, future work will explore impacts of environmental factors on more stocks and case studies, through the mobilisation of a higher number of models. In order to investigate stocks for which there is limited data on environmental effects, what-if scenarios could be defined. Furthermore, effort will be put on the integration of findings from our Spatial Management Impacts on Ecological Systems and Fisheries theme into enhanced models.

Read the full report here.

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