scholarly journals Conflicts in the coastal zone: human impacts on commercially important fish species utilizing coastal habitat

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 1203-1213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliot J Brown ◽  
Rita P Vasconcelos ◽  
Håkan Wennhage ◽  
Ulf Bergström ◽  
Josianne G Støttrup ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Coastal Habitat ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Coastal Habitats ◽  
Commercially Important ◽  
Fishing Impacts

Abstract Coastal ecosystems are ecologically, culturally, and economically important, and hence are under pressure from diverse human activities. We reviewed the literature for existing evidence of effects of human-induced habitat changes on exploited fish utilizing coastal habitats. We focused on fish species of the Northeast Atlantic for which fisheries advice is provided by International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and which utilize coastal habitats for at least one life-history stage (LHS). We found that 92% of these species are impacted by human activity in at least one LHS while utilizing coastal habitat and 38% in multiple stages. Anthropogenic pressures most commonly shown to impact these fish species were toxicants and pollutants (75% of species). Eutrophication and anoxia, invasive species, and physical coastal development affected about half of the species (58, 54, and 42% of species, respectively), while indirect fishing impacts affected a minority (17% of species). Moreover, 71% of the ICES advice species that utilize coastal habitats face impacts from more than one pressure, implying cumulative effects. Given that three-fourths of the commercial landings come from fish species utilizing coastal habitats, there is an obvious need for a better understanding of the impacts that human activities cause in these habitats for the development of ecosystem-based fisheries management.

scholarly journals From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada

FACETS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-179
Author(s):  
Grace E.P. Murphy ◽  
Jillian C. Dunic ◽  
Emily M. Adamczyk ◽  
Sarah J. Bittick ◽  
Isabelle M. Côté ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Seagrass Ecosystems ◽  
Plant Habitat

Seagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass ( Zostera marina) meadows are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, and thus occur across a wide range of biogeographic conditions. Here, we synthesize knowledge of eelgrass ecosystems across Canada’s coasts, highlighting commonalities and differences in environmental conditions, plant, habitat, and community structure, as well as current trends and human impacts. Across regions, eelgrass life history, phenology, and general species assemblages are similar. However, distinct regional differences occur in environmental conditions, particularly with water temperature and nutrient availability. There is considerable variation in the types and strengths of human activities among regions. The impacts of coastal development are prevalent in all regions, while other impacts are of concern for specific regions, e.g., nutrient loading in the Atlantic and impacts from the logging industry in the Pacific. In addition, climate change represents a growing threat to eelgrass meadows. We review current management and conservation efforts and discuss the implications of observed differences from coast to coast to coast.

scholarly journals A METHOD FOR THE SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC PRESSURES IN SPANISH MARINE WATERS

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (33) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Moreno ◽  
Irene Del Barrio ◽  
Ana Lloret ◽  
Ainhoa Pérez-Puyol
Keyword(s):  
Human Activities ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Marine Waters ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Marine Management ◽  
Gis Tools ◽  
Environmental Status ◽  
Good Environmental Status ◽  
Official Sources

In 2008, the European Community adopted the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, aiming to achieve or maintain good environmental status in the European marine environment by 2020, applying an ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities. Spatial information of the distribution of the human activities and their related pressures is essential to accomplish this task successfully. After compiling the available data from official sources, the spatial extent of the land-based and ocean-based human activities that could have an impact on the Spanish marine waters were estimated and mapped using GIS tools. In addition, a series of indexes were created in order to develop a cumulative analysis, taking into account the different relevance of pressures and that single pressures have different intensities. The identification of areas with an accumulation of pressures revealed that it is in coastal waters around big cities where the greater part of the pressures concentrates for each of the five Spanish marine districts. Human impacts emanating from the identified pressures could not be evaluated and this task is proposed to be accomplished in further projects. Nonetheless, the resulting information is considered very useful for managers and technical staff to support not only marine management but also other planning and decision making in Spain.

scholarly journals First days at sea: depicting migration patterns of juvenile seabirds in highly impacted seascapes

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11054
Author(s):  
Maite Louzao ◽  
Karine Delord ◽  
David García ◽  
Isabel Afán ◽  
José Manuel Arcos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Migratory Patterns

