Towards a sustainable fisheries policy in Europe

The reform of the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in 2013 decides whether the European fisheries can be put on a sustainable course in the next 10 years. The CFP reform must halt overexploitation of fish resources and stop harm to the marine environment by fishing activities. The European Commission published a reform proposal just recently. This proposal is already an important first step in the right direction, but is under threat of being watered down by the Fisheries Council. Necessary improvements of the current CFP include among others a binding definition of a sustainable stock management, a discard ban for all fish species, transferable fishing concessions and a cessation of all aid for building new vessels. These modifications pave the way for placing micromanagement in the hands of regions and fisheries so as to foster self‐responsibility among fishers and give greater consideration to regional circumstances.     

我国海洋渔业捕捞限额制度实施试点评析与完善建议

2017—2018年我国沿海5省开展了捕捞限额制度实施试点,在实地调查的基础上,对试点渔业的捕捞限额制度实施情况进行了回顾和比较分析。试点渔业在利用专项捕捞许可制度限制捕捞准入、加强渔捞日志管理、试行观察员制度、吸纳基层渔民组织参与监管等方面进行了有益的探索。不同试点之间在实施捕捞限额管理的渔业资源种类选择、渔场和渔船及作业方式的特定性、配套制度等方面具有共性;在捕捞对象种类的单一性、渔场进入的排他性、捕捞限额分配方式、渔获量监测措施方面存在差异。目前我国实施捕捞限额制度仍存在多鱼种渔业问题、捕捞生产监测制度尚未建立、针对性资源调查监测不足、捕捞限制性措施未能有效执行、管理能力和体制不适应需求、违反管理要求的法律责任缺失等问题。建议修改《渔业法》以完善捕捞限额制度体系,加强和完善渔业资源调查、监测,建立综合性渔业数据信息系统,进一步完善基于捕捞许可制度的捕捞作业限制,建立多方参与和跨区域联合的监管机制,根据渔业特点分类设置捕捞限额及其管理机制。     

Management effectiveness of large pelagic fisheries in the high seas

Large pelagic fishes are assessed and managed by tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (tRFMOs). These organizations have been criticized for not meeting conservation objectives, which may relate to aspects of governance and management. No previous studies have systematically evaluated why management performance differs among tRFMOs and among stocks within each tRFMO. In this study, we collected data on the nature of research, management, enforcement and socioeconomics of management systems in the five principal tRFMOs of the world's oceans. We quantified influences of economic and fishery‐related factors on these management characteristics and examined how these factors vary among tRFMOs. We found that tRFMOs with a greater number of member countries, a greater economic dependency on tuna resources, a lower mean per capita gross domestic product, a greater number of fishing vessels and smaller vessels were associated with less intensive research, management and enforcement in these tuna fisheries. We also quantified the influence of specific management attributes and of biological, economic and fishery‐related factors on the trends and current status of large pelagic fish stocks in these regions. The most important factors correlated with trends and current stock status were external to the management systems, and included stock size, age at maturity, ex‐vessel price and economic dependency of countries on tuna fisheries. To improve the overall status of large pelagic fish stocks in the global high seas, more intensive data collection, research and management are needed in certain areas, especially in the Indian Ocean, and for certain stocks, especially non‐target species.     

Fisheries mismanagement in a Natura 2000 area in western Greece

Abstract The impact of fisheries within a Natura 2000 area in western Greece was assessed over a 12‐month period in 2007. The estimated total biomass removed annually by 307 fishing boats averaged 3503.5 t. Purse seiners, beach seiners and trawlers took 70% of the total landings. Purse seiners, contributing 3% of the total fishing fleet, were responsible for 33% of total biomass removed. Beach and purse seiners primarily caught small pelagic species, whereas trawlers and trammel netters mostly demersal species. A mismatch was found between the Common Fisheries Register (CFR) and an in situ assessment of the active fishing fleet; the number of industrial fishing boats exceeded those registered in CFR for the three administrative ports involved, and a large proportion of the CFR netters were small and effectively inactive. Fishery management measures for the recovery of an ecosystem considerably damaged by overfishing are proposed.     

