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A bioeconomic optimization approach for rebuilding marine communities: British Columbia case study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2010

C. H. AINSWORTH  and
T. J. PITCHER
C. H. AINSWORTH*
Affiliation:
Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia. 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaV6T 1Z4
T. J. PITCHER
Affiliation:
Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia. 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaV6T 1Z4
*
*Correspondence: Dr Cameron Ainsworth, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard, East Seattle, WA 98113, USA Tel: +1 202 860 3289 e-mail: cameron.ainsworth@noaa.gov
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Summary

Many marine ecosystems are depleted of living resources as a result of long-term overexploitation. Restoration plans should perhaps consider the entire ecosystem as opposed to single species, yet there is currently no suitable framework available for the design and comparison of whole-ecosystem restoration trajectories. This paper presents a novel addition to Ecopath with Ecosim's policy search routine, the ‘specific biomass’ objective function, which allows gaming scenarios to be run using selective fishing as a tool to rebuild depleted marine ecosystems or modify them into a preferred state. In this paper, restoration scenarios aimed to restore an ecosystem in Northern British Columbia to a state similar to the historic ecosystem of 1950 AD. Restoration plans that achieve restoration quickly tend to require a large sacrifice in fishery profits, while slower plans allow for continued harvest benefits. A convex relationship between profit and recovered biodiversity suggests that there may be an optimal rate of restoration. Cost-benefit analysis demonstrates that conservative restoration plans can offer a rate of return superior to bank interest when viewed as an investment in natural capital. Increasing the selectivity of fishing gear improves the economic outlook.

Keywords

British ColumbiaEcopath with Ecosimecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)ecosystem restorationecosystem-based management (EBM)Maxdex fleetoptimal restorable biomass (ORB)trophic models
Type
EC Perspectives
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 36 , Issue 4 , December 2009 , pp. 301 - 311
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2010

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