Conservation and Management

The syllabus of this course is reviewed every year, depending on the evolution of the situation of marine resources, management and conservation solutions: Historical evolution of fisheries management. Changing objectives and methodologies. Stock assessment and fisheries management: tools available and the decision-making process. Available tools. Impacts of fishing on the genetic and population structure. Fishing and evolutionary pressures. Changes in ecological balance. Fisheries and marine biodiversity. Marine Protected areas in the context of fisheries management. Artificial Reefs. Restocking and stock enhancement. Conservation of marine exploited resources in the face of ongoing climate change. Ecosystem-based management (EBM). Balanced harvesting and culling. Integrated coastal management (ICM). Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing. Ethical issues in fisheries. Conciliating exploitation and conservation of marine resources; elements for a sustained and responsible fishing activity.
The course is organized in 4 units:
The first unit (THE BASIS OF MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF EXPLOITED MARINE RESOURCES) includes themes 1 to 2 and its objective is to expose the students to technical and historical aspects of the management of marine living resources. 
The second unit (FISHERIES AND ECOSYSTEMS) covers themes 3 to 5 and is dedicated to the impact of fisheries in ecosystems at different levels: individuals, populations and ecosystems. 
The third unit (MITIGATION MEASURES AND MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS), includes themes 6 to 12 and explores the solutions proposed to mitigate and reverse the negative effects of resource exploitation. 
The fourth unit (SOCIO-POLITICAL ISSUES IN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION) includes the remaining themes, 13 to 15 and explores socioeconomic and ethical aspects of resource exploitation.