Dynamic ocean management

March 2019: Flexible algorithms based on tracking and ocean-condition data allow researchers to predict fish behaviour in real time. It allows for a greater balance between conservation concerns and economic viability of fisheries in warming oceans.

Information

Recent research suggests that human-caused climate change reduced the amount of seafood humans can sustainably harvest by 4.1 per cent from 1930-2010. Oceans absorbed approximately 93 per cent of heat from greenhouse gases leading to a rapid warming of oceans and fish migrating in search of their preferred temperatures and higher food availability. In light of this, researchers suggest dynamic ocean management practices to enable more flexible catch limits and maximising food potential for fisheries. Tracking data from individual fishing boats and independent observers in combination with ocean-condition data such as satellites measurements of ocean temperature, wind, moonlight, chlorophyll concentration, sea-surface height, and eddy kinetic energy allows to create flexible algorithms predicting fish migrations and populations in warming oceans.

Implications & Opportunities

Dynamic ocean management practices in combination with efforts to limit ocean warming could lead to billions of dollars in extra revenue for fisheries, especially in the developing world where many people rely fishing as their primary source of income and fish as their main source for protein. It could also mitigate bycatch of threatened species and balance conservation concerns with the economic viability of fisheries. This practice offers a more fluid approach to an environment in which resources are mobile and migrate.

Limitations

The approach is limited in its scope. It is a complimentary measure that does not aim to replace traditional marine reserves such as coral reefs but aims to accommodate the migrating nature of fish. Simultaneously, any ocean management measures need to be conducted in corporation with local fisheries and adapted to local contexts.

Sources

Free, C.M., Thorson, J.T., Pinsky, M.L.,Oken, K.L., Wiedenmann, J., Jensen, O.P., (2019). Impacts of historical warming on marine fisheries production. Science, 363 (6430), 979-983. DOI: 10.1126/science.aau1758.

The Washington Post. (2019). Big sea, bigger data: How analytics are making peace between fisherman and turtles. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/gdpr-consent/?destination=%2fus-policy%2f2019%2f02%2f04%2fbig-sea-bigger-data-how-analytical-biologists-are-making-peace-between-fishermen-turtles%2f%3f&utm_term=.fc03c7c5d13e