Marine Resources Indicator

Marine Resources indicators track changes in marine animal populations. They show how changes in a species’ biomass and population are linked to changes in other factors, including interactions with other species. The indicator also shows shifts in the range of economically important species, such as American lobster. But its limitations are that it only tracks changes in a relatively small area of the globe.

These indicators are based on information gathered by the National Marine Fisheries Service and other agencies. They help determine the condition of marine species and their vulnerability to human impacts. However, because they rely on voluntary reporting by countries, they are widely recognized as incomplete and downwardly biased. The data collected by fisheries agencies is not complete, and many of the components of catch are not reported. In addition, the data is based on incomplete records, and zero-sum catches are sometimes used to account for missing or ambiguous data.

The indicators are scored using a set of criteria. These criteria allow for a consistent way to evaluate individual indicators and compare them against each other in the context of a program’s objectives. These criteria are summarized in Table 3 and are based on recommendations from previous indicator reports. The criterion scores are then multiplied by a weight that accounts for each criterion. Once these scores are summed up, they represent the overall score of an ecosystem assessment.

Marine ecosystems provide many services to millions of people around the world. However, they are also facing increasingly complex challenges. Therefore, it is vital to monitor trends and issues in these ecosystems. This is where the NOAA ecosystem indicators come in. Ecosystem indicators are quantitative measurements of the health of key components of an ecosystem. NOAA’s Ecosystem Indicators are designed to help managers understand the state of ecosystems and identify any underlying issues.