Abhatoo - Centre Nationale de Documentation

Marine ecosystems are very complex, our knowledge of them limited, and the ways in which fisheries affect them is poorly understood, so the EBM approach to managing fisheries accepts that decisions will often be made in a climate of uncertainty. However, uncertainty should never be an excuse for inaction. Management decisions are best made using multiple lines of evidence and a precautionary approach. For EBM to be effective, the principles and elements of EBM need to be translated into actions and control measures that are applied within a fishery. WWF has identified 12 operational components that form the basis for implementing EBM in a typical fishery. These components, or steps, provide detailed guidance for fisheries managers to develop and apply EBM within the context of their own fishery. Also, the details of intended outcomes are identified to permit cooperative implementation in conjunction with the community of stakeholders and partners.