Éva E. Plagányi, Jacob G. D. Rogers, Laura K. Blamey, Amelia A. Desbiens, Marjoleine M. H. Roos, Denham Parker
A longstanding tenet of ecosystem‐based fisheries management (EBFM) is to account for trophic interactions given that all species exist as part of connected food webs. However, explicit incorporation of trophic interactions in tactical management models and decision‐making frameworks remains elusive. We draw on harvest strategy (HS) framework principles to advance the implementation of fisheries management that is Robust to Interacting Populations (RIP) and focus on simplifying and structuring it to be as pragmatic as possible. We posit that the objectives and the overall process can be structured using four main categories: (A) Whole‐of‐Ecosystem, which encompasses not exceeding the overall limits of system productivity and protecting overall ecosystem structure and function; (B) Identify and focus on key species and those with influential trophic connections that require more careful management because of the disproportional reliance of other species on these; (C) Species that interact with fisheries and are of conservation concern; and (D) pest or climate‐immigrant species with the objective of managing these to achieve desired outcomes for other (target) species in an ecosystem. For each category, we provide examples of the multispecies HS components required to inform decision‐making: indicators, data, reference levels, methods and decision rules, and identify common tools and opportunities. Finally, we summarise progress made and remaining gaps in our ability to collectively construct pragmatic guidelines for advancing EBFM and achieving RIP fisheries management to conserve marine ecosystem structure and functioning.
{"title":"Towards Implementing Multispecies Harvest Strategies That Are Robust to Interacting Populations","authors":"Éva E. Plagányi, Jacob G. D. Rogers, Laura K. Blamey, Amelia A. Desbiens, Marjoleine M. H. Roos, Denham Parker","doi":"10.1111/faf.70009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70009","url":null,"abstract":"A longstanding tenet of ecosystem‐based fisheries management (EBFM) is to account for trophic interactions given that all species exist as part of connected food webs. However, explicit incorporation of trophic interactions in tactical management models and decision‐making frameworks remains elusive. We draw on harvest strategy (HS) framework principles to advance the implementation of fisheries management that is Robust to Interacting Populations (RIP) and focus on simplifying and structuring it to be as pragmatic as possible. We posit that the objectives and the overall process can be structured using four main categories: (A) Whole‐of‐Ecosystem, which encompasses not exceeding the overall limits of system productivity and protecting overall ecosystem structure and function; (B) Identify and focus on key species and those with influential trophic connections that require more careful management because of the disproportional reliance of other species on these; (C) Species that interact with fisheries and are of conservation concern; and (D) pest or climate‐immigrant species with the objective of managing these to achieve desired outcomes for other (target) species in an ecosystem. For each category, we provide examples of the multispecies HS components required to inform decision‐making: indicators, data, reference levels, methods and decision rules, and identify common tools and opportunities. Finally, we summarise progress made and remaining gaps in our ability to collectively construct pragmatic guidelines for advancing EBFM and achieving RIP fisheries management to conserve marine ecosystem structure and functioning.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144603247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catharine Horswill, Holly K. Kindsvater, Nick K. Dulvy, Chris G. Mull, Aaron B. Judah, Brooke M. D'Alberto, Jason Matthiopoulos, Marc Mangel
For data‐limited fish species, sustainable management frequently relies on biological metrics that are derived from life‐history trait data, as opposed to high‐resolution time series of catch and abundance. These biological metrics are used to assess a species' recovery potential at low population densities, as well as their extinction risk. However, for really data poor species, the life‐history traits required to derive these metrics are also often only partially known. Addressing this gap is essential for informing regulatory and conservation actions for vulnerable species and stocks lacking assessments. We developed a generalisable, phylogenetically informed framework for imputing missing life‐history traits across different taxa and applied it to 57 species within the order Rhinopristiformes (rhino rays), an evolutionarily distinct and highly threatened group with notably sparse life‐history data. We then used the imputed traits to derive four key management and conservation metrics: steepness of the Beverton–Holt stock–recruitment relationship, spawning potential ratio at maximum sustainable yield, maximum intrinsic population growth rate and generation length. We found strong correlations between mean life‐history traits and three management metrics. While uncertainty in management metrics remained high due to intraspecific variability, measurement error and limited data, using reconstructed traits reduced uncertainty compared to using surrogate trait data from other populations or congeneric species. We provide imputed trait values and corresponding management and conservation metrics alongside uncertainty bounds that should be recognised in any subsequent conservation assessments and management strategy evaluations. The proposed framework enables the generation of first‐order, evidence‐based management and conservation metrics for data‐limited taxa, thereby supporting more informed decision‐making for species without comprehensive species‐level assessments.
