The Marine Mammal Laboratory's Systemic Management Studies Program develops and provides objective management advice based on empirical information – patterns consonant with management questions. Systemic management accounts for complexity, has the goal of achieving sustainability, and applies broadly. Special emphasis is placed on the National Marine Fisheries Service's objective of achieving sustainable fisheries in harvesting fish resources simultaneously from individual species, groups of species, and ecosystems. Of specific importance is the goal of promoting healthy ecosystems. The work of this program includes developing and identifying general principles for management. Such tenets are of special importance in management to allocate harvests over time, space, and alternative species while accounting for factors such as population dynamics, genetic effects of harvesting, evolutionary/coevolutionary interactions, predator/prey relationships, competition and nutrient flow in proportion to their relative importance. Systemic management requires synthesis and integration of information to include not only single-species approaches, but also management that applies at the level of ecosystems and entire ocean basins. The data and information used in this program are taken from the published literature or are provided by cooperating projects and other field programs. There are opportunities for both fellowships and internships in the Systemic Management Studies program.

Program Leader: Charles Fowler