Approaches to fully documented fisheries: practical issues and stakeholder perceptions

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform sets out a move to a land‐all catch policy in European Union waters with a requirement for full reporting of fishing and on‐board processing activity. We explore the merits, stakeholder perceptions and applicability of different technology and approaches to the full documentation of fisheries that might be considered in the context of implementing the CFP reform. While recent efforts have focused on demonstrating how remote electronic monitoring (REM) systems can be utilized in fully documented fisheries (FDF), other technologies and approaches such as reference fleet and self‐sampling exist that could contribute to delivering FDF. Perceptions of fishers show that they would prefer using a reference fleet or self‐sampling to REM systems as a future method of implementing FDF. In general, there is support from the fishing industry for data collection and enhancement, but there remains some mistrust concerning the use of the data. Findings show that the most appropriate means and methods of FDF will depend on the circumstances and objectives for full documentation whether in enforcing a discard ban, documentation of total catch or data enhancement. We conclude that any technology or approach that will be used to deliver the monitoring requirements for FDF needs to make practical and commercial sense at the fishing vessel level.     

Biological and socioeconomic implications of recreational boat fishing for the management of fishery resources in the marine reserve of Cap de Creus (NW Mediterranean)

A survey of coastal recreational boat fishing was conducted in summer 2006 in the marine reserve of Cap de Creus (NW Mediterranean) to assess the biological and socioeconomic implications of this leisure activity. Recreational boat fishers employ four different fishing techniques: bottom fishing rod, fluixa, trolling and surface fishing rod. Although the targeted species depend on the fishing method used, a total of 33 fish species were identified in the catch (8 were pelagic or benthopelagic and the rest were demersal). Fishing effort was high since fishers fished an average of 4 h/day, 8 days/month and nearly 6 months/year. Apart from the highly varied exploitation of the fauna, recreational fishing in Cap de Creus has a large economic effect on the local economy since the majority of fishers were visitors who were spending holidays in one of the villages belonging to the Park, where most of expenditures related to angling activities were made. Overall, results highlight the pressure that recreational boat fishing exerts on fish communities, particularly on littoral, demersal ones. Considering these biological and socioeconomic implications, the competition between recreational and artisanal fishers for littoral resources and the low level of compliance with the current sport fishing regulations, the implementation of a comprehensive management strategy in Mediterranean costal areas is needed.     

Fisheries catches and the carrying capacity of marine ecosystems in southern Brazil

The carrying capacity of marine shelf ecosystems in southern Brazil for harvestable species is analyzed by (1) quantifying the amount of available primary production appropriated by fisheries catches, (2) evaluating the trend in the mean trophic level of fisheries, and (3) simulating the ecosystem effects of “fishing down the food web” in an intensively exploited shelf region. Fisheries utilize ca. 27 and 53% of total primary production in the southern and south-eastern shelf regions, respectively. Regional variation in the carrying capacity appropriated by fisheries results from differences in the primary production, catch volume and trophic transfer efficiencies. Overall, fisheries landings do not display a trend of decreasing trophic level with time due to the collapse of the sardine fishery and the recent increasing of offshore fishing for higher trophic level species, mainly tunas and sharks. However, the simulations show that fishing down the food web through fisheries that target small pelagic planktivorous fishes, while at first increasing catches in intensively exploited regions, has the potential of decreasing yields, by interrupting major energy pathways to exploited, high-trophic level species. The consequences of these results to the design of precautionary measures for future fishing policies are discussed.     

An interview‐based approach assessing interactions between seals and small‐scale fisheries informs the conservation strategy of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal

1. Small‐scale fisheries may pose a serious threat to the conservation of marine mammals. At the same time various factors have led to the decline of small‐scale fisheries, often making them unsustainable. Current rates of biodiversity loss and the reduction of fish stocks and fisheries dictate a thorough understanding of fisheries‐related issues and the implementation of effective management actions.
2. The Mediterranean monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth; its survival in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is threatened by negative interactions with fisheries. A nationwide questionnaire survey among fishers and port police authorities was carried out in Greece to describe the main characteristics of small‐scale fisheries, and to understand the nature and assess the magnitude of negative interactions between the monk seal and these fisheries. Questionnaire information was verified by a second round of interviews during landings.
3. The main attributes of the fishers, their fishing boats, and their practices were characteristic of the small‐scale fisheries sector. Overfishing was considered the main reason for fish‐stock reduction, and negative interactions with marine mammals was considered the main issue for the fishing sector.
4. Monk seals were present, caused damage, and got accidentally entangled in fishing gear throughout Greece. Damage to fishing gear was recorded mainly during spring and summer, and on average affected 21% of all fishing trips and 1% of nets deployed during a fishing trip.
5. Based on these results, the implementation of general and specific nationwide fishery management and conservation actions are proposed. These actions are mainly aimed at improving fish stock status, changing the behaviour of the fishers, and mitigating seal–fishery interactions in Greece, while promoting the recovery of the Mediterranean monk seal in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

