South Brazil Bight - Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries

EAF has not been well defined or applied in Brazil’s national fishery management system. However, some scientific research projects have included EAF objectives. Several issues have been identified by means of dedicated projects that included ecosystem-based studies and by others that produced innovative methods oriented to support EAF management. Trophic models of structural and functional properties of the ecosystem have been an important advance. Multispecies/multifleet analysis at the ecosystem scale have been also attempted. The estimates of fisheries socio-economic indicators as proposed by Gasalla et al (2010a) for incorporation in ecosystem models and management showed a fishing fleet’ costs analysis in an EAF perspective, providing practical advice to rational decision-making. Also, a seafood market analysis using multispecies indicators were shown in Pincinato and Gasalla (2010) which also incorporated econometrics proved to be relevant to the understanding of the ecosystem’s history and over-exploitation trends. Some studies combining ecosystem effects of fishing and the environmental impact on fishing stocks have been applied, e.g. for squids (Postuma and Gasalla, 2010). In terms of the assessment of traditional knowledge in a particular EAF perspective, Leite and Gasalla (2010) and Gasalla and Diegues (2011) showed some innovative approaches. Concerning community-based perspectives for an EAF, Gasalla (2011) discussed the issue of fishing rights in marine conservation and ecosystem-based fishery management.