A tale of two seas: a meta‐analysis of crustacean stocks in the NE Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea

Meta‐analysis of marine biological resources can elucidate general trends and patterns to inform scientists and improve management. Crustacean stocks are indispensable for European and global fisheries; however, studies of their aggregate development have been rare and confined to smaller spatial and temporal scales compared to fish stocks. Here, we study the aggregate development of 63 NE Atlantic and Mediterranean crustacean stocks of six species (Nephrops norvegicus, Pandalus borealis, Parapenaeus longirostris, Aristeus antennatus, Aristaeomorpha foliacea and Squilla mantis) in 1990–2013 using biomass index data from official stock assessments. We implemented a dynamic factor analysis (DFA) to identify common underlying trends in biomass indices and investigate the correlation with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. The analysis revealed increasing and decreasing trends in the northern and southern NE Atlantic, respectively, and stable or slowly increasing trends in the Mediterranean, which were not related to NAO. A separate meta‐analysis of the fishing mortality (F) and biomass (B) of 39 analytically assessed crustacean stocks was also carried out to explore their development relative to MSY. NE Atlantic crustacean stocks have been exploited on average close to F_MSY and remained well above B_MSY in 1995–2013, while Mediterranean stocks have been exploited 2–4 times above F_MSY in 2002–2012. Aggregate trends of European crustacean stocks are somewhat opposite to trends of fish stocks, suggesting possible cascading effects. This study highlights the two‐speed fisheries management performance in the northern and southern European seas, despite most stocks being managed in the context of the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy.     

我国东、黄海鲐鱼灯光围网渔业CPUE标准化研究

日本鲐是我国近海重要的中上层鱼类资源之一,评估其资源量需要对单位捕捞努力量渔获量（CPUE）进行标准化。影响CPUE标准化的因素很多，包括季节、区域和海洋环境等。本文利用广义线型模型（GLM）和广义加性模型（GAM），结合时空、捕捞船、表温等因子，对1998-2006年东、黄海大型灯光围网渔业鲐鱼CPUE进行标准化，并评价各因子对CPUE的影响。首先应用GLM模型评价时间、空间、环境以及捕捞渔船参数对CPUE的影响，并确定显著性变量。其次，将显著性变量逐一加入GAM模型，根据Akaike信息法则（AIC），选择最优的GAM模型。最后，利用最优的GAM模型对CPUE标准化，并定量分析时间、空间、环境以及捕捞渔船参数对鲐鱼CPUE的影响。GLM模型结果表明：8个变量对CPUE有重要影响，依次为年、船队、船队与年的交互效应、月、船队与月份的交换效应、经度、纬度和海表温。根据AIC，包含上述8个显著性变量的GAM模型为最优模型，对CPUE偏差的解释为27.78%。GAM模型结果表明：高CPUE分别出现在夏季海表温为28～31 ℃的东海中部和冬季海表温为12～16 ℃的黄海；1998-2006年，标准化后的CPUE呈逐年下降趋势，与持续增长的捕捞努力量有关。     

Reconciling poverty alleviation with reduction in fisheries capacity: boat aid in post-tsunami Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract  The tremendous loss of life and assets resulting from the 2004 tsunami dealt a devastating blow to the coastal communities of Aceh Province, Indonesia. An assessment of the fishing fleet structure pre- and post-tsunami, including associated pattern in boat aid, in 15 coastal communities was conducted and compared with data on boat relief efforts over 17 districts of the Province. Aid was found to be not proportionally allocated to losses incurred by communities and was in many cases below what could be seen as a trend toward overcapacity. The distribution of aid appeared to be done without consideration of the former structure of the fleet, which changed significantly over time (pre- and post-tsunami), and resulted in a new fleet of reduced diversity with a strong focus on the smaller boat categories. If this situation perpetuates after the initial post-disaster period, it may further exacerbate the pre-existing economic and geographic marginalisation of some remote communities, and reduce the capacities of the fleets to diversify and develop multi-species harvesting strategies; thus, increasing the risk of ecologically unsustainable exploitation in near shore areas.     

Benefits of repeated stocking with adult,hatchery‐reared brown trout,Salmo trutta,to recreational fisheries?

