Effect of environmental conditions on the seasonal and inter‐annual variability of small pelagic fish abundance off North‐West Africa: The case of both Senegalese sardinella

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of environmental variations on the abundance of Sardinella aurita and Sardinella maderensis in Senegalese waters in the upwelling system. Monthly data indicating the abundance of sardinella were first estimated from commercial statistics, using Generalized Linear Model from 1966 to 2011. Abundance indices (AIs) were then compared with environmental indices, at the local scale, a Coastal Upwelling Index (CUI) and a coastal Sea Surface Temperature (SST) index, and on a large scale, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and the Multivariate El Niño Southern Oscillation Index (MEI), using correlations and times series analyses. The results showed that the abundance of sardinella is determined by a strong seasonal pattern and inter‐annual fluctuations. The abundance of S. aurita peaked in spring and in autumn, whereas that of S. maderensis peaked in the warm season (July–September). The trend of the sardinella abundance was significantly correlated with the CUI, especially in autumn and spring. Interannual fluctuations of S. maderensis and S. aurita abundance are, respectively, driven by the precocity and the duration of the upwelling season that is attributed to distinct migration patterns. Both sardinella species also respond with a delay of around 4 years to the winter NAO index and the autumn CUI, and the AMO index, respectively, both related to migration patterns. The wide variations in sardinella biomass are caused by variations in environmental conditions, which should be considered in the implementation of an ecosystem‐based approach in sardinella stocks management.     

Habitat utilization and vertical movements of white marlin (Tetrapturus albidus) released from commercial and recreational fishing gears in the western North Atlantic Ocean: inferences from short duration pop-up archival satellite tags

Researchers have applied numerous techniques to improve billfish stock assessments, including habitat‐based models that incorporate behavioral and oceanographic parameters to standardize historical catch‐per‐unit‐effort time‐series data. These methods have allowed researchers to account for significant changes in the depths of pelagic longline (PLL) gear deployments over time. This study presents habitat‐use data recovered from high‐resolution 5‐ and 10‐day pop‐up satellite archival tags (PSATs) attached to 47 surviving white marlin released from commercial and recreational fishing gears offshore of the U.S. East Coast, the northern Caribbean, and Venezuela between 2002 and 2004. Data recovered from transmitting tags indicated that white marlin spent nearly half of their time associated with warm, near‐surface waters (<10 m). All fish displayed frequent short duration (mean: 39.8 min) vertical excursions from surface waters to depths averaging 51 m. Qualitative and multivariate classifications of data from completely transmitted movements of surviving white marlin revealed two major types of descents: one pattern was characterized by deep ‘V’‐shaped excursions of relatively short duration (mean: 23.4 min) while the other featured descents that were more broadly ‘U’‐shaped and confined to a specific depth range for an extended period of time (mean: 75.8 min). Based on the frequency, persistence, and patterns of these vertical movements, white marlin appear to direct a considerable proportion of foraging effort well below surface waters, a behavior that may account for relatively high catch rates of white marlin on some deep‐set PLL deployments.     

Variability in conspecific predation among longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox in the western Indian Ocean

ABSTRACT:   Conspecific predation among longnose lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox was investigated in four spatio-temporal strata of the western Indian Ocean. The cannibalism level varied from 0 to 45.5% by frequency of occurrence and was negatively related with abundance of non-evasive prey (such as crustaceans Charybdis smithii and Natosquilla investigatoris ) and foraging success. Predation by lancetfish is often described as a non-selective process, constrained by local prey availability and by its feeding speed during an attack of prey. Our results show that lancetfish may adapt its opportunistic foraging behavior, feeding on non-conspecific abundant prey such as crustaceans when available, and switching to a high level of conspecific predation in poor waters.     

