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Fish on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Some 4,000 fish species live in or around coral reefs, which are a very complex and productive ecosystem. Scientists now realize they must take into account the many interactions in such ecosystems. (AFP PHOTO/HO/JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY/FILE/NEWSCOM) (ps. This photo and description are from "a holistic approach to saving the sea".)
A holistic approach to saving the sea
Scientists recognize that species cannot be managed in isolation; management must be based ecosystem-wide – including earth and sky.
By Moises Velasquez-Manoff | Staff Writer of The Christian Science Monitor / June 27, 2008 edition, New York
Eager to correct for errors that might arise when viewing pieces of a greater whole in isolation, scientists in recent years have been calling for a more holistic approach to resource management. They’ve dubbed this approach “ecosystem-based management” (EBM).
In the oceans, EBM means managing for the health of the entire ecosystem – from small shrimplike copepods to large bluefin tuna – rather than just a single stock. It means that, when setting fishing quotas for a forage fish like herring, the needs of other predators, like cod, should be taken into account. And it means considering fishing’s effect (notably bottom trawling) on fish habitat.
In the larger context, EBM means considering factors like coastal development and pollution that affect the marine environment. It implies working across a wide geographical area as well as a range of agencies. Indeed, some say EBM is as much about reforming human institutions to work harmoniously and productively with one another as anything else......
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