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6.3 The FAO ecosystem approach to fisheries
Perceived failures in traditional single species focused fisheries management approaches led
the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) to recommend, in 1991, new approaches to fisher-
ies management, embracing conservation and environmental, as well as social and econom-
ic, considerations. The FAO was asked to develop the concept of responsible fisheries and
to elaborate a code of conduct to foster its application. This led to the development and ad-
option, in 1995, of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. In 2001, the Reykjavik
Declaration on Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem was adopted, and it encour-
aged countries and fishing entities to achieve sustainable fisheries in the marine ecosystem.
It also led to the development of technical guidelines on what became known as the ecosys-
tem approach to fisheries, in 2003 (FAO, 2003 ).
The ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) presents a more holistic approach than tra-
ditional fisheries management methods, and strives to take into account the structure and
functioning of ecosystems and their components, as well as the needs and desires of societ-
ies,inthecontextofsustainableuseofmarineresources.EAFiscloselyrelatedtoecosystem
based fisheries management (EBFM - Pikitch et al ., 2004 ), which aims to avoid degradation
of ecosystems, minimize risk of irreversible change, obtain and maintain long-term socio-
economic benefits, and improve ecosystem understanding.
The EAF evolved with and is thus complementary to the CBD ecosystem approach.
The overarching principles of EAF are an extension of the conventional principles for sus-
tainable fisheries development, to cover the ecosystem as a whole. They aim to ensure that,
despite variability, uncertainty, and likely natural changes in the ecosystem, the capacity of
aquatic ecosystems to produce fish food, revenues, employment, and more generally, oth-
er essential services and livelihood, is maintained indefinitely for the benefit of present and
future generations. The FAO Technical Guidelines on their ecosystem approach to fisheries
define EAF as follows:
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