The Skimmer on Marine Ecosystems and Management
Notes & News: Socio-economic benefits of MSP – Good coastal management practice – Integrating MPAs in MSP
Report offers guidance on maximizing socioeconomic benefits of marine planning A new report commissioned by the UK government analyzes the socioeconomic processes at work in England's coastal communities, and sets a framework for considering these processes in the country's upcoming marine planning process. The purpose is to inform planners of…
EBM Toolbox: Tools for Stakeholder Engagement
Editor’s note: The goal of The EBM Toolbox is to promote awareness of tools for facilitating EBM processes. It is brought to you by the EBM Tools Network, a voluntary alliance of tool users, developers, and training providers. By Sarah Carr Tools can facilitate many aspects of stakeholder engagement in…
Paying for EBM: Insights on Building Sustainable Financing for EBM over the Long Term
Management requires funding. Likewise, sustainable management requires sustainable funding. A cornerstone of EBM is that it ensures ecosystems will continue over time to provide the services that people require and want (e.g., food, clean water, biodiversity). Without dependable ways of financing management over the long term, EBM projects are at…
Tundi’s Take: Private Sector Investment in EBM Makes Good Business Sense
By Tundi Agardy, MEAM Contributing Editor (tundiagardy@earthlink.net) "Engage the private sector" has become something of a mantra in marine management. But thus far, direct financial involvement by the private sector in ocean management has been relatively limited. While industries such as commercial fisheries, shipping, and offshore energy have been granted…
Making Marine Spatial Plans Adaptable to a Changing Climate: Interview with Robin Craig
Due to human-induced climate change, sea surface temperatures are increasing. As a result, a gradual poleward shift in ocean ecosystems is underway. Described very simply, areas that were previously cold are becoming more temperate, and areas that were temperate are becoming more tropical. It is anticipated that, over time, ocean…
Notes & News: Marine extinction event – Integrated coastal zone management – Oceans and sustainable development – Transition to EBFM – Marine conservation ecology
Report: Significant marine extinction possible unless multiple ocean stressors reduced Multiple ocean stressors – warming, acidification, overfishing, and more – together represent a great risk to marine and human life if the current trajectory of these stressors continues, including the possibility of a major extinction event of marine species. This…
EBM Toolbox: Quantifying, Mapping, and Valuing Ecosystem Services
Editor’s note: The goal of The EBM Toolbox is to promote awareness of tools for facilitating EBM processes. It is brought to you by the EBM Tools Network, a voluntary alliance of tool users, developers, and training providers. By Sarah Carr A growing number of tools help managers and policymakers…
Making EBM Accessible: Guide Offers User-Friendly Advice on Putting Marine and Coastal EBM into Practice
A new publication from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) applies a reader-friendly approach to help countries and communities move toward ecosystem-based management of oceans and coasts. Drawing on practical experience and lessons from around the world, the guide serves as an introduction to EBM principles and applications, and provides an…
Defining Ecosystems as an Initial Step in EBM: Experts Discuss the Challenges and Implications
A basic concept in ecosystem-based management is that, when managers make decisions, they will consider the full array of natural and human elements and interactions that make up an ecosystem. By that account, a necessary initial step in EBM is for managers to define what their target ecosystem is. Is…
Tundi’s Take: Approaching EBM via an Ecosystem Approach
By Tundi Agardy, MEAM Contributing Editor (tundiagardy@earthlink.net) Many agencies tout their commitment to adopting an ecosystem approach to management. What is actually meant by this commitment, and whether it constitutes a move toward ecosystem-based management, is open to question. The terms are often used without clear definition or, when defined,…