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FAO FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE TECHNICAL PAPER No. 532
Geographic Information
Systems to support
the ecosystem approach
to fisheries
Status, opportunities and challenges
by
Fabio Carocci
Fishery Information Assistant
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Division
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department
Gabriella Bianchi
Senior Fishery Resources Officer
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Division
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department
Paul Eastwood
FAO Consultant
Geoff Meaden
FAO Consultant
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Contents
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ISBN 978-92-5-106433-7
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© FAO 2010
Carocci, F., Bianchi, G., Eastwood, P. & G. Meaden
Geographic Information
Systems to support
the ecosystem approach
to fisheries.
FAO Fisheries and AquacultureTechnical Paper; No. 532. Rome, FAO. 2009. 120p.
Abstract
The ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) has been developed during the last decade in
response to perceived and actual deficiencies in previous methods of management. The
EAF recognizes that fish are only one albeit important part of a much wider ecosystem
incorporating an array of physical and biological components that humans interact
with and exploit. Rather than managing single fish stocks, an EAF is concerned with
the impacts of fisheries on the marine ecosystem, the interactions between different
fisheries, of fisheries with the aquaculture sector, as well as with other human activities.
The Geographic Information System (GIS) is considered an ideal platform upon which
to perform necessary information manage-ment and decision-support analysis for the
implementation of an EAF. |
Preparation of this document (Download 
438 kb)
Abstract
Acknowledgement
Contents
List of tables, figures and boxes
Acronyms and abbreviations
Executive summary
1. Introduction
2. What is EAF? (Download 127 kb)
2.1 Background to EAF
2.2 Conventional fisheries management and the ecosystem approach
2.3 Applying EAF, a pragmatic approach
3. The current status of GIS in marine fisheries (Download 311 kb)
3.1 GIS as a tool
3.2 A brief history of GIS technology and developments
3.3 The main functionalities of GIS
3.4 Use of GIS in marine fisheries
3.5 Case studies of GIS applications to fishery-based topics
3.5.1 In search of the optimum time to release juvenile chum salmon
into the coastal waters of northern Japan
3.5.2 Identification of the essential fish habitat for small pelagic
species in Spanish Mediterranean waters
3.5.3 Development of a GIS for the marine resources of
Rodrigues Island
3.5.4 The influence of closed areas on fishing effort in
the Gulf of Maine
3.6 Conclusions
4. The role for GIS in support of EAF implementation (Download 881 kb)
4.1 Introduction
4.2. Mapping in EAF with GIS
4.2.1 Ecoregions
4.2.2 Species
4.2.3 Habitats
4.2.4 Human activities
4.2.5 Indicators
4.2.6 Management regulations
4.3 Modelling in EAF with GIS
4.3.1 Spatial stock assessments
4.3.2 Ecosystem interactions
4.3.3 MPA placement and design
4.3.4 Fishing vessel movement and behaviour
4.4 Management in EAF with GIS
4.4.1 Integrated marine management and planning
4.4.2 Monitoring and enforcement
4.5 Communication in EAF with GIS
4.6 Conclusions
5. Case studies to illustrate ways to integrate GIS into EAF (Download 270 kb)
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Ecosystem-based fisheries management in the Benguela
Current Large Marine Ecosystem of southern Africa
5.3 The Eastern Scotian Shelf Integrated Ocean Management
Plan in Canadian Atlantic waters
5.4 Channel Habitat Atlas for Resource Management (CHARM) in
the eastern English Channel
5.5 Conclusions
6. Implementing GIS for EAF (Download 389 kb)
6.1 Introduction and underlying assumptions
6.2 The scope of GIS and user requirements
6.2.1 The objectives and scope of GIS in support of the EAF
implementation framework
6.2.2 Strengthening the use of GIS for EAF implementation
6.3 Capacity building to enable GIS use
6.3.1 GIS configuration and system architecture
6.3.2 GIS software
6.3.3 Data for GIS
6.3.4 Support for the use of GIS
6.4 Challenges to the use of GIS in marine ecosystems
6.5 Conclusions
7. Conclusions and recommendations (Download 434 kb)
References
Glossary
Annex: Major fisheries and marine data providers on the Internet
