Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management

Many of the worlds fish populationsare overexploited, and the ecosystemsthat sustain them are degraded(1). Unintended consequences of fishing, includinghabitat destruction, incidental mortalityof nontarget species, evolutionary shiftsin population demographics, and changes inthe function and structure of ecosystems, arebeing increasingly recognized.Fisheries management to date has oftenbeen ineffective; it focuses on maximizingthe catch of a single target species and oftenignores habitat, predators, and prey ofthe target species and other ecosystemcomponents and interactions. The indirectsocial and economic costs of the focus onsingle species can be substantial. For example,over 90% of the annual mortality…