A synthesis of large-scale patterns in the planktonic prey of larval and juvenile cod (Gadus morhua)

Data from 40 published studies of the diet composition of larval and juvenile cod (Gadus morhua) from around the northern North Atlantic were summarized to assess generic patterns in ontogenetic and regional variability in the key prey. The results showed that larvae at the northern edge of the latitudinal range of cod depend primarily on development stages of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus, whilst those at the southern edge depend on Para‐ and Pseudocalanus species. Juvenile cod preyed on a wider range of taxa than larvae, but euphausiids were the main target prey. Analysis of regional variations in the relative abundances of C. finmarchicus and Para/Pseudocalanus spp. in the plankton, as estimated by the continuous plankton recorder (CPR) surveys, showed a similar geographical pattern to the larval cod stomach contents. Comparison of CPR data from the 1960s and 70s with data from the 1990s showed that the boundary between C. finmarchicus and Para/Pseudocalanus spp. dominance has shifted northwards on both sides of the Atlantic, whilst the abundance of euphausiids in the southern cod stock regions has declined. The results are discussed in relation to regional differences in the response of cod stocks to climate variability.     

中国海洋捕捞能力的计量与分析

采用数据包络分析方法，以渔船数、总吨位、总功率和专业劳动力为投入指标。以年捕捞产量为产出指标，对我国1994至2005年的近海捕捞与远洋渔业的捕捞能力与能力利用度进行了系统的计量，并以此为依据对我国渔业管理的政策绩效进行了量化分析，发现近年来近海捕捞的渔船数和捕捞劳力的过剩率得到了较好的控制，但渔船总吨位与总功率的过剩率却还处于相对较高的水平。说明目前我国近海增加捕捞能力的主要手段依然是提高渔船的总功率与总吨位，需要在今后的渔业管理中引起重视。通过近海与远洋渔业的比较研究发现，我国近海捕捞能力的实际过剩率已超过了50％，捕捞能力的利用水平不高且提高程度有限；而远洋渔业的能力利用度则尚有较大的提高空间。研究同时显示：我国近海捕捞能力利用度与远洋捕捞能力利用度两条曲线在每次远离后都有互相靠拢的趋势。表明我国远洋捕捞的能力利用度提高后，会吸引近海渔业的部分捕捞能力转入远洋渔业，在降低远洋渔业能力利用度的同时，减轻了近海渔业资源的捕捞压力，也使近海捕捞的能力利用度得以提高；反之，当远洋渔业的能力利用度相对近海渔业较低时，就会有一部分远洋渔业的捕捞能力转入近海捕捞，加大了近海的捕捞强度，使近海捕捞的能力利用度下降。所以，积极提高并保持远洋渔业的能力利用度，对缩减近海捕捞规模有较直接的影响。     

光诱鱿鱼浮拖网渔具渔法试验

首先对诱鱼光场进行计算，并分析其对光诱鱿鱼浮拖网作业的影响，据此合理配置了灯光强度及其布局，探讨了一套较有效的诱导渔方法。根据鱿鱼的趋光习性及浮拖网的特点，设计了适应在较深渔场作业的光诱浮拖网渔具，并成功地试验了光诱鱿鱼浮拖网柔性网板；取得了良好的社会生态效益和经济效益。     

基于DEMATEL-ISM-MICMAC法中国远洋鱿钓渔业脆弱性指标选择与分析

远洋鱿钓渔业是我国远洋渔业的重要组成,该渔业极易受到环境等因素的影响。为可持续高质量发展我国远洋鱿钓渔业,本文结合脆弱性理论和方法,从气候与环境、物种、社会经济三大方面建立了我国远洋鱿钓渔业社会—生态系统脆弱性指标体系,运用决策试验与评价实验室(DEMATEL)法、解释结构模型(ISM)法以及交叉影响矩阵相乘(MICMAC)法对影响指标及其关联性进行分析。研究表明,鱿鱼渔业资源是最核心的因素,对我国远洋鱿钓渔业脆弱性起决定性作用;科技投入、政策与管理、捕捞强度是最具影响力或驱动力的因素;我国远洋鱿钓渔业脆弱性指标可分五大类,要把重点放在关联因素、调整因子和驱动因素上,其次为依赖因素,自主因素无需过多关注。研究认为,除渔业资源外,脆弱性系统可分为四个层级,长期监控L3和L4层指标,重视L2和L3层的指标,针对性地调整L1层指标,是保持我国远洋鱿钓渔业长期健康发展的有效路径。该研究不仅能识别影响我国远洋鱿钓渔业脆弱性的关键因素,同时可为远洋鱿钓渔业的科学管理提供理论指导,并为脆弱性实证评估奠定基础。     

