April 2, 2014 — Success stories span our coasts. Atlantic sea scallop, Gulf of Mexico red grouper, and Pacific lingcod are just a few examples of once-depleted U.S. fish populations that have been rebuilt. Yet too often, federal managers and policymakers approach these issues by considering only one species at a time, rather than looking at the big picture. This approach fails to make use of a wealth of knowledge that scientists have gained in recent decades.
Over the past 30 years, we’ve made tremendous scientific gains in understanding how marine ecosystems work while monitoring the impacts of fishing and other extractive activities on the health of our oceans. What’s more, the application of new science, along with critical reforms of key laws and regulations, is leading to more effective policies to manage America’s ocean fisheries.
Because of these improvements, we are making progress toward ending overfishing in U.S. ocean waters and have one of the most advanced marine resource management programs in the world. Success stories, as I’ve detailed in previous articles, span our coasts. Atlantic sea scallop, Gulf of Mexico red grouper, and Pacific lingcod are just a few examples of once-depleted U.S. fish populations that have been rebuilt.
Yet too often, federal managers and policymakers approach these issues by considering only one species at a time, rather than looking at the big picture. This approach fails to make use of a wealth of knowledge that scientists have gained in recent decades. We now know, for instance, that fishing for one species can affect the larger marine food web, and as the International Panel on Climate Change reported this week, rising temperatures are another pressure affecting the health of fish populations and their habitats.
We can and must do better. It’s time that decision-makers and federal fisheries managers pursue broader policy solutions that will not only help restore individual species but also promote healthy and robust marine ecosystems—an approach known within scientific circles as ecosystem-based fisheries management.
Lee Crocket is the U.S. Oceans Director at the Pew Charitable Trusts
Read the full opinion piece at National Geographic