     

渔业管理理论与中国实践的回顾与展望

渔业管理一直是世界各渔业国家所面临的难题。本文首先分析了中国渔业的特点,指出中国的渔业管理比世界上任何国家都更为复杂、更为困难,描述了中国渔业管理的历史沿革和中国渔业政策的发展脉络,指出在中国的渔业发展中渔业政策对渔业生产始终起着指导和推动的作用,认为中国初步形成了以《中华人民共和国渔业法》为基本框架,层次结构完备,措施有力,不断完善和强化的渔业管理制度。然后,介绍了渔业管理的主要理论,梳理了中国学者对渔业管理研究的主要文献,指出中国通过水产养殖支撑不断增长的水产品消费需求,成功解决了水产品需求与资源环境约束之间的矛盾,对减少捕捞野生渔业资源发挥了重大作用。文章归纳了中国渔业管理的主要制度和措施,并对其效果进行综合评述,认为几十年来,特别是改革开放以来,中国不断引进先进的渔业管理理念,促进养殖业、捕捞业、加工流通业、增殖渔业、休闲渔业等五大产业蓬勃发展,渔业生态环境修复力度不断加大,依法治渔能力显著提升;但是由于中国渔业的特点和渔业的复杂性和不确定性,中国渔业仍存在着一些明显的问题。最后,本文根据相关的渔业发展规划,展望了中国的渔业管理将朝着渔业资源总量控制、强化资源保护及生态修复的方向发展。     

Expanding the concept of sustainable seafood using Life Cycle Assessment

Fisheries management and sustainability assessment of fisheries more generally have recently expanded their scope from single‐species stock assessment to ecosystem‐based approaches, aiming to incorporate economic, social and local environmental impacts, while still excluding global‐scale environmental impacts. In parallel, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has emerged as a widely used and recommended framework to assess environmental impacts of products, including global‐scale impacts. For over a decade, LCA has been applied to seafood supply chains, leading to new insights into the environmental impact of seafood products. We present insights from seafood LCA research with particular focus on evaluating fisheries management, which strongly influences the environmental impact of seafood products. Further, we suggest tangible ways in which LCA could be taken up in management. By identifying trade‐offs, LCA can be a useful decision support tool and avoids problem shifting from one concern (or activity) to another. The integrated, product‐based and quantitative perspective brought by LCA could complement existing tools. One example is to follow up fuel use of fishing, as the production and combustion of fuel used dominates overall results for various types of environmental impacts of seafood products, and is also often linked to biological impacts of fishing. Reducing the fuel use of fisheries is therefore effective to reduce overall impacts. Allocating fishing rights based on environmental performance could likewise facilitate the transition to low‐impact fisheries. Taking these steps in an open dialogue between fishers, managers, industry, NGOs and consumers would enable more targeted progress towards sustainable fisheries.     

Can small-scale fisheries survive market-based management? Nordic evidence

Market-based fisheries management systems give incentives to reduce the fleet size and employment, which increases earnings and contributes to resolve the tragedy of the commons. However, the often-stated expectation that economies of scale cause the disappearance of small-scale fishery is not observed in many cases. In this study, we investigate the effects on fleet structure in the period after introducing individual fishing quotas or individual fishing days with various degrees of transferability in selected fisheries in the seven Nordic countries. Despite observing economies of scale in most cases, it is found that the market-based fisheries management often does not reduce the small-scale fleet more than the fleet of large vessels. This is explained partly by small vessels targeting demersal species and large vessels pelagic species, and partly by the larger need of larger than small vessels to continuously utilize their capital stocks through fast adaptation to ensure return. A more important explanation is the regulation design, with limitations in sale of fishing rights and lease between vessel groups and regions and in the share of the total quota holdings of fishing rights by individuals and vessels. This is important for countries considering the introduction of market-based fisheries management, since the Nordic experiences show that with proper regulation design, economic gains can be achieved with small-scale fishing surviving even under economies of scale.     

