Why an ecosystem approach is the wrong paradigm for the next stage of fisheries management
Date
2006-09-13
Authors
Corkett, Christopher J.
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Abstract
Scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
manage groundfish stocks by collecting biomass measurements that
are used to provide scientific advice on catch limits. Clearly, if the
data is uncertain or incomplete the scientific advice will be uncertain
and incomplete. Better decisions come from finding better data, data
that are more certain (by removing uncertainty?) or more complete
(by taking an ecosystem approach?). However, it is a matter of
elementary logic that policy decisions together with goals (such as
sustainability) and standards (such as the precautionary principle)
cannot be produced from, or be reduced to, facts or data; decisions
have to be taken.