An Ecological-Economic Index of Fish Vulnerability

We present new research that integrates ecology and economics to develop a bioeconomic spatial index that can help us use marine fisheries resources sustainably through time, for the benefits of both current and future generations of people. The index is calculated for each half degree by half degree cell of the global ocean, and represented spatially using GIS techniques to depict areas in the ocean that need special management approaches (e.g., marine protected areas) and areas where market based approaches (e.g., territorial use rights in fisheries or TURFs) can be used. The proposed index can help managers use scarce management resources in a targeted, efficient and effective way to ensure the conservation of seafood and marine ecosystems through time.