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What is Ecosystem Based
Fishery Management?

Marine Resource Education Program
Science Workshop, January 2025

Sarah Gaichas
NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center

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What do you think EBFM means?

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US Policy defines EBFM as:

A systematic approach to fisheries management in a geographically specified area that contributes to the resilience and sustainability of the ecosystem; recognizes the physical, biological, economic, and social interactions among the affected fishery-related components of the ecosystem, including humans; and seeks to optimize benefits among a diverse set of societal goals.

relating environment marine habitat and the marine community to human activities social systems and objectives

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/ecosystem-based-fisheries-management-policy

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EBFM Guiding Principles

Five supporting EBFM steps to maintain resilient ecosystems

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Today's outline

Introduction

  • What is ecosystem information? What is an indicator?
  • Connecting ecosystem information to the management process

Practical examples

  • Ecosystem reporting in the Northeast US
  • Ecosystem information in stock assessment
  • Ecosystem approach to fishery management
  • Climate coordination on the US East Coast

EBFM collaboration opportunities

Definitions, acronyms, and concepts

  • Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profiles (ESPs)
  • Conceptual models
  • State of the Ecosystem report (SOE)
  • Risk Assessment
  • Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)
  • Scenario planning
  • Climate Ecosystem and Fisheries Initiative (CEFI)
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What is ecosystem information?

An indicator tells us something about where we are relative to our goals or to limits, or about the context we are working within that may affect achieving our goals.

bank account balance, speedometer, weather warning

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as a big umbrella that can include many types of information A quick definition of ecosystem indicators, why they’re useful, and broad categories (e.g. climate, oceanographic, habitat, primary productivity, ecosystem services, human dimensions, etc.)

What is ecosystem information? Performance relative to objectives

An indicator tells us something about where we are relative to our goals or to limits, or about the context we are working within that may affect achieving our goals.

Stock status

Commercial Revenue and Recreational Effort

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What is ecosystem information? Context, risks to meeting objectives

An indicator tells us something about where we are relative to our goals or to limits, or about the context we are working within that may affect achieving our goals.

bottom temperatureblack sea bass survey distribution change over time from 2018 SOEoffshore wind

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Documenting and sharing ecosystem information

ecosystem reports, assessments, and overviews

SOE cover MAFMC

fishery overviews, cooperative research, working groups

Study Fleet

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Pathways for documenting and sharing ecosystem information ESRs and what they can do (e.g. synthesize, provide context, help formulate hypotheses and questions, support communication, potentially inform specific decisions) Other vehicles (e.g., some regions that don’t yet have regular ESRs have mentioned SAFE reports, fishery performance reports, and others). *Don’t worry about being comprehensive here – in the discussion that follows this talk we’ll be asking people how they receive ecosystem information.

(Jones et al., 2022)

Entry points for ecosystem information: where to start?

Management decisions

  1. What are our issues and goals? Key question. Start here
  2. Current decisions
    • Stock assessments
    • Advice on catch levels
    • Harvest control rules
  3. New (current) decisions
    • Habitat change or restoration
    • Changing species distribution and interactions
    • Tradeoffs between fisheries
    • Tradeoffs between ocean use sectors
    • Climate adaptation

Methods and tools

  1. Stakeholder engagement, surveys, strategic planning
  2. Add information to current process
    • Ecosystem ToRs and overviews
    • Risk or uncertainty assessments
    • Management strategy evaluation
  3. Integrate across current processes
    • Risk assessment
    • Conceptual models
    • Scenario planning
    • Management strategy evaluation
    • Climate forecasting and coordination
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A basic orientation to ecosystem on-ramps – (however you would organize this) – e.g. assessments inputs, context for decision-making, risk assessment and identifying priorities, and less concrete pathways too – having a shared vocabulary, formulating questions or research priorities

Many options and entry points for ecosystem information

Fishing icon made by EDAB       Fishing industry icon made by EDAB       Multiple drivers icon made by EDAB       Spiritual cultural icon made by EDAB       Protected species icon made by EDAB

Climate icon made by EDAB       Stock assessment icon made by EDAB       Ecosystem reorganization icon made by EDAB       Wind icon made by EDAB

Hydrography icon made by EDAB       Phytoplankon icon made by EDAB       Forage fish icon made by EDAB       Apex predators icon made by EDAB       Other human uses icon made by EDAB

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State of the Ecosystem (SOE) reporting

Improving ecosystem information and synthesis for fishery managers

  • Ecosystem indicators linked to management objectives

    • Contextual information
    • Report evolving since 2016
    • Fishery-relevant subset of full Ecosystem Status Reports