{"title":"Imputation of Fisheries Reference Points for Endangered Data‐Poor Fishes, With Application to Rhino Rays","authors":"Catharine Horswill, Holly K. Kindsvater, Nick K. Dulvy, Chris G. Mull, Aaron B. Judah, Brooke M. D'Alberto, Jason Matthiopoulos, Marc Mangel","doi":"10.1111/faf.70003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70003","url":null,"abstract":"For data‐limited fish species, sustainable management frequently relies on biological metrics that are derived from life‐history trait data, as opposed to high‐resolution time series of catch and abundance. These biological metrics are used to assess a species' recovery potential at low population densities, as well as their extinction risk. However, for really data poor species, the life‐history traits required to derive these metrics are also often only partially known. Addressing this gap is essential for informing regulatory and conservation actions for vulnerable species and stocks lacking assessments. We developed a generalisable, phylogenetically informed framework for imputing missing life‐history traits across different taxa and applied it to 57 species within the order <jats:italic>Rhinopristiformes</jats:italic> (rhino rays), an evolutionarily distinct and highly threatened group with notably sparse life‐history data. We then used the imputed traits to derive four key management and conservation metrics: steepness of the Beverton–Holt stock–recruitment relationship, spawning potential ratio at maximum sustainable yield, maximum intrinsic population growth rate and generation length. We found strong correlations between mean life‐history traits and three management metrics. While uncertainty in management metrics remained high due to intraspecific variability, measurement error and limited data, using reconstructed traits reduced uncertainty compared to using surrogate trait data from other populations or congeneric species. We provide imputed trait values and corresponding management and conservation metrics alongside uncertainty bounds that should be recognised in any subsequent conservation assessments and management strategy evaluations. The proposed framework enables the generation of first‐order, evidence‐based management and conservation metrics for data‐limited taxa, thereby supporting more informed decision‐making for species without comprehensive species‐level assessments.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144603253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vania Andreoli, Jessica J. Meeuwig, Christopher D. Golden, Jessica Zamborain‐Mason, Laura G. Elsler, Maria L. D. Palomares, Dirk Zeller
Seafood from marine fisheries, such as finfishes and invertebrates, is an important source of nutrients for billions of people globally. Seafood species vary in their micronutrient concentration, their economic value, and their vulnerability to exploitation and climate change. However, fisheries management has rarely considered the nutritional quality of fisheries catches and their relation to economic, conservation and climate vulnerability dimensions. Here, we quantified and analysed the micronutrient supply and average micronutrient concentration of taxa exploited by fisheries in the Indian Ocean. We also assessed associations among taxon‐specific micronutrient concentrations, ex‐vessel prices, fishing vulnerability and climate vulnerability. We found that small pelagic finfishes, despite contributing little to the overall catch weight, were particularly rich in micronutrients, were resilient and low priced, highlighting their utility in food and nutritional security. In contrast, taxa such as tunas and cephalopods were less nutrient‐dense, more vulnerable and had higher ex‐vessel prices. Results also showed differences in catch micronutrient concentrations between countries within the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) and Distant Water Fishing (DWF) countries. IOR country catches were dominated by taxa richer in calcium, omega‐3 fatty acids and iron but with higher climate vulnerability. DWF catches, which accounted for only 2% of the Indian Ocean's total micronutrient supplies, were relatively richer in selenium, more vulnerable to fishing and had higher ex‐vessel prices. Our results highlight the trade‐offs and synergies among nutritional, economic, conservation and climate resilience dimensions of Indian Ocean fisheries, providing key insights for nutrition‐sensitive fisheries management strategies aimed at balancing multiple priorities.
