Dynamic Ocean Management: New Management Approaches for a Highly Dynamic System

Dynamic ocean management, or management that uses near real-time data to guide the spatial distribution of commercial activities, is an emerging approach to balance ocean resource use and conservation. Here, I’ll explain why dynamic ocean management is an important and necessary shift in the evolution of ocean resource management, illustrating how scientific innovation in data analyses and data integration can directly support resource management. Emerging examples of dynamic ocean management from around the globe illustrate how, using a wide range of data types, dynamic ocean management can be used to meet multiple objectives, e.g. managing target quota, bycatch reduction, and reducing interactions with species of conservation concern. My talk will present the utility, achievements, challenges, and potential of dynamic ocean management, identifying the key ingredients to support successful implementation. By directly incorporating the variability inherent in ocean systems, dynamic ocean management demonstrates how innovative science can be used to tackle the pressing challenges of managing the fluid and complex ocean environment.