3.1: Ecosystems
Improved understanding of ecosystems to inform resource management decisions Other Information:
Fully implementing ecosystem-based approaches to resource management requires ongoing scientific exploration in marine, coastal,
and riverine systems, and increased understanding of the complex linkages among human, biological, and physical components
of an ecosystem. Such understanding will allow decision makers to evaluate trade-offs between desired outcomes —including
increased economic activity and long-term species viability—and to assess likely outcomes of different management approaches.
The current understanding of many marine species, their links to other components of the ecosystems, and the benefits they
provide to society is limited; in many instances, scientists have virtually no data. Adequate assessments have been performed
for fewer than 60 percent of the key fish stocks and complexes, fewer than 25 percent of all protected species, and an even
smaller percentage of the habitat upon which all of these species depend. In addition, it is not yet fully understood how
complex ecosystems or individual species will respond either to a changing climate or available approaches to managing living
marine resources. These management approaches themselves are the subject of active research. In order to preserve the wide
range of benefits humans derive from healthy ecosystems, decision makers in fishery management, protected species recovery,
habitat conservation, and coastal and marine spatial planning need information on individual species, the quantity and quality
of habitat they occupy, the effects of human activities on ecosystem health and resilience, and the consequences of ecosystem
condition on human populations. To achieve this objective, NOAA will coordinate internal and external research on the linkages
among biological, physical, and human components of marine, estuarine, and riverine ecosystems and the goods they provide.
Key components include maintaining observation platforms to collect global, regional, and local ecosystem data and exploring
innovative technologies such as genomics, ecosystem models, and alternative sampling techniques to improve the ability to
accurately assess the status and health of living marine resources and the ecosystems on which they depend. Producing accurate
status assessments for harvested, protected, and potentially at-risk species—based on enhanced, consistent, long-term observations—is
a key component. Just as importantly, NOAA will work to enhance coordination and cooperation among scientists, policy makers,
and stakeholders to ensure that information is understood and incorporated in management practices. NOAA also will support
socioeconomic research and policy analyses to evaluate ecological and social outcomes of potential environmental and management
changes, and will help partners develop ecosystem-based plans that include all aspects of the biological, social, and economic
environment. NOAA will work to ensure that this information is used in transparent regulatory and policy decision-making frameworks,
and that it is well-communicated to a wide range of stakeholder communities. Over the next five years, evidence of progress
toward this objective will include: * Increased use of ecosystem information (such as Integrated Ecosystem Assessments) in
natural resource decisions in marine, estuarine, Great Lake and riverine systems; * Increased development and use of climate
considerations in fishery and protected resource decisions and in coastal and marine spatial planning processes; * Next-generation
fish and protected resource stock assessments incorporating habitat, ecosystem, and climate information; * Living marine resource
managers using high-quality data to inform management plans and decisions; * Increased understanding of the role of habitat
in providing ecosystem services, supported by improved habitat assessments; and * Increased use of social and economic indicators
in the conservation and management decision making processes.
Indicator(s):
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