Ecosystem-based management (EBM)

There is no single agreed-upon definition for EBM. A typical definition of EBM acknowledges the complexity and interspecies relationship within ecological systems, but many also account for social and governance objectives.

EBM is an integrated approach to management that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans. The goal of EBM is to maintain an ecosystem in a healthy, productive and resilient condition so that it can provide the services humans want and need. EBM differs from current approaches that usually focus on a single species, sector or activity or concern; it considers the cumulative impacts of different sectors (McLeod et al., 2005).