Marine fish stocks are an important part of the world food system and are particularly important for many of the poorest people of the world. Most existing analyses suggest overfishing is increasing, ...and there is widespread concern that fish stocks are decreasing throughout most of the world. We assembled trends in abundance and harvest rate of stocks that are scientifically assessed, constituting half of the reported global marine fish catch. For these stocks, on average, abundance is increasing and is at proposed target levels. Compared with regions that are intensively managed, regions with less-developed fisheries management have, on average, 3-fold greater harvest rates and half the abundance as assessed stocks. Available evidence suggests that the regions without assessments of abundance have little fisheries management, and stocks are in poor shape. Increased application of area-appropriate fisheries science recommendations and management tools are still needed for sustaining fisheries in places where they are lacking.
Fishery‐dependent data are integral to sustainable fisheries management. A paucity of fishery data leads to uncertainty about stock status, which may compromise and threaten the economic and food ...security of the users dependent upon that stock and increase the chances of overfishing. Recent developments in the technology available to collect, manage and analyse fishery‐relevant data provide a suite of possible solutions to update and modernize fisheries data systems and greatly expand data collection and analysis. Yet, despite the proliferation of relevant consumer technology, integration of technologically advanced data systems into fisheries management remains the exception rather than the rule. In this study, we describe the current status, challenges and future directions of high‐tech data systems in fisheries management in order to understand what has limited their adoption. By reviewing the application of fishery‐dependent data technology in multiple fisheries sectors globally, we show that innovation is stagnating as a result of lack of trust and cooperation between fishers and managers. We propose a solution based on a transdisciplinary approach to fishery management that emphasizes the need for collaborative problem‐solving among stakeholders. In our proposed system, data feedbacks are a key component to effective fishery data systems, ensuring that fishers and managers collect, have access to and benefit from fisheries data as they work towards a mutually agreed‐upon goal. A new approach to fisheries data systems will promote innovation to increase data coverage, accuracy and resolution, while reducing costs and allowing adaptive, responsive, near real‐time management decision‐making to improve fisheries outcomes.
Well‐managed fisheries support healthy ocean ecosystems, coastal livelihoods and food security for millions of people. However, many communities lack the resources to implement effective fisheries ...management. No‐take marine reserves are a ubiquitous management intervention that provide conservation benefits and under certain circumstances can provide long‐term fishery benefits as a result of larval and adult emigration from reserve boundaries. But, support for marine reserves by fishery participants is often limited due to short‐term economic impacts resulting from foregone yields. In this study, we examine the timing and magnitude of economic impacts of marine reserves by utilizing a novel metric that discounts future economic benefits of enhanced productivity resulting from reserve protection. We ask under what circumstances long‐term benefits outweigh short‐term impacts of marine reserve implementation. We simulate fisheries for six species commonly caught in coastal environments and show that while conservation benefits accrue rapidly, more than a decade is often required to provide net fisheries benefits, even under circumstances favourable for reserves. We explore a suite of strategies for mitigating these short‐term economic losses, including flexible reserve designs, loans and enhanced ex‐vessel revenues. Results indicate that market‐based incentives show promise to offset short‐term economic losses. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding and communicating likely outcomes from marine reserve implementation and the need to engage supply chain actors to incentivize marine conservation that minimizes impacts to fishermen.
