Exploiting the gold mine of acoustics for integrated ecosystem assessments
Mark Dickey-Collas
@DickeyCollas
Acoustics symposia and ecosystem
Trenkel poster 2015
ecosystem
Define ”ecosystem approach”!
Ecosystem approach
FAO continuum of commitments, 2003EU marine strategy framework directive,
common fisheries policyUSA national ocean policy, MSARussia maritime doctrine 2020CA, NO, AU see Sainsbury et al 2014
http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/13261/en
Ecosystem approach principles
Ecosystem approach principles
Long et al., 2015. Key principle of marine ecosystem-based management. Marine policy 57: 53-60
Definitions, definitions, definitions
cour
tesy
J. L
ink
Enter the word ”integrate”
Integrated monitoring and surveys
Integrate science into management advice
Integrate across disciplines
Integrate across sectors
Operational - ”integrate”
1. Focus on relationships & processes within ecosystem2. Enhance benefit-sharing3. Use adaptive management practices4. Carry out management actions at the scale
appropriate for the issue, with decentralization.5. Ensure intersectoral cooperation.
https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/operational.shtml
Integrated ecosystem assessments (IEA)
Dis
cipl
ines
Sectors
Governance
In addition to the complexities of the ecosystem
Integrated ecosystem assessments (ICES)
Provision of joined-up evidence to address society’s need to manage anthropogenic pressures on the marine ecosystem.
Exploring the space for decision making.
Wicked problems
Ritt
el &
Web
ber 1
973,
Chu
rchm
an 1
976
Provide the evidence for societal..
TRADE OFFS
Searching for the golden fleece?
Problem is not understood until after the formulation of solution
Define the question, set your bounds
Scoping high order and operational objectives
Discuss limits to IEA
Allow progress - integrated not exhaustive ecosystem assessment (Rochet 2014)
Example
Partnership: fishing industry, scientists, eNGOs, policy developersTrenkel et al. 2015
Co-production of knowledge
IMARES scientists pretending to look clever
We use knowledge
Veracity of evidence
Evidence of differing integrity, sources & certainty.
Learn to integrate the more certain with the less certain, combine across management objectives and show tradeoffs
MORE THAN
Water quality, untrawlable habitat, seabed integrity
Foodwebs- space, scale & behaviour
In EU – Marine strategy framework directive
Assumes clear pressure-state relationships
APSR- Activity-Pressure-State-Response e.g. Greenstreet et al., 2009
DPSIR - Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response e.g. Gimpel et al., 2013
Solution clear – set a target
Operational indicators for management
Pelagic example
Aver
age
F/FM
SY
Celtic Seas pelagic stocks North Sea pelagic stocks
mackerel, horse mackerel, blue whiting, herring, sprat, sandeel
Shephard et al. 2014 Assessing the state of pelagic fish communities within an ecosystem approach & MSFD
Are all anthropogenic pressures so clear?
• often insufficient evidence to define targets & support assessment of state
• links to anthropogenic pressures are weak or not sufficiently well understood to underpin specific management advice
What pressures impact?
Can we set targets?
Surveillance indicators
Not expected to directly track state in response to changes in pressure,
Provide complementary information (including warning signals) that informs and supports science, policy and management.
Risk based approach
Not monitoring for monitoring sake
Carefully targeted surveillance
Need to link to management objectives
Set bounds that trigger action
Trade off – knowledge and action
Shephard et al. submitted. Surveillance indicators and their use in implementation of the MSFD
take actioncheck pressuresreview knowledge
take actioncheck pressuresreview knowledge
Visiting a gold mine of data and knowledge
ACOUSTICS
Piles of treasure
So back to my title:
Tips for acoustic scientists on exploiting the gold mine: integrated ecosystem assessments.
IEAs are greedy for knowledge
We help provide the evidence base to inform management decisions.Improving and sharpening that evidence is important
but it is not the whole story
Important transfer of acoustic expertise
Expertise in combining data from different sources
Integrating new technologies
Integrating space and time into analysis
Importance of behaviour and interactions
From science to IEAs
Learn to talk across disciplines- build common language
Integrate work with partners and stakeholders
Practice creating simple messages
Data aids but is not knowledge
Remember it is WICKED!
Contribution of acoustics to IEA & management
Science for sustainable seas
Thank you