Validation of the accuracy of household reporting of subsistence fishing catch and effort: a Fijian case study

Abstract  The accuracy of household reporting of subsistence fishing catch and effort and seafood consumption on the Fijian island of Ono-i-Lau was studied. A creel survey was carried out concurrently to validate the household survey data. Reported estimates of fishing participation, effort, and fish consumption were not significantly different to the creel survey estimates. Householder's appeared to overestimate the number of fish from the most abundant family Lethrinidae, and underestimate rarer fish. However, there was no significant difference between the reported and observed contribution of the majority of finfish families and invertebrate taxa. The reported and observed catch rate estimates were not significantly different, indicating that Ono-i-Lau villagers are relatively accurate in their estimation of the number and size of fish from recalled catches.     

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.     

Evaluating Sediment Accretion on a Relic Oyster Reef in Mobile Bay,Alabama

Abstract

Sediment traps were deployed at Fish River Reef (FRR), a relic oyster reef on the eastern side of Mobile Bay, and at Cedar Point Reef (CPR), a productive oyster reef on the western side of Mobile Bay, Alabama, from July through October 1999. Sediment accretion at FRR was two to three times greater than sediment accretion at CPR. The proportions of particulate organic matter and ash in the sediment at the two sites were similar. The proportion of coarse to fine sediment at CPR was greater than at FRR. Also, the sediment at FRR was black and had a sulfide odor suggesting anoxia, while the sediment at CPR was brown and odorless. Various fishes and invertebrates colonized the sediment traps at CPR, while those at FRR were devoid of live organisms. Oyster spat had settled on the shells in the traps at CPR but not on those at FRR. Results suggest that in order to restore oysters at FRR, cultch material should be dispersed during periods of peak larval settlement to prevent inhibitory levels of siltation on cultch before spat settle.     

澄海莱芜人工鱼礁集鱼效果初步评价

2003和2007年分别对澄海莱芜人工鱼礁区进行了投礁前的本底调查和投礁后的跟踪调查。结果表明，投礁后礁区海域游泳生物的资源密度明显比投礁前高，增加了25．63倍；礁区海域各类资源种类均比投礁前丰富，总种数由投礁前的23种增加至41种，比投礁前增加了0．78倍，其中，蟹类种数增加最多，增加了1．75倍；在本底调查中没有出现的经济种类龙头鱼Harpodon nehereus和红星梭子蟹Portunus sanguinolentus在跟踪调查中已成为主要优势种；Shannon—Wienver多样性指数（H’）在礁区和对比区均比投礁前有所增加。表明鱼礁投放后，鱼礁区集鱼效果和群落结构明显改善，人工鱼礁建设取得了明显的生态效益和经济效益。     

Can giant clam (Tridacna squamosa) populations be restored on Singapore's heavily impacted coral reefs?

• 1. Giant clams have been a sustainable resource for millennia, but unregulated harvesting has led to local extinctions within the Indo‐Pacific region. Giant clam mariculture can produce large numbers of juveniles for restocking wild populations where natural recruitment is low or absent.
• 2. Singapore is surrounded by more than 60 small islands, many with fringing reefs. These reefs, however, experience increased turbidity and sedimentation resulting from massive coastal development projects and regular dredging of shipping lanes.
• 3. Seven reefs off Singapore's southern islands were surveyed (9670 m²) for giant clams. Also, an experiment was conducted to determine the growth of Tridacna squamosa reared in aquaria under three light treatments: ～50% ambient photosynthetically active radiation (PAR); ～25% ambient PAR; and ～12% ambient PAR. Finally, 144 clams (T. squamosa) were transplanted to four reefs around Singapore to study survival and growth in a heavily impacted environment.
• 4. A total of 23 adult clams from three species were found during the survey, representing a mean density of 0.24 per 100 m². Most clams were found at Raffles Lighthouse, Singapore's ‘best’ reef. No juvenile clams were encountered. In the aquarium experiment, clam growth was significantly different among the three light treatments, with growth greatest in the ～50% ambient PAR treatment. Of the 144 transplanted clams, 116 (80.6%) were recovered after 7 months. All specimens had increased in size, with growth rates among reefs ranging from 3.3 mm month^?1 (SD=1.3 mm) to 4.8 mm month^?1 (SD=1.6 mm).
• 5. Results suggest that, despite high levels of sedimentation and turbidity on Singapore's reefs, giant clams can survive and grow well. Restocking efforts using maricultured clams may be effective in enhancing the dwindling local populations. It is not clear, however, whether a self‐sustaining community can be established as high sedimentation may hinder larval settlement and survival.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of three types of adhesives in attaching coral transplants to clam shell substrates

