Perspectives and Scenarios for Coastal Fisheries in a Social-Ecological Context: An Ecosystem Service Assessment Approach in the German Baltic Sea

Abstract

Worldwide, fisheries have experienced change over time. An excess of exploitation for providing food has led to overfishing and the depletion of fish stocks. However, fishing communities are also part of the cultural heritage and contribute to the attractiveness of coastal areas to tourists. Our aim is to identify if ecosystem service assessments (ESA) can reflect the condition of fisheries and their economic and social aspects. We developed a tailored, expert-based ESA and applied it to two case studies in the eastern German Baltic Sea under different fishery management scenarios. The results show that reducing fishing pressure, actively restoring habitats, and improving their ecological status increase the provision of most ecosystem services. We discuss and conclude that ESAs allow for a holistic view on fisheries that goes beyond the economic importance of fisheries and shows both the interdependence between fisheries and healthy marine ecosystems, and their relevance for coastal communities. Such a holistic view is necessary for a sustainable approach to fisheries management. Our approach is easily transferable to other regions, and can be used to structure discussion on fisheries management scenarios, as well as to track and visualize societal changes.