DIVERSITY CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY - IMPLICATIONS FOR FISHERIES

Conserving biodiversity is regarded one of the major issues for enabli ng sustainable use of natural resources. This paper, focusing on the B altic Sea and Sweden's fisheries, emphasizes the value of preserving b iodiversity for the maintenance of diverse, resilient and functioning ecological life-support systems. These constitute a fundamental and ne cessary base for all human activities. The major features of diversity : species diversity, genetic diversity, functional diversity and spati al and temporal diversity and diversity changes in the Baltic Sea ecos ystem are described and discussed together with the development of man agement approaches in Sweden's fisheries. The paper takes a systems pe rspective, focusing on the linkages between ecological and economic sy stems. Biodiversity is seen as an interdependent part of a cluster of diversities in the human society and in the ecological system. The nee d for broader integrated approaches enhancing diversity in resource-ma nagement systems are emphasized.