EAFM FRAMEWORKS In Australia and the Pacific Region Overview and Lessons Learned Dr Rick Fletcher

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EAFM FRAMEWORKS In Australia and the Pacific
Region Overview and Lessons LearnedDr Rick
Fletcher
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OUTLINE

• Overview of how EAFM fits
• Outline the basic framework
• Describe some tricks learned to assist
  implementation in ALL circumstances.

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What do all the Different Ecosystem Approaches
mean?

• EAFM, EBM, EBFM, ESD, IOM, EMS, ICM
• All variations of the theme to take a
  comprehensive approach based on RISK MANAGEMENT.
• Only the scope of issues changes
• The defining element of EAFM is what can be
  managed by a fisheries agency hence the F

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EAFM Measurement and Reporting

• Many previous attempts failed because one size
  does not fit all
• It requires a process to systematically identify
  important issues, develop objectives and what
  indicators to measure and what management
  arrangements are needed
• Using and refining the National ESD Framework
  since 2001

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Systems Already Assessed

• Over 30 commercial fisheries in WA
• About 20 fisheries across other parts of
  Australia
• The WCPO Tuna Commission
• The tuna management arrangements for most member
  countries of the WCPFC
• Case studies on various Pacific countries,
  coastal fisheries and communities.
• Aquaculture industries in WA, South Australia and
  Tasmania
• Managing salinity issues in inland regions of
  Australia

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Summary of EAFM Process
STEP 1defines what is to be covered by the EAFM

• Determine scope
• Identify and agree on issues/values/operational
  objectives
• Complete risk analysis/prioritisation
• Where needed, develop management systems to
  achieve acceptable perfomance against objectives

• This can be an individual fishery
• All fisheries in a region,
• A region or even an entire country
• IT IS VITAL THAT THIS IS CLEARLY DETERMINED and
  AGREED!
• BECAUSE THIS DEFINES HOW THE REST OF THE PROCESS
  OPERATES

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OVERVIEW

• These four steps are the basis of ALL assessments
  whether it is of an isolated atoll community or
  a multi national industrial fishery
• BUT the details of how you complete these four
  steps MUST fit the situation.
• We have learned a number of lessons to assist
  with this.

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STEP 2 ISSUE Identification Using Component Trees
Separates EAFM into component parts
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Getting Engagement

• The less industrial the fishery the more you
  need to begin by identifying the community
  wellbeing issues FIRST (not the ecological
  issues).
• This helps decide what values the communities
  want to achieve from their resources.
• Dont impose YOUR values on them.

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COMMUNITY WELLBEING
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Vanuatu Tuna Fisheries Community Wellbeing Issues
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STEP 3 Prioritisation

• Often many issues are identified and their
  importance varies.
• Complete some form of Risk Assessment to
  determine the appropriate level of response for
  each issue

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STEP 3 PRIORITISATION
NO DIRECT MANAGEMENT NEEDED
DIRECT MANAGEMENT IS NEEDED
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Risk And Objectives

• WHAT/WHOSE values/objectives are to be assessed?
• The risk level (priority) may change depending
  upon what objectives/values are used.
• You may also need to separate cumulative risk
  from that generated by a specific fishery/region.
  
• Need to use the appropriate type of risk analysis
  methods for the situation (we use 3 different
  versions)

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EAFM VALUES in PACIFIC

• Sustainability keeping biomass levels above
  Bmsy
• Viability avoiding extinction for a species
  (i.e. Bcurrent can be lt Bmsy but gtBextinct)
• Economic optimise/maximise economic benefits
• Social - optimise social acceptability
• Food Security ensure subsistence levels of
  capture

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Risk Outcomes
Management will to focus on the local density of
Albacore remaining at levels to ensure economic
and social outcomes If only sustainability
assessed NO management would be needed
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Vanuatu Governance Tree Risk Ratings
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PART 4 Management Systems
What specifically for this issue for this
fishery do you want to achieve and WHY?

• Rationale for inclusion (risk rating)
• Operational Objectives (Justification)
• Indicator
• Performance Measure (Justification)
• Data Requirements Availability
• Evaluation
• Management Responses
• Current,
• Future and
• if Trigger is reached
• External Drivers

THESE THREE ARE A PACKAGE
These need to link directly to the objectives and
PIs (Harvest Strategy)
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EAFM IS JUST A VERSION OF RISK MANAGEMENT
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Conclusions

• Recognise that the outputs may not be perfect in
  the first instance.
• Short summary documents can be generated in a few
  weeks that can cover gt80 of the main issues and
  actions needed.
• Concentrate on what can be delivered not what
  cant.
• Actual ecosystem issues have NOT been the main
  problem - despite them being hard to clarify
• The most common problem are Governance issues.
• Where these cause problems this is not the fault
  of the framework!

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ANOTHER LESSON

• Beware Of Letting Scientists Run The Process!
• This is a management process not a research
  activity scientists often make processes and
  outputs too complicated and focus on the
  interesting exceptions.
• It must be a pragmatic process otherwise it can
  bog down in trivia

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Where to Now?

• Just dealing with allocations across fisheries
  will not be sufficient.
• Recognised that the scope of needs to link with
  regional marine planning initiatives.
• Expand to regional level assessments
• Should be good benefits in doing this

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THE JIGSAW OF MARINE MANAGEMENT
Federal
The ESD Framework can accommodate EBM
MPAs
REGIONAL MARINE PLAN (EBM)
WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE??
REGIONAL FISHERIES PLAN/REPORT (EBFM)
Other
Conserv Agencies
Mining/ Planning/ Tourism

• MULTIPLE PROCESSES, DUPLICATION,
• LACK OF INVOLVEMENT, OVERLOADING REPRESENTATIVES
• CHAOS THEORY IN ACTION!!

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EAFM FRAMEWORK Cumulative Assessments
Each of these integrates Across all sectors
Integrates Individual Elements
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Final Point

• The system by itself, like any system, does not
  provide the answers it merely assists you in
  the process.
• The issues and answers must still come from the
  people involved in the management of the fishery.
  
• If they dont know what they want to achieve, or
  are unwilling to do the things needed to achieve
  it, no system will help

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National ESD Subprogram

• Began in March 2000 it has now completed
• ESD policy documents
• Reporting frameworks for wild capture and
  aquaculture,
• EMS manual for industry
• Assessment manual for wild capture,
• Social assessment and economic handbooks,
• Processes to allocate and reallocate access
• Completed ESD reports

ALL REPORTS AND MANUALS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE
SUBPROGRAM WEBSITE www.fisheries-esd.com See
Circulated Brochure