Transcript Esmark The need for harvest control rules ME

The need for harvest control rules
Workshop on Harvest Control Rules for
Sustainable Fisheries Management
13-15 September 2004
Institute of Marine Research
Maren Aschehoug Esmark
WWF-Norway
WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature
5 million member globally (5.000 in Norway)
Conservation programs and projects in 100 countries
Marine conservation is high priority
WWF in Norway works with protecting marine
biodiversity by establishing marine protected areas and
working to reduce the threat from shipping, oil & gas,
aquaculture and fisheries.
The WWF office in Oslo hosts the WWF Arctic Program
and the Barents Sea Ecoregion Program.
Funding from members, industry and government.
(mainly from NORAD to WWF projects in Eastern Africa)
The need for harvest control rules Sept 13th 2004
Fisheries in crisis...?
“The majority of the world’s fish stocks are
exposed to intensive fishing, and it is estimated
that 75 percent of known, global fish populations
are fully exploited, overexploited, or severely
depleted” (FAO 2002)
“A recent study estimates that the remaining
biomass of the oceans large predatory fishes, that
includes cod, is only about 10% of pre-industrial
levels” (Myers & Worm 2003)
”Most commercial fish stocks of the North Sea,
especially those landed for human consumption,
are heavily exploited and the fishery lands mainly
juvenile fish” (IMM-97, CONSSO)
The need for harvest control rules Sept 13th 2004
Lack of trust in fisheries
management
The public opinion sees fisheries as:
• Illegal fishing activities, cheating, IUU
• Collapsing fish stocks, demolished coral reefs,
bycatch, discards etc.
• Secret and closed management
Result = Lack of trust which leads to
• Reduced political support
• Difficult to get support for neccecary
management regulations
• Effects in the markeds
Declining
cod stocks
Global cod stocks have
declined by 70 % last 30
years.
If such trend continues,
there will be no more cod
on the marked in 15 years..
Total global catch of Atlantic cod was in 1970
around 3.1 million tons. In 2002, total catch was
down to 890.000 tons, a reduction of more than
70 %. (FAO Fishstats 2004)
Norwegian coastal cod in strong decline
ICES recommended “full stop” in fishing
New management plan fails to rebuild the stock
Nordisk idéverksted, Finnøy 24 mai 2004
Blue Whiting...
“Seal fishing”
Quotas are not in line with scientific
recomendations..
Hunting quota Norwegian coastal seals
1400
IMR advice for 2004:
1186
1200
949
1000
800
535
600
400
335
200
0
Grey seal
2002
2003 and 2004
Common seal
- 368 grey seals
- 511 common seals
Better management is needed..
Over capacity...
It has been a political aim for years in Norway to reduce total
fishing capacity in order to have a fishing fleet actually matching
the fishing resources. However, the recent report from the
Auditor General (Riksrevisjonen 2004) concludes that total
technical trawler capacity has increased by 72 per cent from
1990 to 2002 and the conventional fleet has increased its
technical capacity by 30 per cent in the same period.
Discards
In May 2004, the Norwegian “discard commission” published
a report on how to deal with discards in Norwegian waters.
The report gives some important recommendations, such as:
Keeping the band on discard of commercial fish species
Expanding the current system of closing areas with
undersized fish.
Increasing the use of inspectors at sea
More control of fish vessels at sea
More control when landing fish
Illegal fishing and
reloading
In a report from the Norwegian fisheries directorate and the
Norwegain Coastguard, Norwegian authorities have
estimated the extent of over-fishing by Russian vessels in he
Barents Sea in 2002 and 2003.
The report, which was released in the beginning of August,
states that Russia has over-fished the fishing quota by
between 130 and 215 thousand tonnes in the period 2002
and 2003. According to the report these are conservative
estimates, real figures could be higher.
For 2002 Russia had a quota of 190 000 tonnnes, but fished
between 260 000 and 300 000 tonnes. For 2003 the quota
was 190 000 tonnes, but the estimated catch was between
250 000 and 305 000 tonnes
TACs and agreed quotas
Year
Recomended
Max Quota
Agreed
Quota
Difference
in Tons
Difference
in %
1998
514 000
654 000
140 000
27
1999
360 000
480 000
120 000
33
2000
110 000
390 000
280 000
255
2001
263 000
395 000
132 000
50
2002
181 000
395 000
214 000
118
2003
305 000
395 000
90 000
30
The table shows that the agreed quota has been considerably higher
than recommended for several years. In 2000 it was as much as 255%
higher. (Riksrevisjonen 2004)
Why do we need
harvest control rules?
