Abstract
This paper argues that if rebuilding of ecosystems is adopted as the goal for fisheries management, recent disputes over political interference in the scientific process would be reduced in severity through a clarification of objectives and procedures. The use of an ecosystem approach enables alternative end states of current harvesting policy to be evaluated more objectively. Moreover, support from the general public for fisheries policy is likely to be greater when they are given a clear and important role to play as sentinels reporting upon the status of a wide range of organisms in aquatic ecosystems.