{"title":"Quantifying the Nutritional and Socio‐Ecological Dimensions of Indian Ocean Fisheries","authors":"Vania Andreoli, Jessica J. Meeuwig, Christopher D. Golden, Jessica Zamborain‐Mason, Laura G. Elsler, Maria L. D. Palomares, Dirk Zeller","doi":"10.1111/faf.70008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70008","url":null,"abstract":"Seafood from marine fisheries, such as finfishes and invertebrates, is an important source of nutrients for billions of people globally. Seafood species vary in their micronutrient concentration, their economic value, and their vulnerability to exploitation and climate change. However, fisheries management has rarely considered the nutritional quality of fisheries catches and their relation to economic, conservation and climate vulnerability dimensions. Here, we quantified and analysed the micronutrient supply and average micronutrient concentration of taxa exploited by fisheries in the Indian Ocean. We also assessed associations among taxon‐specific micronutrient concentrations, ex‐vessel prices, fishing vulnerability and climate vulnerability. We found that small pelagic finfishes, despite contributing little to the overall catch weight, were particularly rich in micronutrients, were resilient and low priced, highlighting their utility in food and nutritional security. In contrast, taxa such as tunas and cephalopods were less nutrient‐dense, more vulnerable and had higher ex‐vessel prices. Results also showed differences in catch micronutrient concentrations between countries within the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) and Distant Water Fishing (DWF) countries. IOR country catches were dominated by taxa richer in calcium, omega‐3 fatty acids and iron but with higher climate vulnerability. DWF catches, which accounted for only 2% of the Indian Ocean's total micronutrient supplies, were relatively richer in selenium, more vulnerable to fishing and had higher ex‐vessel prices. Our results highlight the trade‐offs and synergies among nutritional, economic, conservation and climate resilience dimensions of Indian Ocean fisheries, providing key insights for nutrition‐sensitive fisheries management strategies aimed at balancing multiple priorities.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144603248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pablo Vajas, Alannah Wudrick, Hannah West, Tyler D. Eddy
Pinniped populations have been increasing worldwide, posing challenges for fisheries management, including damage to fishing gear and competition for resources. In the Northwest Atlantic, harp seal numbers have increased from 1.8 million in 1970 to 6.5 million in 1990, stabilising at 4.4 million in 2024—one of the largest pinniped populations in the world. The large number of harp seals is associated with a high rate of prey consumption, raising questions about their impact on exploited and non‐exploited species. In Newfoundland and Labrador, ecosystems were disrupted with collapses of cod and capelin in the 1990s, and these populations have not yet recovered. This study examines the harp seal ecological role and influence on ecosystem structure and function. Using Ecopath with Ecosim ecosystem models, we simulated various harp seal biomass scenarios for three key periods: pre‐collapse (1985–1987), invertebrate dominance (2013–2015), and partial groundfish recovery (2018–2020). These scenarios explored harp seal depletion and recovery, impacts on cod stocks, and ecosystem effects. Simulations revealed that the ecosystem is driven by both top‐down forces from harp seals and bottom‐up forces from capelin, a key forage species. While moderate reductions in harp seal abundance had limited effects on cod, increasing capelin biomass had positive effects on both harp seals and cod. This study highlights the importance of integrating predator effects into ecosystem‐based fisheries management to anticipate change and increase resilience in dynamic marine systems.