Abstract  Recaptures of adult, hatchery-reared, brown trout, Salmo trutta L., and fishing time from anglers were used to evaluate the benefits of stocking programmes with repeated releases of adult brown trout. The recapture rate varied between 17% and 29%. The time between stocking and capture (referred to as residence time) varied between 1 and 160 days (median 3–49 days). Between 67% and 84% of trout caught in the river were recently released fish. Fishing effort increased after stocking, thereby increasing the impact of angling on wild stocks. Stocking with adult brown trout decreases the impact of angling on wild trout only if the time spent fishing by all anglers is kept stable. Furthermore, because of the short residence time of stocked trout, long-term impacts through competition for space and food, or genetic impact through introgression, are limited.     

Impacts of lost fishing gear on coral reef sessile invertebrates in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

The Florida Keys coral reef ecosystem supports multimillion-dollar commercial and recreational fisheries. The ecological effects caused by fishing gear that is lost when cut or broken after snagging on the bottom is a growing concern to managers and scientists. Few data exist, however, to assess the impacts of lost fishing gear to benthic organisms and habitat structure. In this study, 63 offshore coral reef and hard-bottom sites were surveyed during 2001 to quantify the impacts of lost fishing gear to coral reef sessile invertebrates. Lost hook-and-line fishing gear accounted for 87% of all debris (N=298 incidences) encountered and was responsible for 84% of the 321 documented impacts to sponges and benthic cnidarians, predominantly consisting of tissue abrasion causing partial individual or colony mortality. Branching gorgonians (Octocorallia) were the most frequently affected (56%), followed by milleporid hydrocorals (19%) and sponges (13%). Factors affecting the impacts of lost fishing gear include sessile invertebrate density, the density of lost fishing gear, and gear length. While lost hook-and-line fishing gear is ubiquitous in the Florida Keys, less than 0.2% of the available milleporid hydrocorals, stony corals, and gorgonians in the habitats studied are adversely affected in terms of colony abrasions and partial mortality.     

Populations of inshore serranids across the Canarian Archipelago: Relationships with human pressure and implications for conservation

We investigated spatio-temporal variability in the abundances and biomasses of four species of inshore serranids (the dusky grouper Ephinephelus marginatus, the island grouper Mycteroperca fusca, the painted comber Serranus scriba, and the blacktail comber S. atricauda) throughout the Canarian Archipelago (central-east Atlantic Ocean) with underwater visual transects. By means of a multiscaled sampling design spanning three orders of magnitude of spatial variability (from 10 s of meters among replicated 100 m² transects to 100 s of kilometres among islands) and four sampling periods, we related differences in the distributions of serranids to differences in the degree of human pressure, such as fishing intensity and human population. Differences in human pressure among islands provide the most parsimonious explanation for many of the consistent inter-island differences in the abundance and biomass of the analyzed species. Larger-bodied serranids (E. marginatus and M. fusca) are more vulnerable than the smaller species (S. scriba and S. atricauda). In fact, the larger, more vulnerable species have been almost completely extirpated from the most intensely fished islands. Our results show that the larger groupers have been overexploited throughout the Canary Islands, and highlight the urgent need for stringent management measures and better control of littoral reef fish resources.     

Using compiled species lists to make biodiversity comparisons among regions: A test case using Oregon butterflies

We explore two methods that correct for differential sampling effort when estimating the true number of species in a region based on samples such as those typically recorded in museum or conservation databases. The two methods are: (1) a phenomenological model that relies on a saturating sampling curve; and (2) a model based on a lognormal distribution of species abundances. We test these methods using a database for the butterflies of Oregon and find that the distribution of high-diversity areas, using the estimated, or “asymptotic”, diversities, is strikingly different from the geographic pattern one would deduce if the raw data were used, without correcting for differential sampling effort. Further, we show that differences in accuracy exist between the two estimation procedures, and that these differences are aggravated at small sample sizes; we argue that estimates based on the lognormal distribution should be preferred because they can offer substantial improvement over analyses based solely on the raw data, generally without risking overestimation. Lastly, using both the database and estimated values of butterfly diversity, we show that the distribution of endangered and numerically rare butterflies rarely coincides with “hotspots” or centers of biodiversity. Thus, protecting regions of Oregon rich in overall butterfly diversity will not normally protect the bulk of rare or endangered butterfly species.     

