
Toward Ecosystem-based Extraction Policies for Prince William Sound, Alaska: Integrating Conflicting Objectives and Rebuilding Pinnipeds
Trade-offs between the benefits and the costs of marine resource extraction become increasingly conspicuous as ecological limits are approached. Unfortunately, the historical lack of trade-off accounting has led to unexpectedly adverse effects. An integrative policy-search procedure
in the modeling software Ecopath with Ecosim was used to shape fisheries extraction policies for Prince William Sound, Alaska, that explicitly account for trade-offs among economic, employment, and ecological objectives, in addition to the thermodynamic constraints of the system’s food
web. When economic and employment objectives were emphasized, the modeling routine reduced predators (Pacific halibut and pinnipeds) to maximize the production of prey groups whose market values and potential system biomasses promised maximum fisheries values. When ecological objectives were
emphasized, the routine increased predators (orcas, halibut, porpoise, pinnipeds, lingcod, and seabirds), along with their salmon and herring prey, while decreasing gadoids (sablefish, Pacific cod, and pollock). Competition between fisheries and predators was indicated by increases in predators
with decreases in fishing. A 20% increase in the biomass of pinnipeds was achieved with comparatively modest, but "smart," fisheries reductions. Commercial and overall fisheries catches consistently decreased by the end of all 20-yr simulations, indicating that 1994–1996 commercial fishing
levels were unsustainable.
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: May 1, 2004
- The Bulletin of Marine Science is dedicated to the dissemination of high quality research from the world's oceans. All aspects of marine science are treated by the Bulletin of Marine Science, including papers in marine biology, biological oceanography, fisheries, marine affairs, applied marine physics, marine geology and geophysics, marine and atmospheric chemistry, and meteorology and physical oceanography.
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