The objective of DTU Aqua's research into ecosystem based marine management is to develop knowledge and tools that can be used as the basis for advice on ecosystem based fisheries management taking overall goals as reflected in fisheries and environmental policy into account.

Main themes within Ecosystem based Marine Management

DTU Aqua's research on ecosystem-based marine management has seven main themes:

• Integrated advice
  Delivery of advice that considers environmental, ecosystem, climate and fisheries sustainability objectives together. 
  
  
• Involvement of stakeholders
  Involvement of stakeholders in definition of sustainable management objectives and data collection.
  
  
• Indicators of Good Environmental Status 
  Development and analyses of indicators to monitor Good Environmental Status of biodiversity, seafloor integrity, commercial fish stocks, food webs and marine litter. 
  
  
• Changes in fish stocks and their sustainable exploitation
  Development of methods to monitor changes in climate, fish stocks in response to changes in the marine ecosystem, top predator populations and anthropogenic pressures and adaptation of management advice accordingly. 
  
  
• Link between habitats and productivity of fish
  Analyses of impacts of habitats, connectivity and distribution on recruitment, growth and survival of fish and their sustainable exploitation. 
  
  
• Fisheries and protected and endangered species
  Development of methods to monitor and minimize interactions between fisheries and protected and endangered species such as marine mammals and seabirds.
  
  
• Benthic communities and seafloor integrity
  Development of methods to monitor and manage impacts of environmental and anthropogenic pressures on benthic communities and seafloor integrity. 

Why do we conduct research into Ecosystem based Marine Management?

Ecosystem-based marine management is a requirement in many of the current policies and directives. The principle is integrated in legislation in the need for activities to be sustainable in an ecosystem context such that both the structure and function of the ecosystem is preserved while the social and economic benefits of fisheries and other human activities are maintained as far as possible.

What is the research used for?

The results of DTU Aqua's research into ecosystem based marine management are used mainly for advising the authorities involved in the management of fisheries; the European Union, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark, and the Ministry of Environment of Denmark. Moreover, DTU Aqua advises international organizations, including the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

The advice focuses on the implementation of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive, the Common Fisheries Policy and the Habitats Directive.