"Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management"
Research Measure: Industry Research Measure
Funding Type: NDP Marine Research Sub-Programme - Beaufort Award
Funding Year: 2007
Project Duration: 7 Years
Project Type: Capacity Building
Total Grant-Aid: €3.92m
Project Website: Beaufort-Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management
Research Groups:
- Fisheries Science Services, Marine Institute
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast
- Dept. of Zoology, Ecology & Plant Science, University College Cork
Project Summary
The capability of fishing activity to alter fish populations and to impact on the ecosystem is considerable. There is now an acceptance that we must move away from traditional single stock fisheries advice and embrace a more ecosystem based approach to fisheries management. A sustainable fish stock is now a minimum criterion for fisheries management. However, an equally important goal is to maintain the overall quality of the ecosystem which supports the stock to be both productive and robust.
The Work Programme of the Beaufort Ecosystems consortium aims to harness and integrate the diverse research expertise required to develop a Centre of Excellence on the Island of Ireland that focuses on the development of an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAF)
Key Objectives:
The consortium will address key objectives of the Sea Change Strategy and the National Strategy for the Seafood Industry which include aims to:
- Increase the transparency of scientific advice through increased stakeholder interaction and participation, including industry knowledge;
- Increase our understanding of the life history, ecology, socio-economics, dynamics and ecosystem role of fish stocks;
- Improve scientific advice for stakeholders;
- Contribute to the rebuilding of depleted fish stocks; and
- Build integrated capacity and knowledge management.
Further information and updates on this research are available from the Beaufort EAFM website.