Part IV: Indicators
Table 1: Potential indicators relevant to the status of marine ecosystems and their existing and potential applicability to the Patagonian Sea System. Indicator 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 8.1. 8.2. 8.3. 8.4. 8.5. 8.6. 8.7. 9. 9.1. 9.2. 9.3. 9.4. 10. 10.1. 10.2. 10.3. 10.4. 10.5. 10.6. 11. 11.1. 11.2. 11.3.
11.4. 11.5. 12. 12.1. 12.2. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
Trends in extent of biomes, ecosystems, habitats Trends in abundance and distribution of selected species Trends in populations and performance of selected species Trends in status of threatened species Trends in genetic diversity of taxa of socio-economic importance Coverage of Marine Protected Areas Area of ecosystem (fishery) under sustainable management Fisheries: target species Percent over-fished stocks of commercial importance Spawning stock biomass of commercial fish species CPUE statistics Metrics of fish caught (length, mass) Trophic level of fish caught Metrics of fish community structure Marine Trophic Index (mean trophic level of fish landings) Fisheries: non-target (bycatch) species –on a fishery– specific basis Indices of trends in bycatch levels/rates for e.g. seabirds, marine mammals, turtles, etc. Indices of seabird/environment friendliness of fishing operations (e.g. based on the nature and efficacy of mitigation methods used) Benthos bycatch: biodiversity in general; presence of sensitive species; amounts and rates Discards: biodiversity; threatened/sensitive species; amounts/rates Fisheries: Aquaculture Total production/area under "cultivation" Area under sustainable management Eco-efficiency Impact on genetic structure of wild fish populations Impact on benthos Impact on water column/sea surface habitats (e.g. for birds, mammals, other fish, squid) Pollution (including water quality) Water quality from natural (e.g. rivers) and anthropogenic (e.g. industrial) discharge into Patagonian Sea marine environment Levels of PCBs, heavy metals (e.g. mercury in tissues, eggs, feathers) etc. in species inhabiting different marine habitats Nature, size, impact, etc. of oil pollution, both chronic and acute. (In addition to the normal indicators relating to oil spills, this could include some index of numbers/rates of oiled penguins from census data) Levels of marine debris (e.g. on beaches) Levels/nature of plastics in stomachs/regurgitates of seabirds Productivity Phytoplankton chlorophyll-a Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) and Phosphorus (DIP) concentrations Number (and cost) of alien species Climate change (including indicators of phenology and oceanography) Connectivity/fragmentation of ecosystems Investment in biodiversity Public awareness and participation
Relevance / Feasibility Now Future Very low Very low High/medium High High/low Medium High/medium High Low/very low Low High/medium High High/low High/medium High/medium High/medium High/medium High/medium High/medium Medium/low High/medium
High High High High High Medium High
High/low High/medium
High/medium High
Medium/very low
Medium
High/very low
Medium
High/very low High/ very low High/ very low High/ very low High/ very low High/ very low
High/medium High/medium High/medium High/medium High/medium High/medium
Medium/low
Medium
Medium/ very low
Medium
High/medium
High/medium
Medium/low Medium/ very low
Medium Medium
Low/high Low/high Medium/low Medium/ very low Not applicable Medium/ very low Medium/ very low
Medium/high Medium/high High/medium High/low Not applicable High/low High/low
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