MANAGEMENT OF

FISHERIES AND
AQUACULTURE
MANAGEMENT
Fisheries management aims to achieve the optimal and sustainable utilization of
the fishery resource for the benefit of humankind whilst safeguarding the
ecosystem. Modern fisheries management is based on scientific information that is
used to develop the rules under which the fisheries operate. Typically, management
is directed at maintaining a stock size that gives the maximum sustainable yield (or
catch) through various management regulations (e.g. total allowable catch [TAC],
number of boats in the fishery, etc.) aimed at controlling, either directly or
indirectly, the level of fishing mortality.
MANAGEMENT
Fishing management involves not only direct regulations, but also management
of access rights, influencing of fisher’s attitudes toward the resources and other
broader issues. The scope of fisheries management has widened in recent years to
consider aspects beyond size of the fishery resource, implying an ecosystem
approach.
MANAGEMENT
The ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) has evolved based on an
appreciation of the interactions that take place between fisheries and ecosystems.
EAF takes its focus in fisheries management but broadens the perspective beyond
seeing a fishery as simply “fish in the sea, people in boats”, beyond consideration
only of commercially important species, and beyond management efforts directed
solely at the harvesting process.
MANAGEMENT
EAF requires the inclusion in the management paradigm of interactions between
the core of the fishery - fish and fishers - as well as other elements of the ecosystem
and the human system relevant to management. Because of their ability to address
multiple objectives, e.g. fisheries management and nature conservation, MPAs fit
well into an ecosystem approach.
MANAGEMENT
The precautionary approach is one of the basic principles of the 1995 FAO Code
of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and involves the application of prudent
foresight to deal with uncertainties in fisheries systems. Because uncertainty can be
expected to be greater when widening fisheries management to include ecosystem
considerations, the precautionary approach gains even greater importance within
EAF.
How are fisheries managed?

There are many types of fisheries management or fisheries management tools,

including
a. catch limits or a total allowable catch (TAC)
b. fishing effort limits (i.e. limited number of boats or gear; restrictions on number
of trips)
c. restrictions on the size of fish that can be caught or retained.
d. gear restrictions
How are fisheries managed?

e. access controls (e.g. licences)

f. allocation of shares in a fishery (in terms of catch, effort, or space, e.g. Territorial
Use Rights in Fisheries [TURFs] etc.)
g. time-area-gear type closures. Time-area-gear type closures – one of the oldest
forms of fisheries management – is a form of MPAs. TURFs can also be considered
MPAs if those holding the user right impose restrictions on who can do what within
the designated area.