Table 1. Prospective Contents of an Ecosystem Area Management Plan for Sustainable Fisheries.  The following items and content are suggested for the Ecosystem Area Management Plan, source: adapted and modified from “Core Ecosystem and Fishery Management International Performance Standard for the Marine Aquarium Trade” (see: http://macweb.inets.com) online available July 30, 2005. Alverson (2004 p. 647) reiterates that as a starting point “an initial step may require only that managers consider how the harvesting of one species might impact other species in the ecosystem.”

• Title of the Ecosystem Area Management Plan;
• Geographical area of operation of the marine fishery, and the jurisdiction under which it falls;
• History of collection and management;
• Particulars of the stakeholders with interests in the marine fishery;
• Details of consultations leading to the management of the marine fishery;
• Arrangements for on-going consultations with stakeholders;
• Details of decision-making process or processes, including the recognized participants;
• Goals and objectives for the marine fishery to include:
  • Resource;
  • Environmental and ecological;
  • Biological diversity;
  • Technological and;
  • Socio-economic items and/or content;
• List of the marine organisms caught and the quantities and sizes involved;
• Overview of fishing methods;
• Basic description of the aquatic ecosystem, its status, and any particularly sensitive areas, features, or species influencing or affected by the marine commercial and/or recreational fishery;
• Description of other legitimate uses that impact on the fishing area ecosystem(s);
• Details of those individuals or groups granted rights of access to the marine fishery, and particulars of the nature of those rights (dedicated access privileges in the U.S. );
• Basic description for measures agreed upon for the regulation of the collection and fishing of marine organisms within the designated ecosystem area.  These may include general and specific measures, precautionary measures, contingency plans, mechanisms for emergency decisions, etc.
• Details of any critical environments (essential fish habitat (EFH)) or sources of concern and required actions to address them;
• Arrangements and responsibilities for regular monitoring, control and surveillance, and enforcement.   New management, monitoring, and surveillance methods that prove to be beneficial to minimizing ecosystem impact and organism mortality should be adopted.
• Details of any planned education and training for stakeholders;
• Date and nature of next review and audit of the Ecosystem Area Management Plan.