Putting theory into practice to manage complex and closely linked social and ecological systems along our coasts is a challenge, but one NOAA researcher Anne Guerry says can be addressed by a new approach to managing the value of our ocean resources.

Puget Sound is home to 200 species of fish, 26 species of marine mammals, and over 625 species of seaweed, as well as 3.5 million people. How well the marine systems in Puget Sound function is directly linked to the region's quality of life and economy.

Guerry and colleagues focused on Dungeness crab harvests and the distribution of eelgrass, which sequesters or stores carbon from greenhouse emissions, as models to illustrate how changes in nearshore habitats and various management scenarios can affect these ecosystem services. By examining various scenarios that are based on real choices facing decision-makers, the team can compare the effects of various management decisions on the delivery of these services.

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