Marine Science Faculty Publications
The Origin of NOAA’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Program: A Retrospective and Prospective
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2021
Keywords
Communication, Ecosystem-Based Management, Engagement, Fisheries, Governance, NOAA Integrated Ecosystem Assessments, Spatial Scales
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2021.1846110
Abstract
In response to calls for marine ecosystem-based management (EBM), the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed a multidisciplinary science support framework called integrated ecosystem assessment (IEA). The IEA framework and a national NOAA program for implementing that framework were the culmination of many efforts in the 2000s. At a recent workshop, five leaders from the early days of NOAA IEA development participated in a panel to discuss the history of the framework and program, and to provide recommendations for future work. Panelists intended IEA to be a call to action for scientists and agencies to support EBM, and they designed the framework to be adaptable, scalable, and non-prescriptive so that it could be applied to a range of issues. Panelists emphasized the complementary nature of the processes, tools, and products that make up IEA efforts, and also stressed the need to adapt the IEA approach to shifting management and governance structures. Finally, panelists offered a range of recommendations for future development of the IEA approach, including: (1) broadening the stakeholder base; (2) developing objectives and reference points in partnership with end-users; (3) increasing diversity of IEA practitioners to better reflect the communities that IEA serves; (4) increasing development of readily updatable, real-time products; (5) carefully assessing and prioritizing the demands placed on IEA practitioners; (6) increasing collaboration across disciplines and resource sectors; (7) seeking opportunities to engage with emerging governance structures; and (8) strengthening support for IEA by effectively communicating its stories.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Coastal Management, v. 49, issue 1, p. 9-25
Scholar Commons Citation
Harvey, Chris J.; Fluharty, David L.; Fogarty, Michael J.; Levin, Phillip S.; Murawski, Steven A.; Schwing, Franklin B.; Shuford, Rebecca L.; Kelble, Christopher R.; and Monaco, Mark E., "The Origin of NOAA’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Program: A Retrospective and Prospective" (2021). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 2151.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/2151