  • Open science emphasis

  • Used within Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Ecosystem Process

    • Risk assessment
    • Conceptual modeling
    • Management strategy evaluation (MSE)

2024 SOE Mid Atlantic Cover Page

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(DePiper et al., 2017) (Bastille et al., 2021) (Muffley et al., 2021) (Gaichas et al., 2018) (DePiper et al., 2021)

State of the Ecosystem Summary 2024:

Performance relative to management objectives

Seafood production decreasing arrow icon, below average icon icon

Profits decreasing arrow icon, below average icon icon

Recreational opportunities: Effort increasing arrow icon above average icon icon; Effort diversity decreasing arrow icon below average icon icon

Stability: Fishery no trend icon near average icon icon; Ecological mixed trend icon near average icon icon

Social and cultural, trend not evaluated, status of:

  • Fishing engagement and reliance by community
  • Environmental Justice (EJ) Vulnerability by community

Protected species:

  • Maintain bycatch below thresholds (harbor porpoise, gray seals) mixed trend icon meeting objectives icon
  • Recover endangered populations (NARW) decreasing arrow icon below average icon icon
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State of the Ecosystem Summary 2024:

Risks to meeting fishery management objectives

Climate: risks to spatial and seasonal management, quota setting and rebuilding

  • Fish and protected species distribution shifts
  • Changing spawning and migration timing
  • Multiple stocks with poor condition, declining productivity

Other ocean uses: offshore wind development

  • Current revenue in proposed areas
    • 1-23% by port (some with EJ concerns)
    • up to 20% by managed species
  • Overlap with important right whale foraging habitats, increased vessel strike and noise risks
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State of the Ecosystem Summary 2024:

New section:

Notable 2023 events and conditions

  • South Fork Wind and Vineyard Wind 1 construction started
  • Scallop die-off elephant trunk 2022-2023
  • Hypoxia and mortality events in NJ coastal ocean this summer
  • Record low hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay
  • GOM summer phytoplankton bloom off the scale
  • 2nd ranked GOM bottom heatwave
  • Warm water everywhere EXCEPT in Spring on the NEUS shelf
  • Gulf Stream changes altering shelf break habitats
  • El Nino. Warmest year on record globally. Again.

Have observations to share?

Email us: northeast.ecosystem.highlights@noaa.gov

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Using ecosystem information at the stock level: Ecosystem Socioeconomic Profiles (ESPs)

GOA pcod ESP conceptual model

Bluefish ESP conceptual model

Images courtesy ASFC, and Abigail Tyrell and Emily Liljestrand, NEFSC

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Using ecosystem information at the stock level: Ecosystem Socioeconomic Profiles (ESPs)

GOA pcod ESP conceptual model

Bluefish ESP conceptual model

Images courtesy ASFC, and Abigail Tyrell and Emily Liljestrand, NEFSC

bottom temp in BSB assessmentGOA cod risk assessment

ESP decisions

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Broader use of ecosystem information: MAFMC Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management

EAFM Policy Guidance Doc Word Cloud

  • Mid-Atlantic EAFM framework:

    Mid-Atlantic EAFM framework

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The Council’s EAFM framework has similarities to the IEA loop on slide 2. It uses risk assessment as a first step to prioritize combinations of managed species, fleets, and ecosystem interactions for consideration. Second, a conceptual model is developed identifying key environmental, ecological, social, economic, and management linkages for a high-priority fishery. Third, quantitative modeling addressing Council-specified questions and based on interactions identified in the conceptual model is applied to evaluate alternative management strategies that best balance management objectives. As strategies are implemented, outcomes are monitored and the process is adjusted, and/or another priority identified in risk assessment can be addressed.

(DePiper et al., 2017) (Bastille et al., 2021) (Muffley et al., 2021) (Gaichas et al., 2018) (DePiper et al., 2021)

What is Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE)?

  • Process to develop fishery management procedures

  • First used in S. Africa, Australia, and at International Whaling Commission late 1980s - early 1990s

Under this approach, management advice is based on a fully specified set of rules that have been tested in simulations of a wide variety of scenarios that specifically take uncertainty into account. The full procedure includes specifications for the data to be collected and how those data are to be used to provide management advice, in a manner that incorporates a feedback mechanism.

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State of the Ecosystem → MAFMC Risk assessent example: Commercial revenue

This element is applied at the ecosystem level. Revenue serves as a proxy for commercial profits.

