What is an Ecosystem Approach to Management?

NOAA's Ecosystem Approach to Management (EAM) is a holistic, evolutionary management strategy designed to improve the productivity of coastal, marine and Great Lakes ecosystems. NOAA has developed a vision for EAM, and detailed its mission and outcomes for sustainable use of the Nation’s coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources. This vision incorporates collaboration among NOAA, other federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, and academic and business communities.

An ecosystem approach to management shifts current management practices from sectoral, short-term perspectives, with humans "independent" of ecosystems to ecosystem-based, long-term perspectives and humans integral to ecosystems. The management practices will be geographically specific, located in 10 US regional ecosystems based on the Large Marine Ecosystem model.

Eco-regions

NOAA will work further to delineate sub-ecoregions and address inland boundary issues based on coastal watersheds and diadromous fish habitat, as well as other boundary issues. NOAA has defined five EAM strategies:

    1. adaptive;
    2. incremental;
    3. geographically specifying management areas;
    4. accounts for ecosystem knowledge and uncertainties; and,
    5. balances diverse societal objectives.

NOAA is in the process of developing a suite of "ecosystem indicators" that will help to increase our understanding of how ecosystems are changing. These indicators will give insght into human health, social and economic issues. Over time, NOAA plans to refine this indicator suite for each region and sub-region in order to more effectively manage resources.

NOAA’s future steps towards EAM include improving internal integration and coordination to produce better products and services while collaborating with partners to begin the regional process of ecosystem-based management.

- Adapted from "NOAA’s Ecosystem Approach to Management" by J. Burgess, J. Dunnigan, J. Mechling & E. Norton (2005). Click here for full paper.

How does the ERP foster EAM?

The ERP provides a strong scientific foundation based on principles of EAM to enable decision makers, academic, scientists, non-governmental organizations and citizens to make better informed decisons. Ecosystem research conducted by the many components of the ERP enhances the understanding of physical, chemical and biological interactions, ultimately shedding light on environmental variability and change.

Ecosystem Research

The ERP provides NOAA the scientific information and tools necessary to address its science and management mandates, including implementing and evaluating ecosystem management. It is the responsibility of the ERP to meet the research requirements of the Ecosystem Goal Team. To accomplish that task, it is working with each of the Ecosystem Goal Team Programs (Coastal and Marine Resources Program, Coral Program, Fisheries Management Program, Ecosystem Observation Program, Aquaculture Program, Protected Species Management Program, Habitat Program, and Enforcement) to identify, address, and evaluate the Program's success in meeting those requirements.