April 20, 2023

Kona Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA)

Evan Howell

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center

2570 Dole Street, Honolulu HI 96822

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Why do an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA)?

Purpose of IEA: To perform a formal synthesis and quantitative analysis of information on relevant natural and socio–economic factors, specifically in relation to identified ecosystem management goals for a region

What does that mean?

Based on management questions of interest, uncover, collect, process, and model ecosystem information (data) to provide answers and advice to managers

Example: What is effect of fishing down species X on on surrounding ecosystem? What is effect of limiting fishing? Doing nothing?

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The Kona region IEA

Why Kona?

• Kona region natural choice based on dynamic ecology and history of research done in this area.

• Kona region contains a diverse group of unique species that have been the subject of many long-term studies.

• Kona region has many potential management issues now and in the future. Aquaculture, Recreational fishery, Recreational diving

Rough boundaries: Māhukona Harbor (N) to Kaunā Point (S)

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NOAA IEA Objectives

Provide evaluation of management strategies and advice—Comprehensive integration of diverse

ecosystem information

—Incorporate economic and social science data

—Evaluate the benefits and risks to social and ecological sector posed by management actions

—Synthesize best-available science for effective ecosystem-based management

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Kona IEA Program Initial Objectives

Initial project to implement a pilot IEA in the Kona region

—Indentify management issues of concern (internal and external/partners)

—Establish data management and ecosystem-modeling infrastructure

—Focus on a subset of drivers, pressures, and management strategies that influence key ecosystem management targets

—Outline steps to finalize the Kona IEA with additional FY11 funding

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Kona IEA initial steps

Scoping: What are our key (ecosystem) management issues?

Identify: What are the main drivers of the system?

Partner: Who will we partner with to achieve goals?

Monitoring of ecosystem indicators and management effectiveness

Monitoring of ecosystem indicators and management effectiveness

IEA 5 step process

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Scoping: What are our key (ecosystem) management issues?

1. Identify economic/anthropogenic impacts1. Coastal dev., aquaculture, ocean energy, etc

2. Positive impacts from tourism (capacity to sustain?)

2. Impacts of fishing (extractive)1. Commercial/non-commercial/subsistence (Trad vs Mod)

3. Effects of climate change on Kona region

4. Shared user areas (MPAs, Rec dive/Aq. Fish coll.)

5. Introduced species/species diversity/endemic

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External management issues

1. Areas of larval retention (circulation model)

2. Aqua(Cage)culture Nutrient effect? Exotics becoming introduced?

3. Aquarium industry (model area of closure)

4. Billfish (catch data) DAR 20 yr. CPUE decline. Model closed area for Blue Marlin

5. Mapping out traditional knowledge

6. Private FADs

7. False Killer Whales

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Kona IEA timeline of event

Establish the foundation for Kona IEA development1. Scoping: Identify management goals, drivers2. Create data management infrastructure3. Review and develop ecosystem indicators4. Create/refine Ecosystem model(s)

Deliverables— Identify and accumulate relevant Kona data sets (portal) (Y1)— Construct/refine ecosystem indicators (point, TS) (Y1/2)— Construct preliminary Kona Ecopath(sim) model (Y1?/2)— Negotiation of data-sharing and collaboration (Y1?/2)— 2-3 page “brochure” detailing work to date and future IEA plan

(external) (Y1)— Action plan for work towards IEA (internal) (Y1)

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Example Final products – August?

Data Portal (web)Brochure (print)

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What’s been done to date

1. Internal PIFSC working group established

2. Contacted some partners to identify management issues of importance

3. Contract now out for data portal construction

4. Contract pending for Kona Ecosim model (initial model constructed, modify for near-shore, off-shore models)

5. Kona IEA brochure almost finished

6. Initial website up at http://www.hawaiieod.com/kona_iea (this will move internal soon)

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What’s needed

1. Data, data data (time series, GIS-based)

2. Circulation model (contract, graduate student)

3. Partners, ideas for people to meet with in Kona (first trip May 17-18, 2010)

4. Pictures! For Data portal, brochure

This is a new program, ideas and comments are welcome!

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NOAA Fisheries Kona IEA contact:

Evan Howell, Ph.D.

NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center

Ecosystems and Oceanography Division

2570 Dole Street, Honolulu HI 96822

(808) 983-5306 (V) – (808) 982-2902 (FAX)

Evan.Howell@noaa.gov