Overfishing, uncertainty and ocean governance:

The importance of the precautionary approach, the ecosystem approach, and adaptive management in explaining fisheries management failures.

A PhD thesis  2009  Jon Nevill
School of Government, University of Tasmania, Hobart Australia

Abstract: 

“Why does overfishing persist in the face of regulation?” This question, the subject of intense interest and discussion, has no easy or palatable answer. While trawling over old ground, this thesis hopefully offers new insights, and adds weight to important arguments advanced by other writers. I argue here that overfishing, a fundamental cause of the crisis facing our oceans, is the result of the failure of our fishing management agencies (ultimately our politicians and communities) to embrace a small suite of powerful tools (more correctly strategic approaches) which have been developed to account for uncertainty.

Broad success in managing fisheries to achieve sustainability goals will (I argue) only come if these tools are enthusiastically applied. Moreover, I suggest that this will not happen until organisational cultures within fishery management agencies undergo a major shift.  In my view, the only way this shift will occur is for asset-based biodiversity conservation, rather than resource exploitation, to be placed at the centre of ocean governance.

This thesis examines these issues in the context of case studies covering regional, national and provincial (State) fishery management agencies. With the exception of the case study of a regional fishery (the southern ocean krill fishery) all case studies are drawn from Australian experiences. Commercial and recreational fisheries are considered.

The central recommendation of the thesis is that fishery management agencies, worldwide, should be replaced by biodiversity asset management agencies. While recognising that many factors affect biodiversity assets (some well outside the control of current fishery agencies) such a strategy would mesh with the increasing acceptance of integrated coastal zone management, and in general the need for integrated and precautionary management of natural resources.

Keywords:
ocean governance, ethics, overfishing, uncertainty, precautionary principle, precautionary approach, ecosystem approach, ecosystem based fisheries management, adaptive management, krill, orange roughy, northern prawns, western rock lobster, abalone, spearfishing.

Examination:
The thesis was examined by two former-CSIRO fisheries scientists. One examiner remarked: "This is an important and courageous work, and should be widely read by fisheries scientists and managers. I encourage you to investigate publishing it as a book".

Contents page:

Summary paper based on chapter 18 - 
Implementation failures in Australian marine policy.
This paper summaries several of the key issues raised by the thesis.

Entire thesis: as a PDF, or as a DOC file.

Please contact me by email (or write to me at PO Box 106 Hampton Victoria 3188 Australia) if you would like a copy of my latest Endnote reference file.

 

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