335 results on '"*FISHING & the environment"'
Search Results
2. TACKLING ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING THROUGH PORT STATE MEASURES.
- Author
-
MUSTO, CALLUM and PAPASTAVRIDIS, EFTHYMIOS
- Subjects
- *
FISHERY laws , *ECOSYSTEM management , *MARINE species diversity , *FISHING & the environment , *TRANSBOUNDARY waters - Abstract
Alongside collective mismanagement, illegal, unreported and unregulated (‘IUU’) fishing practices pose a serious threat to marine species and ecosystems around the globe. Drastically reducing IUU fishing must form part of global efforts to promote more responsible and just exploitation of marine living resources. While attention on tackling IUU fishing has increased over the past two decades, progress toward its elimination remains slow, largely due to the inherently transboundary nature of IUU practices and the practical limitations of flag and coastal state jurisdiction. This article argues that port states can and should play a central role in international efforts to tackle IUU fishing. It considers the steps port states can lawfully take to remove IUU practices from global supply chains and explores the conditions and limitations general international law, the law of the sea and international trade law impose on various port state measures. While port state control raises significant issues of jurisdictional competence, substantive and procedural fairness, and multilateral coordination, it is shown that port state measures are both a feasible and defensible means of addressing IUU practices. By exploring the conditions that attach to the design, adoption and implementation of port state measures, the article resolves key debates concerning their lawfulness, thus allowing policymakers, practitioners and officials to renew their attention on developing the political will and technical capabilities necessary for such measures to play an effective and appropriate role in closing regulatory and enforcement gaps in conservation and management regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
3. Translating sustainable fishing norms: the EU's external relations with Ghana.
- Author
-
Auethavornpipat, Ruji
- Subjects
- *
SUSTAINABLE fisheries , *SOCIAL norms , *FISHING & the environment , *REFORMS , *MARKET power , *RATIONALISTS - Abstract
This article solves the puzzle of why developing countries such as Ghana are responsive to the European Union's (EU) promotion of sustainable fishing despite the fragmentation and contestation of environmental norms. Analysing the EU–Ghana interaction with rationalist and constructivist perspectives on norm diffusion, this article reveals EU counterparts' motivations for domestic fisheries reforms. It argues that although the EU exercises both 'normative power' and 'market power' to encourage sustainable fishing, EU partners are more reactive to the manipulation of material benefits associated with the European market access. By highlighting such motivations, and thus the relational aspect of EU power, this article also contributes to the EU-as-a-power debate from the often-overlooked perspective of EU partners. The findings capture the characteristics of EU influence and further illuminate the fisheries policymaking and collective action mobilisation needed for broader environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Modes of knowing: Perceiving and living toxicity in Ecuadorian Amazonia.
- Subjects
- *
MINERAL toxicity , *MINERALS , *FISHING & the environment , *MANGANESE & the environment , *POISONS - Abstract
Located in Ecuador's southern Amazonia, the Condor Mountain Range is the home of the Shuar people, who have been living for the last three decades amid increasing colonization and expanding mineral extraction. In these mined lands, gold is constantly brought into being through chemical manipulations. After state authorities declared the valleys a zone of environmental destruction, these chemical compounds in soils, waters and bodies have been widely documented. The Shuar villagers are concerned with the evident destructive effects of cyanide on aquatic life. However, the invisible hazardous effects of mercury and manganese, the evidence of which can be sensed neither in fish's flesh nor on their bodies, remain unsettled. This article explores how toxic chemicals are made perceptible or imperceptible. Toxicological and biomedical knowledge practices produce (im)perceptibility through chains of associations and disassociations. Such practice intertwines with colonization projects that ignore the importance of fish and fishing to the Shuar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Incidence and epidemiological characteristics of ciguatera cases in Europe.
- Author
-
Varela Martínez, Carmen, León Gómez, Inmaculada, Martínez Sánchez, Elena Vanessa, Carmona Alférez, Rocío, Nuñez Gallo, Domingo, Friedemann, Miriam, Oleastro, Monica, and Boziaris, Ioannis
- Subjects
- *
CIGUATERA poisoning , *SEAFOOD poisoning , *EPIDEMIOLOGICAL research , *FISHING & the environment , *TOXICOLOGY of poisonous fishes - Abstract
The present document corresponds to the final report (deliverable No. 7) of the specific agreement (SA 2) "To determine the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of ciguatera cases in Europe" within the Framework Partnership Agreement GP/EFSA/AFSCO/2015/03 "Risk characterization of ciguatera food poisoning in Europe". This report summarises the activities performed, results and conclusions obtained in the specific agreement. The objective of the SA2 was to estimate the incidence and to describe the epidemiological characteristics of ciguatera in the EU/EEA. A protocol for a harmonized ciguatera surveillance in the European Union (EU)/Economic European Area (EEA) was elaborated. The protocol includes a ciguatera case definition and questionnaires for collecting information on ciguatera cases or outbreak. Around half of the countries answered the data call for reporting cases. Four countries reported 34 outbreaks from 2012 to 2019. Spain and Portugal reported outbreaks due to consumption of fish captured in the Canary Islands and Madeira (autochthonous outbreaks), mainly due to consumption of Seriola spp. and Ephinephelus spp. In more than half of these outbreaks, the fish was captured by sport fishing. Germany and France reported outbreaks due to consumption of fish imported from outside the EU (imported outbreaks, mainly Lutjanus spp). Spain, Germany and France reported outbreaks in travellers to tropical endemic territories (travel related outbreaks). All the outbreaks cases presented neurological symptoms, most of them had also gastrointestinal symptoms and few outbreak cases mentioned cardiovascular symptoms. Six countries (Austria, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland) reported 34 single cases. The incidence rate in the EU/EEA was very low (0.0054 cases per 100.000 inhabitants per year). The incidence rate in the Canary Islands was higher 0.47 cases/100.000 inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Tagged sources of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in China's marine environment and fish.
- Author
-
Jiang, Wanyanhan, Chen, Han, Huang, Tao, Lian, Lulu, Li, Jixiang, Jia, Chenhui, Gao, Hong, Mao, Xiaoxuan, and Ma, Jianmin
- Subjects
- *
MARINE fishes , *CHLORINATED paraffin , *FISHING & the environment , *ATMOSPHERIC transport , *TERRITORIAL waters , *ALKANES - Abstract
Most emitters of short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in China are located in eastern China, posing potential risks to the marine environment and food web. Here we employed a comprehensive atmospheric transport model combined with multiple environmental compartment exchange modules and a marine food web model to simulate levels and risks of SCCPs in the marine environment and fish in the Yellow Sea (YS), East China Sea (ECS), and South China Sea (SCS). Results unveiled a decreasing SCCP level in seawaters and sediments towards offshore. The modeled SCCP total (dry + wet) loadings to the three seawater bodies ranged from 0.0013 to 0.1635 mg/m2/season and gaseous diffusive deposition ranged from 43 to 4443 kg/month. The meteorological factors and secondary emission contributing to seasonal changes in SCCPs were also discussed. A tagging technique was used to trace origins of SCCPs, demonstrating that source proximity contributes most in SCCP contamination to these seawater bodies. Modeled SCCP levels in 5 marine fish in the YS, ECS, and SCS ranged from 23 to 111 ng/g. Our results showed the current SCCP levels in the marine environment and fish did not pose exposure risks to fish consumers for different age groups and genders. However, if consumed fish were harvested and imported from more seriously contaminated seawaters by SCCPs, the estimated dietary intake (EDI) would considerably increase. • Most production and emission of SCCPs occurred in eastern seaboard of China. • Levels and risks of SCCPs across coastal waters of China were simulated. • Primary source regions of SCCPs entering into coastal waters were identified. • Human exposure risk to SCCPs through fish consumption was quantified and assessed. • Influence of marine fish trade on risk assessment was found to be significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN LATVIA.
