Marine mammals and fisheries
What are the ecosystem-level impacts and economic consequences of prioritizing marine mammal recovery versus fisheries yields, and how can management strategies be optimized to balance these competing objectives?
This question can be explored using EwE to model different scenarios and evaluate the trade-offs. The question is particularly relevant given the recovery of many marine mammal populations following protection to allow populations to rebuild after exploitation or culling in many parts of the world, and the ongoing challenge of managing fisheries in complex ecosystems. It also addresses a key aspect of ecosystem-based management: balancing multiple, sometimes conflicting, objectives within the same ecosystem.
Potential policy questions
- Ecological impacts: How does increasing marine mammal populations affect fish stocks, both target and non-target species?
- Economic analysis: What are the potential economic losses to fisheries versus gains from increased marine mammal-based tourism?
- Time scales: How do short-term versus long-term outcomes differ when prioritizing either marine mammals or fisheries?
- Trophic cascades: Are there unexpected ecosystem benefits or drawbacks to marine mammal recovery that affect fisheries indirectly?
- Management strategies: What combination of marine protected areas, fishing quotas, and other management tools can help achieve a balance?
- Species-specific effects: How do the impacts differ depending on which marine mammal species are recovering (e.g., seals vs. whales)?
- Spatial considerations: Are there ways to spatially manage the ecosystem to reduce conflict between marine mammals and fisheries?
