Fisheries management science: the framework to link biological, economic, and social objectives in fisheries management

Fisheries management in the future will require that biological assessments be combined appropriately with operational, social, and economic considerations toward effective management of complex fisheries systems. This is not currently being done in fisheries management because of: (i) the lack of a conceptual and organizational framework for integrated and participatory decision making, and (ii) the lack of more appropriate methodologies for dealing with diverse sources of information, interdisciplinary objectives, and the inherent uncertainty of these systems. An integration of traditional "fisheries science" with other aspects of "fisheries management" and the field of "management science" in a new discipline of "Fisheries Management Science" is proposed. FMS is defined as "the rigorous application of the scientific method of problem solving in the development of strategic alternatives and their evaluation on the basis of objectives that integrate biological, economic, social, and operational factors into management decision making". Management science or operational research provides guidance in methodologies for complex decision making and problem resolution. A multidisciplinary decision framework is proposed involving the following key steps: (1) specification of quantifiable objectives and constraints; (2) modelling of the expected multicriteria performance of a range of proposed management decisions; (3) risk assessment through descriptions of the expected variability in performance measures; (4) risk management through analytical evaluation of risk and ranking of alternate solutions; and (5) continuous monitoring and improvement of past decisions including deviations from expected performance and corresponding adjustment of future alternatives toward achieving strategic objectives