A facial recognition tool and legislative changes for improved enforcement of the CITES Appendix II listing of the humphead wrasse,Cheilinus undulatus

1. Humphead, or Napoleon, wrasse, (Cheilinus undulatus), is a large reef fish naturally vulnerable to over‐exploitation and highly prized as luxury seafood. It is predominantly consumed in Hong Kong and mainland China. Hong Kong is the global trade hub for this species. In 2004 (effective 2005), the humphead wrasse was listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II that substantially improved understanding and management of the species although illegal, unregulated and/or undocumented trade (IUU) continues.
2. To understand patterns of trade in humphead wrasse, evaluate implementation of the CITES listing and identify ways to tackle IUU, especially in Hong Kong, data from multiple sources, including government databases between 1999 and 2017 and independent retail surveys between 2014 and 2017, were compiled.
3. IUU trade into and through Hong Kong was detected, but declined following increased government enforcement in 2016. Nonetheless, fish numbers on sale continue to exceed imports with CITES permits and mainland China only sparsely reports imports of the species. Approximately 0.5–1.5 metric tonnes were traded internationally annually.
4. Several legislative loopholes undermine enforcement into and within Hong Kong, including poor oversight of live fish carrier vessels and air imports, excessively long validity period for Licences to Possess in the city, non‐compliant traders, and legislative exemptions or omissions. The introduction of a ranched fish category in 2018 by Indonesia created additional challenges. More intelligence and risk analyses could help enforcers target their work.
5. A major enforcement challenge is the inability to distinguish legally from illegally imported fish within Hong Kong. To improve fish tracking, identifying individuals using their complex facial patterns as fingerprints was explored; proof‐of‐concept was demonstrated using a mobile phone application: Saving Face. Facial marks were determined to be long‐lasting and different enough to distinguish among multiple individuals.

     

Opportunities and challenges for analysis of wildlife trade using CITES data – seahorses as a case study

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Diversity and functional importance of coral-feeding fishes on tropical coral reefs

Fishes that feed from live corals (corallivores) are a conspicuous component of healthy coral reef environments. However, knowledge of the occurrence and ecological significance of this feeding mode is fragmentary. Historically, very few fish were considered capable of feeding from live coral, and those few that did were considered ecologically insignificant. More recently, the role of corallivores has been re-evaluated; published records document 128 corallivorous fish species from 11 different families, with 69 of these belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. Other families, including the Labridae, Tetraodontidae, Balistidae, Monacanthidae, Pomacentridae and Scaridae, all have between seven and ten coral-feeding species. One-third of coral-feeding fishes feed almost exclusively on corals, with more than 80% of their diet based on coral. Corallivorous fish show distinct prey preferences and consume only a small subset of available corals, usually the genera Acropora , Pocillopora and Porites . This selective predation by corallivores can limit abundance and distribution of preferred corals. Chronic predation by corallivores may also exacerbate effects of coral disturbance (e.g. climate-induced coral bleaching), impeding reef recovery and causing further coral loss. Conversely, the cover of preferred corals can be a primary determinant of corallivore abundance and physiological condition. Owing to this close association, obligate corallivores invariably decline in response to loss of coral cover. Increased knowledge of the number of corallivores and their diets suggest that this feeding mode is more important to coral reef food webs than traditionally thought.     

Assessing East African trade in seahorse species as a basis for conservation under international controls

• 1. Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.), many of which are listed as Vulnerable or Endangered on the IUCN Red List, are traded worldwide as souvenirs, aquarium fish and, primarily, for use in traditional medicines. Given concern over the sustainability of this trade, the genus was added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in May 2004.
• 2. This paper reports findings of the first ever survey of seahorse trade in Africa, conducted in Kenya and Tanzania in May and June 2000.
• 3. Seahorse trade in Kenya was found to be negligible, with approximately 10 live seahorses exported as aquarium fish annually. Until 1998, however, Kenya may have imported somewhere from 1 to 2.3 t of dried seahorses annually from Tanzania for re‐export to Asian medicine markets. Seahorse trade in Tanzania remained substantial, with at least 630–930 kg of dried seahorse exported directly to Asia each year.
• 4. Accounts of declines in seahorse availability and seahorse size, although few in number, could be early warning signs that wild populations are suffering, at least locally. Close monitoring of future developments in the trade will be essential to allow for timely conservation action as and when necessary, and would contribute to our understanding of the ecological and economical implications of small‐scale, non‐food fisheries.

Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Examining the impact of CITES listing of sharks and rays in Southeast Asian fisheries

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. However, measuring the effectiveness and impacts of these trade regulations for commercially exploited aquatic species remains challenging. This study highlights observed or documented changes in elasmobranch fisheries in eight Southeast Asian countries before and after the listing of sharks and rays in CITES’ Appendix II, and the influence of CITES across five pillars or sectors of a “fishery assessment framework” developed especially for this purpose. Fisheries experts reported change was most common in the “governance” (e.g., policy, regulation and compliance) and “fisher(y)” sectors (e.g., structure and effort) of the assessment framework. The smallest change was recorded in “markets” (e.g., structures and prices) and “sociocultural” sectors (e.g., consumption, livelihoods and community awareness). Overall, the study demonstrates a measurable, albeit small, mostly positive influence of CITES in five of eight countries, while noting predominantly negative influences across two, and ongoing challenges for all in maintaining legal trade of these CITES‐listed species. The study concludes by offering guidance on future needs: most notably, more effort for long‐term collection of fundamental fisher‐, stock‐ and market‐related data to inform adaptive management and facilitation of legal trade where it is shown to be sustainable. Furthermore, as many of the shark and ray species under CITES provisions are transboundary stocks, increased support for communication and cooperation among regional fishery stakeholders is an ongoing need.     

Coral reef organisms as bioregion indicators off Halmahera,Moluccas, Indonesia

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Fisheries,large‐scale trade,and conservation of seahorses in Malaysia and Thailand

• 1. All seahorse species (genus Hippocampus) are listed under CITES Appendix II, requiring that exports of these fishes must be regulated for sustainability. Preliminary trade surveys and anecdotal reports suggested Malaysia and Thailand represented an important source for seahorses used globally in traditional medicine, curios, and aquarium display, but few historic trade or fisheries data are available. Baseline information about pre‐CITES catch and trade is essential for managing seahorse fisheries and trade under CITES, and for understanding present‐day effects of CITES regulation on the seahorse trade.
• 2. In 1998–1999, seahorse fisheries and trade in both countries were assessed by interviewing participants at many levels of the trade and corroborating those surveys with official trade documents.
• 3. Seahorses were found to be landed primarily as trawl bycatch. Malaysia's catch of 2900 kg year^?1 was less than the estimated domestic consumption (5500–6000 kg year^?1), whereas Thailand's catch of 6600 kg year^?1 apparently far exceeded domestic consumption (～520 kg year^?1).
• 4. Both countries imported seahorses from and exported to other Asian nations. Import statistics from Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan recorded maximum annual trade from Malaysia at 1280 kg year^?1. Trade surveys indicated that Thailand exported at least 5000 kg annually (similar to the estimation of catch), but national Customs records reported 10 500 kg year^?1 in exports, supported by official import records from Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan which indicated that Thailand was the source of up to 11 400 kg year^?1.
• 5. Fishers and traders in both countries reported decreasing availability of seahorses, raising conservation concerns. These apparent declines, in combination with substantial domestic consumption, point towards the challenges that Malaysia and Thailand face in establishing sustainable levels of exports under CITES. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Scleractinian coral communities of the inner Seychelles 10 years after the 1998 mortality event

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Diversity and origins of giant guitarfish and wedgefish products in Singapore

1. Giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegidae) and wedgefishes (Rhinidae) are some of the most threatened marine taxa in the world, with 15 of the 16 known species exhibiting global population declines and categorized as Critically Endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The recent inclusion of all species in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) necessitates more rigorous enforcement by regulatory authorities.
2. Challenges in regulating the trade of giant guitarfish and wedgefish products due to difficulties in visual identification of processed products and labelling issues impede enforcement. The aim of this study is to characterize the diversity and origins of associated traded products that were commercially available in Singapore, one of the world's top importers and re-exporters of shark and ray products.
3. A total of 176 samples of elasmobranch products were obtained between June and December 2019 from fishery ports and various retailers in Singapore. By applying cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene barcoding, 31 elasmobranch species were detected, with 55% of the species considered threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable) based on the IUCN Red List and 35% of species listed in CITES Appendix II. Four species of giant guitarfishes and wedgefishes were commercially available to consumers in fresh forms of whole fish, fillet, and fin, as well as dried and cooked meats.
4. DNA barcoding has proven to be an effective tool for identifying elasmobranch products that are impossible to recognize visually and would aid enforcement of CITES trade regulations. This work underscores the urgent need to step up enforcement of marine wildlife regulations and draw public attention to the elasmobranch trade.

     

深圳海域造礁石珊瑚分布特点与多样性

2015年7月,采用国际通用的截线样带法对大亚湾海域的造礁石珊瑚进行普查,并采用ShannonWeaver多样性指数(H')和均匀度指数(J)分析大亚湾海域造礁石珊瑚多样性情况,通过统计造礁石珊瑚覆盖率、死亡率、白化率和基底岩石、碎石、沙子覆盖率来分析大亚湾海域石珊瑚分布特点。结果表明:调查海域共记录54种珊瑚,调查海域主要优势种珊瑚以块状居多,主要为厚板页表孔珊瑚(Montipora incrassata)、团状滨珊瑚(Porites lobata)、隐形角菊珊瑚(Favites abdita)。统计分析数据表明:西涌海域所获珊瑚覆盖率(55%±3%)、多样性(3.039)都较高,但近期珊瑚白化率也较高(6%±2%);东山海域珊瑚覆盖率(13%±2%)、多样性(0.618)均最低。调查海域整体珊瑚覆盖度较高达到41.15%,最高覆盖率为55%,最低覆盖率仅为13%,覆盖度差异较大,近3年内珊瑚死亡率较高,建议加强大亚湾海域珊瑚生态系统的保护。     

珊瑚礁生态系统中造礁石珊瑚退化原因分析与维护技术进展

珊瑚对环境要求较高,温度、盐度、pH、重金属、悬浮泥沙、紫外线等因素都可能造成珊瑚的退化.又因为造礁石珊瑚是现代珊瑚礁的框架,本研究首先基于造礁石珊瑚的生存状况及其与珊瑚礁生态系统的密切关系,分析了其退化原因及可能产生的后果,进而从珊瑚礁生物增殖放流、人工养殖移植技术、相关功能基因研究、科学有效的监测管理等多个角度,综...     

