Human activities are seriously affecting marine ecosystems globally. The continued challenge of managing marine ecosystems within complex socioecological contexts using conventional management approaches over the past century has led to the emergence of Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) approaches. EBM is defined as a comprehensive, integrated science-based approach to management that considers all components of the entire ecosystem, including humans. The goal of EBM is to manage natural resources in such a way as to sustain the structure, function, resilience, and diversity of natural ecosystems while still allowing humans use of the goods and services those ecosystems provide.

The focus of this special issue will be biophysical and social science foundations of EBM of marine resources of Pacific Islands. Pacific Islands face distinct challenges in terms of climate change and dependence on coastal and marine ecosystems for daily life, but also hold special promise from the accumulated knowledge of indigenous people. This issue will be a forum in which to summarize the most recent developments in the field and to discuss both the science and the management implications of the unique ecosystems of the Pacific Islands, with a special focus on the Marine National Monuments throughout the Pacific. Review articles in addition to the original research articles are welcome for submission. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• What do managers need and what are they managing for?
• Management in the face of global climate change
• Integration of science, management, local and traditional knowledge, needs, and expectations
• Ecosystem threats, complex ecological interactions, and ecosystem resilience: measuring and predicting change
• Monitoring and evaluation: tools, techniques, and trends
• Connectivity and defining management units
• Valuing ecosystem services
• Communication and knowledge transfer
• Education, outreach, and capacity building for change

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jmb/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: