The understudied and underappreciated role of predation in the mortality of fish released from fishing gears

The assumption that animals released from fishing gears survive has frequently been scrutinized by researchers in recent years. Mortality estimates from these research efforts can be incorporated into management models to ensure the sustainability of fisheries and the conservation of threatened species. Post‐release mortality estimates are typically made by holding the catch in a tank, pen or cage for short‐term monitoring (e.g. 48 h). These estimates may be inaccurate in some cases because they fail to integrate the challenges of the wild environment. Most obvious among these challenges is predator evasion. Stress and injury from a capture experience can temporarily impair physiological capacity and alter behaviour in released animals, a period during which predation risk is likely elevated. In large‐scale commercial fisheries, predators have adapted their behaviour to capitalize on impaired fishes being discarded, while in recreational catch‐and‐release fisheries, exercise and air exposure can similarly impede the capacity for released fish to evade opportunistic predators. Owing to the indirect and often cryptic nature of this source of mortality, very few studies have attempted to document it. A survey of the literature demonstrated that <2% of the papers in the combined realms of bycatch and catch‐and‐release have directly addressed or considered post‐release predation. Future research should combine field telemetry and laboratory studies using both natural and simulated predation encounters and incorporate physiological and behavioural endpoints. Quite simply, predation is an understudied and underappreciated contributor to the mortality of animals released from fishing gears.     

Reflections on the influence of a synthesis of circle‐hook evidence on the angling community and conservation policy and practice

1. Understanding how different forms of environmental evidence inform the actions of different stakeholders is useful to improve how we share knowledge with knowledge users. Reflections on a literature review that we published in 2004 on circle hooks as a tool for fish conservation in the recreational fishing sector identified a number of ways in which that synthesis was influential.
2. The article has had direct influence on policy and regulations in a number of countries, but there were even more examples of where the article has been used to influence voluntary guidelines. The article also contributed to formally defining circle hooks, which was necessary from a regulatory and enforcement perspective.
3. The recreational fishing community has also embraced the work, with numerous angling articles based on the literature review appearing in the media and with some angler organizations pushing for the adoption of circle hooks. The fishing tackle industry has also responded with evidence that circle hooks are now more widely available in stores with more hook design options to suit diverse recreational fisheries. In addition, the influence of the article has extended beyond the recreational sector to commercial fishery issues that span several taxa. The research agenda from the article helped to direct research for more than a decade and has since been updated.
4. Overall, this review was timely in that it provided various knowledge users with credible information synthesized in a thoughtful manner at a time when there was interest and need in exploring circle hooks as a tool to enhance the conservation of angled fish. Although this was not a systematic review, it still served as a form of evidence synthesis that gave diverse knowledge users information to guide them in their decisions.

     

Angling for endangered fish: conservation problem or conservation action?

Recreational angling has been implicated in population declines of some marine and freshwater fish, but this activity is rarely considered as a threat or even halted when endangered species are targeted. Indeed, in some cases, anglers are drawn to fish for rare or endangered species. Conservation‐oriented behaviours such as catch‐and‐release are often practiced voluntarily due to the ethics of anglers, yet even in these cases, some fishing mortality occurs. Nonetheless, there are many indirect conservation benefits associated with recreational angling. Here, we present a series of case‐studies and consider whether catch‐and‐release angling for endangered fish is a conservation problem or a conservation action. If recreational angling activities contribute to population‐level consequences that are contrary to recovery strategies, then angling for endangered species would seem to be a poor option. However, as revealed by several case‐studies, there is much evidence that anglers are vocal and effective proponents of fish and habitat conservation, and for endangered species, they are often the only voice when other stakeholders are not engaged. Anglers may contribute directly to conservation actions via user fees (e.g. licences), philanthropic donations or by volunteering in research, education and restoration activities. However, it is important to quantify post‐release mortality as well as understand the full suite of factors influencing a given population or species to know the potential risks. A risk assessment approach outlined in the paper may be used by managers to determine when the benefits of angling for endangered species outweigh the risks.     

Effects of increased nitrogen supply on the lignification of poplar wood

The short-term influence of adequate and high nitrogen fertilization on poplar lignification was investigated. The high nitrogen supply decreased lignin staining in the newly formed secondary xylem, indicating that lignin deposition was affected. Acetyl bromide determinations gave a 9-10% decrease in lignin content; however, Klason lignin content was unchanged. Thioacidolysis showed that elevated N supply affected lignin structure such that there was a reduced frequency of lignin units involved in beta-O-4 bonds, a reduced syringyl/guaiacyl ratio, an increased frequency of p-hydroxyphenyl lignin units, more guaiacyl units with free phenolic groups, and more p-hydroxybenzoic acid ester-linked to poplar lignins. These features suggest that lignins from poplars grown under high N bear structural similarities to lignins formed during early stages of wood development. The findings also indicate that a gravitational stimulus inducing the formation of tension wood and high N availability lead to similar and additive effects on lignin content and structure.     

Phosphorus Retention and Release Characteristics of Sewage-Impacted Wetland Sediments

Sediment deposited in traps positioned along a sewage-impacted wetland receiving phosphorus (P)-retaining reactants from natural wetland water was fractionated into different particle sizes, and the amount of P retained in these particle sizes was investigated. Subsamples of the sediments collected from different sites along the wetland system were also equilibrated with water at different water:sediment ratios and equilibration periods to investigate the extent of P released from these sediments under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Results obtained showed that most of P deposited in sediments is in fine fractions (<16 µm), particularly in sediments collected from confluence sites where water inflow from the natural wetland provides P-retaining reactants and from sites immediately below these confluence sites (postconfluence sites). The extent of P release from sediments depended on the aerobic-anaerobic conditions of the sediments, equilibration period, water:sediment ratio and the position of sites within the wetland. The rate of P released from sediments associated with an increase in equilibration period tended to be higher under aerobic than anaerobic conditions. Water:sediment ratio was found to be a more important factor in controlling the release of P from sediments under anaerobic than aerobic conditions. The amount of P released from the confluence and postconfluence sites was higher than that from other sites over a range of equilibration periods and water:sediment ratios under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.     

Review—mechanism of action of herbicidal and fungicidal compounds on cell membranes

The eukaryotic cell membrane is thought to consist of a mobile bilayer of phospholipid, sometimes intercalated with sterols, in which peripheral and transmembrane proteins are embedded. This provides a model whereby the mode of action of many fungicidal and herbicidal compounds can be rationalised and understood. Some compounds, such as the polyene antibiotics, steroidal saponins and certain phytoalexins, induce membrane malfunction by direct insertion, often complexing with vital components. Others, such as paraquat and the nitrodiphenyl ether herbicides, cause membrane damage by inducing lipid peroxidations. Furthermore, there are many compounds, including the sterol-biosynthesis-inhibiting fungicides and the aryloxyphenoxypropionate and cyclohexanedione herbicides, which interfere with the biosynthesis of membrane components. Because membrane structure is fundamentally similar in eukaryotes, it is important to discover the reasons for any differential toxicity displayed by these compounds and, if necessary, to find ways of optimising desirable patterns of selectivity.     

Distribution and breakdown of DDT in orchard soil

Amounts of DDT and its breakdown products were determined in soil in an apple orchard in Herefordshire. Samples were taken for a number of years (1972–79) after use of the insecticide in the orchard had ceased in 1969. The results were compared with those obtained in an investigation of the same orchard in 1968. From 1968 to 1979, soil residues of pp′-DDT, p′--DDT and pp′--TDE decreased gradually whereas those of pp′--DDE increased, and there were linear relationships between log (concentration) and time. The calculated time for 50% decrease in concentration (Dt₅₀) was 11.7 years for pp′--DDT, 3.3 years for pp′--TDE and 7.1 years for op′--DDT; the time for doubling the concentration for pp′--DDE was 9.1 years. Regression analysis on the two major components (pp′--DDT+pp′--DDE) indicated that the total amount (2.7 mg kg^?1) was not decreasing with time. It was concluded that during a post-spray era, the breakdown of pp′--DDT to pp′--DDE was a significant feature of the persistence of DDT, and that, in contrast to the findings of other workers who sampled when DDT was being used, there were no losses by volatilisation. There was an exponential decrease in the amount of DDT residues with increasing soil depth and approximately 90% was found in the top 10 cm of the undisturbed soil profile.     

Population changes in Phytophthora infestans in Taiwan associated with the appearance of resistance to metalaxyl

In recent years, late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont) De Bary, has increased in severity in many parts of the world, and this has been associated with migrations which have introduced new, arguably more aggressive, populations of the pathogen. In Taiwan, late blight has been endemic on outdoor tomato crops grown in the highlands since the early 1900s, but recent epidemics have been more damaging. To ascertain the present status of the Taiwanese population of P infestans, 139 isolates of the pathogen collected and maintained by the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) were characterized using mating type, metalaxyl sensitivity, allozyme genotype, mitochondrial haplotype and RFLP fingerprinting. Up to 1997, all isolates were found to belong to the old clonal lineage of P infestans (US-1 and variants), but in isolates from 1998 a new genotype appeared, and by 2000 this had apparently completely displaced the old population. This new genotype was an A1 mating type and has the dilocus allozyme genotype 100/100/111, 100/100 for the loci coding for glucose-6-phosphate isomerase and peptidase, respectively. These characters, together with RG57 fingerprinting, indicated that these isolates belonged to the US-11 clonal lineage, a minority (11%) being a previously unreported variant of US-11. Whereas metalaxyl-resistant isolates were not detected in the old population, 96% of the new genotypes proved resistant, with the remainder being intermediate in sensitivity. It may be inferred from this sudden, marked change in the characteristics of the Taiwanese P infestans that a new population of the pathogen was introduced around 1997-98 and that this may well have already been metalaxyl-resistant when it arrived, although a role for in situ selection cannot be excluded.