Size selectivity of the Spisula solida dredge in relation to tooth spacing and mesh size

A study was undertaken on the northwestern coast of Portugal to evaluate the selectivity effect of both tooth spacing and mesh size on the catch of the white clam (Spisula solida). Two typical clam dredges, equipped with different tooth spacing and mesh size, were towed side by side. Three tooth spacing (20, 40 and 60 mm) and three mesh sizes (35, 40 and 50 mm) were investigated. The dredge selectivity experiments were performed by attaching a cover bag with a 20 mm mesh to the gear. Individual hauls were analysed by the SELECT model. The Fryer’s mixed model of between-haul variation was also applied to data. The results showed that the space between teeth does not have an effect on selectivity. Tooth length was directly related to the dredge’s capture efficiency. The only factor that contributed to dredge size selection was mesh size. The 50% retention lengths estimated for mesh sizes 30, 40 and 50 mm were 25.68, 26.35 and 31.94 mm, respectively. For all mesh sizes, very narrow selection ranges were observed. The most appropriate mesh size to be enforced within the Portuguese northwestern S. solida fishery should be 40 mm.     

The conservation and fishery benefits of protecting large pike (Esox lucius L.) by harvest regulations in recreational fishing

Traditional fisheries management theory supports aggressive exploitation of old and large fish to maximize a stock’s biomass production and yield. Here we present an age-structured fish population model with multidimensional density-dependence to test the hypotheses that protection of large, fecund individuals is beneficial for the population and selected fisheries variables and that effects of maternal size on early survival rate change the resilience and fisheries productivity of a pike population (Esox lucius L.) exploited by recreational angling. We find that, compared to the traditional regulatory approach of management by small minimum-length limits (so that culling of large fish is encouraged), preservation of large and old individuals through harvestable-slot length limits promises considerable benefits for fisheries quality, without compromising the long-term conservation of the population. We also find that ignoring maternal effects on early survival of offspring might overestimate the equilibrium spawning stock abundance by up to 17% and the predicted harvest by up to 11%, potentially putting pike populations at risk from overharvest if size-dependent maternal effects are ignored in fisheries models. If the findings from our simulation study hold for empirical systems, they suggest altered harvest regulations in many of consumptive pike recreational fisheries are needed to protect large individuals to a greater extent that currently pursued.     

珊瑚对型轮虫和丰年虫无节幼体的捕食机制初探

为探讨珊瑚对生物活饵料的捕食机制,选取美丽鹿角珊瑚(Acropora formosa)和佳丽鹿角珊瑚(Acropora pulchra)为实验对象,以轮虫(SS-type Rotifer)和丰年虫(Artemia salina)无节幼体为生物活饵料进行投喂。通过对投喂饵料量、残余量,以及差值进行统计,从而探讨珊瑚的摄食情况及摄食偏好。结果表明:超小型轮虫平均剩余量8.16×104个,P=0.012(P0.05),实验前后轮虫密度有显著差异。丰年虫无节幼体平均剩余量2.3×103个,P=0.01(P0.05),实验前后丰年虫密度有显著性差异。超小型轮虫和丰年虫无节幼体可以是珊瑚的生物活饵料。     

Selectivity of flexible size-sorting grid in Mediterranean multispecies trawl fishery

ABSTRACT:   The demersal multispecies trawl fishery in the western Mediterranean Sea has a poor selectivity; large numbers of juvenile fish are caught when using the legislated 40-mm diamond mesh cod end. The selectivity of a flexible sorting grid with 20-mm bar spacing (BS20) installed in front the conventional trawl cod end was investigated. The standard covered cod end method was used. Data was adequate for analyzing the selectivity of European hake Merluccius merluccius , poor cod Trisopterus minutus , greater forkbeard Phycis blennoides and Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus . The selectivity of the 20-mm sorting grid was compared with the performance of 40-mm diamond (DM40) and square mesh (SM40) cod ends. The effect of a guiding funnel on the performance of the grid (BS20-f) was also explored. Finally, the potential changes in yield per recruit (Y/R) and biomass per recruit (B/R) after implementing a sorting grid were explored. An overall improvement in the 50% selection length ( L ₅₀ ) with all four species was substantial when comparing the BS20 to the DM40. Higher improvement in L ₅₀ s was achieved when the grid was equipped with the guiding funnel. When comparing the performance of the BS20-f to the SM40, there was no marked difference in L ₅₀ s. The Y/R and B/R, however, are substantially higher with BS20-f for poor cod and about the same for European hake. BS20 compared to SM40 achieved lower Y/R and B/R for all four species; the smallest difference was observed for Norway lobster. Further development is required if the sorting grid is to be introduced into commercial fisheries.     

国内外拖网减少副渔获物的研究进展

拖网渔业的兼捕是一个世界性难题,每年因兼捕而产生的渔获物抛弃对渔业资源的持续发展产生较大影响。目前世界各国针对本国拖网渔业的特点、主捕对象开展了卓有成效的选择性研究,并取得了较为理想的效果。但在推广及应用过程中反映出较多的实际问题,有待进一步完善、提高。笔者综合了国内外在开展拖网渔具选择性研究中具有代表性的成功经验,表明单纯的网囊网目很难对副渔获复杂的拖网产生理想的选择效果;选择性装置及其与网片的组合是解决拖网渔具兼捕的有效手段之一。     

Selectivity in a trawl codend during haul-back operation—An overlooked phenomenon