Quantifying acceptable levels of visitor use on Red Sea reef flats

• 1. The effects of trampling by visitors walking over the reef flat to snorkel or swim along the reef edge were studied at Ras Um Sidd, a popular fringing reef site at Sharm El Sheikh, and in the Ras Mohammed National Park, South Sinai, Egypt. Twelve stations showed a sequence of events linked to increased frequency and extent of trampling, with the intensities of trampling ranging from 0.1 to 324 tramplers m^?2 yr^?1.
• 2. Heavily trampled stations had a reduced coral cover (in particular branching corals), higher amounts of coral damage, less old dead coral, less obligate corallivorous fishes and more herbivores.
• 3. Wave exposure was crucial in determining the susceptibility of coral communities to trampling. Exposed communities were dominated by branching corals and were mechanically more resistant, since wave stress had favoured stockier growth forms.
• 4. The applicability of the ‘carrying capacity concept’ was investigated as a management tool for determining how much use is sustainable. Examination of the relationship between hard coral cover and intensity of trampling suggested that carrying capacity could be set at approximately 50 tramplers m^?2 yr^?1. The actual amount of damage caused by trampling showed a linear increase with increasing trampling intensities, so that the carrying capacity concept, as defined in this study, was not applicable to the relationship since no threshold existed. Instead, the ‘limits of acceptable change’ approach would be more practicable, with managers deciding what amount of coral damage they permit before limiting access. To establish meaningful limits of change, more knowledge is required about ecological as well as social consequences (e.g. visitor satisfaction) of such limits.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Applying forest restoration principles to coral reef rehabilitation

• 1. Forest restoration through silviculture (gardening) programs revives productivity, biodiversity, and stability. As in silviculture approaches, the coral ‘gardening’ strategy is based on a two‐step protocol.
• 2. The first step deals with the establishment of in situ and/or ex situ coral nurseries in which corals are farmed (originating from two types of source material: asexual [ramets, nubbins], and sexual [planula larvae, spat] recruits).
• 3. The second is the reef rehabilitation step, where maricultured colonies are transplanted into degraded sites.
• 4. We compare here the rationale of forest restoration to coral reef ecosystem restoration by evaluating major key criteria. As in silviculture programs, a sustainable mariculture operation that focuses on the prime structural component of the reef (‘gardening’ with corals) may promote the persistence of threatened coral populations, as well as that of other reef taxa, thus maintaining genetic diversity. In chronically degrading reef sites this may facilitate a halt in biodiversity depletion.
• 5. Within the current theoretical framework of ecosystem restoration, the recovery of biodiversity indices is considered a core element since a rich species diversity provides higher ecosystem resilience to disturbances.
• 6. The gardening measure may also be implemented worldwide, eliminating the need to extract existing colonies for transplantation operations. At degraded reef sites, the coral gardening strategy can assist in managing human and non‐human stakeholders' requirements as is done in forest management.

Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries to Manage Areas for Farming Coral Reef Fish and Invertebrates for the Aquarium Trade

Reef fish, corals, and other marine invertebrate species associated with coral reefs need to be managed in a sustainable manner to halt destructive fishing in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries. As part of the Coastal Communities Empowerment Project, the International Marinelife Alliance (IMA) plans to implement Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURFs) to help manage municipal waters; while creating alternative livelihoods for small-scale fishermen and their families. Changes to the Local Government Code allow Philippine municipal councils to regulate fishing and mariculture in waters within 15km from shore. The councils can lease TURFs to local fisherfolk and prevent their use by those outside the community. The IMA plans to help create several types of TURFs. These include TURFs used by aquarium-fish collectors, for rearing giant clams, and for farming live rock and coral fragments. The TURFs are part of a larger strategy to conserve marine biodiversity, protect and restore marine habitats, and promote sustainable use of marine resources by local people. Fish and invertebrates harvested from the TURFs will be used in programs to restore marine habitats and to generate income from exports that supply the aquarium trade.     

Informing CITES Parties: Strengthening science‐based decision‐making when listing marine species

International trade in vulnerable marine species is regulated once they are listed in CITES Appendices (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Parties to the Convention submit proposal(s) 150 days prior to the CITES Conference for voting on the inclusion of new species in Appendices I and II, making a case for why CITES listing criteria are met in each case. Before the vote, Parties receive advice from (a) the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, (b) the International Union for Conservation of Nature—TRAFFIC and (c) the CITES Secretariat, among others. This paper offers an expert review of listing processes, which are the subject of much debate in fishery and environment‐protection communities, looking at two specific cases: silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis, Carcharhinidae) and bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus, Alopiidae). The reviewers determine that the evidence made available to voting Parties is substantial, but suffers from non‐standard presentation across assessments. The best available data are not always presented or described transparently in relation to CITES criteria. An extension of the assessment period, as well as the opportunity to refute evidence, has been suggested as ways to support more informed and effective decision‐making by CITES Parties, whose composition of delegations varies greatly in their experience of marine species management and trade. Experts welcomed a greater coherence of advice between fishery and non‐fishery sources in the long term, and proposed a range of suggested improvements for the delivery of information and advice to CITES Parties.     

