Marine ecosystem-based management: challenges remain, yet solutions exist, and progress is occurring
Journal article, 2024
Marine ecosystem-based management (EBM) is recognized as the best practice for managing multiple ocean-use sectors, explicitly addressing tradeoffs among them. However, implementation is perceived as challenging and often slow. A poll of over 150 international EBM experts revealed progress, challenges, and solutions in EBM implementation worldwide. Subsequent follow-up discussions with over 40 of these experts identified remaining impediments to further implementation of EBM: governance; stakeholder engagement; support; uncertainty about and understanding of EBM; technology and data; communication and marketing. EBM is often portrayed as too complex or too challenging to be fully implemented, but we report that identifiable and achievable solutions exist (e.g., political will, persistence, capacity building, changing incentives, and strategic marketing of EBM), for most of these challenges and some solutions can solve many impediments simultaneously. Furthermore, we are advancing in key components of EBM by practitioners who may not necessarily realize they are doing so under different paradigms. These findings indicate substantial progress on EBM, more than previously reported.
cumulative effects
EBM
ecosystem-based management
Marine Governance
Author
Janne B. Haugen
Jason S. Link
K. Cribari
A. Bundy
M. Dickey-Collas
H. M. Leslie
J. Hall
E. A. Fulton
J. J. Levenson
D. M. Parsons
Ida-Maja Hassellöv
Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Maritime Studies
E. Olsen
G. S. DePiper
R. R. Gentry
D. E. Clark
R. E. Brainard
D. Mateos-Molina
Angel Borja
S. Gelcich
M. Guilhon
N. C. Ban
D. Pedreschi
A. Khan
R. Chuenpagdee
S. I. Large
O. Defeo
L. Shannon
Sarah Bailey
A. Jordan
A. L. Agnalt
npj Ocean Sustainability
2731-426x (ISSN) 2731-426x (eISSN)
Vol. 3 1Driving Forces
Sustainable development
Subject Categories
Other Social Sciences
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
DOI
10.1038/s44183-024-00041-1