{"title":"Increase in Harp Seal Ecosystem Role After the Cod Collapse in Newfoundland & Labrador","authors":"Pablo Vajas, Alannah Wudrick, Hannah West, Tyler D. Eddy","doi":"10.1111/faf.70005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70005","url":null,"abstract":"Pinniped populations have been increasing worldwide, posing challenges for fisheries management, including damage to fishing gear and competition for resources. In the Northwest Atlantic, harp seal numbers have increased from 1.8 million in 1970 to 6.5 million in 1990, stabilising at 4.4 million in 2024—one of the largest pinniped populations in the world. The large number of harp seals is associated with a high rate of prey consumption, raising questions about their impact on exploited and non‐exploited species. In Newfoundland and Labrador, ecosystems were disrupted with collapses of cod and capelin in the 1990s, and these populations have not yet recovered. This study examines the harp seal ecological role and influence on ecosystem structure and function. Using Ecopath with Ecosim ecosystem models, we simulated various harp seal biomass scenarios for three key periods: pre‐collapse (1985–1987), invertebrate dominance (2013–2015), and partial groundfish recovery (2018–2020). These scenarios explored harp seal depletion and recovery, impacts on cod stocks, and ecosystem effects. Simulations revealed that the ecosystem is driven by both top‐down forces from harp seals and bottom‐up forces from capelin, a key forage species. While moderate reductions in harp seal abundance had limited effects on cod, increasing capelin biomass had positive effects on both harp seals and cod. This study highlights the importance of integrating predator effects into ecosystem‐based fisheries management to anticipate change and increase resilience in dynamic marine systems.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Analysis of population genetic structure can contribute to our understanding of the ecology and evolution of organisms and inform conservation and resource management policies. Anguilla is a genus of freshwater eels containing 19 taxa (species and subspecies) many of which are experiencing population declines due to barriers to dispersal, climate change, contamination by organic and metallic pollutants, habitat degradation and overharvesting. As some Anguilla species are important fisheries resources, it is essential to determine the genetic structure of species to understand the boundaries of the fisheries stock/management units and help manage them appropriately. We performed a literature review of studies on the genetic structure of taxa in the genus Anguilla and conducted meta‐analyses based on the mean and standard deviation of pairwise genetic differentiation values that were extracted from the tables and/or figures of 66 studies. We used subgroups and meta‐regression to assess the influence of genetic marker, measure of differentiation, sample size and sampling range on the degree of genetic differentiation detected. We found overall support for panmixia in Anguilla taxa, except for Anguilla marmorata. However, some taxa remain understudied and may also exhibit population genetic structure. Future studies should focus on filling gaps in sample size and sample representativeness to provide more accurate estimates of population genetic structure and improve our understanding of this enigmatic group.
{"title":"Panmixia in Anguilla Eels: A Meta‐Analysis","authors":"Leanne Faulks, Ayu Daryani, Hiroshi Hakoyama","doi":"10.1111/faf.70007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70007","url":null,"abstract":"Analysis of population genetic structure can contribute to our understanding of the ecology and evolution of organisms and inform conservation and resource management policies. <jats:italic>Anguilla</jats:italic> is a genus of freshwater eels containing 19 taxa (species and subspecies) many of which are experiencing population declines due to barriers to dispersal, climate change, contamination by organic and metallic pollutants, habitat degradation and overharvesting. As some <jats:italic>Anguilla</jats:italic> species are important fisheries resources, it is essential to determine the genetic structure of species to understand the boundaries of the fisheries stock/management units and help manage them appropriately. We performed a literature review of studies on the genetic structure of taxa in the genus <jats:italic>Anguilla</jats:italic> and conducted meta‐analyses based on the mean and standard deviation of pairwise genetic differentiation values that were extracted from the tables and/or figures of 66 studies. We used subgroups and meta‐regression to assess the influence of genetic marker, measure of differentiation, sample size and sampling range on the degree of genetic differentiation detected. We found overall support for panmixia in <jats:italic>Anguilla</jats:italic> taxa, except for <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"><jats:italic>Anguilla marmorata</jats:italic></jats:styled-content>. However, some taxa remain understudied and may also exhibit population genetic structure. Future studies should focus on filling gaps in sample size and sample representativeness to provide more accurate estimates of population genetic structure and improve our understanding of this enigmatic group.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hein Rune Skjoldal, Elena Eriksen, Harald Gjøsæter, Vidar Lien, Øystein Skagseth, Jarle Berntsen