Risk Level Definition
Low No trend and low variability in revenue
Low-Moderate Increasing or high variability in revenue
Moderate-High Significant long term revenue decrease
High Significant recent decrease in revenue

Ranked moderate-high risk due to the significant long term revenue decrease for all species (black points)

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State of the Ecosystem → MAFMC Risk assessent example: Commercial revenue

This element is applied at the ecosystem level. Revenue serves as a proxy for commercial profits.

Risk Level Definition
Low No trend and low variability in revenue
Low-Moderate Increasing or high variability in revenue
Moderate-High Significant long term revenue decrease
High Significant recent decrease in revenue

Ranked moderate-high risk due to the significant long term revenue decrease for all species (black points)

Risk element: CommRev, unchanged

SOE Implications: Recent change driven by benthos. Monitor changes in climate and landings drivers:

  • Climate risk element: Surfclams and ocean quahogs are sensitive to ocean warming and acidification.
  • pH in surfclam summer habitat is approaching, but not yet at, pH affecting surfclam growth
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EAFM Risk Assessment: 2024 Update with new elements

Species level risk elements

Species Assess Fstatus Bstatus PreyA PredP FW2Prey Climate DistShift EstHabitat OffHab
Ocean Quahog lowest lowest lowest tbd lowest lowest highest modhigh lowest tbd
Surfclam lowest lowest lowest tbd lowest lowest modhigh modhigh lowest tbd
Summer flounder lowest highest lowmod tbd tbd lowest lowmod modhigh highest tbd
Scup lowest lowest lowest tbd tbd lowest lowmod modhigh highest tbd
Black sea bass lowest lowest lowest highest tbd lowest modhigh modhigh highest tbd
Atl. mackerel lowest lowest highest lowmod modhigh lowest lowmod modhigh lowest tbd
Chub mackerel highest lowmod lowmod tbd tbd lowest na na lowest tbd
Butterfish lowest lowest lowmod tbd modhigh lowest lowest highest lowest tbd
Longfin squid lowmod lowmod lowmod tbd lowmod lowmod lowest modhigh lowest tbd
Shortfin squid highest lowmod lowmod tbd tbd lowmod lowest highest lowest tbd
Golden tilefish lowest lowest lowmod tbd tbd lowest modhigh lowest lowest tbd
Blueline tilefish highest highest modhigh tbd tbd lowest modhigh lowest lowest tbd
Bluefish lowest lowest lowmod lowmod tbd lowest lowest modhigh highest tbd
Spiny dogfish lowest highest lowest tbd tbd lowest lowest highest lowest tbd
Monkfish highest lowmod lowmod tbd tbd lowest lowest modhigh lowest tbd
Unmanaged forage na na na tbd tbd lowmod na na na tbd
Deepsea corals na na na tbd tbd lowest na na na tbd

Ecosystem level risk elements

System EcoProd CommVal RecVal FishRes1 FishRes4 ComDiv RecDiv Social ComFood RecFood
Mid-Atlantic lowmod modhigh lowmod highest lowmod lowest highest modhigh modhigh modhigh

Species and Sector level risk elements

Species FControl Interact OSW1 OSW2 OtherUse RegComplex Discards Allocation
Ocean Quahog-C lowest lowest tbd tbd tbd lowest modhigh lowest
Surfclam-C lowest lowest tbd tbd tbd lowest modhigh lowest
Summer flounder-R lowmod lowest lowmod tbd lowmod highest modhigh highest
Summer flounder-C lowmod lowmod lowmod lowmod lowmod lowmod modhigh lowest
Scup-R highest lowest lowmod tbd tbd highest modhigh highest
Scup-C lowest lowmod lowmod lowmod tbd lowmod modhigh lowest
Black sea bass-R highest lowest lowmod tbd tbd highest modhigh highest
Black sea bass-C lowmod lowmod lowmod modhigh tbd lowmod modhigh lowest
Atl. mackerel-R lowmod lowest lowmod tbd tbd lowmod lowmod lowest
Atl. mackerel-C lowest lowmod lowmod lowmod tbd highest lowmod lowest
Butterfish-C lowest lowmod lowmod lowmod lowmod modhigh modhigh lowest
Longfin squid-C lowest modhigh lowmod lowmod tbd modhigh modhigh lowest
Shortfin squid-C lowmod lowmod lowest tbd lowmod modhigh lowest lowest
Golden tilefish-R na lowest lowest tbd tbd lowest lowest lowest
Golden tilefish-C lowest lowest lowest tbd tbd lowest lowest lowest
Blueline tilefish-R lowest lowest lowest tbd tbd lowmod lowest lowest
Blueline tilefish-C lowmod lowest lowest tbd tbd lowest lowest lowest
Bluefish-R lowmod lowest lowmod tbd lowmod modhigh lowmod highest
Bluefish-C lowest lowest lowmod lowmod lowmod lowmod lowmod lowest
Spiny dogfish-R lowest lowest lowmod tbd tbd lowest lowmod lowest
Spiny dogfish-C lowest modhigh lowmod tbd tbd highest lowmod lowest
Chub mackerel-C lowest lowmod lowest lowmod tbd lowest lowest lowest
Unmanaged forage lowest lowest tbd tbd tbd lowest lowest lowest
Deepsea corals na na na tbd na na na na
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How is MAFMC using the risk assessment?

  • Risk based prioritization: the Council selected summer flounder for conceptual modeling

  • Council completed management strategy evaluation (MSE) addressing recreational fishery discards based on conceptual modeling

  • Stakeholder driven MSE coupled population and recreational demand models

  • Results: potential improvement in angler welfare with low risk to stock status
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In this interactive circular graph visualization, model elements identified as important by the Council (through risk assessment) and by the working group (through a range of experience and expertise) are at the perimeter of the circle. Elements are defined in detail in the last section of this page. Relationships between elements are represented as links across the center of the circle to other elements on the perimeter. Links from a model element that affect another element start wide at the base and are color coded to match the category of the element they affect.Hover over a perimeter section (an element) to see all relationships for that element, including links from other elements. Hover over a link to see what it connects. Links by default show text for the two elements and the direction of the relationship (1 for relationship, 0 for no relationship--most links are one direction).For example, hovering over the element "Total Landings" in the full model shows that the working group identified the elements affected by landings as Seafood Production, Recreational Value, and Commercial Profits (three links leading out from landings), and the elements affecting landings as Fluke SSB, Fluke Distributional Shift, Risk Buffering, Management Control, Total Discards, and Shoreside Support (6 links leading into Total Landings).

East Coast Climate Change coordination

https://www.mafmc.org/e3cg

  • Leadership group including the three east coast councils, ASMFC, and NOAA regional offices and science centers
  • Responsible for coordinating and tracking progress toward implementation of climate-related management actions on the east coast
  • Management actions outlined based on scenario planning

climate coordination Joe

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NEUS mapSEUS map

What is scenario planning?

scenario planning in context

Visualizing futures with stakeholders

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What information do we have about future ecosystem conditions?

Climate Ecosystems Fisheries Initiative (CEFI)

  • National level, cross-NOAA effort to build ocean modeling and decision support system to implement climate-ready fishery management
  • Regional Decision Support Team to identify priority scientific products for the NE and MA Councils and ASMFC
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CEFI Decision Support

Participating in EBFM

Scientific concepts → management

  • Collaborative conceptual modeling
  • Scenario planning
  • Management strategy evaluation

The IEA Loop1 IEA process from goal setting to assessment to strategy evaluation with feedbacks

[1] https://www.integratedecosystemassessment.noaa.gov/national/IEA-approach

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EBFM engagement: Conceptual modeling, from science- to stakeholder-driven

Mid-Atlantic conceptual model developed by a technical team and Council representatives

Collaborative conceptual modeling with stakeholders:

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(DePiper et al., 2021) (Rosellon-Druker et al., 2021) (Levin et al., 2016) (Spooner et al., 2021)

South Atlantic example: citizen science for data-poor migratory species

South Atlantic physical system https://safmc.net/citizen-science/dolphin-wahoo-participatory-workshops/

https://safmc-shinyapps.shinyapps.io/NCVA_DolphinWorkshops2020/

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South Atlantic dolfin wahoo NC-VA conceptual model

South Atlantic dolfin wahoo S Fl conceptual model ]

https://safmc-shinyapps.shinyapps.io/S_FL_DolphinWorkshops2021/

Stakeholder engagement and Management Strategy Evaluation

Are any Atlantic herring harvest control rules good for both fisheries and predators?

Harvest control rules are:

  • plans for changing fishing based on stock status
  • pre-determined

"Which harvest control rules best consider herring's role as forage?"