Fishing operations and adaptive strategies of small‐scale fishers: insights for fisheries management in data‐poor situations

Small‐scale fisheries' management is complex given its multigear, multispecies nature; despite this, fishing effort has usually been controlled by nominal units, ignoring changes in effective fishing effort. This study aimed to understand the adaptive strategies of small‐scale fishers in San Felipe, Yucatan, Mexico through an analysis of their fishing operations. Minor changes in trip numbers among three seasons were observed, but increases in fishing time, depth and travel costs from one season to another at the operational level were found. It was also evident that high value species at the beginning of the season were gradually replaced by low‐value finfish as the season progresses. The results provide insights for new adaptive management strategies according to fisher's adaptive responses. For instance, using boats or fishing trips as fishing effort units in Yucatan may not be the most appropriated unit for management, as fishers adapt their strategies at different levels.     

Trade‐offs in triple‐bottom‐line outcomes when recovering fisheries

Almost all environmental management comes at an economic cost that may not be borne equitably by all stakeholders. Here, we investigate how heterogeneity in catch and profits among fishers influences the trade‐off among the triple‐bottom‐line objectives of recovering a fish population, maximizing its economic value and distributing restrictions equitably across fishers. As a case‐study, we examine management reform of an ecologically and economically important coral reef fishery operating within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Using a simulation model, we find that total profitability of the fishing industry is 40% lower if recovery plans are equitable when compared to the most economically efficient plan. However, efficient recovery plans were typically highly inequitable because they required some fishers to cease fishing. Equity was defined according to different norms, and the efficiency loss was greatest when catch losses were shared equally across fishers rather than in proportion to their historical catch. We then varied key social, economic and biological parameters to identify cases when equity and efficient recovery would trade‐off most strongly. Recovery plans could be both efficient and equitable when heterogeneity in fisher's catches and individual catch efficiencies was lower. If fishers were homogenous then equitable plans could have maximal economic efficiency. These results emphasize the importance of considering heterogeneity in individual fishers when designing recovery plans. Recovery plans that are inequitable may often fail to gain stakeholder support, so in fisheries with high heterogeneity we should temper our expectations for marked increases in profits.     

Providing context to the global code of practice for recreational fisheries

Abstract An in‐depth explanation of selected content of the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission’s ‘Code of Practice for Recreational Fisheries’ (CoP) is presented. The focus is on core areas that were intensely debated in the drafting the CoP. These include definition of recreational fishing, recreational fishing practices, fish welfare, recreational fisheries management and research. It is anticipated that the CoP for recreational fisheries promotes best practice and management principles for sustainable recreational fisheries, within the recreational fisheries sector and ancillary industries/sectors regionally, nationally, and ultimately globally. To be viable, the CoP for recreational fisheries must be adopted by the international community complementing the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.     

Sea turtle by‐catch in the Mediterranean

Sea turtle by‐catch data in the Mediterranean were reviewed and analysed with fishing effort. The results indicate over 132 000 captures per year, with probably over 44 000 incidental deaths per year, while many others are killed intentionally. Small vessels using set net, demersal longline or pelagic longline represent most of the Mediterranean fleet and likely cause more incidental or intentional deaths than large vessels typically using bottom trawl or pelagic longline. When interactions, mortality, intentional killing, size (a proxy for reproductive value) and turtle populations are considered, results indicate that Mediterranean green (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) are more affected (i) by fishing gears such as bottom trawlers, demersal longlines and set nets, (ii) by small‐scale fisheries, and (iii) by fishing in the eastern basin. Although small‐scale fisheries should be the priority target, available measures are easier to implement on the fewer large vessels. Moreover, these measures are few, and they are not implemented yet, while others should still be tested for the Mediterranean fisheries. Thus, measures for reducing captures or mortality through changing gear‐specific characteristics may help, but probably a more holistic conservation strategy aimed to an ecosystem‐based fishery management for a sustainable fishing would be the only solution for the long‐term survival of Mediterranean Sea turtle populations and their habitats. Small‐scale fisheries should manage marine resources, including turtles, in a responsible and sustainable way. Turtles may not only benefit from but can also help this process if their non‐consumptive value is fully recognized.     

