The “Total Ecology” of Pelagic The “Total Ecology” of Pelagic Resource Policy and Resource Policy and

ManagementManagement

Michael K. OrbachMichael K. Orbach

Marine LaboratoryMarine Laboratory

Nicholas School of the EnvironmentNicholas School of the Environment

Duke UniversityDuke University

April, 2007April, 2007

The Eastern Tropical Pacific Tuna FisheryThe Eastern Tropical Pacific Tuna Fishery

Tag-A-GiantTag-A-Giant

ECOLOGIES OF COASTS AND ECOLOGIES OF COASTS AND OCEANSOCEANS

BIOPHYSICAL (NON-HUMAN) ECOLOGYBIOPHYSICAL (NON-HUMAN) ECOLOGY

HUMAN ECOLOGY OF CONSTITUENTSHUMAN ECOLOGY OF CONSTITUENTS

INSTITUTIONAL ECOLOGYINSTITUTIONAL ECOLOGY

BiophysicalBiophysical Ecology EcologyThe biophysical ecology, or ecological sub-system, is defined by The biophysical ecology, or ecological sub-system, is defined by

a set of non-human, biophysical resources and environments, a set of non-human, biophysical resources and environments, such as:such as:

-A politically bounded system such as a county, state or -A politically bounded system such as a county, state or countrycountry

-An ocean or ocean region-An ocean or ocean region

-A biophysical system defined by a migratory fish pathway-A biophysical system defined by a migratory fish pathway

and their associated human-built artifactsand their associated human-built artifacts(Tuna pens, FADS) (Tuna pens, FADS)

Human (Constituent) EcologyHuman (Constituent) Ecology

The human (constituent) ecology, or ecological The human (constituent) ecology, or ecological sub-system, is defined as those humans and sub-system, is defined as those humans and human behaviors that affect, are affected by, human behaviors that affect, are affected by,

or are otherwise concerned with a defined or are otherwise concerned with a defined biophysical ecologybiophysical ecology

Human (Constituent) EcologyHuman (Constituent) Ecology

The human (constituent) ecology, or ecological The human (constituent) ecology, or ecological sub-system, is defined as those humans and sub-system, is defined as those humans and human behaviors that affect, are affected by, human behaviors that affect, are affected by,

or are otherwise concerned with a defined or are otherwise concerned with a defined biophysical ecologybiophysical ecology

Institutional EcologyInstitutional Ecology

The institutional ecology, or ecological sub-The institutional ecology, or ecological sub-system, is defined as those governance system, is defined as those governance

institutions that govern, or affect, the behavior institutions that govern, or affect, the behavior of those people in the human ecological of those people in the human ecological

system system

The “Total Ecology”The “Total Ecology”

The “Total Ecology” consists of the mapping of The “Total Ecology” consists of the mapping of these threethese three

-Biophysical-Biophysical

-Human-Human

-Institutional-Institutional

ecological subsystems onto one anotherecological subsystems onto one another

The “Total Ecology” of Pelagic Fisheries

Biophysical Ecology

Human Ecology (Constituents)

(Natural Science) Fishing Industries & Communities (Media) Commercial Recreational Subsistence Scientific Community Processing, Marketing and (Social Science) Academia Distribution Sector Government Consumers Industry Interest Groups Non-Government The Public Organizations

Institutional Ecology

State/Provincial Fishery AgenciesInterstate Marine Fishery Agencies

[NMFS/NOAA Regional Fishery Management Councils]National Fishery Agencies

International Management Organizations

Ecosystem ManagementEcosystem Management

--The management of human behaviorsThe management of human behaviors

-Towards specific objectives-Towards specific objectives

-Through a specific governance system-Through a specific governance system

-Which affect, or are affected by, a specific -Which affect, or are affected by, a specific biophysical environmentbiophysical environment

SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICYPOLICY

____________________________________

SCIENCESCIENCE: OBJECTIVITY, RELIABILITY, AND : OBJECTIVITY, RELIABILITY, AND VALIDITY (VALIDITY (NON-NORMATIVENON-NORMATIVE: WHAT : WHAT DIDDID, ,

WILLWILL, OR , OR MIGHTMIGHT HAPPEN) HAPPEN)

GOVERNANCEGOVERNANCE: HUMAN VALUE-BASED : HUMAN VALUE-BASED DECISION-MAKING AND ADVOCACYDECISION-MAKING AND ADVOCACY

((NORMATIVENORMATIVE: WHAT : WHAT SHOULDSHOULD HAPPEN) HAPPEN)

THE NATURE OF MARINE THE NATURE OF MARINE FISHERIES POLICY AND FISHERIES POLICY AND

MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

ALLALL FISHERIES POLICY AND FISHERIES POLICY AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS HAVE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS HAVE

BIO/ECOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BIO/ECOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

ANDAND

BIO/ECOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BIO/ECOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS…..IMPACTS…..

