Sustainability of Fisheries Sustainability of Fisheries

ByByJ.-J. Maguire J.-J. Maguire

For the North Sea Regional Advisory CouncilFor the North Sea Regional Advisory CouncilMarch 2-3, 2006March 2-3, 2006

Our Common FutureOur Common Future The Report of the World Commission on The Report of the World Commission on

Environment and Development (1987) first to Environment and Development (1987) first to propose the concept of sustainable developmentpropose the concept of sustainable development

The report clearly describes (page 37) how The report clearly describes (page 37) how environmental stresses are linked to one another, environmental stresses are linked to one another, to the patterns of economic development, and to the patterns of economic development, and how both are linked to social and political factorshow both are linked to social and political factors

Continued (sustained) development is needed to Continued (sustained) development is needed to reduce poverty and inequalitiesreduce poverty and inequalities

It is only by taking account of ecological, It is only by taking account of ecological, economic, and social factors in an integrated economic, and social factors in an integrated decision-making system (institutions) that decision-making system (institutions) that development could continue without exhausting development could continue without exhausting natural resources.natural resources.

Definition of sustainabilityDefinition of sustainability

Multidimensional concept: 4 components.Multidimensional concept: 4 components.• Bio-ecologicalBio-ecological• SocialSocial• EconomicEconomic• InstitutionalInstitutional

May change over timeMay change over time• Defined by societyDefined by society• Not a unique point on the yield or income vs Not a unique point on the yield or income vs

effort curveeffort curve

Nature of unsustainabilityNature of unsustainability

Unsustainability often linked to Unsustainability often linked to overexploitation, but resources do fluctuate overexploitation, but resources do fluctuate naturallynaturally

Abundance, and presence of species Abundance, and presence of species dependent on hydro-climatic conditionsdependent on hydro-climatic conditions

External threats, voluntary or accidentalExternal threats, voluntary or accidental Well managed fisheries do not imply Well managed fisheries do not imply

absence of fluctuations in the resource absence of fluctuations in the resource abundance or availabilityabundance or availability

Has bio-ecological sustainability been Has bio-ecological sustainability been achieved in large scale demersal fisheries in achieved in large scale demersal fisheries in

the North Atlanticthe North Atlantic?? Has been the main focus of fishery management Has been the main focus of fishery management After 20+ years of intensive fishery management, most After 20+ years of intensive fishery management, most

traditional demersal fisheries are in crisis:traditional demersal fisheries are in crisis:• severe restrictions on North Sea codsevere restrictions on North Sea cod• Northeast Arctic cod outside safe biological limits with TACs Northeast Arctic cod outside safe biological limits with TACs

set twice as high as the scientific adviceset twice as high as the scientific advice• Icelandic cod also fished at twice the target fishing mortality Icelandic cod also fished at twice the target fishing mortality

raterate• Canadian cod fisheries only a fraction of past landingsCanadian cod fisheries only a fraction of past landings• Georges Bank and Gulf of Maine cod overfished and Georges Bank and Gulf of Maine cod overfished and

overfishing is occurringoverfishing is occurring Some positive signs for haddock and yellowtail in the NW Some positive signs for haddock and yellowtail in the NW

AtlanticAtlantic

Has the economic component of Has the economic component of sustainability been achieved?sustainability been achieved?

Difficult to say, data not collected, Difficult to say, data not collected, analysed and reported in a analysed and reported in a systematic waysystematic way

Number of offers in buy-back Number of offers in buy-back programs suggests it is notprograms suggests it is not

Increases in fuel prices have Increases in fuel prices have certainly had an effectcertainly had an effect

Depends on the fisheryDepends on the fishery

Has social sustainability been Has social sustainability been achieved?achieved?

Difficult to say, data not collected, Difficult to say, data not collected, analysed and reported in a systematic analysed and reported in a systematic wayway

Press reports would suggest that it is not: Press reports would suggest that it is not: the number of boats (and fishermen) is the number of boats (and fishermen) is decreasing, and fish processing plants are decreasing, and fish processing plants are being closedbeing closed

Equity is not enhanced – lucrative snow Equity is not enhanced – lucrative snow crab fishery in the Southern Gulf of St. crab fishery in the Southern Gulf of St. LawrenceLawrence

Has institutional sustainability been Has institutional sustainability been achieved? achieved?

Fishery management institutions in the North Atlantic Fishery management institutions in the North Atlantic mostly concerned with the bio-ecological component of mostly concerned with the bio-ecological component of sustainability (conservation)sustainability (conservation)

TACs main conservation tool, scientific advice main factor TACs main conservation tool, scientific advice main factor in determining TACsin determining TACs

Landings, and particularly catches, believed to be Landings, and particularly catches, believed to be unreliable by a large number of interested parties which unreliable by a large number of interested parties which undermines the credibility of the scientific adviceundermines the credibility of the scientific advice

Decision-making far from transparent, which further Decision-making far from transparent, which further undermines the credibility of the entire systemundermines the credibility of the entire system

Although fishery management institutions do continue to Although fishery management institutions do continue to exist, it is difficult to describe them as being sustainableexist, it is difficult to describe them as being sustainable

Not clear that existing institutions are assets in achieving Not clear that existing institutions are assets in achieving sustainabilitysustainability

Fishery management of large volume Fishery management of large volume demersal fisheries has failed in the north demersal fisheries has failed in the north

AtlanticAtlantic Considerable human and financial resources have Considerable human and financial resources have

been invested in fishery management in all been invested in fishery management in all countries bordering the North Atlantic since at countries bordering the North Atlantic since at least the mid to late 1970sleast the mid to late 1970s

