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Primary production ultimately limits fisheries economic performance
Anthony R Marshak1, Jason S Link2
1CSS, Inc. in Support of NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA. tony.marshak@noaa.gov.
Scientific Reports
|June 17, 2021
Summary
Primary productivity directly impacts marine economies, influencing fisheries landings, revenue, and employment. Understanding these links is crucial for sustainable seafood and food security globally.
Area of Science:
- Marine ecology
- Fisheries economics
- Global change biology
Background:
- Living marine resources (LMRs) are vital for marine economies.
- Global change and environmental factors impact seafood production and economic performance.
- Ecosystem productivity is a foundational element for fisheries economics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document novel relationships between primary productivity and LMR-based economics.
- To analyze these relationships in US regional marine ecosystems and 64 international Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs).
- To elucidate intermediate relationships between production, biomass, landings, revenue, and employment.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of primary productivity data.
- Assessment of fisheries landings, revenue, and employment data.
- Statistical modeling to identify relationships and influencing factors (human population, exploitation history, governance).
Main Results:
- All studied economic factors (landings, revenue, employment) were dependent on basal production levels.
- Primary productivity was a key determinant of fisheries economic performance across global LMEs.
- Human population, exploitation history, and governance significantly influenced these relationships.
Conclusions:
- Accounting for the link between primary production and fisheries economics is critical for global seafood sustainability and food security.
- Quantifying this link informs ecosystem overfishing thresholds and economic consequences.
- Recognizing these relationships is key for effective sustainable management practices.
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