Quantifying the rare: Baselines for the endangered Napoleon Wrasse,Cheilinus undulatus,and implications for conservation

1. The Napoleon wrasse, an endangered fish (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II, 2004), is a valuable component of the Chinese live reef fish trade. Only Indonesia legally exports up to 2000 Napoleon fish annually, with each fish weighing between 1 and 3 kg.
2. Information on natural abundance and fish sizes was required to determine sustainable export quotas. Hence, an underwater visual survey method, using GPS‐based multi‐kilometre transects, was tailored for this uncommon wide‐ranging fish. Transects totalling 430 km were run between 2005 and 2016 at nine locations. Six locations were resurveyed between six and nine years later, which was long enough to allow for recruitment and maturation.
3. Fish density and sizes across locations were inversely related to fishing intensity, and densities increased significantly between surveys. Low density (0.04‐0.86 fish hectare^‐1) and few adult‐sized fish were in heavily fished locations. Higher densities occurred (0.86‐4.0 fish hectare^‐1) in lightly/unfished locations, where evidence of recruitment was also seen. Nowhere were many male-sized (>1 m long) fish present. At Karas Is., where fishing ceased between surveys, clear sign of recovery was seen after 9 years.
4. Comparison of survey data from 11 Indo‐Pacific countries indicated that in Indonesia adult densities were lower at comparable levels of fishing pressure than elsewhere. Densities of 5 fish hectare^?1 or more are more typical of lightly fished or unfished areas across the Pacific, which is greater than the highest density of 4 fish hectare^?1 noted in this study at Banda Islands. Low densities of the species, despite the presence of adult‐sized fish, in Bunaken Marine Park probably reflects the continuance of fishing both within and adjacent to the park.
5. Conservation options include improved implementation of CITES regulations by Indonesia, through tighter export controls and the tagging of legally exported fish, the activation of the National Plan of Action, a temporary moratorium to restore reproductive capacity, and more marine protected areas.

     

Profile of the Marine Aquarium Fish Trade in Hong Kong

A market survey and review of government statistics were carried out to establish imports and exports of marine ornamental fishes into and out of Hong Kong, and to examine the local trade in terms of volume, value and species composition. Official government import figures for marine aquarium fishes were available from 1984 to 1991 and from 1997 and 1998. When compared with net imports, export and re-export volumes over the 15-year period were small, indicating that most imports entered the local market, or were exported unrecorded. The market survey of marine aquarium shops in Hong Kong was carried out between August 1996 and January 1997. From this survey, an annual estimate of 957,563 coral reef fish was calculated for the local trade, valued at HK$57,453,780, with a mean retail price of HK$60 per fish. These figures account for an estimated 2–3% of the global value and volume of marine aquarium fish trade, according to 1992 figures and, compared with government figures, indicate that official declarations of imports are underreported by at least 2–3 fold. A total of 342 marine aquarium fish species, from 49 families, were recorded with about 60% belonging to the families Labridae, Chaetodontidae, Pomacanthidae and Pomacentridae. It was estimated that a large proportion of the trade was in juvenile fishes and almost all fish were less than 10cm in standard length. It was common to see fishes in poor condition, species hard to maintain in captivity, or those listed for conservation concern, on sale. There are no regulations for local traders of live marine fishes other than those relating to either protected species or animal welfare. Licensing of traders in marine fishes could be introduced under existing Hong Kong legislation if fishes were to be re-classified as animals. This is strongly recommended as a step towards regulating and managing the trade in Hong Kong.     