..........andand

ALLALL FISHERIES POLICY AND MANAGEMENT FISHERIES POLICY AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS INVOLVE TRADEOFFSDECISIONS INVOLVE TRADEOFFS

AMONG THESE OBJECTIVE AND IMPACT AMONG THESE OBJECTIVE AND IMPACT CATEGORIESCATEGORIES

THAT IS THE PROCESS OF THAT IS THE PROCESS OF GOVERNANCEGOVERNANCE

THE NATURE OF MARINE THE NATURE OF MARINE FISHERIES POLICY AND FISHERIES POLICY AND

MANAGEMENT (continued)MANAGEMENT (continued)

THE NATURE OF MARINE THE NATURE OF MARINE FISHERIES POLICY AND FISHERIES POLICY AND

MANAGEMENT (continued)MANAGEMENT (continued)

THEREFORE,THEREFORE,

IF WE DO NOT HAVE FULL DATA AND IF WE DO NOT HAVE FULL DATA AND INFORMATION ON ALL THREE OF THE INFORMATION ON ALL THREE OF THE ECOLOGICAL SUBSYSTEMS, WE WILL ECOLOGICAL SUBSYSTEMS, WE WILL

NOT KNOW HOW TO JUDGE THESE NOT KNOW HOW TO JUDGE THESE NECESSARY TRADEOFFS…...NECESSARY TRADEOFFS…...

……..And…....And…..

There is natural/physical science (biophysical There is natural/physical science (biophysical ecology)……ecology)……

Social science (human and institutional ecology)……Social science (human and institutional ecology)……

And other areas of expertise (engineering, law, And other areas of expertise (engineering, law, business, planning)business, planning)

And the And the applicationsapplications of science and these other areas of science and these other areas of expertise to pelagic fisheries policy (governance)of expertise to pelagic fisheries policy (governance)

-Categories of Social Scientific DataCategories of Social Scientific Data

for Pelagic Fisheriesfor Pelagic Fisheries

-Use Patterns

-Attitudes, Perceptions and Beliefs

-Economics

-Communities

-Governance, Institutions and Processes

-Cultural Heritage and Resources

Problems in Incorporating Social Problems in Incorporating Social Scientific Data and Information into Scientific Data and Information into Fisheries Ecosystem ManagementFisheries Ecosystem Management

Is it science?Is it science?

Lack of trained social scientists in the marine fieldLack of trained social scientists in the marine field

Lack of social science professionals in the marine Lack of social science professionals in the marine resource management structureresource management structure

Lack of funding for social science research and Lack of funding for social science research and applicationapplication

Lack of understanding of the need for social scientific Lack of understanding of the need for social scientific data and informationdata and information

Problems in Integrating Scientific Problems in Integrating Scientific Disciplines and Science with Policy Disciplines and Science with Policy

and Managementand ManagementLack of opportunities for cross- and Lack of opportunities for cross- and interdisciplinary workinterdisciplinary work

Lack of mutual understanding and respect Lack of mutual understanding and respect among disciplinesamong disciplines

Inadequate “translation” of scientific results Inadequate “translation” of scientific results for different constituencies and audiencesfor different constituencies and audiences

Lack of common formats for display and Lack of common formats for display and comparison of objectives, alternatives and comparison of objectives, alternatives and impacts across topics and disciplinesimpacts across topics and disciplines

InteractionsInteractions

Institutional EcologyInstitutional Ecology

Human EcologyHuman Ecology

Biophysical EcologyBiophysical Ecology

?

Which is why…..Which is why…..

Political willPolitical will

looms so large in the effective implementation of looms so large in the effective implementation of any fishery management regimeany fishery management regime

If we do not have as much

high-quality, documented

data and information on the

Human and Institutional

Ecology as on the Biophysical

Ecology of pelagic fishery

systems, in a common

conceptual and linguistic

framework, we will not be

able to accomplish

“Ecosystem Management”

of pelagic fisheries.