Most direct result is depleted demersal stocks Most direct result is depleted demersal stocks and unreliable fishery statisticsand unreliable fishery statistics

May be that fishery management processes are May be that fishery management processes are focussing too much on the bio-ecological focussing too much on the bio-ecological component of sustainability at the detriment of component of sustainability at the detriment of the other componentsthe other components

Fishery management successes do Fishery management successes do existexist

Hilborn, Orensans, and Parma (2005) Hilborn, Orensans, and Parma (2005) discussdiscuss• New Zealand lobster, Chilean artisanal New Zealand lobster, Chilean artisanal

fisheries, Canadian sablefish, West Australian fisheries, Canadian sablefish, West Australian rock lobster, Gulf of Carpentaria prawns, rock lobster, Gulf of Carpentaria prawns, Tasmanian abalone, Northeast Chatham Rise Tasmanian abalone, Northeast Chatham Rise orange roughy in NZ, Pacific halibut, US hake orange roughy in NZ, Pacific halibut, US hake and pollock coops, Geoduck in British Columbia and pollock coops, Geoduck in British Columbia and in Puget Soundand in Puget Sound

Successful institutional systems provide Successful institutional systems provide incentives to individual operators leading incentives to individual operators leading to behaviours consistent with conservationto behaviours consistent with conservation

Fishery management objectivesFishery management objectives

MSY identified at the 2002 Johannesburg Summit MSY identified at the 2002 Johannesburg Summit because the only one on the booksbecause the only one on the books

Shortcomings of the concept have been known Shortcomings of the concept have been known for at least 30 years (Larkin 1977)for at least 30 years (Larkin 1977)• Not stable over time, carrying capacity of the Not stable over time, carrying capacity of the

environment changes, natural mortality changes, form of environment changes, natural mortality changes, form of the stock recruitment relationship may changethe stock recruitment relationship may change

Non incorporation of multispecies interactions is Non incorporation of multispecies interactions is a major shortcominga major shortcoming• Impossible to achieve MSY for all species of Impossible to achieve MSY for all species of

predators, preys and competitors at the same time in predators, preys and competitors at the same time in a changing environmenta changing environment

• Recipe for failure because not achievableRecipe for failure because not achievable

Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence CodSouthern Gulf of St. Lawrence Cod

Eastern Scotian Shelf HaddockEastern Scotian Shelf Haddock

Link Between SSB and F?Link Between SSB and F?North Sea Cod

2001 200019991998

1997 199619951994 1993

19921991 19901989198819871986

1985198419831982

1981

198019791978

1977 19761975

1974

1973

1972

1971

1970

1969 1968196719661965

1964

1963

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

F 2-4 lagged 2 years

SS

B

North Sea Plaice

1957 195819591960

1961 1962196319641965

19661967

1968

196919701971

1972 19731974 1975197619771978

197919801981

198219831984

1985

1986

19871988

1989

1990

1991

1992

199319941995 1996

1997

1998

19992000

2001

2002

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

450000

500000

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

F 2-6 lagged 1 year

SS

B

North Sea Haddock

2001 2000

1999

199819971996

1995 1994199319921991

19901989 1988

198719861985

198419831982

198119801979

197819771976

1975

1974

1973 19721971 1970

1969

1968

1967

19661965

1964

1963

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

1000000

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

F 2-4 lagged 2 years

SS

B

North Sea Sole

20022001 2000

1999 1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

19911990

1989

19881987

19861985

198419831982

1981

1980

1979

1978

19771976

1975197419731972

19711970

19691968

1967

19661965

1964

1963

196219611960

1959

19581957

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

F 2-6 lagged 1 year

SS

B

How can sustainability help?How can sustainability help?

Recognise that ecological system is dynamic Recognise that ecological system is dynamic and unpredictable with a major influence from and unpredictable with a major influence from environmental forcingenvironmental forcing

Benefits should be sought for all four Benefits should be sought for all four dimensions of sustainability (bio-ecological, dimensions of sustainability (bio-ecological, economic, social, institutional)economic, social, institutional)

Improvements under the economic, social, and Improvements under the economic, social, and institutional components should be easier to institutional components should be easier to measure and (possibly) achievemeasure and (possibly) achieve

Improvements in the bio-ecological component Improvements in the bio-ecological component will accrue as a fringe benefitwill accrue as a fringe benefit

SummarySummary Sustainable development is clearly a Sustainable development is clearly a

multidimensional conceptmultidimensional concept Fishery management in the North Atlantic has Fishery management in the North Atlantic has

been overtly focused on the bio-ecological been overtly focused on the bio-ecological dimension of sustainability and it has failed under dimension of sustainability and it has failed under the four dimensions of sustainabilitythe four dimensions of sustainability

It should be easier to agree on measures to It should be easier to agree on measures to improve the economic, social and institutional improve the economic, social and institutional dimensions of sustainability and progress should dimensions of sustainability and progress should also be easier to measurealso be easier to measure

Directional approach: start improving and gather Directional approach: start improving and gather information to evaluate laterinformation to evaluate later

Institutions need to changeInstitutions need to change

Thank youThank you

TransitionTransition Raise awareness among all interested parties of Raise awareness among all interested parties of

the benefits of changesthe benefits of changes Consult with all interested parties to determine Consult with all interested parties to determine

how changes will be implemented, who will be how changes will be implemented, who will be affected and howaffected and how

Recognise and assess the cost and benefits of Recognise and assess the cost and benefits of transition and allocate in an equitable mannertransition and allocate in an equitable manner

Recognise that the impact of change may go Recognise that the impact of change may go beyond the fisheries sectorbeyond the fisheries sector

Avoid delaying changes as delays will increase Avoid delaying changes as delays will increase the costthe cost