Governance Profiles and the Management of the Uses of Large Marine Ecosystems

Interest in the management of the environment and its resources on an ecosystem basis has been increasing in both terrestrial and marine contexts. The emergence of the concept of large marine ecosystems (LMEs) is one important example of this development. LMEs have been examined through five linked modules: (1) productivity of the ecosystem; (2) fish and fisheries; (3) pollution and ecosystem health; (4) socioeconomic conditions; and (5) governance. The first three focus on natural systems, while the last two concentrate on human interactions with those systems. To date the first three have received the greatest attention but as attention has turned to development and implementation of management strategies, greater consideration has being given to the human dimension of LMEs represented by the latter two modules. This article focuses on governance, a matter that is of fundamental importance because it shapes the pattern of human use of the natural environment. Efforts to promote ecosystem-based management occur within different governance frameworks; these frameworks and their associated dynamics must be understood in the same fashion that the structure and interplay of the elements of the natural ecosystem need to be comprehended. Just as natural science employs baseline studies to gauge change over time, this paper asserts the need for similar studies relevant to governance aspects of ecosystem use. After identifying and describing the roles of three major and generic governance institutions, we suggest the development in each LME of a governance profile that outlines and analyzes the existing governance framework. Moreover, we propose to consider governance change over time to assess whether such shifts represent movement in the direction of greater ecosystem focus.