The selectivity of a 99 mm trawl codend was assessed using a codend cover fitted with a MultiSampler, which was acoustically triggered to take separate samples at three different phases of the haul. The first sample was collected during towing, the second during haul-up and the third at the surface. A total of 18 hauls were conducted with a commercial fishing vessel west of Scotland. It was demonstrated that escapes take place not only during the tow but also in the short period when the trawl is hauled back from the seabed and when the codend is at the surface. For haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), respectively, the mean percentages escaping at the surface were 16, 12 and 38% of the total escape while 17, 8 and 28% escaped during the haul-up phase. Compared to towing, the escape rate (no./min) increased for haddock by a factor 2.7 during haul-up and by a factor 1.7 at the surface, whereas the escape rates of whiting were similar for the three phases. The escape rate of Norway lobster increased by a factor of approximately 7 for both the haul-up and surface phases, compared to the towing phase. The selectivity parameters L50 (50% retention length) and SR (selection range = L75–L25) were estimated and compared for the three different phases and for the whole haul for haddock, whiting and Norway lobster. For all three species there was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in L50 between the three phases of the haul. There was also no significant difference for whiting and Norway lobster when comparing the SR of the three phases, whereas the SR was significantly lower for haddock when comparing the surface phase with towing and haul-up. The estimate of L50 when towing was about 6 cm lower for haddock and whiting and 9 mm for Norway lobster compared to the selection curve estimated conventionally for the whole haul. Finally, the effect of sea state, duration and codend catch on the selectivity parameters were estimated for the individual phases and for the whole haul. A significant effect of at least one variable was found in all phases.     

Tailoring codend mesh size to improve the size selectivity of undifferentiated trawl species

Tiger flathead, Neoplatycephalus richardsoni (Castelnau), and sand flathead, Platycephalus bassensis Cuvier, are undifferentiated and managed with a common legal minimum length (LML). The Commonwealth Trawl Sector (CTS) and the Tasmanian Danish‐seine fishery (TDSF) use a minimum codend mesh sizes of 90 and 70 mm, respectively. The codend mesh size should be tailored to the LML, which is based on the length of first maturity of females (M₅₀). This study found the length–girth relationship of N. richardsoni and P. bassensis was not significantly different. Using the covered codend method, these two species had 50% retention lengths (L₅₀) of 294 ± 2 and 307 ± 3 mm, in 70‐mm and 90‐mm codends, respectively. L₅₀ estimates for mesh sizes from this study and others produced a curvilinear relationship: y = 120 ln(x) ? 214, with an r² of 0.8504. The size at maturity (M₅₀) for female N. richardsoni was 337 mm, which is larger than the estimate for female P. bassensis (247 mm). There is a mismatch between the estimates of L_50, the estimates of M₅₀ and the LMLs in each fishery, leading to suboptimal exploitation of female Platycephalus. The model produced in this paper recommends a codend mesh size of 98 mm for both fisheries to exploit Platycephalus species sustainably.     

枣实蝇对寄主植物不同器官的选择性测定

[目的]为枣实蝇引诱剂的研发提供理论依据。[方法]从枣实蝇行为学研究入手,以“Y”型嗅觉仪分别测试了枣实蝇对红枣和杏两种寄主植物不同新鲜器官的选择行为。[结果]表明,不同性别的枣实蝇成虫对寄主植物枣和杏不同器官的选择性表现出一定差异。雌虫对枣果的选择性比叶片和花的要强（P<0.05）,对枣果、枣花、叶片三者的选择率分别为35%、25%、22%;从枣果不同发育期（青果期、半红期、全红期）的选择性来看,雌虫对半红期枣果的选择性最强,选择率为38%,青果次之,为35%。而雄虫对枣花的选择性较强,选择率为38%,半红期枣果次之,为32%。枣实蝇对杏树不同器官的选择性来看,对果实的选择性比叶片的选择性要强（P<0.05）,从杏果（青果、熟果）不同发育期的选择性来看,雌虫对青果的选择性最强,选择率为30%,熟果次之,为28%。雄虫对熟果的选择性较强,选择率为28%,与青果、叶片有显著差异（P<0.05）。[结论]同一性别不同生理状态的成虫对寄主植物不同器官的选择性表现出一定差异,性成熟的成虫比未性成熟的成虫对寄主植物的选择性要强。性成熟的枣实蝇雌成虫对半红期枣果的趋性强于枣花与叶片     

扩散对斑块上食饵-捕食种群生存的影响

建立了2个斑块上种群扩散的食饵-捕食系统,主要研究了当其中一个斑块受到输入量存在极限值的外来毒素污染时,扩散对2个斑块上3个种群生存的影响。结果表明,当扩散存在且扩散率满足一定条件时,食饵种群和捕食者种群在未来时刻将全部灭绝;而当扩散率满足另一条件时,食饵种群和捕食者种群将持续生存,进而会影响斑块上的生物多样性。     

Voles and weasels in the boreal Fennoscandian small mammal community: what happens if the least weasel disappears due to climate change?

Climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats for populations and a challenge for individual behavior, interactions and survival. Predator–prey interactions are modified by climate processes. In the northern latitudes, strong seasonality is changing and the main predicted feature is shortening and instability of winter. Vole populations in the boreal Fennoscandia exhibit multiannual cycles. High amplitude peak numbers of voles and dramatic population lows alternate in 3–5‐year cycles shortening from North to South. One key factor, or driver, promoting the population crash and causing extreme extended lows, is suggested to be predation by the least weasel. We review the arms race between prey voles and weasels through the multiannual density fluctuation, affected by climate change, and especially the changes in the duration and stability of snow cover. For ground‐dwelling small mammals, snow provides thermoregulation and shelter for nest sites, and helps them hide from predators. Predicted increases in the instability of winter forms a major challenge for species with coat color change between brown summer camouflage and white winter coat. One of these is the least weasel, Mustela nivalis nivalis. Increased vulnerability of wrong‐colored weasels to predation affects vole populations and may have dramatic effects on vole dynamics. It may have cascading effects on other small rodent–predator interactions and even on plant–animal interactions and forest dynamics.