- Author
-
Proskina, Liga, Pilvere, Irina, Nipers, Aleksejs, and Silovs, Mihails
- Subjects
- *
FISHERIES , *AQUACULTURE & the environment , *AQUACULTURE , *FISHING & the environment , *FISHING -- Economic aspects , *ECONOMICS - Abstract
Fisheries and aquaculture remain important sources of food, nutrition, income and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people around the world. In the EU, the development of fisheries is affected by the Common Fisheries Policy which aims to ensure that fishing and aquaculture are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable and that they provide a source of healthy food for EU citizens. In Latvia, the fisheries industry is related to a rational and sustainable use of living natural resources in its economic zone, territorial waters and internal waters. Therefore, research aim is to examine the key characteristics of the fishing industry in Latvia. To achieve the aim, the following specific research tasks are defined: 1) to examine the characteristics of the fishing fleets of EU Member States; 2) to analyse total catch volumes and the performance of top 10 fishing enterprises in Latvia. The present research analysed the fishing fleets of EU Member States, which are affected by fleet capacity management measures, catch quotas for Latvia, catch volumes in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga in the period 2014-2017 as well as the key performance indicators of the top 10 fishing enterprises of Latvia. The research has discovered that the fishing enterprises of Latvia are affected by catch quotas for the key fish species that were reduced on average by 1-57 % during the period 2014-2017. The top 10 fishing enterprises turnover in 2016 increased by 60.7 % compared with 2014 and by 27.7 % compared with 2015, but in 2016 only four made profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Under attack.
- Author
-
Nicholls, Henry
- Subjects
- *
SHARKS , *FISH populations , *ECOLOGICAL impact , *TOP predators , *MARINE ecosystem health , *SHARK fishing , *SHARK attacks , *FISHING & the environment - Abstract
The article discusses the ecological impact of declining shark populations on the health of the world's marine ecosystems. The author presents a brief overview of a shark attack on August 15, 2011 in the Seychelles in which the victim died, noting both the rarity of such attacks and the number of sharks killed by humans annually. He argues that humans are the primary reason for shark declines and discusses the importance of top predators, such as sharks, in maintaining ecosystem health. INSETS: STOPPING THE SLAUGHTER;IS IT SAFE TO GO BACK INTO THE WATER?.
- Published
- 2012
9. Pre-Hispanic fishing practices in interfluvial Amazonia: Zooarchaeological evidence from managed landscapes on the Llanos de Mojos savanna.
- Author
-
Prestes-Carneiro, Gabriela, Béarez, Philippe, Shock, Myrtle Pearl, Prümers, Heiko, and Jaimes Betancourt, Carla
- Subjects
- *
CULTURAL landscapes , *SAVANNAS , *FISHING , *WATER depth , *AQUATIC sciences , *FISHING & the environment - Abstract
Recent evidence suggests the existence of Pre-Hispanic fisheries in savanna areas of the Amazon basin. How these fisheries may have functioned is still poorly known. Although many studies have drawn attention to how Pre-Hispanic inhabitants of these savannas managed to deal with excess water, little attention has been paid to understanding how large and permanent populations were sustained during long periods of drought. In the Llanos de Mojos, one of the largest savannas in South America, the landscape is greatly affected by the impacts of annual, seasonal flooding and inundations, alternating with a dry period that can last 4–6 months. The fishing practices in this area were studied on the basis of analysis of more than 17,000 fish remains recovered at Loma Salvatierra, a monumental mound located in an interfluvial area 50 km from the Mamoré River and occupied between 500 and 1400 AD. In Loma Salvatierra, a network of circular walled ponds connected to a system of canals has been identified, raising questions about a possible use of these structures for fishing. The exceptional conservation of the bone material has enabled precise taxonomic identification of more than 35 taxa, the richest fish spectrum thus far documented in the Mojos region. The dominant fish, swamp-eels (Synbranchus spp.), armored catfishes (Hoplosternum spp.), lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa), and tiger-fish (Hoplias malabaricus) are characteristic of shallow and stagnant waters. Our work documents the first zooarchaeological evidence of a dryland, interfluvial fishing system in the Bolivian Amazon that incorporates distinct species and fishing practices, demonstrating that these regions contain year round resources. Research is taking its first steps toward understanding landscape modifications, fish environments, and specific cultural technologies employed on this and other lowland neotropical savannas that differ from those for fishing in open waters and rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Assessing fishing impacts in a tropical reservoir through an ecosystem modeling approach.
- Author
-
Philippsen, Juliana Strieder, Minte-Vera, Carolina V., Coll, Marta, and Angelini, Ronaldo
- Subjects
- *
FISHERY management , *ECOLOGICAL models , *PROCHILODUS lineatus , *PREDATION , *MAXIMUM sustainable yield (Population ecology) , *FISHING & the environment , *INTRODUCED species - Abstract
Ecological models are useful for evaluating fishery management scenarios, as they allow researchers to investigate alternative fishing effort, as well as varying environmental and trophic interaction scenarios. Through an ecosystem modeling approach (Ecopath with Ecosim), we addressed the possible impacts of small-scale fisheries on the structure and functioning of a tropical ecosystem (Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil). We found that fishing effects and predator-prey interactions were the main drivers explaining catch trends in the Itaipu Reservoir fisheries. The mean trophic level of catch did not change throughout the analyzed time period and no losses in secondary production from exploitation (L index) were observed, indicating that Itaipu fisheries are sustainable regarding ecosystem effects. The negative impacts of introduced species on native species seem to be greater than the fishing impacts. Fishing simulations from the ecosystem Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) reduced the biomass of some important species in the local fishery. Regarding management advice, our results indicate that fishing efforts should not be increased for curimba (Prochilodus lineatus), pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans), and jaú (Zungaro jahu). Additionally, participative management methods are important measures for local fisheries. Finally, additional research is needed to investigate how fishery management can promote the use of multispecific methods (e.g., gillnets) to control introduced species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Elevated trawling inside protected areas undermines conservation outcomes in a global fishing hot spot.
- Author
-
Dureuil, Manuel, Boerder, Kristina, Burnett, Kirsti A., Froese, Rainer, and Worm, Boris
- Subjects
- *
MARINE parks & reserves , *TRAWLING , *BIODIVERSITY conservation , *FISHING & the environment , *MARINE resources conservation - Abstract
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly used as a primary tool to conserve biodiversity. This is particularly relevant in heavily exploited fisheries hot spots such as Europe, where MPAs now cover 29% of territorial waters, with unknown effects on fishing pressure and conservation outcomes. We investigated industrial trawl fishing and sensitive indicator species in and around 727 MPAs designated by the European Union. We found that 59% of MPAs are commercially trawled, and average trawling intensity across MPAs is at least 1.4-fold higher as compared with nonprotected areas. Abundance of sensitive species (sharks, rays, and skates) decreased by 69% in heavily trawled areas. The widespread industrial exploitation of MPAs undermines global biodiversity conservation targets, elevating recent concerns about growing human pressures on protected areas worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Evaluating the specificity of ecosystem indicators to fishing in a changing environment: A model comparison study for the southern Benguela ecosystem.
- Author
-
Ortega-Cisneros, Kelly, Shannon, Lynne, Cochrane, Kevern, Fulton, Elizabeth A., and Shin, Yunne-Jai
- Subjects
- *
BIOINDICATORS , *FISHING & the environment , *BIOMASS , *BIOTIC communities , *FISHERY management - Abstract
Highlights • The specificity of ecosystem indicators to fishing in a changing climate was evaluated. • The Atlantis and Ecopath with Ecosim models for the southern Benguela were used. • Large differences in indicator values were observed between models. • Most indicators showed a higher specificity to fishing than to primary production. • The biomass over catch ratio was the most specific indicator to fishing in both models. Abstract Ecological indicators used to monitor fishing effects in the context of climate change and variability need to be informative to enable effective ecosystem-based fisheries management. We evaluated the specificity of the response of ecosystem indicators to different fishing and environmental pressure levels using Ecosim and Atlantis ecosystem models for the southern Benguela ecosystem. Three fishing strategies were modelled to represent a variety of ways of targeting fishing within an ecosystem: one focused on low trophic levels (i.e. forage species), another on higher trophic levels (i.e. predatory fish) and a third tested fishing pressure across the full range of potentially exploitable species. Two types of environmental change were simulated for each fishing mortality scenario – random environmental variability and directional climate change. The specificity of selected ecological indicators (mean trophic level of the community, proportion of predatory fish, biomass/landings, mean intrinsic vulnerability and marine trophic index) was evaluated for different combinations of fishing strategy, fishing mortality and both types of environmental change. While there were mostly large differences in indicator values computed from the Atlantis and Ecosim models, the specificity of the ecological indicators considered under changing climate generally corresponded between the two models. Certain indicators (i.e. mean trophic level of the community) were less specific in detecting effects of fishing in the southern Benguela for some of the three fishing strategies modelled (i.e. high trophic level fishing strategy) under climate change. This helped refine the most appropriate indicator set for our system, reflecting the focus of a particular fishing strategy, and improved confidence in the suitability of these indicators for monitoring fishing effects in the Southern Benguela. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Productivity, Social Capital and Perceived Environmental Threats in Small-Island Fisheries: Insights from Indonesia.