Dietary incorporation of feedstuffs naturally high in organic selenium for racing pigeons (Columba livia): effects on plasma antioxidant markers after a standardised simulation of a flying effort

Selenium is a trace element of importance for animal health. It is essential for adequate functioning of many enzymes such as, the antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase, which protects the cell against free radicals. A muscular effort induces a rise in reactive oxygen species production which, in turn, can generate an oxidative stress. Two groups of eight racing pigeons were fed respectively with a diet containing 30.3 (control group) and 195.3 (selenium group) μg selenium/kg diet. The pigeons were submitted to a standardised simulation of a flying effort during 2 h. Blood was taken before and after the effort to measure antioxidant markers and blood parameters related to muscle metabolism. Plasma selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity were significantly higher in the selenium group. There were no significant differences for the other measured parameters. As a consequence of the effort, the pigeons of the selenium group showed a higher increase of glutathione peroxidase activity and a smaller increase of plasma lactate concentration. Variations because of the effort in the other markers were not significantly different between the two groups. It is concluded that the selenium status was improved with the feeding of feedstuffs high in Selenium.     

不同环境条件下几种高寒草甸植物的非克隆繁殖投入和生长

通过对高寒草甸生态系统金露梅灌丛、矮嵩草草甸、围栏矮嵩草草甸以及模拟地球增温效应下5种植物繁殖投入和生长特性的测定,结果表明,矮嵩草、麻花艽、苔草以及美丽风毛菊的叶长沿对照矮嵩草草甸、0TC、围栏以及金露梅灌丛呈现上升趋势,只是灌丛中苔草和麻花艽两种植物的叶长较围栏和OTC有所下降,而环境变化对植物的叶宽的影响较小。苔草在金露梅灌丛中的繁殖投入最大,其次是矮嵩草草甸和围栏,OTC中苔草的繁殖投入几乎为零。围栏与矮嵩草草甸内苔草的繁殖投入差异不显著,而两者中植物的繁殖投入与金露梅灌丛相比,差异性显著(P<0.05)。矮火绒草在矮嵩草草甸中的繁殖投入最大,其次是0Tc和围栏,灌丛中矮火绒草的繁殖投入最小。OTC与矮嵩草草甸内矮火绒草的繁殖投入差异不显著,而OTC与围栏中矮火绒草的繁殖投入差异性显著(P<0.05)。由此我们可以得出一个结论:繁殖投入随环境梯度的变化,反映了植物繁殖对策和繁殖投入在整个生活史特征中的可塑性。     

Relationships between catch and effort in Fijian multispecies reef fisheries subject to different levels of exploitation

Abstract The catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and value-of-catch-per-unit-effort (VPUE) of reef-associated fish species from six Fijian native fishing grounds ( qoliqoli ) subject to different fishing intensities were determined using records of fishing activity from a voluntary logbook scheme. Line and spear fishing techniques were used for more than half the total fishing time (h person^-1 d^-1) in all qoliqoli , and yet the favoured technique in a given qoliqoli was frequently less efficient (lower CPUE) than other techniques. The popularity of relatively ineffective fishing methods implies that fishermen did not always attempt to maximize their catch rates. To compare fishing effort in different qoliqoli , all effort was rescaled on the basis of its recorded efficiency (measured as multispecies CPUE) and expressed as hours equivalent to boat-based spear fishing over coral by day to catch fish for sale. Total fishing intensity in the six qoliqoli ranged from 72 to 4310 h km^-2 reef year^-1. The relationship between catch and effort was linear at all fishing intensities, suggesting that the qoliqoli were all fished on a sustainable basis. Furthermore, whilst there was a significant difference in CPUE and VPUE between the one or two qoliqoli with lowest fishing intensity and all the others, there were no significant differences between these other qoliqoli in terms of the VPUE of the saleable multispecies boat catch or the CPUE of species from piscivorous and carnivorous genera ( Epinephelus, Lethrinus and Plectropomus ) which the fishermen prefer to catch.