Te Council embarked on this initiative to help it develop recommendations to refine and improve the ecosystem indicators presented the Annual State of the California Current Ecosystem Report. Throughout 2015 and 2016 the Council’s Ecosystem Working Group, the Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team, and the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Ecosystem Subcommittee assessed the overall performance of the indicators and how they can be better linked to management decision-making.
In the fall of 2016 the Council then requested the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northwest and Southwest Fisheries Science Centers’ California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team to review the recommendations developed by these advisory bodies. The Assessment Team determined which recommendations could be incorporated into the 2017 Annual State of the California Current Ecosystem Report and those that should be addressed in subsequent reports, including Fishery Management Plan-specific or other focal-area reports.
Although the Council formally wrapped up this initiative in 2017, it has established an ogoing process for its SSC to review the science underlying current and new indicators reported annually in the Report.
Link to CCIEA Reports
Background on the Coordinated Ecosystem Indicator Review Initiative
In March 2015 the Council agreed to proceed with this initiative based on the recommendations from its Ad-hoc Ecosystem Workgroup. This initiative refines and improves the ecosystem indicators presented the Annual State of the California Current Ecosystem Report. The Council directed the Ecosystem Working Group, the Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team, and the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Ecosystem Subcommittee members to assess the overall performance of the indicators and how they can be better linked to management decision-making. In September 2015 the Council again considered the recommendations from its Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup and directed Council management teams and advisory subpanels comment on the suite of indicators in the Annual Report prior to a Council final decision.
To facilitate advisory body input the Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup facilitated a series of webinars in January and February 2016 describing the indicators used in the Annual Report and some that are in development. Advisory body reports were completed and presented to the Council in September 2016. The Council then requested the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northwest and Southwest Fisheries Science Centers’ California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team to review these recommendations found in the advisory body reports submitted under this agenda item. The Assessment Team determined which recommendations could be incorporated into the 2017 Annual State of the California Current Ecosystem Report and those that should be addressed in subsequent reports, including Fishery Management Plan-specific or other focal-area reports.
2016 Webinar Series On Ecosystem Indicators
The Council’s Ecosystem Workgroup organized the following webinars in 2016 to discuss the contents of the 2015 the Annual CCE Status Report and solicit feedback from other Council advisory bodies and the public.
Contents of the Annual California Current Ecosystem Status Report; physical oceanography indicators (Toby Garfield & Chris Harvey)
Webinar 1 PowerPoint presentation slides (pdf format)
Biological indicators (Chris Harvey & Greg Williams)
Webinar 2 PowerPoint presentation slides (pdf format)
Human dimensions indicators (Karma Norman & Dan Holland)
Webinar 3 PowerPoint slides (pdf format)
Freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitat indicators (Correigh Greene)
Webinar 4 PowerPoint slides (pdf format)
Risk assessments and applications of indicators to decision making (Jameal Samhouri & Elliott Hazen)
Webinar 5 PowerPoint slides (pdf format)