”Dersom tobisfisket stanses vil
vi fiske mer kolmule!”
”Hvorfor trenger økosystemet en
stor bestand av uer?”
”Send bombefly til vestisen – da vil
torskebestanden vokse”
”Utkastkommisjonen var nedsatt for å
sverte norsk fiskerinæring”
There are three persons in the
Norwegian Parliament with an interest
and some knowledge of fisheries
According to the UN – overfishing is
one of the top global problems with
very little attention
”Miljøorganisasjonene har kostet
oss millioner av kroner i tapt fortjeneste
fordi kvotene er blitt satt for lavt”
CBD 1992
Biological diversity - means the variability
among living organisms from all sources
including, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic
ecosystems and the ecological complexes of
which they are part; this includes diversity
within species, between species and of
ecosystems.
Sustainable use - the use of components of
biological diversity in a way and at a rate that
does not lead to the long-term decline of
biological diversity, thereby maintaining its
potential to meet the needs and aspirations of
present and future generations.
”The Ecosystem approach”
originated from CBD
The ecosystem approach is a strategy for the integrated
management of land, water and living resources that promotes
conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way.
The ecosystem approach requires adaptive management to deal
with the complex and dynamic nature of ecosystems and the
absence of complete knowledge or understanding of their
functioning.
The Malawi principles
Rio + 10 in Johannesburg
WSSD Johannesburg Decleration: “Encourage the
application by 2010 of the ecosystem approach, noting the
Reykjavik Declaration on Responsible Fisheries in the Marine
Ecosystem and decision 5/6 of the Conference of Parties to the
Convention on Biological Diversity”
In Norway, St.meld.nr 12
2001 - 2002
Havmiljømeldingen: Økosystemtilnærming til havforvaltning
er en integrert forvaltning av menneskelige aktiviteter basert
på økosystemenes dynamikk. Målsetningen er å oppnå
bærekraftig bruk av ressurser og goder fra økosystemene og
opprettholde deres struktur, virkemåte og produktivitet
Fisheries – taking the lead
in ”operating” the
precautionary principle
UN Fish Stocks Agreement on straddling fish stocks
and highly migratory fish stocks (2001)
- a consensus on the need to use the precautionary principle in
fisheries management, also introducing the concept of
ecosystembased management.
FAO code of conduct for Responsible Fisheries (1995)
States should apply the precautionary approach widely to
conservation, management and exploitation of living aquatic
resources in order to protect them and preserve the aquatic
environment. The absence of adequate scientific information
should not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take
conservation and management measures.
UNCLOS
The Convention provides coastal states sovereign rights over
resources out to 200 miles and provides the authority to
conserve and exploit living resources within that jurisdiction.
The Convention requires that coastal nations ensure, using the
best scientific information available and conservation and
management measures, that the living resources of the
exclusive economic zone are not threatened by
overexploitation.
Maximum sustainable yield as the goal for
maintaining or restoring exploited populations.
UN fish stock agreement
-One of the most important
environmental agreements
ever...?
Represents a total shift in international fishery management. For the first
time, focus is shifted from producing maximum food for humans, to
sustainable fishing, ecosystem protection, conservation of biological
diversity and the use of a precautionary approach to fisheries
management. The Agreement developed a consensus on the need to use
the precautionary principle in fisheries management, also introducing the
concept of ecosystem-based management.
The Agreement outlines an actual methodology for the precautionary
approach, by establishing reference points, targets and limits.
UN fish stock agreement
Important principles stated in the UN agreement are:
The absence of adequate scientific information shall not be used as a reason
for postponing or failing to take conservation and management measures.
The parties must assess the impacts of fishing, other human activities and
environmental factors on target stocks and species belonging to the same
ecosystem or dependent upon or associated with the target stocks
Develop data collection and research programmes to assess the impact of
fishing on non-target and associated or dependent species and their
environment, and adopt plans that are necessary to ensure the conservation
of such species and to protect habitats of special concern.
