Preventing overfishing: evolving approaches and emerging challenges

Abstract

Abstract Sissenwine, M. M., Mace P. M., and Lassen, H. J. 2014. Preventing Overfishing: Evolving Approaches and Emerging Challenges. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 71: 153–156. The evolution of fishery management frameworks to prevent overfishing is the theme of the eight papers that follow in this issue of the ICES Journal of Marine Science. The current paper describes common elements of the frameworks. All the frameworks are based on the maximum sustainable yield concept. Frameworks to prevent overfishing have evolved to be increasingly prescriptive. This evolution probably reflects past abuse of flexibility which led to overfishing. The outcome has been a decline in the proportion of stocks suffering from overfishing. However, loss of flexibility may result in large foregone yields from multispecies fisheries, create a mis-match between the expectations for scientific information and the realities of scientific uncertainty, and fail to recognize ecosystem dynamics.