Terrestrial and ocean ecosystems are increasingly under threat from an array of anthropogenic pressures. And while threats mount, how people view and value nature is changing. In the United States ...(U.S.) in particular, there is a shift away from viewing nature as something to ‘dominate,’ as evidenced in the decline in hunting. However, it is unclear if or how opinions around environmental issues and conservation need might differ when comparing ocean versus terrestrial ecosystems, especially given the prevalence and continued importance of wild capture fishing in the U.S. We employed two national parallel surveys, one focused on oceans, the other land, receiving responses from nearly every state in the U.S. (N = 1,973). While we found only slight, but statistically significant more concern for ocean habitats and animals over terrestrial ecosystems, this did not translate to increased willingness to monetarily support more ocean conservation actions. Using Random Forest models, we also found the best predictor of conservation need was feeling most impacted by environmental issues personally (self and/or community), regardless of ecosystem type. In fact, land versus sea (survey) had the lowest rank in the models, underscoring the importance of general nature-based interactions. Instead, the number of outdoor recreational activities was a highly ranked variable explaining the level of reported impact to self/community, with people who participate in 2 or more activities scoring higher levels of impact, on average. Notably, people who hunt and fish, versus only do one or the other, reported higher levels of impact and participated in more activities overall, providing a more nuanced finding regarding the nature ‘dominance hypothesis.’ Voting, not political affiliation, was also important in explaining responses, and governmental mechanisms to fund conservation were favored over voluntary. Overall, our results add to the strong existing literature that access and connection to nature is key, but uniquely broad connection may “float all boats,” especially when diversified.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aquaculture is the fastest growing form of food production across the globe. The expansion of the industry has brought about a diversity of approaches to mitigate social and ecological impacts ...associated with aquaculture production systems. At the same time, there is a growing interest in utilizing aquaculture for conservation purposes including species recovery, habitat restoration and offsetting the impacts of wild capture on vulnerable harvested species. The diversification of the aquaculture sector and the overlapping use of terminology to describe alternative aquaculture approaches can create challenges for policy makers, managers and industry practitioners. Clear distinction between alternative aquaculture approaches and intent may improve regulatory, permitting, monitoring and consumer awareness outcomes. Here, we examine the use of four primary aquaculture approaches in the scientific literature: ‘commercial aquaculture’, ‘conservation aquaculture’, ‘restorative aquaculture’ and ‘regenerative aquaculture’ to elucidate the similarities and differences and improve understanding of the approaches. We propose definitions for the terms based on empirical analysis of related words used in scientific texts and fitness into a particular initiative. In addition, we discuss the use of those terms within the context of benefits to ‘people and nature’, namely activities that include economic, social and environmental outcomes and the variability therein. Clear definition of terms and related activities in a burgeoning field can minimize semantic confusion while improving opportunities to craft robust policy guidelines and improve stakeholder understanding and practice of aquaculture activities.
The majority of the world's fisheries, by number, are data‐poor/limited, and there is a growing body of literature pertaining to approaches to estimate data‐limited stock status. There are at least ...two drivers for assessing the status of data‐limited fisheries. The first is to try to understand and report on the global or regional status of fisheries across many stocks. The second is to attempt to assess individual data‐limited stocks, for status reporting and/or guiding management decisions. These drivers have led to attempts to find simple, generic, low‐cost solutions, including the broad application of generically parameterised models, and the blanket application of a single, or limited number of possible, analytical approach(es). It is unclear that generic methods function as intended, especially when taken out of their original design context or used without care. If the intention is to resolve individual stock status for the purposes of management, there is concern with the indiscriminate application of a single method to a suite of stocks irrespective of the particular circumstances of each. We examine why caution needs to be exercised, and provide guidance on the appropriate application of data‐limited assessment methods (DLMs). We recommend: (a) obtaining better data, (b) using care in acknowledging and interpreting uncertainties in the results of DLMs, (c) embedding DLMs in harvest strategies that are robust to the higher levels of uncertainty in the output of DLMs by including precautionary management measures or buffers and (d) selecting and applying DLMs appropriate to specific species’ and fisheries’ data and context.
Secure sustainable seafood from developing countries Sampson, Gabriel S; Sanchirico, James N; Roheim, Cathy A ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
05/2015, Letnik:
348, Številka:
6234
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Demand for sustainably certified wild-caught fish and crustaceans is increasingly shaping global seafood markets. Retailers such as Walmart in the United States, Sainsbury's in the United Kingdom, ...and Carrefour in France, and processors such as Canadianbased High Liner Foods, have promised to source all fresh, frozen, farmed, and wild seafood from sustainable sources by 2015 (1, 2). Credible arbiters of certifications, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), require detailed environmental and traceability standards. Although these standards have been met in many commercial fisheries throughout the developed world (3), developing country fisheries (DCFs) represent only 7% of ~220 total MSC-certified fisheries (4, 5). With the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reporting that developing countries account for ~50% of seafood entering international trade, this presents a fundamental challenge for marketers of sustainable seafood (see the photo).