EBM
Complete change in management focus
– Human activities affects ecosystems
– We dont manage single species, but entire
ecosystems
– Objective is to maintain the ecosystem functions
and integrety
Traditional fisheries management only regulates the
relationship between vessel/fishing boat and the
target species.
Future fisheries management will regulate the
fisheries relationship with the whole
ecosystem and all factors impacting the
ecosystem.
Other factors impacting on marine resources:
Natural climate change/fluctuations
Pollution from landbased installments
Eutrophication
Airborne pollution
Human caused climate change
Nuclear threat
Diseases
Other nations management regimes
Global energy situation
Ecosystembased Fisheries Management
Focus on maintaining the natural structure, functions
and productivity of ecosystems;
Incorporate human use and values of ecosystems in
managing the resource;
Recognize that ecosystems are dynamic and
constantly changing;
Are based on the shared vision of all stakeholders;
Are based on scientific knowledge, adapted by
continual learning and monitoring.
EBFM is not/does not:
….
….
….
….
Exist without political will and vision
Exists outside society and culture
A multi-species approach to managment
To only focus on ecosystems impact on fisheries
….
….
….
….
To only focus on establishing protected areas
Without considering external impacts
To only focus on rehabilitation
Exists without participation from all stakeholders
Ecosystembased Fisheries Management
Management operates within a policy framework designed to facilitate
and enable effective implementation of all the principles of EBM.
Recognition of economic, social and cultural interests as factors that may
affect resource management objectives, targets, strategies and activities
Ecological values are recognized and incorporated into the management
system through development of agreed objectives, targets, strategies and
activities that reflect the risk of impacts of the resource exploitation.
Information on exploited species is adequate to ensure that there is a low
risk of over-harvesting, and population and genetic diversity are
maintained
The resource management system is adequate and appropriate to ensure
that EBM can be effective and efficient within a precautionary approach
Environmental externalities that may affect the resources, or that the
resource exploitation systems may impact, are properly included within
the resource management system
Ecosystembased Fisheries Management
My personal attempt to simplify:
Be based on the precautionary approach
Have clear goals and objectives
Have indicators and plans for monitoring
Have decision rules
Totally open and transparent process that includes
all stakeholders and allows and encourages public
debate
Transparent process with input
from all stakeholders
Transparency is crucial for trust
Everyones knowledge should be heard
Facts and information must be available:
- What species?
- In what condition?
- What are the consequenses of the activity?
- What are the risks?
Public debate and encouraging input
Precautionary principle –
knowledge gaps
There is much we dont know about the
ecosystems functions and processes and
how different activites will affect the
ecosystem.
However – we still need to make decisions
on how to manage marine resources.
Precautionary is to build resilience
The burden of proof is with the fisheries
industry, as it is with other industries.
It is crucial that management gives
room for mistakes – both in
management and in stock estimates.
Environmental Impact Assessment
of fisheries
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•
•
•
Describe fishery
Ecosystem impacted
Sustainabillity
• Target-species
• Non-target species, bifangster
• Ecosystem functions
Implemented in Australia, EPBC Act 1999. All fisheries are
obliged to do an EIA before 2005.
Questions to ask:
Does the management have an overall goal and
objective to maintain the ecosystem functions?
Is the precautionary principle integrated?
Is the management regime open and transparent?
Is society, cultural and socio-economic needs included?
Is an environmental impact assessment conducted?
Is there a decision rule (HCR)?
Does this allow natural fluctuations?
Can the management regime shift according to new
information?
Were all stakeholders invited to give input?
Is the management evaluated according to its
objectives?
Norwegian Arctic cod
An experiment…
Does the management have an overall goal and
objective to maintain the ecosystem functions?
Is the precautionary principle integrated?
Is the management regime open and transparent?
Is society, cultural and socio-economic needs included?
Is an environmental impact assessment conducted?
Is there a decision rule (HCR)?
Does this allow natural fluctuations?
Can the management regime shift according to new
information?
Were all stakeholders invited to give input?
Is the management evaluated according to its
objectives?
Ecolabels - The consumers power and
contribution
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•
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Consumers pay more attention to issues of sustainabillity
and are aware of differences in fisheries.
Lack of trust can affect the whole industry
Ecolabels gives the consumer a chance to choose fish from
responsibly managed fisheries.
WWF and Unilever estblished the criteria for the Marine
Stewardship Council (MSC) i 1997.
MSC has been independent since 1999.
Full transparency in the certification process