Ecosystem-Based Management
Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is about acknowledging connections. Instead of focusing on the impacts of single activities on the delivery of individual ecosystem services, EBM focuses on the array of services that we receive from marine systems, the interactive and cumulative effects of multiple human activities on these complex systems, and the importance of working towards common goals across sectors.
To learn more about ecosystem-based management, please see Heather’s book: Ecosystem-Based Management for the Oceans. This is the first comprehensive guide to utilizing ecosystem-based approaches in the marine environment. It provides a conceptual foundation for students and professionals who want to understand and utilize this powerful approach, and it employs case studies that draw on the experiences of practitioners to demonstrate how EBM principles can be applied to real-world problems.