Assessing the health of the U.S. west coast with a regional-scale application of the Ocean Health Index.

Benjamin S Halpern,Darren Hardy,Jameal F Samhouri,Karen L Mcleod,Andrew A Rosenberg,Benjamin D Best,Steven K Katona,Courtney Scarborough,Scott C Doney,Catherine Longo,James P Meador

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098995

Abstract

Management of marine ecosystems increasingly demands comprehensive and quantitative assessments of ocean health, but lacks a tool to do so. We applied the recently developed Ocean Health Index to assess ocean health in the relatively data-rich US west coast region. The overall region scored 71 out of 100, with sub-regions scoring from 65 (Washington) to 74 (Oregon). Highest scoring goals included tourism and recreation (99) and clean waters (87), while the lowest scoring goals were sense of place (48) and artisanal fishing opportunities (57). Surprisingly, even in this well-studied area data limitations precluded robust assessments of past trends in overall ocean health. Nonetheless, retrospective calculation of current status showed that many goals have declined, by up to 20%. In contrast, near-term future scores were on average 6% greater than current status across all goals and sub-regions. Application of hypothetical but realistic management scenarios illustrate how the Index can be used to predict and understand the tradeoffs among goals and consequences for overall ocean health. We illustrate and discuss how this index can be used to vet underlying assumptions and decisions with local stakeholders and decision-makers so that scores reflect regional knowledge, priorities and values. We also highlight the importance of ongoing and future monitoring that will provide robust data relevant to ocean health assessment.

Highlights

As decision-makers shift towards more comprehensive approaches to managing ecosystems [1,2,3], management goals and targets increasingly focus on overall ecosystem health rather than on single sectors or stressors
Along the United States west coast this emphasis exists in the regional governing body (West Coast Governor’s Alliance on Ocean Health; [2]), NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries’ regular assessments of condition [7], ecosystem based approaches to fisheries management plans [8], and state-level and local efforts such as the Marine Life Protection Act, Puget Sound Action Agenda, and the west coast ecosystem-based management (EBM) network [9,10,11]
By calculating the Index for the U.S West coast, we were able to take advantage of regional data and knowledge of the system to assess how particular goals and overall ocean health are faring at a regional scale, and whether conditions are getting better or worse

Summary

Introduction

As decision-makers shift towards more comprehensive approaches to managing ecosystems [1,2,3], management goals and targets increasingly focus on overall ecosystem health rather than on single sectors or stressors. This trend is apparent for marine systems where efforts to implement ecosystem-based management (EBM) often have the stated objective of improving ocean health [3,4,5,6].

Methods

Results

Conclusion