Managers and scientists are increasingly aware that the health of the oceans must be comprehensive. It is not just about maintaining fishing stocks at an optimum health level, but also preserving the ecosystem in which they live. Thus, the ecosystem-based approach is gaining importance in the debates on natural resources.
In the year 2000, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defined the Ecosystem-based approach as ‘the strategy for the comprehensive management of land, aquatic and living resources that fairly promotes preservation and sustainable use’. It is all about taking into account the environment and the species therein, as well as every existing activity, aiming to achieve a really effective management system for resources. Nevertheless, its starting up and implementation also involve some problems.