Assessment of coral reefs using herbivory/nutrient assays and indicator groups of benthic primary producers: a critical synthesis,proposed protocols,and critique of management strategies

• 1. Rapid assessment protocols for determining and monitoring the status of any given coral reef are provided and include measuring: (a) standing stocks of functional indicator groups, (b) herbivore populations, (c) water‐column nutrient levels, (d) tissue C:N:P ratios, (e) algal physiological‐response assays, and (f) herbivory assays. These measurements can reveal quantitative tipping‐point levels beyond which resilience to undesirable phase shifts begins to become critically reduced. Universal tipping‐point approximations are reviewed for inorganic nutrients, and posited for the first time for herbivory.
• 2. The relative roles of top‐down and bottom‐up controls in determining benthic community structure and the health of coral reefs are especially important management concerns. This paper specifically addresses the top‐down effects of herbivory and bottom‐up effects of nutrient enrichment on critical indicator groups, i.e. reef‐building corals, crustose coralline algae, dense turf algae and frondose macroalgae.
• 3. A predominance of (a) massive corals and calcareous coralline algae relative to frondose macroalgae and algal turfs indicates a healthy spatially heterogeneous condition reflecting low nutrients and high herbivory. An abundance of (b) frondose macroalgae illustrates the least desirable condition of elevated nutrient levels and reduced herbivory, possibly reflecting pollution in concert with destructive herbivore fishing practices. High coverage of (c) coralline algae suggests healthy high herbivory levels, but problems with elevated nutrients that are inhibitory to some corals. Domination by (d) dense turf algae indicates desirably low nutrient levels, but an inadequate herbivory component.
• 4. The fast growth and turnover rates of fleshy algae compared to other reef organisms highlight their value as early warning indicators of reef degradation.
• 5. From a management perspective, levels of herbivory and nutrients rank among the most useful quantitative indicators of coral reef resilience; whereas, the degree of degradation and mortality are inferred from the above functional indicator groups of benthic primary producers.

Published in 2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coral community decline at a remote Caribbean island: marine no‐take reserves are not enough

• 1. Coral reefs around the world have been deteriorating over decades owing to anthropogenic pressure. In the Caribbean recent rates of decline are alarming, particularly for coral reefs under high local human impact, many of which are severely degraded, although regions with lower direct anthropogenic influence seem less affected.
• 2. Little Cayman is a relatively undeveloped island, with less than 150 permanent residents. About 20% of its reefs have been protected by no‐take marine reserves since the mid‐1980s. We analysed the dynamics of coral communities around the island from 1999 to 2004 in order to test the hypothesis that a lack of major local anthropogenic disturbances is enough to prevent decline of coral populations.
• 3. Live hard coral coverage, coral diversity, abundance, mortality, size, and prevalence of disease and bleaching were measured using the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment methodology (line transects) at nine sites. Despite the apparent undisturbed condition of the island, a 40% relative reduction of mean live coral coverage (from 26% to 16%, absolute change was 10%) was recorded in five years. Mean mortality varied from year to year from 23% to 27%. Overall mean diameter and height have decreased between 6% and 15% on average (from 47 to 40 cm for diameter, and from 31 to 29 cm for height).
• 4. The relative abundance of large reef builders of the genus Montastraea decreased, while that of smaller corals of the genera Agaricia and Porites increased. Disease prevalence has increased over time, and at least one relatively large bleaching event (affecting 10% of the corals) took place in 2003.
• 5. Mean live coral cover decline was similar inside (from 29% to 19%) and outside (from 24% to 14%) marine no‐take reserves. No significant difference in disease prevalence or clear pattern in bleaching frequency was observed between protected and non‐protected areas. It is concluded that more comprehensive management strategies are needed in order to effectively protect coral communities from degradation.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.