The U.S. South Atlantic Region

Abstract

This chapter describes the South Atlantic region and the major issues facing this marine fisheries ecosystem, and presents some summary statistics related to the 90 indicators of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) criteria. The South Atlantic contains the third-highest number of managed taxa of the eight regional U.S. marine ecosystems, including commercially and recreationally important reef fishes (snappers and groupers), penaeid shrimps, coastal migratory pelagic fishes (cobia, mackerels, dolphin/wahoo), and coral reef resources. The South Atlantic is a species-rich environment subject to several major stressors that include habitat loss, sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and intermittent high category hurricanes with increasing frequency over the past decades, along with the consequences of overfishing that continue to affect LMRs in this region. Overall, EBFM progress has been made in terms of implementing ecosystem-level planning, advancing knowledge of ecosystem principles, and in assessing risks and vulnerabilities to ecosystems through ongoing investigations into climate vulnerability and species prioritizations for stock and habitat assessments. Although the South Atlantic is progressing toward EBFM, little overall progress has been observed toward applying ecosystem-level emergent properties into management frameworks. While the South Atlantic is advancing in terms of its LMR management priorities and ecosystem efforts, some challenges remain to effectively implement formalized EBFM planning. Limited information regarding the status and biomass of fishery stocks and protected species in this region, and data gaps for many environmental factors have constrained EBFM implementation and prevented the application of ecosystem-level properties into management actions.