Ecological Risk Assessment in Fisheries Management

Ecological risk assessment (ERA) in fisheries management is a structured process for identifying, quantifying and managing the potential adverse effects of fishing activities on marine populations and ecosystems. By combining information on species productivity, susceptibility to capture and environmental variability, ERA frameworks inform precautionary and ecosystem‐based decision‐making. These assessments range from rapid qualitative scoring schemes to fully quantitative simulation models, enabling managers to prioritise at‐risk species, evaluate indirect impacts such as bycatch and habitat disturbance, and set reference points for sustainable exploitation. ERA underpins certification schemes, supports adaptive strategies in the face of climate change and accommodates both data‐rich and data‐poor fisheries. Through transparent evaluation of management controls—such as catch limits, gear restrictions and seasonal closures—ERA guides evidence‐based interventions that balance seafood production with biodiversity conservation on a global scale.

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Ecological Risk Assessment in Fisheries Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in ecological risk assessment in fisheries management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA): A systematic method to evaluate the likelihood and severity of adverse effects of fishing on species and ecosystems.

Productivity Susceptibility Analysis (PSA): A semi‐quantitative tool scoring species’ life‐history productivity against their susceptibility to fishing to rank relative risk.

Risk Equivalence: A framework that adjusts risk assessments by conditioning exposure and reference levels on environmental change to maintain consistent risk tolerances.

Bycatch: Non‐target species incidentally captured during fishing operations that may be vulnerable to overexploitation or habitat impacts.

References

1. Adapting the Marine Stewardship Council risk-based framework to estimate impacts on seabirds, marine mammals, marine turtles and sea snakes. Marine Policy (2024).
2. Consistent Risk Management in a Changing World: Risk Equivalence in Fisheries and Other Human Activities Affecting Marine Resources and Ecosystems. Frontiers in Climate (2022).
3. Catch composition and risk assessment of two fishing gears used in small-scale fisheries of Bandon Bay, the Gulf of Thailand. PeerJ (2022).