Statistical distributions of spatial abundance data of animal populations can be informative about underlying processes and mechanisms that govern the spatial distributions. Here, we examine a large data set from annual 0‐group fish surveys in the Barents Sea (1980–2017) collected with standardised trawl sampling from a regular grid with 30–35 nautical miles between stations. The primary data are expressed as swept‐area density of 0‐group individuals for six fish species. The annual data series are highly right‐skewed with a tail of high values on a linear scale but are close to lognormal with log‐transformed data. The 0‐group density spans typically 4–5 orders of magnitude for the annual series. When stations are ranked in order from highest to lowest density, they show a common pattern for the six species across the annual series. With log‐transformed data, this pattern is a near log‐linear relationship but with an upswing in the high‐density end revealing higher variability for the top stations. The cumulative version with linear‐scale data is approximated by a simple asymptotic model. Between 14 and 42% of the total number of sampled individuals of a year‐class were on average contained in the highest ranked station for the six species, while 50% of the sampled individuals were found in the first 2–7 highest ranked stations. The common and consistent pattern of the ranked distributions is interpreted to reflect the opposing forces of physical dispersion, on the one hand and aggregation by swimming and schooling, on the other.
{"title":"Spatial Distribution of Numerical Density of Pelagic Juveniles (0‐Group) of Broadcast Spawning Fish Stocks Follows a Common Statistical Pattern","authors":"Hein Rune Skjoldal, Elena Eriksen, Harald Gjøsæter, Vidar Lien, Øystein Skagseth, Jarle Berntsen","doi":"10.1111/faf.12908","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12908","url":null,"abstract":"Statistical distributions of spatial abundance data of animal populations can be informative about underlying processes and mechanisms that govern the spatial distributions. Here, we examine a large data set from annual 0‐group fish surveys in the Barents Sea (1980–2017) collected with standardised trawl sampling from a regular grid with 30–35 nautical miles between stations. The primary data are expressed as swept‐area density of 0‐group individuals for six fish species. The annual data series are highly right‐skewed with a tail of high values on a linear scale but are close to lognormal with log‐transformed data. The 0‐group density spans typically 4–5 orders of magnitude for the annual series. When stations are ranked in order from highest to lowest density, they show a common pattern for the six species across the annual series. With log‐transformed data, this pattern is a near log‐linear relationship but with an upswing in the high‐density end revealing higher variability for the top stations. The cumulative version with linear‐scale data is approximated by a simple asymptotic model. Between 14 and 42% of the total number of sampled individuals of a year‐class were on average contained in the highest ranked station for the six species, while 50% of the sampled individuals were found in the first 2–7 highest ranked stations. The common and consistent pattern of the ranked distributions is interpreted to reflect the opposing forces of physical dispersion, on the one hand and aggregation by swimming and schooling, on the other.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"109 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Despite the recent decline of recorded incidents globally, maritime piracy remains a significant problem in many parts of the world. Reflecting global economic inequalities, commercial interests—particularly those of the global shipping and energy sectors—have largely shaped public and academic discourse, as well as policy on piracy and other ‘blue crimes’. In this context, other potential victims, including fishers, have been largely overlooked. In this article, we aim to rebalance the dominant narrative and investigate the scope, characteristics and consequences of piracy targeting fishing vessels. To do so, we combined new data obtained through a worldwide media content analysis with a database of piracy incidents that we had developed in the framework of a broader project. Our findings show that fishers—especially those in small‐scale fisheries—are the forgotten victims of piracy. Piracy against fishers occurs much more frequently than existing reporting mechanisms indicate and is geographically widespread, manifesting itself also in areas that are not usually considered piracy ‘hot spots’. Small‐scale fishers bear the brunt of this criminal activity. The accompanying violence and property deprivation generate significant harms for the fishers and their small businesses. At the same time, piracy threatens the socio‐economic sustainability and food security of the fishers' communities. On this basis, we argue for increased awareness of this neglected threat to fishers and their communities and recommend further research, the creation of a targeted monitoring system, and the development of more inclusive policies on contemporary piracy beyond the current focus on the shipping and energy sectors.
