Indicators for ecosystem based management: Methods and applicationsVerena Trenkel, Anik BrindAmour, Pascal Lorance, Stphanie Mahevas, Marie-Jolle Rochet

Ecology and Models for Fisheries ScienceIfremer, Nantes, France

DefinitionAn indicator is a variable which quantifies how well a human activity is managed, in relation to specified objectives. A structured suite of indicators will reveal important system changes.

Reduce quotaFishingmortalityDemand for food & wealthLess fishFish biomassEcosystem based fisheries management

DPSIR frameworkObjectivesResponsePressuresDriversImpactsStatesReference points, directions & enveloppes

Indicator development IndicatorsIndicatorsIndicatorsIndicator development, selection, calculation, testing

Methods developmentMethodsMethodsMethodsMethodsMethodsModelling pressure-state links, combining indicators, detecting trends, evaluating impacts

Recent examples

Example: Developing food web indicatorsHas the food web structure changed in the Mediterranean?

Temporal changes in food websGolf of LionsIonian SeaAegean SeaExample: Developing food web indicators

**Ecological objective: Maintain pelagic food supply for higher trophic levelsKnowledgeFew top predators & piscivores have strong pelagic prey dependance Operational objectivesMaintain herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea as prey for cod Maintain total forage fish biomass in North SeaState & impact indicatorsPrey biomass in critical areaProxy: predator condition/growth/productivityReference level>x tons of prey speciesPressure managementTAC, effort control, escapement rulesExample: Selecting indicators for pelagic ecosystems

Is occupancy a sensitive indicator for population abundance?In certain cases only:occupancy can change much less than abundanceuncertainty in catches or effort can mask changesExample: Simulation testing population indicatorsTrenkel et al In Press, Testing CPUE-derived spatial occupancy as an indicator for stock abundance: application to deep-sea stocks. Aquatic Living Resources DOI: 10.1051/alr/2013060 Trenkel et al In Press, Testing CPUE-derived spatial occupancy as an indicator for stock abundance: application to deep-sea stocks. Aquatic Living Resources DOI: 10.1051/alr/2013060 Trenkel et al In Press, Testing CPUE-derived spatial occupancy as an indicator for stock abundance: application to deep-sea stocks. Aquatic Living Resources DOI: 10.1051/alr/2013060

Which management indicators are sensitive and robust to uncertainty?Example: Simulation testing management indicators

Which management indicators are sensitive and robust to uncertainty?Example: Simulation testing management indicatorsHuret et al. 2010.Spatialized recruitment and natural mortality

ECOMARSIBM Larvaire Mahvas et al. 2011Vermard et al 2008 Spatial and seasonal distribution of populationsPelletier et al 2009Assessing indicator performance for managementSpatial and seasonal distribution of fleets and economic behaviorSpatial modelling of fisheries dynamics Lehuta et al 2010. IJMS & 2012. FRLehuta et al 2013.

Graph3

0.708088250.913419150.923897050.886397050.922426450.77261030.74834560.7724265

0.211508090.58293040.5859646950.4468914750.5812259850.3210134850.20938530.31971436

