An article by Jon Hare, the Science and Research Director of NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, on the ‘wicked problem’ of fisheries management. He sets out 10 lessons to carry forward in his efforts to provide advice in this field “backed by sound science and an ecosystem-based approach to management”.

• Accept that fisheries are complex socio-ecological systems (explicitly acknowledging humans are part of ecosystems)
• Strengthen existing adaptive management processes and institutions
• Encourage and engage in participatory science (co-learning)
• Question inertia
• Respect all perspectives
• Recognize fishers as knowledge experts
• Always consider the scale of the problem
• Be open to changing your mind and adjusting your perspective
• Read, listen, and discuss broadly
• Publish and communicate results of science and management

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