- Author
-
Yamazaki, Satoshi, Resosudarmo, Budy P., Girsang, Wardis, and Hoshino, Eriko
- Subjects
- *
FISHERIES , *FISHERS , *FISHING & the environment , *SOCIAL capital , *AQUACULTURE - Abstract
Small-island communities in developing countries rely heavily on wild fisheries to meet the communities' food and livelihood needs. These communities' remoteness, insularity and the small size of the local economy make the fishery production sensitive to the way in which fishers interact with other community members and to local environmental changes. This paper investigates how social capital and environmental threats to local fishing activities are associated with fishery productivity using the data collected in a small-island fishing community in Indonesia. We estimate the technical efficiency and capacity utilization, and examine how these measures are related to the social capital built around the island community. The impacts of environmental changes that are perceived as threats to local fishing activities are also evaluated. We find that inefficiency in the fisheries' production is correlated with whether fishers are tied to community members outside their own fishing groups and whether they are exposed to environmental threats, the sources of which are internal and external to the fisheries system. The underutilization of existing capacity is evident for fishers who receive government aid for fishing equipment and those who perceive population growth and aquaculture development as a threat to their fishing activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. DO JELLYFISH RULE THE WORLD?
- Author
-
Mallon, Thomas
- Subjects
- *
JELLYFISHES , *HYDROMEDUSAE (Jellyfishes) , *CNIDARIA , *MARINE ecology , *FISHING & the environment , *MARINE animals , *ENVIRONMENTAL degradation , *BIOTIC communities - Abstract
This article examines the boom in jellyfish and what it might mean. Jellyfish are growing in size and number and showing up in places they have never been seen before. Exactly what the decline in fish and the increase in jellyfish is saying is not certain. There is a history of jellyfish in big numbers with big blooms when there are perturbations to the ecosystem. Man has overfished tuna and swordfish which are predators of the jellyfish. Research is ongoing into the role of the jellyfish in the ocean.
- Published
- 2007
15. Counting the last fish.
- Author
-
Pauly, Daniel and Watson, Reg
- Subjects
- *
FISHERY laws , *SALTWATER fishing , *TERRITORIAL waters , *ENDANGERED species laws , *FISH industry laws , *ENVIRONMENTAL protection , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis laws , *CONSERVATION of natural resources , *AQUATIC resources , *FISHING boats , *FISHING & the environment - Abstract
Overfishing has slashed stocks--especially of large predator species--to an all-time low worldwide, according to data. Georges Bank--the patch of relatively shallow ocean just off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada--used to teem with fish. In 2003, trawlers trailing dredges have literally scraped the bottom clean, harvesting an entire ecosystem--including supporting substrates such as sponges--along with the catch of the day. Many people are under the mistaken impression that pollution is responsible for declines in marine species. Others may find it hard to believe that a shortage of desirable food fish even exists, because they still notice piles of Chilean sea bass and tuna fillets in their local fish markets. Studies demonstrate that people can no longer think of the sea as a bounteous provider whose depths contain an inexhaustible resource. Overfishing and the fishing of distant stocks are unsustainable practices and are causing the depletion of important species. But it is not too late to implement policies to protect the world's fisheries for future generations. Overfishing results from booms in human populations, increases in the demand for fish as a nutritious food, improvements in commercial fishing technology, and global and national policies that fail to encourage the sustainable management of fisheries. INSET: Overview/Fish Declines.
- Published
- 2003
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. YEAR OF THE OCEAN.
- Subjects
- *
ECOSYSTEM management , *FISHING & the environment , *GREEN turtle , *SEA otter hunting - Abstract
Focuses on the effects of overfishing on the entire coastal ecosystem. Changes in the whole ecosystem; Function of the green sea turtle; Prohibition of sea otter hunting.
- Published
- 2002
17. An uneven contest.
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *FISHERY laws , *TERRITORIAL waters - Abstract
The article discusses about environmental and legal aspects of fishing by Chinese vessels in African coastal waters. Topics discussed include Chinese projects to establish operations such as processing plants ashore in west African countries, illegal practices by a Chinese fishmeal plant in Gambia and links between Chinese fishermen and the local organised-crime groups that oversee fish markets on land.
- Published
- 2022
18. Ecological-economic assessment of the effects of freshwater flow in the Florida Everglades on recreational fisheries.
- Author
-
Brown, Christina Estela, Bhat, Mahadev G., Rehage, Jennifer S., Mirchi, Ali, Boucek, Ross, Engel, Victor, Ault, Jerald S., Mozumder, Pallab, Watkins, David, and Sukop, Michael
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *FISHERY innovations , *EFFORT in fisheries ,FRESHWATER flow into estuaries - Abstract
This research develops an integrated methodology to determine the economic value to anglers of recreational fishery ecosystem services in Everglades National Park that could result from different water management scenarios. The study first used bio-hydrological models to link managed freshwater inflows to indicators of fishery productivity and ecosystem health, then link those models to anglers' willingness-to-pay for various attributes of the recreational fishing experience and monthly fishing effort. This approach allowed us to estimate the foregone economic benefits of failing to meet monthly freshwater delivery targets. The study found that the managed freshwater delivery to the Park had declined substantially over the years and had fallen short of management targets. This shortage in the flow resulted in the decline of biological productivity of recreational fisheries in downstream coastal areas. This decline had in turn contributed to reductions in the overall economic value of recreational ecosystem services enjoyed by anglers. The study estimated the annual value of lost recreational services at $68.81 million. The losses were greater in the months of dry season when the water shortage was higher and the number of anglers fishing also was higher than the levels in wet season. The study also developed conservative estimates of implicit price of water for recreation, which ranged from $11.88 per AF in November to $112.11 per AF in April. The annual average price was $41.54 per AF. Linking anglers' recreational preference directly to a decision variable such as water delivery is a powerful and effective way to make management decision. This methodology has relevant applications to water resource management, serving as useful decision-support metrics, as well as for policy and restoration scenario analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Illegal fishing and territorial user rights in Chile.
- Author
-
Oyanedel, Rodrigo, Keim, Andres, Castilla, Juan Carlos, and Gelcich, Stefan
- Subjects
- *
MARINE resources conservation , *FISHING & the environment , *FISHING , *POACHING , *FISHERY management , *FISHERIES , *GOVERNMENT policy - Abstract
Abstract: Illegal fishing poses a major threat to conservation of marine resources worldwide. However, there is still limited empirical research that quantifies illegal catch levels. We used the randomized response technique to estimate the proportion of divers and the quantities of loco (Concholepas concholepas) they extracted illegally. Loco have been managed for the past 17 years through a territorial user rights for fisheries system (TURFs) in Chile. Illegal fishing of loco was widespread within the TURFs system. Official reported landings (i.e., legal landings) accounted for 14–30% of the total loco extraction. Our estimates suggest that ignoring the magnitude of illegal fishing and considering only official landing statistics may lead to false conclusions about the status and trends of a TURFs managed fishery. We found evidence of fisher associations authorizing their members to poach inside TURFs, highlighting the need to design TURFs systems so that government agencies and fishers’ incentives and objectives align through continuous adaptation. Government support for enforcement is a key element for the TURFs system to secure the rights that are in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. The specificity of marine ecological indicators to fishing in the face of environmental change: A multi-model evaluation.