{"title":"Are Fishers the Forgotten Victims of Maritime Piracy? An Exploratory Global Analysis","authors":"Bryan C. Peters, Letizia Paoli","doi":"10.1111/faf.70004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70004","url":null,"abstract":"Despite the recent decline of recorded incidents globally, maritime piracy remains a significant problem in many parts of the world. Reflecting global economic inequalities, commercial interests—particularly those of the global shipping and energy sectors—have largely shaped public and academic discourse, as well as policy on piracy and other ‘blue crimes’. In this context, other potential victims, including fishers, have been largely overlooked. In this article, we aim to rebalance the dominant narrative and investigate the scope, characteristics and consequences of piracy targeting fishing vessels. To do so, we combined new data obtained through a worldwide media content analysis with a database of piracy incidents that we had developed in the framework of a broader project. Our findings show that fishers—especially those in small‐scale fisheries—are the forgotten victims of piracy. Piracy against fishers occurs much more frequently than existing reporting mechanisms indicate and is geographically widespread, manifesting itself also in areas that are not usually considered piracy ‘hot spots’. Small‐scale fishers bear the brunt of this criminal activity. The accompanying violence and property deprivation generate significant harms for the fishers and their small businesses. At the same time, piracy threatens the socio‐economic sustainability and food security of the fishers' communities. On this basis, we argue for increased awareness of this neglected threat to fishers and their communities and recommend further research, the creation of a targeted monitoring system, and the development of more inclusive policies on contemporary piracy beyond the current focus on the shipping and energy sectors.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144546965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christopher M. Free, Zoë J. Kitchel, Matthew Seeley, Allison Shields
Quota allocation, which divides fishing catch or effort between regions, sectors, subsectors, individuals, and/or seasons, is one of the most important and contentious processes in fisheries management. Quota allocation policies often aim to advance fairness and equity goals by preserving levels of historical participation and access. However, this reliance on historical patterns makes allocation policies vulnerable to climate change, which is shifting the accessibility of marine resources among historical and new participants. Despite this, there is little guidance on best practices for adapting allocation policies to climate change. In the United States, regional flexibility to design locally relevant allocation policies has innovated a diversity of approaches that can be studied for their climate vulnerability and/or adaptivity. Here, we conduct a systematic review of allocation policies used in U.S. federal fisheries (491 stocks, 42 management plans, 8 regions) and a brief review of allocation policies in international fisheries, which we use to identify best practices for climate‐adaptive quota allocation. We find that allocation policies are used to manage 49% of federally managed stocks. Although most policies are based on historical catch, many include features that promote climate adaptiveness, including the ability to transfer quota between states, sectors, or individuals; adjustment of allocations on the basis of current resource distribution or abundance; set aside of quota to support research and experimentation; and gradual phase‐in of policy changes. Ultimately, we provide eight globally transferable recommendations for improving the ability of allocation policies to advance their fairness and equity goals under climate change.
