class: top, left background-image: url("https://github.com/NOAA-EDAB/presentations/raw/master/docs/EDAB_images/SOE-MA-final-03.23.22-no%20marks_Page_1.png") background-size: 400px background-position: right ## SSC Ecosystem Working Group .pull-left-70[ Objective: assist the Council in developing short term and long term objectives to advance the operational use of ecosystem information in management decisions Outcomes for the Council: - An OFL CV process that makes better use of ecosystem information in determining the ABC - Evaluation of multiple ecosystem indicators and potential development of thresholds for use in a revised EAFM risk assessment and/or other Council processes - Increased range of opportunities for relevant ecosystem information to be considered in management decision processes ] --- ## Progress #### Objective 1: Expanding and clarifying the ecosystem portion of the SSC OFL CV determination process (short term objective) Simulation analyses evaluating impact of ecosystem indicators on stock productivity and assessment uncertainty (OFL CV) in progress #### Objective 2: Developing prototype processes to provide multispecies and system level scientific advice appropriate for Council decision making, highlighting tradeoffs linking directly to economic and social outcomes (long term objective) Initial indicators and analyses presented evaluating ecosystem overfishing and ecosystem performance given environmental conditions #### Objective 3: Collaborating with relevant working groups in developing the stock-specific Ecosystem and Socio-economic Profiles (ESP) process to specify stock-specific Ecosystem ToRs (moderate-term objective) Ecosystem socioeconomic profiles in progress for several MAFMC stocks, and multiple SSC members involved in Research Track working groups --- ## Feedback: Ecosystem overfishing .pull-left[ How might the Council use indicators of Ecosystem overfishing? What information would be most useful in decision making? SSC discussion: * Define based on regional ecosystem productivity * Thresholds define a "safe operating space" + Define the bounds where fishing causes poor system performance + Identify tradeoffs across species within the safe zone * Provide advice on options to correct ecosystem overfishing * Use social benefits to measure outcomes .contrib[ Figure key: <span style="background-color:#f4a460;">Orange background = Tipping point overfishing threshold, Link and Watson 2019</span> <span style="background-color:#a2cd5a;">Green background = Optimal range, Link and Watson 2019</span> ] ] .pull-right[ <img src="20221005_MAFMC_Gaichas_files/figure-html/unnamed-chunk-5-1.png" width="504" style="display: block; margin: auto;" /> <img src="20221005_MAFMC_Gaichas_files/figure-html/unnamed-chunk-6-1.png" width="504" style="display: block; margin: auto;" /> ] ??? Declining commercial and recreational landings can be driven by many interacting factors, including combinations of ecosystem and stock production, management actions, market conditions, and environmental change. While we cannot evaluate all possible drivers at present, here we evaluate the extent to which ecosystem overfishing (total landings exceeding ecosystem productive capacity), stock status, and system biomass trends may play a role. --- ## Feedback: Index Numbers .pull-left[ How might the Council use an Index Numbers approach? What information would be most useful in decision making? SSC discussion: * Integrates separate indicators into overall performance indicator + Outputs linked to current management objectives + Identify outputs of interest with the Council + Identify linked environmental inputs * Could develop models for separate objectives + Seafood production + Recreational opportunities ] .pull-right[  ] --- ## Other topics of interest? .pull-left[ EAFM risk assessment: add or update elements, update risk criteria?  Others? ] .pull-right[  ] .footnote[ Word cloud based on [Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council EAFM Guidance Document](https://www.mafmc.org/s/EAFM-Doc-Revised-2019-02-08-palr.pdf) ]