0.42546130.564708050.60540160.50085270.60658170.431075650.40908990.43200935

0.392647050.698161750.722977950.63639710.722058850.457536750.457536750.45827205

0.936507950.60105820.360317450.29100530.336507950.674074050.665608450.65608465

0.407837250.725843450.84689580.783931650.858000350.642726750.597120650.65458555

Base

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TACMPA1

TACMPA2

TACMPA3

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gestionh12P1P4P6P2P3P5

1Base00.91470590.423016180.62911080.43823531.00E+000.4383008

2TAC00.99742650.993931410.91219350.755.42E-010.8310224

3TACMPA100.999264710.99678360.77352942.95E-010.9861585

4TACMPA200.97426470.721853560.81530430.66838241.62E-010.8943274

5TACMPA300.99926470.9905225810.77389712.65E-011

6MPA100.98308820.505089030.67183040.48860296.03E-010.7431187

7MPA200.90073530.322280730.62973890.49852946.44E-010.6532627

8MPA300.98345590.493619490.67575040.48897065.88E-010.7550583

9Base10.501470600.22181180.34705888.73E-010.3773737

10TAC10.82941180.171929390.21722260.64632356.60E-010.6206645

11TACMPA110.84852940.171929390.21401960.67242654.25E-010.7076331

12TACMPA210.79852940.171929390.18640110.60441184.20E-010.6735359

13TACMPA310.84558820.171929390.21316340.67022064.08E-010.7160007

14MPA110.56213240.136937940.19032090.42647067.45E-010.5423348

15MPA210.59595590.096489870.18844090.41654416.87E-010.5409786

16MPA310.56139710.145809230.18826830.42757357.24E-010.5541128

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gestionh12P1P4P6P2P3P5

1Base00.91470590.423016180.62911080.43823531.00E+000.4383008

2TAC00.99742650.993931410.91219350.755.42E-010.8310224

3TACMPA100.999264710.99678360.77352942.95E-010.9861585

4TACMPA200.97426470.721853560.81530430.66838241.62E-010.8943274

5TACMPA300.99926470.9905225810.77389712.65E-011

6MPA100.98308820.505089030.67183040.48860296.03E-010.7431187

7MPA200.90073530.322280730.62973890.49852946.44E-010.6532627

8MPA300.98345590.493619490.67575040.48897065.88E-010.7550583

9Base10.501470600.22181180.34705888.73E-010.3773737

10TAC10.82941180.171929390.21722260.64632356.60E-010.6206645

11TACMPA110.84852940.171929390.21401960.67242654.25E-010.7076331

12TACMPA210.79852940.171929390.18640110.60441184.20E-010.6735359

13TACMPA310.84558820.171929390.21316340.67022064.08E-010.7160007

14MPA110.56213240.136937940.19032090.42647067.45E-010.5423348

15MPA210.59595590.096489870.18844090.41654416.87E-010.5409786

16MPA310.56139710.145809230.18826830.42757357.24E-010.5541128

Base0.708088250.211508090.42546130.392647050.936507950.40783725

TAC0.913419150.58293040.564708050.698161750.60105820.72584345

TACMPA10.923897050.5859646950.60540160.722977950.360317450.8468958

TACMPA20.886397050.4468914750.50085270.63639710.29100530.78393165

TACMPA30.922426450.5812259850.60658170.722058850.336507950.85800035

MPA10.77261030.3210134850.431075650.457536750.674074050.64272675

MPA20.74834560.20938530.40908990.457536750.665608450.59712065

MPA30.77242650.319714360.432009350.458272050.656084650.65458555

Feuil3

P1P1P1P1P1P1P1P1

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gestionP1P4P6P2P3P5

100.300.18610050.200.21989411

210.710.18342150.500.4617252

320.710.18229710.500.49442423

430.610.1568110.400.48233848

540.710.18122490.500.50731194

650.30.194894640.16036490.100.30606066

760.30.090265170.16708580.200.31016195

870.30.199152230.1599910.100.31765797

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Do fishing pressure differences affect differentially fish community states?Example: Developing fishing pressure indicators

InputFishing intensityFishing selectivityFishing mortalityAverage F across speciesSD(F) across species or size-classesCatchTotal catch per unit areaCV(catch) across species; No species => 85%; % piscivores

Do fishing pressure differences affect differentially fish community states?Example: Developing fishing pressure indicatorsFishing pressure varies in space & time, but differential impacts are difficult to detectHigh & selective removalsDiverse catchPiscivores preferred

For more information on our work on indicators Come and see me

Read our publicationshttp://wwz.ifremer.fr/emh/Publications-EMH

*Selection of three contrasted Mediterranean areas in terms of surfaces, nutrient runoffs, fishing effort (Caddy et al. 1995)Gulf of Lion: Stability with some decrease for the flatfish group (FG2) and the sandy-rocky benthic group (FG3). Increase in pelagic fish with laterally-compressed body (FG5) Ionian Sea: Global increase, notably for the pelagic fish with laterally-compressed body (FG5), the cephalopods (ceph), and bentho-demersal feeders group (FG4) Aegean Sea: Increasing time trend for the the sandy-rocky benthic group (FG3) and the cephalopoda (ceph)

*