Introducing the Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profile, a Proving Ground for Next Generation Stock Assessments

Abstract

Ecosystem-based fishery science is an important component of effective marine conservation and resource management. Implementation has progressed through large-scale comprehensive ecosystem status reports; however, integrating ecosystem research within the stock assessment process remains elusive. Primary obstacles include the lack of a consistent approach to including ecosystem and socioeconomic information into a stock assessment model and how to test its reliability for identifying future change. We introduce a methodology and reporting framework termed the Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profile (ESP) to overcome these obstacles. The ESP facilitates the integration of ecosystem and socioeconomic factors within the stock assessment process through four steps that culminate in a focused, succinct, and meaningful communication of drivers for a given stock. The first ESP was produced for Alaska sablefish and we provide the general process to implement the ESP framework using results from the sablefish ESP. We conducted a data synthesis that allowed for the framework to be applied across multiple regions and stocks. ESPs are an efficient testing ground for developing ecosystem-linked stock assessments and provide a set of reporting tools that can be tailored to a variety of audiences in order to effectively merge the ecosystem, socioeconomic, and stock assessment disciplines.

Keywords:

• ecosystem-based fisheries management
• ecosystem indicators
• integrated ecosystem assessment
• next generation stock assessment

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the contributors of indicators to the ESPs, the editors of the ESP reports, and the stock assessment authors for their willingness to provide data, creating and reviewing the documents, and their time in making the ESPs possible. The authors thank the scientists from other institutions for their thoughtful comments and feedback in the manuscript review. The authors also thank Martin Dorn, Anne Hollowed, Sandra Lowe, Chris Lunsford, Cara Rodgveller, and James Thorson for their reviews, continued support, and useful ideas regarding the ESP framework. Finally, the authors thank the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Groundfish and Crab Plan Teams, Scientific and Statistical Committee, and Ecosystem Committee for their helpful review and recommendations on the development of the ESPs.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).