Fish populations vary geographically in demography and life history due to environmental and ecological processes and in response to exploitation. However, population dynamic models and stock ...assessments, used to manage fisheries, rarely explicitly incorporate spatial variation to inform management decisions. Here, we describe extensive geographic variation in several demographic and life history characteristics (e.g., size structure, growth, survivorship, maturation, and sex change) of California sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher), a temperate rocky reef fish targeted by recreational and commercial fisheries. Fish were sampled from nine locations throughout southern California in 2007-2008. We developed a dynamic size and age-structured model, parameterized separately for each location, to assess the potential cost or benefit in terms of fisheries yield and conservation objectives of changing minimum size limits and/or fishing mortality rates (compared to the status quo). Results indicate that managing populations individually, with location-specific regulations, could increase yield by over 26% while maintaining conservative levels of spawning biomass. While this local management approach would be challenging to implement in practice, we found statistically similar increases in yield could be achieved by dividing southern California into two separate management regions, reflecting geographic similarities in demography. To maximize yield, size limits should be increased by 90 mm in the northern region and held at current levels in the south. We also found that managing the fishery as one single stock (the status quo), but with a size limit 50 mm greater than the current regulations, could increase overall fishery yield by 15%. Increases in size limits are predicted to enhance fishery yield and may also have important ecological consequences for the predatory role of sheephead in kelp forests. This framework for incorporating demographic variation into fisheries models can be exported generally to other species and may aid in identifying the appropriate spatial scales for fisheries management.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Climate‐related impacts to marine ecosystems threaten the biological, social, and economic resilience of the U.S. fishing industry. Changes in ocean conditions and variability in fisheries ...productivity have stimulated an effort to integrate climate information into fisheries science and management processes to inform more responsive decision‐making. However, institutional, capacity, and budget constraints within U.S. federal and state fisheries management agencies may hinder the potential to deliver climate‐ready strategies for many fisheries. We examine whether adaptive comanagement as a governance approach can enhance capacity and advance climate‐ready fisheries objectives. Adaptive comanagement may improve the quality of science and decision‐making needed to prepare for and respond to impacts of climate change in fisheries by taking advantage of skills, technology, and funding often not optimally utilized under the current governance system. We focus on the potential to improve information flows as a means to achieve climate‐ready fisheries via adaptive comanagement, but suggest that a greater level of partnership in the management process may be possible in the future after a period of formal experimentation and learning.
The status of federally managed fisheries in the United States is well monitored, but the condition of other marine fisheries, whether state‐managed, territory‐managed or unmanaged, is less ...understood and often unknown. We used expert surveys to characterize the management systems of non‐federally managed fisheries in US coastal marine states and overseas territories. For 311 fisheries, we estimated an overall Fisheries Management Index (FMI) and a qualitative stock status score. These measures were positively correlated, and while a wide range of research, management, enforcement and socioeconomic criteria were partially met (FMI ≥ 0.5) for 66% of fisheries, stock status was considered as partially acceptable (score ≥ 0.5) for only 45% of fisheries and acceptable (score = 1) for only 16% of fisheries. Higher FMI was typically observed in fisheries with greater commercial landed weight, value, or greater recreational catches. Fisheries from continental states had higher FMI than those from overseas territories. Invertebrates and diadromous fish species had higher FMI on average compared to those of marine fishes. Extrapolating results for surveyed fisheries to nearly 2000 non‐federally managed US fisheries while stratifying by state and importance designation (based on commercial, recreational, cultural or ecological importance), we estimate a mean overall FMI of 0.48, and estimate that only 19% of fisheries have a reliable estimate of stock status available; both measures are lower than similar estimates for federally managed fisheries. Funding or capacity constraints and information or data limitations were identified as common challenges faced by state agencies in managing fisheries under their jurisdiction.
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