Fisheries Management and Ecology最新文献

Catch-and-release angling is common in recreational fisheries, but post-release mortality (PRM) may be high. We conducted a controlled field experiment to estimate mortality of released snapper Chrysophrys auratus. Recreational fishers caught 960 snapper from three depth strata (<15, 15–25, 26–40 m) that were either lip-hooked, foul-hooked or gut-hooked. A bottom longline vessel caught 162 lip-hooked fish in shallow water to serve as controls. Fish were held in 15-m deep holding nets. All control fish and 80% of treatment fish survived, with anatomical hook site and capture depth significantly predicting mortality. Probability of mortality was lowest for lip-hooked fish in shallow water (5 m = 0.00, 95% CI [0.00, 0.03]), but increased rapidly to 20 m (0.24, 95% CI [0.2, 0.3]). Mortality of foul-hooked fish increased steadily with depth from 0.05 (95% CI [0.00, 0.78]) at 5 m to 0.65 (95% CI [0.13, 0.96]) at 40 m. Gut-hooking resulted in high mortality at all depths but a low sample size resulted in high uncertainty of estimates. Our results indicate that snapper PRM can be reduced by fishing in shallow water and by mitigating gut-hooking, possibly by using large circle hooks.

In the high seas, regional fishery management organisations are required to implement measures to prevent significant adverse impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). Our objectives were to develop habitat suitability models for use in the spatial management of bottom fisheries in the South Pacific and to evaluate these and existing models using independent data from high-quality seafloor imagery. Presence-only models for seven VME indictor taxa were developed to complement previous modelling. Evaluation of habitat suitability models using withheld data indicated high mean True Skill Statistic scores of 0.44–0.64. Most habitat suitability models performed adequately when assessed with independent data on taxon presence and absence but were poor surrogates for abundance. We therefore advocate caution when using presence-only models for spatial management and call for more systematically collected data to develop abundance models.

The use of Pop-up Satellite Archival Tags (PSATs) has provided considerable new information about the behaviour of migrating (silver) eels (Anguilla spp.) at sea, with 9 of 19 recognised species or subspecies tagged to date. However, such studies often reported premature tag detachment and relatively high rates of predation. Since 2000, several PSAT-tagged New Zealand longfin eels, Anguilla dieffenbachii, were released to understand migratory behaviour and location of potential spawning grounds. Of 20 PSAT-tagged eels released in 2019, all tags detached prematurely, but 7 (58%) were likely eaten or injured by predators 1–81 days after release. Two eels were probably eaten by sperm whales, whereas other tagged eels were likely eaten by lamniform and non-lamniform sharks, and southern bluefin tuna. Because of the high rate of predation, we recommend that future releases should be from smaller catchments or offshore.

Blackfin tuna Thunnus atlanticus often inhabits warm waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from 40°N (Cape Cod, USA) to 22°S (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). We recorded the first catches of the species in southern Brazil (34°S) and described its new distribution and fishing grounds. Since 2007, annual catches per trip and frequency of blackfin tuna landings increased for three oceanic fishing fleets in Southern Brazil. The spatial distribution of higher catches and the center of gravity of spatial fishing records moved poleward. Sea surface temperature anomalies for the region warmed from 1960 to 2019, and anomalies were primarily positive after 2000. Evidence suggests that the distribution of blackfin tuna moved poleward by six degrees of latitude (~660 km). The causes of this distribution extension were unclear, but ocean warming was the most likely driver.

Catch-and-release (C&R) angling is often used to maintain high catch rates but fish vulnerability to capture may decrease following hooking, thereby decreasing angler catch per unit effort (CPUE) (hyperdepletion). To determine if fish post-capture response affected recapture probability and population-level CPUE, individual capture histories of Largemouth Bass in two lakes were compared before and after doubling angling effort in a Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) analysis. Previous capture and day-of-season both affected recapture probability. Counteracting effects of previous capture and reduced late-season catch rates caused no hyperdepletion of angler CPUE. Our results highlight the complexity of fish behavioral responses to angling and suggest that hyperdepletion of angling catch rates may not be an issue in C&R fisheries.

The marine fisheries of Bangladesh have experienced an uncontrolled expansion of fishing over the last few decades. Consequently, most fish stocks became vulnerable to overfishing. Similar to many other fisheries, catch of white sardine (Escualosa thoracata) is rapidly declining. Therefore, three data-limited approaches (length-based Bayesian biomass analysis, LBB; length-based spawning potential ratio, LB-SPR; and Froese's length-based indicators, LBIs) were used to estimate growth, mortality, and fisheries reference points to evaluate stock status of the white sardine fishery. Results revealed that the fishery is being overfished: F/M = 1.32 years⁻¹ in LBB and 6.67 years⁻¹ in LB-SPR. However, the stock biomass is still good with B/B₀ = 0.43 and B/B_MSY = 1.20. Stock indicators revealed that the fishery was mainly targeting mature fishes, most of which were mega-spawners (older, larger fish), which suggested stocks were recruitment overfished. Harvesting an optimum size range (6.57 to 8.03 cm) and reducing fishing mortality to a sustainable level (F = M) would sustain a healthy stock biomass.

Management of crustacean fisheries is often data-limited, and techniques used in finfish fisheries are often inappropriate for crustaceans due to life-history differences. Limitations in modeling capacity and data availability make it difficult to determine the status of crustacean stocks using model-based biological reference points (BRPs), but BRPs are a key component of successful fisheries management. Using crustacean fishery case studies depicting model-based and empirical management strategies, we synthesized the current state of crustacean fisheries management with respect to data availability and use of management controls. Input and output controls can be successful with supplemental BRPs, but whatever methods are used must explicitly consider species' unique life-history characteristics. In data-limited fisheries, output controls can effectively conserve a species under high levels of exploitation. Implementation of discrete BRPs can improve sustainability of both emerging and data-rich crustacean fisheries, to make these quantitative metrics a valuable tool for crustacean management globally.