- Author
-
Shin, Yunne-Jai, Houle, Jennifer E., Akoglu, Ekin, Blanchard, Julia L., Bundy, Alida, Coll, Marta, Demarcq, Hervé, Fu, Caihong, Fulton, Elizabeth A., Heymans, Johanna J., Salihoglu, Baris, Shannon, Lynne, Sporcic, Miriana, and Velez, Laure
- Subjects
- *
BIOINDICATORS , *FISHING & the environment , *ECOSYSTEM health , *MARINE resources conservation , *PHYTOPLANKTON - Abstract
Ecological indicators are widely used to characterise ecosystem health. In the marine environment, indicators have been developed to assess the ecosystem effects of fishing to support an ecosystem approach to fisheries. However, very little work on the performance and robustness of ecological indicators has been carried out. An important aspect of robustness is that indicators should respond specifically to changes in the pressures they are designed to detect (e.g. fishing) rather than changes in other drivers (e.g. environment). We adopted a multi-model approach to compare and test the specificity of commonly used ecological indicators to capture fishing effects in the presence of environmental change and under different fishing strategies. We tested specificity in the presence of two types of environmental change: “random”, representing interannual climate variability and “directional”, representing climate change. We used phytoplankton biomass as a proxy of the environmental conditions, as this driver was comparable across all ecosystem models, then applied a signal-to-noise ratio analysis to test the specificity of indicators with random environmental change. For directional change, we used mean gradients to apportion the quantity of change in the indicators due to fishing and the environment. We found that depending on the fishing strategy and environmental change, ecological indicators could range from high to low specificity to fishing. As expected, the specificity of indicators to fishing almost always decreased as environmental variability increased. In 55–76% of the scenarios run with directional change in phytoplankton biomass across fishing strategies and ecosystem models, indicators were significantly more responsive to changes in fishing than to changes in phytoplankton biomass. This important result makes the tested ecological indicators good candidates to support fisheries management in a changing environment. Among the indicators, the catch over biomass ratio was most often the most specific indicator to fishing, whereas mean length was most often the most sensitive to change in phytoplankton biomass. However, the responses of indicators were highly variable depending on the ecosystem and fishing strategy under consideration. We therefore recommend that indicators should be tested in the particular ecosystem before they are used for monitoring and management purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Catch-and-release regulations and paddlefish angler preferences.
- Author
-
Cha, Wonkyu and Melstrom, Richard T.
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *PADDLEFISH , *CATCH & release fishing , *REVEALED preference theory - Abstract
This paper presents research on recreational paddlefish anglers’ preferences for catch-and-release fishing. We used stated preference (SP) data from a choice experiment to identify the effect of a hypothetical catch-and-release regulation on fishing preferences, and revealed preference (RP) data to measure the desirability of actual paddlefish fishing locations. We then modeled the effects of catch-and-release regulations on location choice and participation in the Oklahoma fishery. Our results indicate that although anglers dislike catch-and-release, most directly affected by regulations will either continue fishing at their preferred site or switch to a site where harvesting is permitted. Our preferred model predicts two-thirds will continue to participate even if catch-and-release fishing is required statewide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Amount and distribution of benthic marine litter along Sardinian fishing grounds (CW Mediterranean Sea).
- Author
-
Alvito, Andrea, Bellodi, Andrea, Cau, Alessandro, Moccia, Davide, Mulas, Antonello, Palmas, Francesco, Pesci, Paola, and Follesa, Maria Cristina
- Subjects
- *
MARINE debris , *MARINE pollution , *FISHING & the environment , *FISHERS , *TRAWLING , *POPULATION density , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *LAW - Abstract
Reports of marine litter pollution first appeared in scientific literature of the early 1970s; yet, more than 40 years later, no rigorous estimates exist of the amount of litter existing in the marine environment. To cope with this global urgency, this study reports the status of marine litter abundance along fishing grounds surrounding the island of Sardinia (CW Mediterranean Sea; FAO Geographical Sub-Area 11) through three years of trawl surveys. A total of 302 hauls, covering a total of 18.4 km 2 of trawled surface were carried out in the framework of the MEDITS campaign, at depths comprised between 0 and 800 m. A total of 918 items were collected and sorted, with the highest concentration observed above 200 m depth. Overall, plastic was the dominant component of litter, followed by glass and metal. Comparing our results with other areas from the Mediterranean basin, Sardinian waters showed a lower impact, possibly as a consequence of multiple factors such as the lower human population density and the low flow of the main rivers, among others. In addition, fishermen behaviour with respect to marine litter was investigated by mean of anonymous questionnaires, emphasizing the necessity to further develop management policies and infrastructures supporting litter disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Out of the Peat: Preliminary Geophysical Prospection and Evaluation of the Mid-Holocene Stationary Wooden Fishing Structures in Haapajärvi, Finland.
- Author
-
Koivisto, Satu, Latvakoski, Niko, and Perttola, Wesa
- Subjects
- *
PREHISTORIC fishing , *WATER-saturated sites (Archaeology) , *FISHING & the environment - Abstract
The huge scientific and interpretive value of wetland archaeological sites has been well demonstrated in several studies. The management of the archaeological resource of wetland landscapes is problematic, however, and there is an urgent need for noninvasive techniques to detect waterlogged organic archaeological remains. Stationary wooden fishing structures associated with fishing sites constitute an important wetland archaeological resource in northern Europe. In Finland, similar wooden constructions have been used for fishing from prehistory to the early modern era. The discovery of sites has been accidental, because the waterlogged organic remains have been considered invisible to conventional geoprospection techniques. Because of this, a small project was launched at Lamminoja, northwest Finland, in order to investigate whether it would be possible to improve our chances to detect fishery sites in demanding wetland habitats. New information was obtained through geophysical prospection, trial excavations, and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating. Geophysical testing was hampered by several factors, including complex sediments affected by modern drainage. New information was obtained, however, on the composition, age, and spatial distribution of the wooden fishing structures preserved in peat over 5000 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Multi-analytical approach to zooarchaeological assemblages elucidates Late Holocene coastal lifeways in southwest Madagascar.
- Author
-
Douglass, Kristina, Antonites, Annie R., Quintana Morales, Eréndira M., Grealy, Alicia, Bunce, Michael, Bruwer, Chriselle, and Gough, Charlotte
- Subjects
- *
ARCHAEOLOGICAL assemblages , *ZOOARCHAEOLOGY , *BIOTIC communities , *FISHING & the environment , *FISH diversity , *MARINE biodiversity - Abstract
The impact of resource exploitation by ancient human communities on Madagascar's environment is an area of intense debate. A fundamental question in the archaeology of Madagascar is the extent to which arrival of settlers, introduction of non-native plants and animals, and subsequent human exploitation of island biota, which catalyzed declines in biodiversity and significantly degraded environmental conditions. Fine-grained datasets, including zooarchaeological, archaeobotanical and other ecological evidence, are needed to assess the relationship between human resource exploitation and environmental change. On Madagascar, the resolution of zooarchaeological datasets is often reduced by poor preservation of faunal remains, making precise taxonomic identifications difficult, and few projects to-date have comprehensively assessed zooarchaeological data. Here, we present zooarchaeological data from three coastal villages in the Velondriake Marine Protected Area in southwest Madagascar, where human occupation spans from ca. 1400 BP to the present. Faunal remains from the Late Holocene sites of Antsaragnagnangy and Antsaragnasoa were identified using morphological analysis of remains, and a PCR-based bulk bone metabarcoding approach was applied at Andamotibe to molecularly identify fish and other vertebrates in a faunal assemblage that was particularly fragmented. Results were interpreted and contextualized using modern data on local fish diversity, climate and anthropogenic impacts on marine and estuarine habitats, as well as modern fishing practices (including preferred fishing grounds, tackle, taxonomic representation and volume of catch). Our use of multiple analytical and interpretative approaches has provided the most highly resolved view to date of past human subsistence in coastal southwest Madagascar. We contend that future research into human-environment dynamics on Madagascar should make use of diverse analytical methods, in order to more comprehensively evaluate past interactions between human communities and the native biota. Furthermore, we encourage an historical ecological approach, so that long-term perspectives on changing human-environment dynamics may be used to contextualize modern trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Economic value of marine biodiversity improvement in coralligenous habitats.
- Author
-
Tonin, Stefania
- Subjects
- *
MARINE biodiversity conservation , *CORAL ecology , *ECOSYSTEM services , *FISHERY gear , *FISHING & the environment , *ECONOMICS - Abstract
Coralligenous habitats are an important ‘hot spot’ of species diversity in the Mediterranean and grant a variety of valuable ecosystem services. Currently, these areas are under threat due to human activities such as unsustainable and destructive fishing practices, environmental phenomena, and other significant pressures related to global environmental change. The coralligenous habitats are also endangered by practices that result in the presence of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) at sea, a worldwide phenomenon only recently stigmatized whose impacts on marine habitats and coralligenous areas are serious. The aim of this paper is to investigate the economic value of restoration strategies promoted to safeguard and improve biodiversity in these coralligenous habitats through a contingent valuation survey administered to a sample of 4000 Italians. Households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for biodiversity restoration and conservation ranges between €10.30 and €64.02 depending on the assumptions underlying the different models. The main positive and significant determinants of WTP are a previous knowledge or familiarity with coralligenous habitats and biodiversity issues, income, education, environmental attitudes, and the knowledge that indiscriminate fishing may be dangerous for biodiversity in a coralligenous habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. The potential impact of aquatic nuisance species on recreational fishing in the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi and Ohio River Basins.
- Author
-
Ready, Richard C., Poe, Gregory L., Lauber, T. Bruce, Connelly, Nancy A., Stedman, Richard C., and Rudstam, Lars G.
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *AQUATIC ecology ,UPPER Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge - Abstract
Concern over the potential transfer of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) between the Great Lakes basin and the Upper Mississippi River basin has motivated calls to re-establish hydrologic separation between the two basins. Accomplishing that goal would require significant expenditures to re-engineer waterways in the Chicago, IL area. These costs should be compared to the potential costs resulting from ANS transfer between the basin, a significant portion of which would be costs to recreational fisheries. In this study, a recreational behavior model is developed for sport anglers in an eight-state region. It models how angler behavior would change in response to potential changes in fishing quality resulting from ANS transfer. The model also calculates the potential loss in net economic value that anglers enjoy from the fishery. The model is estimated based on data on trips taken by anglers (travel cost data) and on angler statements about how they would respond to changes in fishing quality (contingent behavior data). The model shows that the benefit to recreational anglers from re-establishing hydrologic separation exceeds the costs only if the anticipated impacts of ANS transfer on sport fish catch rates are large and widespread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Collaborating with recreational fishers to inform fisheries management: Estimating population abundance for an iconic freshwater crayfish.
- Author
-
Zukowski, Sylvia, Whiterod, Nick, Asmus, Martin, Conallin, Anthony, Campbell, Josh, Fisher, Ian, and Bright, Troy
- Subjects
- *
FISHERY management , *FISHING & the environment , *FISH populations , *CRAYFISH , *FISHERS - Abstract
Summary: Can the abundance of fish populations be effectively determined by the collection of scientific research with support from recreational fishers? Collecting and analysing fishing data from recreational fishers to aid management are not new; however, engaging fishers in a scientific survey design to produce specific population estimates is rarely undertaken. We engaged recreational fishers to assist with field sampling to provide an estimate Murray Crayfish (
Euastacus armatus von Martens, 1866) abundance at three sites on the Edward River which were recently impacted by an extreme blackwater disturbance. Employing mark‐resight models, fishers undertook crayfish surveys and produced research data which estimated adult population sizes of Murray Crayfish in the studied reaches ranging between 94.27 ± 24.72 individuals (Below Stevens) and 450.01 ± 175.30 individuals (Twin Rivers). Both the effective undertaking of the mark‐resight designs in collaboration with fishers and acquiring population abundance estimates for Murray Crayfish in a river reach are concepts which have not previously been published and are important attributes for the management of aquatic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Assessment of benthic biological indicators for evaluating the environmental impact of tuna farming.
- Author
-
Mangion, Marija, Borg, Joseph A, Schembri, Patrick J, and Sanchez‐Jerez, Pablo
- Subjects
- *
TUNA fishing , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *BLUEFIN tuna fisheries , *BENTHOS , *AQUATIC biology , *AQUACULTURE , *BIOINDICATORS , *FISHING & the environment - Abstract
The overall impact of tuna farming on soft-bottom habitat was assessed at three tuna farms over a period of 3 years, using benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators. Polychaetes and amphipods served as better indicators of the impact of tuna farming compared with molluscs and decapods. Lower number and Shannon-Wiener diversity of polychaete and amphipod taxa were recorded over time at the impacted plots compared with the control plots, while the polychaete/amphipod index indicated that the Ecological Quality Status at the impacted plots changed from 'Poor'/'Moderate' to 'Good' during the study period. Results of the multivariate analyses indicated significantly higher dispersion of samples of the polychaete and amphipod assemblages over time at the impacted plots compared with the control plots, indicative of stressed assemblages. Differences in the macroinvertebrate assemblages between impacted and control plots were consistent across faunal groups except for molluscs, which showed no response. Results must be interpreted with caution due to the high spatiotemporal variation in the influence of tuna farming on the macroinvertebrate assemblages, which highlights the importance of including multiple impacted and reference areas, as well as replicate sampling times, in assessing the environmental impact of tuna farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Fishing in a congested sea: What do marine protected areas imply for the future of the Maltese artisanal fleet?
- Author
-
Said, Alicia, MacMillan, Douglas, Schembri, Michael, and Tzanopoulos, Joseph
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *MARINE parks & reserves , *COASTAL ecology , *AQUACULTURE - Abstract
Inshore artisanal fishing in Malta is under intense spatial competition as the coastal zone is fragmented by multiple uses and designations including maritime transport, infrastructure, industrial fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and recreation. This research, adopting a grounded visualization methodology, explains how the artisanal fishing sector has undergone and been affected by ‘spatial squeezing’. Our results show that artisanal fishermen have been forced to give up fishing grounds or co-exist with other uses to the point where the ability to fish is becoming increasingly challenging. These difficulties might escalate with the advent of the marine protected areas (MPAs) which encompass nearly half of the inshore fishing zones. Since there does not seem to be effective MPA consultation mechanisms that elicit the real social, cultural and economic value of artisanal fishing grounds, fishermen feel threatened, alienated and disempowered. This study urges for a more holistic approach to spatial marine planning and accentuates the need of realizing the dependency of the artisanal sector on the inshore zones in the implementation of conservation measures, such that the prolonged existence of the coastal fishing communities is not jeopardized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. The High Cost of Fishing the High Seas.
- Author
-
SALA, ENRIC, MAYORGA, JUAN, and COSTELLO, CHRISTOPHER
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *WILDLIFE monitoring , *ENVIRONMENTAL monitoring , *TAX revenue estimating , *FISHERIES - Abstract
The article offers information on global revenue of 2014 from fishing including the estimated profit and loss. Topics discussed include global fishing watch database which uses automation techniques to track fishing activity; the labor costs and government subsidies; and development that occurs in monitoring technologies.
- Published
- 2018
31. Introduction.
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *FISHERY economics - Abstract
Discusses the crisis faced by fishing communities worldwide. Structural causes of overfishing; Depletion of fish resources; Impact of the open access policy to coastal waters; Social and economic effect of scarcity of fish resources.
- Published
- 1995
32. THE EVOLUTION OF ROMANIAN FISHERIES IN RECENT YEARS.
- Author
-
Danilov, Cristian, Totoiu, Aurelia, Tiganov, George, Anton, Eugen, and Radu, Gheorghe
- Subjects
- *
FISHING catch effort , *FISHERIES & climate , *FISHERY economics , *FISHING & the environment , *FISH evolution , *COASTS - Abstract
The evolution over time of Romanian fisheries has shown great variations. During the period 1950-1979, the contribution of demersal species to the total catch on the Romanian coast was represented especially by sturgeon and turbot catches. The period 1980-2009 is distinguished by significant changes in terms of the qualitative and quantitative structure of catches on the Romanian coast. Very important fish species for Romania, such as the blue mackerel and bonito, withered their volume of biomass and gave way to species of lower economic value. The drastic reduction or disappearance of traditional predators from the Black Sea ecosystem (blue fish, blue mackerel, bonito, dolphins) determined, on the one hand, the increase of pelagic fish stocks with small size like sprat, that were the food of these predators, and, on the other hand, the increase in abundance of predators such as whiting and dogfish. After 1990, because of socioeconomic changes, the small-size pelagic species lost their importance, giving again special attention to the economically valuable demersal species like turbot. The increase of catches reported at the Romanian coast in the past 5 years is not due to fish species, but to the increasing interest of economic operators to harvest (manually of using the beam trawl) the Rapa whelk (Rapana venosa), which, in 2015, for instance, represented more than 90% of the total catch. The data presented in this paper are obtained by the National Institute for Marine Research and Development (NIMRD) "Grigore Antipa" as a partner of the National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (NAFA) in the implementation of the National Data Collection Programme for Fisheries 2011-2015. A brief outline of the contents comprises: - Structure of the fishing fleet, fishing gear and fishing effort; - Quantitative structure of the catches on species; - The economic importance of marine fisheries; - The influence of fishing on the marine environment; - Legal and institutional framework; - Recommendations on reducing the environmental impact of fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
33. ANALYSIS OF THE DANUBE SHAD (ALOSA IMMACULATA - BENNETT, 1835) ALONG THE ROMANIAN BLACK SEA COAST DURING 2014.
- Author
-
Tiganov, George, Mihailov, Maria Emanuela, Danilov, Cristian Sorin, and Oprea, Lucian
- Subjects
- *
ALOSA , *CONSERVATION of natural resources , *FISHING & the environment , *COASTS - Abstract
Three shad species of the genus Alosa are known in the north-western Black Sea, including the Sea of Azov: Danube shad (Alosa immaculata-Bennett, 1835), Caspian shad (Alosa tanaica - Grimm, 1901) and Black Sea shad (Alosa maeotica-Grimm, 1901). Catches of the Danube shad is mainly for commercial purpose, having an economic, social and cultural importance in their area of distribution. Their biology and conservation state is less known, especially in the Black Sea. The maximum weight and length of this species is around 40-50 cm and 1000 grams at 7-8 years' age. The research performed are meant to lead to the knowledge of the current state of Alosa immaculata populations and were conducted along the entire Romanian Black Sea Coast, in almost all fishing points, by organizing both expeditions along the coast (gillnet fishing) and sea surveys (pelagic trawl fishing). The paper refers to the biological parameters such as length and weight class structure, age, sex ratio and degree of maturation under specific hydroclimatic conditions for the analyzed period. The peak migration was determined during spring season (April-May), when at the 10m water depth, the seawater temperature of 7.91°C was measured at Sf. Gheorghe_20m station and 8.4°C at Sf. Gheorghe_30m. During summer period, the water temperature ranged between 27.12°C at the surface down to 13.64°C (at 10m depth). Spring and summer seasons are the highly productive for the scientific purposes: 39.75% of the total catches in April-May and 48.3% during June-July. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
34. Experimental potting impacts on common UK reef habitats in areas of high and low fishing pressure.
- Author
-
Stephenson, Fabrice, Mill, Aileen C., Scott, Catherine L., Polunin, Nicholas V. C., and Fitzsimmons, Clare
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *FISHING equipment , *FISHERIES , *BENTHIC ecology , *REEFS - Abstract
Impacts of mobile fishing gears on habitat and benthos have been well-documented; in contrast, less studied physical impacts of static fishing gear on benthic habitats are still debated. Pot fishing, is a growing sector in the UK and evidence of any impacts is needed to inform management. This study simulated high intensity experimental pot fishing on the epibenthos of two common UK reef habitats in Northumberland, UK. Single tethered pots were fished in intensively and lightly fished areas over the course of 2 months. Within each area, three experimental sites and control sites were surveyed before and after fishing using photoquadrats (n = 240 per 290 m² site) collected by scuba divers. PERMANOVA analysis indicated no evidence of epibenthic species abundances decreasing due to physical crushing or abrasion from potting on either intensively or lightly fished reefs. A shift in community composition over time was detected but was attributed to natural change as epibenthos in control sites shifted similarly. Experimental pot impacts far exceeded those of the local commercial pot fishery, providing relevant evidence for statutory governing bodies revisiting current fisheries management. Results are applicable across Western Europe due to the selection of habitats with abundant and commonly distributed benthic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Evaluating patterns and drivers of spatial change in the recreational guided fishing sector in Alaska.
- Author
-
Chan, Maggie N., Beaudreau, Anne H., and Loring, Philip A.
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *HABITATS , *FISHERIES , *ECOLOGICAL disturbances , *ECOSYSTEM management - Abstract
Understanding the impacts of recreational fishing on habitats and species, as well as the social and ecological importance of place to anglers, requires information on the spatial distribution of fishing activities. This study documented long-term changes in core fishing areas of a major recreational fishery in Alaska and identified biological, regulatory, social, and economic drivers of spatial fishing patterns by charter operators. Using participatory mapping and in-person interviews, we characterized the spatial footprint of 46 charter operators in the communities of Sitka and Homer since the 1990s. The spatial footprint differed between Homer and Sitka respondents, with Homer operators consistently using larger areas for Pacific halibut than Sitka operators. Homer and Sitka showed opposite trends in core fishing location area over time, with an overall decrease in Homer and an overall increase in Sitka. For both Sitka and Homer respondents, the range of areas fished was greater for Pacific halibut than for rockfish/lingcod or Pacific salmon. Spatial patterns were qualitatively different between businesses specializing in single species trips and those that operated multispecies trips and between businesses with one vessel and those with multiple vessels. In Homer, the most frequently cited reasons for changes in the location and/or extent of fishing were changes in trip type and the price of fuel, while in Sitka, the most frequently cited reasons for spatial shifts were changes to Pacific halibut regulations and gaining experience or exploring new locations. The diversity of charter fishing strategies in Alaska may allow individual charter operators to respond differently to perturbations and thus maintain resilience of the industry as a whole to social, environmental, and regulatory change. This research also highlights the importance of understanding fishers’ diverse portfolio of activities to effective ecosystem-based management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Climate-driven latitudinal shift in fishing ground of jumbo flying squid ( Dosidicus gigas ) in the Southeast Pacific Ocean off Peru.
- Author
-
Yu, Wei, Yi, Qian, Chen, Xinjun, and Chen, Yong
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *FISHING , *OMMASTREPHES bartramii , *FISHING instruction , *FISHING techniques - Abstract
The jumbo flying squidDosidicus gigasis a pelagic squid species extensively distributed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean with climate-related geographical variability. An analysis was carried out to evaluate impacts of climatic and oceanographic variability on spatial distribution ofD. gigasin the Southeast Pacific Ocean off Peru. Logbook data of the 2006–2013 Chinese squid-jigging fishery were used to determine latitudinal gravity centres (LATG) of fishing ground ofD. gigasin relation to sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a(chl-a) concentration and sea surface height (SSH), coupled with the SST anomaly (SSTA) in the Niño 1 + 2 region. Results indicated that the SSTA in the Niño 1 + 2 region played crucial influences on SST, chl-aand SSH on the fishing ground ofD. gigas. The LATG ofD. gigasexhibited seasonal and interannual variability with closely associations with SST, chl-a, and SSH. Significantly positive relationships were found between monthly LATG and the average latitude of the most favourable contour lines of SST, chl-a, and SSH forD. gigas, with time lags at 0, 7, and 0 month, respectively. The spatial pattern of LATG largely responded to climate-induced oceanographic variability on the squid fishing ground: the Niño 1 + 2 SSTA became warm, the most favourable SST and SSH contour lines forD. gigaswould move southward, resulting in a southward movement of the LATG; however, the Niño 1 + 2 SSTA shifted into cold episodes, the most favourable SST and SSH contour lines forD. gigaswould shift northward, leading to a northward shift of the LATG. Our findings suggested that the SSTA in the Niño 1 + 2 region coupled with the most favourable contour lines of SST and SSH were the major drivers regulating the latitudinal movement of fishing ground ofD. gigasin the Southeast Pacific Ocean off Peruvian waters. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Disentangling the effects of fishing and environmental forcing on demographic variation in an exploited species.
- Author
-
Teck, Sarah J., Lorda, Julio, Shears, Nick T., Bell, Tom W., Cornejo-Donoso, Jorge, Caselle, Jennifer E., Hamilton, Scott L., and Gaines, Steven D.
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *MARINE parks & reserves , *PREDATORY animals , *BIOMASS , *RED sea urchin - Abstract
Species targeted by fishing often recover in abundance and size within marine protected areas (MPAs) resulting in increased reproductive potential. However, in some situations, concomitant changes in the abundance of predators, competitors, or prey within MPAs, or strong gradients in the surrounding environmental seascape may counteract the purported benefits making it more difficult to predict how species will respond to protection. We used a network of MPAs in California, spanning a large temperature gradient, to investigate the drivers of demographic variability in the commercially important red sea urchin Mesocentrotus franciscanus . We investigated how demographic metrics varied geographically in response to protection, temperature, and the main sea urchin resource, the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera . We found significant conservation benefits to this fished sea urchin within MPAs designated six years prior to the beginning of this study. Within MPAs, red sea urchins were generally larger resulting in greater adult biomass density and reproductive biomass density. In addition, kelp density was an important explanatory variable of all red sea urchin demographic traits examined (adult size, gonadosomatic index [GSI], density, adult biomass density, and reproductive biomass density). Kelp density was positively correlated with red sea urchin GSI and adult size, but the relationships with density, adult biomass density, and reproductive biomass density were complex and the directionality changed depending on the region (or environmental setting) examined. Our results demonstrate that kelp, red sea urchin reproduction, and the effects of spatial management on demographic processes are tightly coupled with the oceanographic regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Counting and Counter-mapping: Contests over the Making of a Mining District in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
- Author
-
Hébert, Karen and Brock, Samara
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL mapping , *FISHING & the environment - Abstract
Over the past decade, the Bristol Bay region of southwest Alaska has been embroiled in a controversy over prospective mineral development in the headwaters of one of the world’s most vibrant salmon fisheries. Following the release of a state land-use plan whose maps appeared to promote large-scale mining in the region, a coalition of actors pursued a counter-mapping project, which drew on existing state data to restore priority to subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering activities. In the contest over mining, maps and the data used to comprise them were created and contested by an array of actors, including indigenous groups, environmental organizations, and state and federal governments. Ethnographic research demonstrates how competing narratives took shape through vying efforts to empty out and fill up maps with representations of resources in the form of numbers based on scientific measurement. As quantification becomes the means through which environmental claims are staked, it reinforces the authority of scientific expertise at the same time it foregrounds other ways of knowing and establishing authority. The pursuit of numbers motivated various projects of adding together in Bristol Bay, including coalition building, which made space for alternative visions of and for the territory. The power of counter-mapping may lie less in the relationships it represents, then, and more in terms of those it helps create, insofar as it contributes to assembling new publics in opposition to resource-extractive designs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. From discard ban to exemption: How can gear technology help reduce catches of undersized Nephrops and hake in the Bay of Biscay trawling fleet?
- Author
-
Vogel, Camille, Kopp, Dorothée, and Méhault, Sonia
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *FISHERY laws , *NEPHROPS , *ECOSYSTEM management , *FISHERY sciences - Abstract
On January 1st, 2016, the French mixed Nephrops and hake fishery of the Grande Vasière , an area located in the Bay of Biscay, fell under the discard ban implemented as part of the new European Common Fisheries Policy. The fleet records historically high levels of discard despite numerous gear selectivity studies. Together with high discards survival, new technological solutions to minimize catches of undersized individuals could justify local exemptions from the discard ban. Our study focuses on the effects of two selective devices, a square mesh cylinder (SMC) and a grid, on the escapement of undersized individuals and discard reduction. Relative catch probability of the modified gear compared with the traditional gear was modelled using the catch comparison method. Potential losses from the commercial fraction of the catch were taken into account to assess their influence on the economic viability of fishing with the modified gears. The two devices had similar effects on undersized Nephrops escapement and on discard reduction, with median values of 26.5% and 23.6% for the SMC and of 30.4% and 21.4% for the grid, respectively. Only the grid was efficient for undersized hake, recording median values of escapement and discard reduction equal to 25.0% and 20.6%, respectively. Some loss from the commercial fraction of the catch was to be expected with both devices, which could be compensated for in the long term by the contribution of undersized individuals to the stock biomass. Our results support the use of selective gears technology as part of an integrated framework including control and management measures to mitigate the effect of the discard ban both for fishers and for the ecosystem. Further work is needed to quantify the effect of additional escapement from the gear on stock dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Fishery Management Problems in Ethiopia: Natural and Human Induced Impacts and the Conservation Challenges.
- Author
-
Kebede, Mathewos Temesgen and Gubale, Abebe Getahun
- Subjects
- *
FISHERY management , *FISHING & the environment , *FISH conservation , *FISHERIES , *BYCATCHES - Abstract
The objective of this review was to investigate the fishery management problems and conservation challenges in Ethiopia. Published and unpublished sources were used to obtain appropriate data. More than 183 fish species were reported in Ethiopia. The production potential of these water bodies is estimated to be 51,481 tonnes/year. Of these, only 30% of them are being utilized. Utilization of fishery is based on the socio-economic factors, resource availability, and religious influence on fish consumption. Types of fishing gears, fishing methods, socio-economic factors, lack of facilities and infrastructure, ineffective administration setup, lack of expertise, land use around fish habitats, and lack of scientific data were observed as the major fishery management and conservation challenges. The demand for fishes is, however, double increasing. Thus, effective management setup, regular stakeholders follow-up, and encouraging the development of aquaculture are very important to sustain the resources and meet the demand for the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Use of biodegradable driftnets to prevent ghost fishing: physical properties and fishing performance for yellow croaker.
- Author
-
Kim, S., Kim, P., Lim, J., An, H., and Suuronen, P.
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *DRIFT net fishing , *BIODEGRADABLE materials , *SCIAENIDAE , *FISHERIES , *FISHING nets - Abstract
When synthetic non-biodegradable fishing nets are lost, abandoned or discarded at sea, they may continue to catch fish and other animals for a long period of time. This phenomenon is known as 'ghost fishing'. Biodegradable fishing nets, on the other hand, are intended to degrade or decompose after a certain period of time under water and thereby lose their ghost fishing capacity more quickly than conventional gear. A biodegradable net material, a blend of 82% polybutylene succinate (PBS) and 18% polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), was developed. We examined the physical properties and degradability of the biodegradable monofilament, and compared the fishing performance of driftnets made of conventional nylon and of the biodegradable material. When dry, conventional nylon monofilament exhibited a greater breaking strength and elongation than biodegradable monofilament of the same diameter. When wet, the biodegradable monofilament exhibited a stiffness of c. 1.5-fold than nylon monofilament. This suggests that a net made of the less flexible biodegradable monofilament would have lower fishing efficiency than conventional nets. The fishing performance comparisons between the biodegradable and conventional nylon nets, however, revealed similar catch rates for yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis. Biodegradable monofilament started to degrade after 24 months in seawater by marine organisms. We conclude that biodegradable netting may become a feasible alternative to conventional nylon netting and can contribute to reducing the duration of ghost fishing. Nonetheless, there remain many uncertainties, challenges and knowledge gaps that have to be solved before we are able to draw firm conclusions about the overall benefits of these materials in driftnet fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Renewing the Vision for AFS Journals.
- Author
-
Aday, D. Derek, Daugherty, Daniel J., and Murie, Debra J.
- Subjects
- *
FISHERY management , *FISHING & the environment , *FISHING -- Economic aspects , *WILDLIFE conservation - Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Current Legal Developments The Sargasso Sea.
- Author
-
Diz, Daniela
- Subjects
- *
BOTTOM fishing , *FISHERY laws , *WILDLIFE conservation laws , *FISH conservation laws , *FISHING & the environment , *MARINE ecology - Abstract
The article examines legal developments related to higher level of protection from bottom fishing activities in Sargasso Sea. It discusses two international environmental law and the law of the sea that brings together two biodiversity concepts the Food and Agriculture Organization's vulnerable marine ecosystems (vmes) and the Convention on Biological Diversity's (cbd ) ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (ebsas).
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Twenty-four novel microsatellites for the endangered Chinese sturgeon ( Acipenser sinensis Gray, 1835).
- Author
-
Xin, M.M., Zhang, S.H., Wang, D.Q., Li, C.J., Yue, H.M., and Wei, Q.W.
- Subjects
- *
STURGEON fisheries , *STURGEON fishing , *ACIPENSER , *FISHERIES , *ENDANGERED species , *FISHING & the environment - Abstract
The Chinese sturgeon ( Acipenser sinensis) is an endemic and critically endangered species in China. In this study, a total of 24 polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized using Illumina sequencing for A. sinensis. The number of alleles (Na) per locus ranged from 2 to 6 (mean 4.04), mean expected heterozygosities (He), Shannon-Wiener Diversity Indices (SW) and evenness (E) per locus ranged from 0.235 to 0.786 (mean 0.62), from 0.396 to 1.608 (mean 1.13), and from 0.060 to 0.213 (mean 0.13), respectively. Exact tests revealed that nine loci showed significant (P < 0.01) deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Cross amplification was tested in congeneric species A. schrenskii, A. baerii, A. dabryanus and Huso dauricus. The new microsatellite markers described herein will be useful for further studies on genetic variation, parentage analysis, and conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Moving Toward a Treaty on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Ocean Resources.
- Author
-
Laina, Efstathia
- Subjects
- *
MARINE biodiversity , *MARINE biodiversity conservation , *SUSTAINABILITY , *MARINE ecology , *ANTHROPOGENIC effects on nature , *FISHING & the environment , *BIOPROSPECTING ,UNITED Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) - Abstract
The article focuses on the Preparatory Committee (Prep-Com-1) of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), held at the UN Headquarters in New York City from March 28-April 8, 2016. Topics discussed include the sustainable use of marine biological diversity, conservation of marine ecosystems, and the anthropogenic pressure of fishing and bioprospecting.
- Published
- 2016
46. Fisheries impact on breeding of olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) along the Gahirmatha coast, Bay of Bengal, Odisha, India.
- Author
-
Behera, Satyaranjan, Tripathy, Basudev, Sivakumar, K., Choudhury, Binod C., and Pandav, Bivash
- Subjects
- *
OLIVE ridley turtle , *ANIMAL breeding , *TURTLE mortality , *FISHING & the environment , *FISHING nets , *TURTLE populations , *REPRODUCTION - Abstract
In India, the Gahirmatha coast is among the most important nesting grounds of olive ridley turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea. The coastal waters of Odisha are also subjected to heavy commercial fishing activities, leading to turtle-fisheries conflicts. This study was carried out to quantify the effects of fishing on breeding turtles. Data on stranded, dead turtles were collected during three breeding seasons (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10) between November and April along a 35 km stretch. A total of 13,443 dead olive ridleys were counted (2008-09: n=9502, 2007-08: n=2754, 2009-10: n=1187). Maximum mortality occurred in February. Few strandings of dead male turtles were recorded. Stranded turtles had a curved carapace length between 51.3 and 77 cm. Mortality is largely attributed to drowning in trawl nets and caused by gill nets. A decrease in size of adults may be related to their high mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
47. A Proposal for the Feasible Exploitation of the Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus Clarkii in Introduced Regions.
- Author
-
Conde, Anxo and Domínguez, Jorge
- Subjects
- *
PROCAMBARUS clarkii , *FISHING & the environment , *AQUATIC resources , *BIOLOGICAL invasions , *HUMAN migrations - Abstract
The invasive red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii is a human-mediated introduced species in the Iberian Peninsula. The species was introduced for economic reasons in the south of the Peninsula, but it is currently abundant and widespread in Portugal and Spain. As an invasive species, it is regulated by different laws in the Iberian Peninsula. Thus, although exploitation of this crayfish is permitted by the central government in Spain, the species is subjected to severe restrictions in Portugal. Moreover, regional governments in Spain only allow recreational fishing of P. clarki, except in southern Spain where there is an industrial activity based on the red swamp crayfish. We propose compromise measures in order to reconcile the economic exploitation of this aquatic resource and environmental concerns. The proposal mainly consists of the sale of live male specimens of P. clarkii and of dead (processed) female specimens. Biological invasion resulting in new established populations of P. clarkii in the wild would therefore be impossible. Transformation of P. clarkii into an economic resource with minimum environmental hazard seems feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Dive to survive: effects of capture depth on barotrauma and post-release survival of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in recreational fisheries.
- Author
-
Ferter, Keno, Weltersbach, Marc Simon, Humborstad, Odd-Børre, Gunnar Fjelldal, Per, Sambraus, Florian, Strehlow, Harry Vincent, and Helge Vølstad, Jon
- Subjects
- *
DECOMPRESSION sickness , *ATLANTIC cod , *FISHING & the environment , *GAS embolism , *AIR bladders in fishes - Abstract
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) caught in recreational fisheries are commonly released, often with barotrauma after rapid decompression. Mouth-hooked, non-bleeding cod kept in a floating net pen showed mortalities ≥ 40% when angled from >50 m depth, likely because of cumulative stress from ongoing barotrauma and exposure to warm surface water. In a natural setting, however, cod have the opportunity to descend after release and are not restricted to the surface. In a follow-up study, 97.8% of similarly selected cod managed to dive following immediate release, whereas 2.2% were floaters. No mortality was observed for divers kept in cages, which were lowered to capture depth for 72 h. While the floaters would likely have died in a natural setting, no mortality was observed when they were recompressed and kept at capture depth for 72 h. The occurrence of swim bladder ruptures, swollen coelomic cavities, venous gas embolisms, and gas release around the anus was significantly influenced by capture depth (range 0-90 m). A supplementary radiology study showed inflated swim bladders in 87% of the cod after 72 h, and most barotrauma signs had disappeared after 1 month. This study encourages investigation of survival potential for physoclistous species when high mortalities are assumed but undocumented. Matching natural post-release and containment environment is essential in the experimental setup, as failure to do so may bias survival estimates, particularly when a thermocline is present. Assuming minimal predation, short-term mortality of cod experiencing barotrauma is negligible if cod submerge quickly by themselves and are otherwise not substantially injured. Survival of floaters may be increased by forced recompression to capture depth. Sublethal and long-term impacts of barotrauma remain to be studied. To ensure that cod have sufficient energy to submerge, anglers are encouraged to avoid fighting the fish to exhaustion and to minimize handling before release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Challenges for conservation and sustainable use in North America.
- Author
-
Mahoney, Shane P., Krausman, Paul, and Weir, Jackie N.
- Subjects
- *
WILDLIFE conservation , *HABITAT conservation , *FISHING & the environment , *HUNTING & the environment , *GLOBALIZATION , *URBANIZATION - Abstract
Conservation will only increase as a focus for governments in the 21st century. Canada and the United States have been successful in conserving wildlife and habitats over the past 100 years through the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. This approach is not universally accepted, however, and there are challenges to sustainable use practices such as hunting and fishing. Herein, we discuss seven of the biggest challenges to conservation worldwide: an increasing human population; globalization; urbanization and the human-nature divide; novel ecosystems; connectivity; funding, fragility and resilience; and abundance and superabundance. We then relate these to the North American context. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Fishing impact in Mediterranean ecosystems: an EcoTroph modeling approach.
- Author
-
Halouani, Ghassen, Gascuel, Didier, Hattab, Tarek, Lasram, Frida Ben Rais, Coll, Marta, Tsagarakis, Konstantinos, Piroddi, Chiara, Romdhane, Mohamed Salah, and Le Loc'h, François
- Subjects
- *
FISHING & the environment , *FISH mortality , *MARINE ecology , *BIOMASS , *FOOD chains - Abstract
The EcoTroph modeling approach was applied to five Mediterranean marine ecosystems to characterize their food webs and investigate their responses to several simulated fishing scenarios. First, EcoTroph was used to synthesize the outputs of five pre-existing heterogeneous Ecopath models in a common framework, and thus to compare different ecosystems through their trophic spectra of biomass, catch, and fishing mortalities. This approach contributes to our understanding of ecosystem functioning, from both ecological and fisheries perspectives. Then, we assessed the sensitivity of each ecosystem to fishery, using EcoTroph simulations. For the five ecosystems considered, we simulated the effects of increasing or decreasing fishing mortalities on both the biomass and the catch per trophic class. Our results emphasize that the Mediterranean Sea is strongly affected by the depletion of high trophic level organisms. Results also show that fisheries impacts, at the trophic level scale, differ between ecosystems according to their trophic structure and exploitation patterns. A top-down compensation effect is observed in some simulations where a fishing-induced decrease in the biomass of predators impacts their prey, leading to an increase in the biomass at lower trophic levels. The results of this comparative analysis highlight that ecosystems where top-down controls are observed are less sensitive to variations in fishing mortality in terms of total ecosystem biomass. This suggests that the magnitude of top-down control present in a system can affect its stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.