Search

Yu, C., Chen, Z., Chen, L., and He, P. 2007. The rise and fall of electrical shrimp beam trawling in the East China Sea: technology, fishery, and conservation implications. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 1592–1597.Since the 1980s, shrimp beam trawling has flourished in inshore waters of the East China Sea (ECS) off Zhejiang Province. By 2000, there were more than 10 000 beam trawlers operating in the area. The fishery targets several species of shrimp, including Parapenaeopsis hardwickii, Solenocera crassicornis, Parapenaeus fissuroides, and Trachypenaeus curvirostris. In the early 1990s, electrical beam trawls using pulse generators, powered either from the vessel or from underwater battery packs, became popular in the fishery. As a result of this new technology, the catch rates of shrimp, especially the burrowing shrimp species, increased. At its peak usage, there were more than 3000 vessels using electrical beam trawls in Zhejiang Province and another 500 or more in the adjacent provinces of Jiangsu and Fujian. This technology was also widespread along the Chinese coast, but a lack of regulation resulted in the misuse of electrical pulse parameters that caused damage to juvenile shrimps and other benthic species. In 2001, this fishing method was banned from the waters off Zhejiang Province, and subsequently in other parts of the ECS. This paper reviews the research on electrical beam trawls, the fishery, and fishery-management issues associated with this new technology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As the human population grows and climate change threatens the stability of seafood sources, we face the key question of how we will meet increasing demand, and do so sustainably. Many of the 20 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) member nations have been global leaders in the protection and management of wild fisheries, but to date, most of these nations have not developed robust aquaculture industries. Using existing data and documentation of aquaculture targets from government and industry, we compiled and analysed past trends in farmed and wild seafood production and consumption in ICES nations, as well as the potential and need to increase aquaculture production by 2050. We found that the majority of ICES nations lacks long-term strategies for aquaculture growth, with an increasing gap between future domestic production and consumption—resulting in a potential 7 million tonne domestic seafood deficit by 2050, which would be supplemented by imports from other countries (e.g. China). We also found recognition of climate change as a concern for aquaculture growth, but little on what that means for meeting production goals. Our findings highlight the need to prioritize aquaculture policy to set more ambitious domestic production goals and/or improve sustainable sourcing of seafood from other parts of the world, with explicit recognition and strategic planning for climate change affecting such decisions. In short, there is a need for greater concerted effort by ICES member nations to address aquaculture's long-term future prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dive-depth and swim-speed of a juvenile and an adult free-ranging, Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) were observed using velocity-time-depth recorders in an oxbow of the Yangtze River. In total, 8222 individual dives were recorded over 59 hours. Two dive types, deep-dive (≥2.7 m) and shallow-dive, were recognized. Horizontal travel distances of two finless porpoises in a day were 94.4 km and 90.3 km, which were longer than those of oceanic relative species (harbor porpoises, Phocoena phocoena). Although the shallow water limited the maximum dive-depth, dive-duration, and bottom-time of finless porpoises were similar to the harbor porpoises. A sudden drop of swim-speed below 0.25 m s−1 was frequently observed nearby the maximum dive-depth. This seemed to indicate “turning around” behaviour, possibly during prey pursuit. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We describe the site selection process for artificial reef deployment within an ambitious programme initiated by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to restore fisheries resources and rehabilitate the marine environment. The process was focused on identifying six optimum locations by employing constraint mapping and prioritization criteria. Constraint mapping involved the identification of areas of incompatibility between artificial reefs and existing uses as well as future potential sites. Broad environmental, socio-economic, and cost-efficiency prioritization criteria were applied to the unconstrained areas so that a short-list of the six highest priority sites could be defined. The combination of constraint mapping and prioritization criteria ensured that sites acceptable to a wide range of user groups were selected. Copyright 2002 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We provide details of a restoration programme to restore Hong Kong's marine ecosystems and fisheries through the deployment of artificial reefs (AR) within marine parks and fishery-protected areas (FPA). The programme is being implemented in two phases. The first phase has involved AR deployment in recently established marine parks. The second phase will involve the establishment of FPA selected specifically for their suitability for AR deployment and fisheries restoration. Prior to site selection, a comprehensive two-stage consultation exercise was conducted, which targeted fishers, marine users and green groups. Ecosystem simulations were employed to assess the potential benefits to fisheries arising from the implementation of the second phase. Modelling results indicate that AR deployment, utilizing 10–20% of local waters managed predominantly as no-take zones, could arrest the current decline in fisheries yield and produce significant improvements within ten years. Limited selective fishing may be authorized at a small number of AR to encourage support from local fishers and facilitate enforcement. Successful implementation must involve a high level of fishing compliance within the ‘no-take’ zones. Management should be facilitated by establishing community-based advisory groups for each FPA that will comprise representatives from fishers, government and academics. They will be responsible, in addition to providing advice, for assisting with management issues including fishing permit allocation. The benefits and problems associated with different restoration initiatives are discussed. Copyright 2002 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]