  • DESIGN a harvest control rule (HCR):
    • balancing fishing benefits and ecological services
    • addressing diverse stakeholder interests
  • TRANSPARENTLY within management time frame!
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(Deroba et al., 2018)

Stakeholder process for Summer flounder recreational discards MSE

Broad online scoping results helped develop Core stakeholder group

MAFMC webcallMAFMC stakeholder comp MAFMC concerns

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Implementing the Ecosystem Approach: lessons learned

EBFM is flexible and iterative

  • Tools: ecosystem reporting, risk and vulnerability assessment
  • Many entry points for ecosystem information

EBFM is collaborative and participatory

Brandon Muffley, MAFMC staff

Collaborations needed:

  • Within the science community – diverse expertise is needed
  • Between science and management – understanding what information is needed and important to management, providing tools to management to understand ecosystem linkages and implications

EAFM Policy Guidance Doc Word Cloud

Word cloud based on Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council EAFM Guidance Document

  • Between science and stakeholders – need to build trust, open dialogue (everyone is heard), and sharing data and observations (on water and with information)
  • Between management and stakeholders – listening to/acting on stakeholder priorities and feedback, process not out to add more uncertainty but provide for more informed decisions
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Additional resources

National Ecosystem Based Fishery Management Websites

Northeast US Ecosystem Reporting and Indicators

Council Scientific and Statistical Committees

Council Ecosystem Approaches

Council Management Strategy Evaluations

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References

Bastille, K. et al. (2021). "Improving the IEA Approach Using Principles of Open Data Science". In: Coastal Management 49.1. Publisher: Taylor & Francis _eprint: https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2021.1846155, pp. 72-89. ISSN: 0892-0753. DOI: 10.1080/08920753.2021.1846155. URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2021.1846155 (visited on Apr. 16, 2021).

DePiper, G. S. et al. (2017). "Operationalizing integrated ecosystem assessments within a multidisciplinary team: lessons learned from a worked example". En. In: ICES Journal of Marine Science 74.8, pp. 2076-2086. ISSN: 1054-3139. DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fsx038. URL: https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/74/8/2076/3094701 (visited on Mar. 09, 2018).

DePiper, G. et al. (2021). "Learning by doing: collaborative conceptual modelling as a path forward in ecosystem-based management". In: ICES Journal of Marine Science. ISSN: 1054-3139. DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fsab054. URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsab054 (visited on Apr. 15, 2021).

Deroba, J. J. et al. (2018). "The dream and the reality: meeting decision-making time frames while incorporating ecosystem and economic models into management strategy evaluation". In: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. ISSN: 0706-652X. DOI: 10.1139/cjfas-2018-0128. URL: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/cjfas-2018-0128 (visited on Jul. 20, 2018).

Gaichas, S. K. et al. (2018). "Implementing Ecosystem Approaches to Fishery Management: Risk Assessment in the US Mid-Atlantic". In: Frontiers in Marine Science 5. ISSN: 2296-7745. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00442. URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2018.00442/abstract (visited on Nov. 20, 2018).

Jones, A. W. et al. (2022). "Learning From the Study Fleet: Maintenance of a Large-Scale Reference Fleet for Northeast U.S. Fisheries". In: Frontiers in Marine Science 9. ISSN: 2296-7745. URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.869560 (visited on Nov. 15, 2022).

Levin, P. S. et al. (2016). "Thirty-two essential questions for understanding the social–ecological system of forage fish: the case of pacific herring". In: Ecosystem Health and Sustainability 2.4. Publisher: Taylor & Francis _eprint: https://doi.org/10.1002/ehs2.1213, p. e01213. ISSN: 2096-4129. DOI: 10.1002/ehs2.1213. URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ehs2.1213 (visited on Jun. 22, 2020).

Muffley, B. et al. (2021). "There Is no I in EAFM Adapting Integrated Ecosystem Assessment for Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management". In: Coastal Management 49.1. Publisher: Taylor & Francis _eprint: https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2021.1846156, pp. 90-106. ISSN: 0892-0753. DOI: 10.1080/08920753.2021.1846156. URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2021.1846156 (visited on Apr. 16, 2021).

Rosellon-Druker, J. et al. (2021). "Participatory place-based integrated ecosystem assessment in Sitka, Alaska: Constructing and operationalizing a socio-ecological conceptual model for sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria)". En. In: Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 184-185, p. 104912. ISSN: 0967-0645. DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2020.104912. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967064520301673 (visited on Mar. 10, 2022).

Spooner, E. et al. (2021). "Using Integrated Ecosystem Assessments to Build Resilient Ecosystems, Communities, and Economies". En. In: Coastal Management 49.1, pp. 26-45. ISSN: 0892-0753, 1521-0421. DOI: 10.1080/08920753.2021.1846152. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08920753.2021.1846152 (visited on Nov. 21, 2022).

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Questions?

Thank you

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What do you think EBFM means?

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