• 1. Nubbins from 12 coral species were transplanted onto dead giant clam shells at three sites in a lagoon near Bolinao, north‐western Philippines. Transplants were attached using three types of adhesives: cyanoacrylate glue (SG), epoxy putty (EP) and marine epoxy (ME) and were monitored over five months for detachment, in situ mortality and natural self‐attachment by tissue growth.
• 2. Corals attached with SG showed a significantly higher rate of detachment (logrank test) than those attached with either EP or ME (P<0.001 in each case). Also, those attached with EP showed a higher rate of detachment than corals attached with ME (logrank=6.46, P<0.05).
• 3. ANOVA (P>0.05) and survival analysis (logrank=2.85, P>0.05) showed no among‐adhesives differences in in situ mortality. Among the species used, Porites cylindrica, Pavona frondifera, Heliopora coerulea and Porites rus had the highest survivorship with 82%, 80%, 76% and 73%, respectively, of nubbins alive at the end of the experiment and also displayed the highest cumulative rates of self‐attachment. Species with the lowest survival rates included Acropora muricata and four pocilloporids.
• 4. Although there was no significant difference in the number of self‐attaching transplants among the adhesives, corals transplanted using ME and EP self‐attached earlier than those transplanted using SG (logrank=11.19, P<0.01).
• 5. Results from this study highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate means of attaching corals to substrates and carefully considering species‐specific traits of candidate corals for transplantation.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

莱州湾芙蓉岛西侧人工鱼礁建设对周边海域潮流场和水交换的影响研究#br#

为探究人工鱼礁建设对周边海域潮流场和水交换产生的影响,基于Mike21HD潮流模型,对莱州湾芙蓉岛西侧人工鱼礁建设前后周边海域潮流场和水交换变化情况进行了数值模拟研究。结果表明,相较于鱼礁建设前,涨急时,从平面分布上,鱼礁区东西向流速呈增加趋势,南北向流速呈递减趋势;从垂向分布上,流速变化:底层>中层>表层,底层流速最大增加量8.6cm·s^-1、最大减小量4.3cm·s^-1,增加量大于1cm·s^-1的区域与鱼礁区最远距离为303m,减小量大于1cm·s^-1的区域距鱼礁区最远距离为574m。落急时,平面流速变化趋势与涨急时基本一致;垂向分布上,底层流速最大增加量7.9cm·s^-1,最大减小量3.6cm·s^-1,增加量大于1cm·s^-1的区域与鱼礁区最远距离为271m,减小量大于1cm·s^-1的区域与鱼礁区最远距离为333m。鱼礁建设后周边海域水交换率增加约0.1%。人工鱼礁投放后,只改变了礁区局部海域的水动力环境,对湾内其他海域没有影响。     

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.     

Active habitat selection by pre-settlement reef fishes

Our understanding of habitat selection by reef fish larvae has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Fish larvae have long been considered passive particles at the mercy of ocean currents, tides and weather events. For reef fishes, ecological evidence has shown that passive dispersal alone often cannot explain larval distributions, suggesting active behaviour by reef fish larvae. While behaviourally modified passive transport may be important, recent work demonstrates that some reef fish larvae have the capability to actively swim to settlement habitat. They can orientate to reefs from distances of at least 1 km and can swim at speeds of 13.5 cm s^?1 for several days. The question then becomes, what are the cues that fish larvae use to orientate to reefs? Ambient reef sound has been shown to be attractive to reef fish larvae, and current research aims to understand better the nature and use of these acoustic cues. Other potential cues include chemoreception/olfaction, wave cues and visual location of reefs. A better understanding of active habitat selection and the underlying sensory and behavioural mechanisms will improve our knowledge of recruitment processes in reef fish ecology, and may have implications for active management of reef fish populations.     

Tracking the Trade in Ornamental Coral Reef Organisms: The Importance of CITES and its Limitations

The extraction of coral reef organisms for the aquarium and curio trade is reported to be contributing to coral reef degradation. The total international trade and associated impacts are unknown, because data are collected only for organisms listed on Appendix II of CITES, which include stony corals, antipatharians and giant clams. CITES data indicate that trade in live stony coral and reef substrate (live rock) increased by 15–30% each year during the 1990s, with most exports since 1992 from Indonesia and Fiji. Overall, 19% of all stony coral traded (by item) from 1985 to 1997 was live; 71kern-1pt% of this was traded between 1993 and 1997 (52% of total trade). Although tracking trade using information from the CITES Trade Database provides limited information (e.g., coral is reported to genus, and volume is reported by item or weight), the CITES mechanism promotes the development of strategies to protect resources. In response to CITES requirements, Indonesia developed a management plan for sustainable harvest of corals, but not for non-CITES listed species such as soft corals and fishes. Trade in hard and soft coral provides revenue for developing countries; however, in order to be of lasting value the industry must be developed with a conservation ethic. This requires support for international programs such as CITES, management plans for sustainable harvest, and improved enforcement.