The governance arrangements for fisheries management are based on the use of spatial structures and management measures, such as jurisdictional boundaries, management plans and zoning of fishing type and intensity. These spatially-based arrangements are manifest at various scales and so there is a growing interest in assessing the relative roles of different spatial components in achieving desired outcomes for marine systems as a whole.  This includes the use of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the management of fisheries and the ecosystem more generally. Despite this, key uncertainties remain about the use of spatial management approaches and these are a significant constraint on decision-making to achieve Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) objectives.

 

In recent years the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) has received a number of applications concerning the use of spatial management in fisheries, particularly the impact of MPAs.  However, the FRDC Board recognised that it lacked clear strategic direction with respect to the R&D needed to support spatially-based management and the way that R&D investment could reduce the risks and improve the benefits of management.  In order to facilitate a discussion of this topic with the Australian Fisheries Managers Forum in July 2003, the FRDC board funded the development of this paper to outline the options for fisheries R&D investment in spatial management (including MPAs).

 

The objectives of the paper were to consider two main issues:

• The effectiveness of spatial based management for fisheries
• The implications for fisheries of closures initiated by other sectors

 

The paper begins with a description of the policy context and concepts. The current and past R&D relevant to the spatial management of fisheries were considered, and a gap analysis was undertaken and used to develop an R&D framework. Finally the potential management issues/response are outlined.