Implementing effective fisheries-management systems - management strategy evaluation and the Australian partnership approach

Fisheries management is characterized by multiple and conflicting objective s, multiple stakeholders with divergent interests and high levels of uncert ainty about the dynamics of the resources being managed. This conjunction o f issues can result in high levels of contention and poor outcomes in the m anagement process. Management strategy evaluation (MSE) can assist in the r esolution of these issues. MSE involves assessing the consequences of a ran ge of management options and laying bare the trade-offs in performance acro ss a range of management objectives. Key steps in the approach involve turn ing broad objectives into specific and quantifiable performance indicators, identifying and incorporating key uncertainties in the evaluation, and com municating the results effectively to client groups and decision-makers. At a technical level, the framework facilitates dealing with multiple objecti ves and uncertainties in prediction. At the implementation level, it fails if it cannot accommodate effective stakeholder participation and acceptance . MSE shares many features with approaches such as adaptive management and development of management procedures. The principles for implementing the M SE approach are reviewed and practical aspects of its implementation under the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) partnership model to f isheries management are discussed. The model stresses stakeholder involveme nt in all key areas of fisheries management, from stock assessment and sett ing research priorities, to enforcement and decision-making. Stakeholder in volvement, including industry, science, and conservation, extends from memb ership of the AFMA Board, through Management Advisory Committees to Fisheri es Assessment Groups. The benefits and limitations of the AFMA partnership approach are reviewed, both for MSE, and, in a wider sense, in the developm ent of an effective fisheries management system. (C) 1999 International Cou ncil for the Exploration of the Sea.