我国远洋渔业的发展浅析

我国远洋渔业自新中国成立后有了长足发展，但是，仍然面临着严重的问题。尤其是《国际海洋法》生效后，我国远洋渔业的发展环境将更加严峻。因此，政府应该通过加大投资力度、开展渔业外交、寻找新的合作伙伴等措施来积极推动远洋渔业的发展。     

Carbon source and trophic position of pelagic fish in coastal waters of south-eastern Izu Peninsula,Japan, identified by stable isotope analysis

ABSTRACT:   It is important to clarify trophic dynamics in marine ecosystems for management of the fishing ground. Organic carbon sources and trophic position of pelagic fishes in the coastal waters of the south-eastern Izu Peninsula, Japan, were examined on the basis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope distributions. The δ¹³C of the fishes was mostly distributed from −19 to −16‰ for nektonic fishes (13 species of adults and immatures) and planktonic fishes (10 species of larvae and juveniles), close to the δ¹³C values of particulate organic matter and planktonic decapods. These δ¹³C signatures for the inhabitants of the water column were in contrast with the high δ¹³C values (mainly −16 to −13‰) for demersal fishes of Scorpaeniformes and benthic polychaetes collected in the surf zone. These results indicate that nektonic and planktonic fishes depend on phytoplankton for carbon supply. The δ¹⁵N signatures suggest that the trophic position ranged 3.1–4.5 for the nektonic fishes and 2.9–3.7 for the planktonic fishes, premised on trophic level 3 for larval Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus . Thus, planktivorous fishes should be mainly assigned to trophic levels 3 and 4 in this area.     

From small-scale habitat loopholes to decadal cycles: a habitat-based hypothesis explaining fluctuation in pelagic fish populations off Peru

The Peru‐Humboldt Current system (HCS) supports the world's largest pelagic fisheries. Among the world's eastern boundary current systems, it is the most exposed to high climatic stress and is directly affected by El Niño and La Niña events. In this volatile ecosystem, fish have been led to develop adaptive strategies in space and time. In this paper, we attempt to understand the mechanisms underlying such strategies, focusing on the El Niño 1997–98 in Peru from which an extensive set of hydrographic, capture and acoustic survey data are available. An integrated analysis of the data is crucial, as each has substantial shortcomings individually; for example, both catch data and acoustic surveys may easily lead to wrong conclusions. Existing hypotheses on anchovy and sardine alternations lead us to a ‘habitat‐based’ synthetic hypothesis. Using our data, an integrated approach evaluated how fish responded to habitat variation, and determined the consequences in terms of fish‐population variability. Various factors occurring at a range of different spatio‐temporal scales were considered: interdecadal regime (warm ‘El Viejo’/cool ‘La Vieja’ decadal scale); strength and the duration of the El Niño Southern Oscillation event (interannual scale); population condition before the event (interannual scale); fishing pressure and other predation (annual scale); changes in reproductive behaviour (intra‐annual scale); presence of local upwelling (local scale). During El Niño 1997–98, anchovy was able to exploit a small‐scale temporal and spatial ‘loophole’ inside the general unfavourable conditions. Moreover, sardine did not do better than anchovy during this El Niño and was not able to take advantage of the ‘loophole’ opened by this short‐term event. Our results question the traditional view that El Niño is bad for anchovy and good for sardine.