Publication Date

8-2009

Series Number

194

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth

ISBN

1 921258 63 2

ISSN

1035 - 4549

Abstract

The Department of Fisheries, Western Australia is currently developing a framework to assess the most appropriate methodologies for the implementation of Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) in Western Australia. The implementation of EBFM can be considered as an operational extension of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD), the principles of which were adopted by Western Australia for application in the management of fisheries in 2002. EBFM aims to assess and manage ecological impacts as well as social and economic outcomes related to fish and fisheries at a regional level. The degree to which EBFM will be implemented in terms of activities or processes, additional to those fishery management processes currently in place for the Department, has yet to be ascertained. This report forms part of a project designed to address the question as to what benefits EBFM could generate if applied in Western Australia.

Fisheries management in WA has traditionally focused on maintaining the sustainability of targeted stocks and, as such, has comprehensive data sets on the catches, biology and ecology of many exploited stocks. There are limited quantitative data regarding the ecosystem, social and economic impacts of fisheries and limited formal consideration of the roles of external drivers and governance. Beyond these limitations there is also the challenge to identify linkages and important relationships both within ecosystems (including exploited stocks), and across social, economic and governance facets of fisheries management.

Number of Pages

42

Keywords

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Panulirus cygnus, western rock lobster, ecosystem modelling

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environmental Monitoring | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Sustainability

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