{"title":"Quota Allocation Policies in U.S. Federal Fisheries Management and Implications for Climate Resilience","authors":"Christopher M. Free, Zoë J. Kitchel, Matthew Seeley, Allison Shields","doi":"10.1111/faf.70000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70000","url":null,"abstract":"Quota allocation, which divides fishing catch or effort between regions, sectors, subsectors, individuals, and/or seasons, is one of the most important and contentious processes in fisheries management. Quota allocation policies often aim to advance fairness and equity goals by preserving levels of historical participation and access. However, this reliance on historical patterns makes allocation policies vulnerable to climate change, which is shifting the accessibility of marine resources among historical and new participants. Despite this, there is little guidance on best practices for adapting allocation policies to climate change. In the United States, regional flexibility to design locally relevant allocation policies has innovated a diversity of approaches that can be studied for their climate vulnerability and/or adaptivity. Here, we conduct a systematic review of allocation policies used in U.S. federal fisheries (491 stocks, 42 management plans, 8 regions) and a brief review of allocation policies in international fisheries, which we use to identify best practices for climate‐adaptive quota allocation. We find that allocation policies are used to manage 49% of federally managed stocks. Although most policies are based on historical catch, many include features that promote climate adaptiveness, including the ability to transfer quota between states, sectors, or individuals; adjustment of allocations on the basis of current resource distribution or abundance; set aside of quota to support research and experimentation; and gradual phase‐in of policy changes. Ultimately, we provide eight globally transferable recommendations for improving the ability of allocation policies to advance their fairness and equity goals under climate change.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144503513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthew L. H. Cheng, Craig A. Marsh, Daniel R. Goethel, Peter‐John F. Hulson, Katy Echave, Benjamin C. Williams, Aaron M. Berger, Curry J. Cunningham
Marine species and associated fisheries demonstrate complex spatial dynamics driven by biological, ecosystem and socioeconomic factors and integrating these spatial dynamics into stock assessment models can improve fishery management advice. While preliminary good practices for developing spatial stock assessment models have been proposed, comprehensive demonstrations applying these practices remain limited. Drawing on these good practices, we provide an end‐to‐end demonstration of developing a spatial stock assessment using Alaska sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria). Our demonstration emphasises the utility of high‐resolution data analysis and conceptual models for informing key model structure decisions, the joint development of spatial and spatially‐aggregated models to enhance understanding of population dynamics, and the need for further guidance on integrating tagging data and diagnostic tools in spatial assessments. Spatial models highlighted regional differences in sablefish biomass, recruitment and age structure, but total population estimates generally aligned with outputs from spatially aggregated models. Moreover, the spatial model identified ontogenetic movement patterns for this highly mobile species. Overall, the spatially aggregated model for Alaska sablefish is likely adequate for management advice, but periodic spatial model updates could offer insights into spatial dynamics and regional depletion levels. Thus, we recommend concomitant use of both models: spatially aggregated models for informing population‐wide status, and spatial models for informing spatial fishery dynamics and local depletion. The sablefish application represents one of the first implementations of a spatial stock assessment using recently proposed good practices, serving as a valuable guide for future practitioners by underscoring critical decision points and analyses to address them when developing spatial stock assessments.
{"title":"Panmictic Panacea? Demonstrating Good Practices for Developing Spatial Stock Assessments Through Application to Alaska Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria)","authors":"Matthew L. H. Cheng, Craig A. Marsh, Daniel R. Goethel, Peter‐John F. Hulson, Katy Echave, Benjamin C. Williams, Aaron M. Berger, Curry J. Cunningham","doi":"10.1111/faf.70002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70002","url":null,"abstract":"Marine species and associated fisheries demonstrate complex spatial dynamics driven by biological, ecosystem and socioeconomic factors and integrating these spatial dynamics into stock assessment models can improve fishery management advice. While preliminary good practices for developing spatial stock assessment models have been proposed, comprehensive demonstrations applying these practices remain limited. Drawing on these good practices, we provide an end‐to‐end demonstration of developing a spatial stock assessment using Alaska sablefish (<jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"><jats:italic>Anoplopoma fimbria</jats:italic></jats:styled-content>). Our demonstration emphasises the utility of high‐resolution data analysis and conceptual models for informing key model structure decisions, the joint development of spatial and spatially‐aggregated models to enhance understanding of population dynamics, and the need for further guidance on integrating tagging data and diagnostic tools in spatial