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15 - Management of the Shrimp and Groundfish Fisheries of the North Brazil Shelf: An Ecosystem Approach
- Edited by Lucia Fanning, Robin Mahon, Patrick McConney, L. Verhart
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- Book:
- Towards Marine Ecosystem-Based Management in the Wider Caribbean
- Published by:
- Amsterdam University Press
- Published online:
- 22 January 2021
- Print publication:
- 15 July 2012, pp 213-226
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Summary
Abstract
This paper describes the key transboundary issues as well as the initial steps for applying an ecosystem approach to fisheries in the North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem and adjacent area, the Gulf of Paria, which supports one of the most important export-oriented shrimp and groundfish fisheries in the region. Most of the countries in this region are already party to several international environmental agreements which shows a wide acceptance of the need for the ecosystem approach, with some preliminary work on this having been initiated at the regional and national levels. This chapter argues that a decentralised regional approach to fisheries management that incorporates the proposed multi-scale Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem governance framework would be required to achieve the goals and objectives of the ecosystem approach, with the recognition that the national level serves as the pivot around which the local and regional levels revolve. Implementing the ecosystem approach to fisheries would require robust, participatory decision-making mechanisms at all levels that would lead to more effective adoption of management advice based on the best available scientific information. However, the ecosystem approach will not be an instant replacement for traditional fisheries management and should be seen as an evolution of the existing fisheries management systems. As such, progress towards this goal is likely to be made in an incremental way rather than overnight.
Introduction
The Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) encompasses four large marine ecosystems (LMEs): the North Brazil Shelf LME, the Caribbean Sea LME, the Gulf of Mexico LME and the Southeast United States Continental Shelf LME. The goal of the Caribbean LME (CLME) project, which focuses on the first two, is the sustainable management of the shared living marine resources through an ecosystem-based approach with mechanisms for facilitating informed decision-making based on sound natural and social science (Fanning et al. 2007; CERMES 2007).
The shrimp and groundfish resources are found in the area comprised of the North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (NBSLME) and the adjacent Gulf of Paria (Figure 15.1). For our purposes, the use of the acronym NBSLME includes the Gulf of Paria.
24 - The Vision for EBM of Continental Shelf Ecosystems in the Wider Caribbean
- Edited by Lucia Fanning, Robin Mahon, Patrick McConney, L. Verhart
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- Book:
- Towards Marine Ecosystem-Based Management in the Wider Caribbean
- Published by:
- Amsterdam University Press
- Published online:
- 22 January 2021
- Print publication:
- 15 July 2012, pp 347-354
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
Continental shelf ecosystems have high importance for the continental countries of the Wider Caribbean Region. They support important shrimp and groundfish fisheries (Phillips et al. Chapter 15) and snapper fisheries on their outer slopes (Heileman Chapter 13). There are also important linkages between the former fisheries and the many coastal and estuarine lagoons and wetlands that occur in these countries (Yáñez-Arancibia et al. Chapter 17). They support livelihoods (McConney and Salas Chapter 7) and provide critical ecosystem services (Schuhmann et al. Chapter 8). Continental shelf ecosystems have been degraded by many human impacts of both marine and land-based origin (Sweeney and Corbin Chapter 4; Gil and Wells Chapter 5).
This synthesis chapter presents the outputs of a group process aimed at developing a vision and way ahead for ecosystem based management (EBM) for continental shelf ecosystems in the Wider Caribbean, using the methods described earlier (Fanning et al. Chapter 1). In terms of structure, the chapter first describes a vision for continental shelf EBM and reports on the priorities assigned to the identified vision elements. It then discusses how the vision might be achieved by taking into account assisting factors (those that facilitate achievement) and resisting factors (those that inhibit achievement). The chapter concludes with guidance on the strategic direction needed to implement the vision, identifying specific actions to be undertaken for each of the vision elements.
The vision
The occupational breakdown of members of the Continental Shelf Ecosystems Working Group reflected the diversity of affiliations present at the EBM Symposium and included governmental, intergovernmental, academic, non-governmental and private sector (fishers and fishing industry and consulting) representatives. With guidance provided by the facilitator, this diverse group of participants was asked to first address the question of “What do you see in place in 10 years time when EBM/EAF has become a reality in the Caribbean?” This diversity provided for a fruitful and comprehensive discussion which is summarized in Table 24.1, in terms of the key vision elements and their subcomponents, and in Figure 24.1, which illustrates the level of priority assigned to each of the vision elements.