The potential of informal institutions for marine fisheries management—A case study of a coastal commune in Vietnam

The potential of informal institutions for sustainable management of marine fisheries was examined. The study is based on both primary data collected through two group discussions and interviews and secondary information, including material related to fishing gear operation and whale worship. It shows that informal institutions, including fisher groups, fishing community norms, fisher's knowledge and whale worship have potential to strengthen institutional, ecological, social and community aspects of sustainable fisheries development. Although these informal institutions are not able to fix completely all the problems faced by formal institutions, they are able to complement and consolidate formal institutions to manage marine fisheries effectively. The findings of this study suggest it is imperative that formal institutions should be improved simultaneously with informal institutions to enhance current management for sustainable marine fisheries development.     

Thirty years of fleet dynamics modelling using discrete‐choice models: What have we learned?

Anticipating fisher behaviour is necessary for successful fisheries management. Of the different concepts that have been developed to understand individual fisher behaviour, random utility models (RUMs) have attracted considerable attention in the past three decades, and more particularly so since the 2000s. This study aimed at summarizing and analysing the information gathered from RUMs used during the last three decades around the globe. A methodology has been developed to standardize information across different studies and compare RUM results. The studies selected focused on fishing effort allocation. Six types of fisher behaviour drivers were considered: the presence of other vessels in the same fishing area, tradition, expected revenue, species targeting, costs, and risk‐taking. Analyses were performed using three separate linear modelling approaches to assess the extent to which these different drivers impacted fisher behaviour in three fleet types: fleets fishing for demersal species using active gears, fleets fishing for demersal species using passive gears and fleets fishing for pelagic species. Fishers are attracted by higher expected revenue, tradition, species targeting and presence of others, but avoid choices involving large costs. Results also suggest that fishers fishing for demersal species using active gears are generally more influenced by past seasonal (long‐term) patterns than by the most recent (short‐term) information. Finally, the comparison of expected revenue with other fisher behaviour drivers highlights that demersal fishing vessels are risk‐averse and that tradition and species targeting influence fisher decisions more than expected revenue.     

The behavioural dynamics of fishers: management implications

In pursuing their livelihood, fishers develop strategies when faced with changes in regulations and other fishery conditions. Changes involve each individual in a decision‐making process governed by his/her own goals or constraints. Despite this reality, the complex dynamics of fishing has usually been ignored in designing management initiatives, which has contributed to management failures in many parts of the world. Fishers have generally been treated as fixed elements, with no consideration of individual attitudes based on their operating scales (geographical, ecological, social and economic) and personal goals. We review existing research on the social, economic and behavioural dynamics of fishing to provide insight into fisher behaviour and its implications for fisheries management. Emphasis is placed on fisher perception, and how fishers develop dynamic fishing tactics and strategies as an adaptive response to changes in resource abundance, environmental conditions and market or regulatory constraints. We conclude that knowledge of these dynamics is essential for effective management, and we discuss how such information can be collected, analysed and integrated into fisheries assessment and management. Particular emphasis is placed on small‐scale fisheries, but some examples from industrial fleets are provided to highlight similar issues in different types of fisheries.     

Keeping watch on the unwatchable: technological solutions for the problems generated by ecosystem-based management

Ecosystem‐based management is an emerging paradigm influencing the management of commercial fisheries. Increasingly, developed nations are adopting explicit legislation and policy governing the assessment and management of their fisheries against criteria of ecological sustainability. Yet the ability to evaluate ecosystem impacts of fisheries is compromised by a general lack of understanding of marine ecosystem function (beyond the population level) and a lack of robust and practical indicators for ecosystem health and management. Recent technological advances can assist in developing criteria, including structural analyses of seafloor communities potentially impacted by fishing gears (e.g. demersal trawling). Similarly, advances in fishing gear technology, including improved selectivity and the development of gears which have a more benign environmental impact, can mitigate some of the ecological impacts of fishing. Such technological advances are summarized in the context of contemporary fisheries management.