assessments. Spatial models highlighted regional differences in sablefish biomass, recruitment and age structure, but total population estimates generally aligned with outputs from spatially aggregated models. Moreover, the spatial model identified ontogenetic movement patterns for this highly mobile species. Overall, the spatially aggregated model for Alaska sablefish is likely adequate for management advice, but periodic spatial model updates could offer insights into spatial dynamics and regional depletion levels. Thus, we recommend concomitant use of both models: spatially aggregated models for informing population‐wide status, and spatial models for informing spatial fishery dynamics and local depletion. The sablefish application represents one of the first implementations of a spatial stock assessment using recently proposed good practices, serving as a valuable guide for future practitioners by underscoring critical decision points and analyses to address them when developing spatial stock assessments.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144479203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stefano Moro, Salvatore Valente, Martina Arcioni, Fabio Falsone, Danilo Scannella, Michele Luca Geraci, Manfredi Di Lorenzo, Giacomo Milisenda, Fabrizio Serena, Francesco Colloca
Mediterranean elasmobranchs are experiencing significant declines due to intense fishing activities, making the region a global hotspot for elasmobranch conservation concerns. These declines are worsened by limited fisheries data, constraining stock assessments and evidence‐based management. Demographic models based on life history parameters (e.g., survival rate, age‐at‐maturity, litter size and longevity) offer critical alternatives for estimating population productivity in data‐poor contexts. In this study, we estimated the intrinsic rate of population increase () for 82 stocks across 51 species of Mediterranean sharks and rays to assess their relative capacity for recovery under hypothetical sustainable exploitation scenarios. Using demographic modelling and updated life history data, we provide a comparative analysis of species‐specific productivity and identify those with the lowest recovery potential. Many IUCN‐listed threatened species exhibited very low rebound potential, highlighting their vulnerability to fishing. Significant data gaps, especially for pelagic and deep‐sea taxa, underscore the need for targeted life history research. Our results also showed how the rebound potential can provide valuable insight for data‐deficient species, supporting informed assessments with limited biological input. Furthermore, we confirmed that age‐at‐maturity is a valid proxy of when other parameters are unavailable. This study delivers a comprehensive, regional‐scale productivity baseline for Mediterranean elasmobranchs, providing essential input for prioritising species‐specific conservation actions, guiding fishery policy development and improving regional compliance with international conservation frameworks. By addressing critical data limitations, our approach enhances the scientific foundation necessary for the sustainable management and recovery of shark and ray populations in the Mediterranean Sea.
{"title":"Living on the Extinction Edge: Resilience to Fishing and Rebound Potential of the Mediterranean Elasmobranchs","authors":"Stefano Moro, Salvatore Valente, Martina Arcioni, Fabio Falsone, Danilo Scannella, Michele Luca Geraci, Manfredi Di Lorenzo, Giacomo Milisenda, Fabrizio Serena, Francesco Colloca","doi":"10.1111/faf.12911","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12911","url":null,"abstract":"Mediterranean elasmobranchs are experiencing significant declines due to intense fishing activities, making the region a global hotspot for elasmobranch conservation concerns. These declines are worsened by limited fisheries data, constraining stock assessments and evidence‐based management. Demographic models based on life history parameters (e.g., survival rate, age‐at‐maturity, litter size and longevity) offer critical alternatives for estimating population productivity in data‐poor contexts. In this study, we estimated the intrinsic rate of population increase () for 82 stocks across 51 species of Mediterranean sharks and rays to assess their relative capacity for recovery under hypothetical sustainable exploitation scenarios. Using demographic modelling and updated life history data, we provide a comparative analysis of species‐specific productivity and identify those with the lowest recovery potential. Many IUCN‐listed threatened species exhibited very low rebound potential, highlighting their vulnerability to fishing. Significant data gaps, especially for pelagic and deep‐sea taxa, underscore the need for targeted life history research. Our results also showed how the rebound potential can provide valuable insight for data‐deficient species, supporting informed assessments with limited biological input. Furthermore, we confirmed that age‐at‐maturity is a valid proxy of when other parameters are unavailable. This study delivers a comprehensive, regional‐scale productivity baseline for Mediterranean elasmobranchs, providing essential input for prioritising species‐specific conservation actions, guiding fishery policy development and improving regional compliance with international conservation frameworks. By addressing critical data limitations, our approach enhances the scientific foundation necessary for the sustainable management and recovery of shark and ray populations in the Mediterranean Sea.","PeriodicalId":169,"journal":{"name":"Fish and Fisheries","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144488743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：