In class this semester, we have discussed various models for managing ecosystems. We introduced the advantages and disadvantages of each of them, as well as some of the goals that they seek to achieve (e.g., balancing conservation and preservation in ecosystem-based management). However, I would argue that we have thus far failed to consider many of the actual mechanisms that the management models would implement to accomplish these goals at an in-depth level.
One fascinating practice that is applicable to marine ecosystem management is the use of individual transferable quotas (ITQs). Based on the concept that the free market will reach the most efficient outcome, governments (like that of New Zealand, a famous case study for ITQs) can use ITQs to regulate the amount of fish harvested from the ocean. Each quota allows its owner to collect a certain amount of fish so that, the more quotas held, the more fish their owner can harvest. With this system, even small fishing operations can earn a profit against larger competitors by selling their quotas to them.
The key to this system, and the point where the different management practices become relevant, is in setting the initial amount of quotas offered. Officials rely on biologists to determine what that exact number will be based on models of fish population recruitment and mortality, but the management models in place can inform what constitutes a sustainable and profitable harvest from a given population growth rate. For example, different models might prioritize different data, or select for population sizes according to the quantity needed to ensure the species’ survival instead of according to the amount required to maintain its function in the ecosystem.
There is much more to consider in the implementation of an ITQ system, but I do believe that it could serve as a useful element of any management model. All the remains for governments to do is select which scientist they are going to listen to.
Sources:
Picture – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_industry_in_New_Zealand