EBFM - can it manage and conserve tropical Asian fish stocks?

Abstract

Scientists predict two possible futures for EBFM that are not mutually exclusive. The core elements of EBFM, getting singlespecies fishing mortalities right, reducing bycatch, and protecting sensitive habitats, are widely accepted, being implemented, and are reasonably inexpensive. This will mean lowering fishing mortality on all species below the levels that produce MSY and probably lowering even more the exploitation rates on forage species. Various agencies are now using ecosystem indicators to modify their regulations. Essentially, ecosystem impacts of competition and predation are ignored when singlespecies assessments are used on a standalone basis. This aspect of EBFM could Significantly modify management since the US and many other countries use estimates of unfished biomass when making harvest decisions