Science in support of fishery management: New approaches for sustainable fisheries

Uncertainty will always be part of managing marine ecosystems, and resource conservation must be based on explicit recognition of this fact coupled with suitable mechanisms for dealing with uncertainty. Science programs in Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans are evolving to meet the challenges of resource conservation in a context of increasing pressure for access to resources and declining public funding. Studies of stock dynamics in an ecosystem context and of the links between variations in environmental conditions and stock productivity are helping to reduce uncertainty about long-term production potential. New forms of cooperative relationships between government, industry, universities and the general public are contributing to better knowledge of marine systems and to development of consensus views on conservation requirements for fishery resources. The precautionary approach to conservation has been adopted and use of marine protected areas will be expanded to complement other conservation approaches.