The Alaska Fishery Science Center carries out research on marine fish, shellfish, and mammal populations in the three primary ecosystems in waters off Alaska: Artic, Bering Sea, and Gulf of Alaska. NOAA’s ecosystem approach to management (1) is adaptive, (2) is geographically specified, (3) takes account of ecosystem knowledge, (4) takes account of uncertainty, (5) considers multiple external influences, and (6) strives to balance diverse societal objectives (from NOAA Strategic Plan: www.spo.noaa.gov). In other words, an ecosystem approach to management (EAM) is regional, takes account of what we do and do not know about ecosystems, considers human and natural influences, and strives to balance diverse and sometimes competing societal objectives. NOAA also acknowledges that implementation will need to be incremental and collaborative. EAM embodies the concept often referred to as the precautionary approach. This means that societal objectives associated with utilization of marine resources are best balanced by managing the risk of adverse affects of human actions. Such management has to incorporate uncertainty in our ability to predict immediate and long-term consequences. EAM makes irreversible change in a region’s ecosystem unlikely, while allowing for the social and economic benefits associated with the exploitation to be realized. One of the keys to making EAM successful is the integration of policy, science, and management.

 

Keywords:

Fish, shellfish and fisheries; Marine mammals, fishery interactions, and subsistence harvest;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and non-U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants