Beyond poorly identified and heavily exploited stocks, low biological productivity means that species in this region have slow rates of growth and reproduction which complicates management further by hindering the potential recovery of the ecosystem as a whole, and its associated fish stocks.
The research carried out by SEAwise in the Mediterranean Sea has focused on two main sub case regions – the Adriatic and Western Ionian Seas – GFCM Geographical Sub Areas (GSA) 17,18,19, and the Ionian Sea – GSA 20. You can explore these two cases in more detail by clicking on the links below.
Home to a large small-scale fleet, poorly identified and heavily-fished stocks make the Mediterranean ecosystem sensitive to changing environmental conditions. In this region, SEAwise has focused on two main sub regions – the Ionian Sea (GSA 20), and the Adriatic and Western Ionian Seas (GSAs 17,18,19)
Across these sub regions, SEAwise has analysed how climate change, invasive species, and management measures will interact to affect the region’s environment and fisheries, anticipating changes in carbon emissions, catches, and profitability. As part of this work, a key goal for SEAwise has been to disaggregate findings across the region’s small- and large-scale fleets.
Alongside this, the project has assessed the seafloor impacts of fisheries, fisheries-related litter, and the accidental capture of sensitive species.
Within the Glossary you will find definitions that are frequently used in the EBFM Tool.
| Terminology | Definition |
|---|---|
| Benthic Habitat | The lowest zone in a body of water which is inhabited by organisms. This refers to the surface of the seabed and/or the base layer (substrate) of the seabed itself and the organisms found there. |
| Bycatch | The unintentional capture of a non target species. This can include fish (e.g. bass) and non-fish (e.g. seal) species. |
| Choke species | When the total allowed catch is reached for one species, meaning the fishery has to close. This is to prevent vessels from accidentally catching more of the fully fished species – known as the ‘choke species’ – despite still having allocations remaining for other species. |
| Demersal Fishery | A fishery which targets fish found near to or on the seabed. This includes both large- and small-scale demersal fisheries. |
| Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) | An approach to fisheries management that takes a holistic overview of all ecosystem, social, and economic elements related to fisheries, including impacts on stocks, marine environments, social benefits, and heritage. |
| Gross Value Added (GVA) | The economic contribution of a producer or sector to the economy, represented by the revenues generated minus their fixed and variable costs. It can be interpreted as the economic gain from an activity. |
| Landing Obligation | Under the EU Landing Obligation catches of species regulated through catch limits or minimum size must be landed and counted against quotas. The aim is to prevent discards of unwanted fish at sea. |
| Management Measure | The specific elements of fisheries management aiming to control and steer fisheries activities in order to achieve desired outcomes (environmental, economic and social). |
| Management Strategy | A combination of policy instruments with associated management measures to achieve desired objectives. |
| Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) | European legislation which aims to protect and achieve good environmental status (GES) of the EU’s marine environment. It enshrines the ecosystem-based approach as the legally-binding and operational principle for managing that environment. |
| Pelagic Fishery | A fishery which targets fish found in the upper or middle layers of the water column, spanning both large- and small-scale pelagic fisheries. |
A droplet legend is used throughout the EBFM Tool to convey the relative status of different categories in the EBFM Tool (e.g. how well fish stocks are faring), and expected changes in these categories, based on various future management and climate scenarios, from the current baseline. The legend is intended as a visualisation tool for communicating trade-offs, and is indicative rather than absolute.