Increasing human activities have detrimental consequences on marine ecosystems and their impact can have cumulative effects. Within marine ecosystems, seabirds respond to ecosystem variability and face multiple human pressures, especially threatened species. In long-lived species, juveniles and immatures could represent up to 50% of the total population, but their migratory movements remain largely unknown. Here, we depict the migratory patterns of juvenile Balearic shearwaters Puffinus mauretanicus, the most threatened European seabird, using miniaturised satellite transmitters. At the end of the 2012 breeding season, five tagged juveniles left the breeding colonies of Eivissa Island (western Mediterranean) the first week of July. They moved westwards to reach the Atlantic Ocean between 3 and 13 days afterwards. Juveniles showed a two-phase migratory pattern: they first travelled slower close to the breeding colonies, and then moved towards their wintering areas in the Atlantic Ocean by rapid directional movements. Environmental cues (e.g.,marine productivity, water mass distribution, frontal systems) might have a prominent role in driving the migratory patterns of juvenile Balearic shearwaters, moving from warm and poor marine areas in the Mediterranean Sea to cooler and rich non-breeding grounds in the Atlantic Ocean. Based on observational findings, we observed certain spatial overlap of juvenile Balearic shearwaters with areas of high human impact, but the relationship between flying travel speed and both fishing effort and cumulative human impacts were not statistically significant. These results suggest that more research is needed to assess whether the movement patterns of migrating juveniles are affected by human activities. Therefore, understanding the at-sea spatial ecology of juveniles should be a priority for research and conservation due to the importance of this population component in long-lived species, as well as assessing their vulnerability to multiple anthropogenic pressures.

scholarly journals Human impacts on global freshwater fish biodiversity

Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 371 (6531) ◽  
pp. 835-838
Author(s):  
Guohuan Su ◽  
Maxime Logez ◽  
Jun Xu ◽  
Shengli Tao ◽  
Sébastien Villéger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Freshwater Fish ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Cumulative Change ◽  
River Fragmentation ◽  
Biodiversity Changes ◽  
The Impact

Freshwater fish represent one-fourth of the world’s vertebrates and provide irreplaceable goods and services but are increasingly affected by human activities. A new index, Cumulative Change in Biodiversity Facets, revealed marked changes in biodiversity in >50% of the world’s rivers covering >40% of the world’s continental surface and >37% of the world’s river length, whereas <14% of the world’s surface and river length remain least impacted. Present-day rivers are more similar to each other and have more fish species with more diverse morphologies and longer evolutionary legacies. In temperate rivers, where the impact has been greatest, biodiversity changes were primarily due to river fragmentation and introduction of non-native species.

Diversity and abundance of cichlids in Ikere Gorge Reservoir, Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-56
Author(s):  
S.O. Ajagbe ◽  
R.O. Ajagbe ◽  
O.S. Ariwoola ◽  
F.I. Abdulazeez ◽  
O.O. Oyewole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Freshwater Species ◽  
Fishing Villages ◽  
Gorge Reservoir ◽  
Commercially Important ◽  
Sarotherodon Galilaeus ◽  
Fish Species Diversity

Cichlids are highly abundant and commercially important fish in freshwater ecosystems in Nigeria. This study examined the diversity and abundance of cichlids in Ikere Gorge Reservoir. Four fishing villages were randomly selected from 12 fishing villages in Ikere Gorge Reservoir as sampling sites. Cichlids were sampled randomly and examined from fishermen catch in each selected fishing village; were identified with appropriate keys; the weight and abundance of the catches were recorded. The data obtained was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis using SPSS (Version 20.0) software to determine the abundance of fish species. Fish species diversity was carried out by using Palaeontological Statistics (PAST). Eight species of cichlids were sampled in Ikere Gorge but Sarotherodon galilaeus was the most abundant species while the least abundant species was Pelmatolapia mariae. It was observed that, cichlids were  abundant in rainy season than in the dry season. Likewise, cichlids were abundant in Ikere-gorge reservoir but they have low diversity. This may be as a result of unsustainable fishing pressure and deforestation of riparian forest and sedimentation in Ikere-gorge reservoir. Therefore, to maintain sustainable fishing activities and improve cichlids population in Ikeregorge reservoir, unsustainable activities in and around Ikere Gorge reservoir should be put under control. Keywords: Cichlidae; freshwater species; dominant; Sarotherodon galilaeus; Pelmatolapia mariae.

scholarly journals Regional and Seasonal Differences in Species Composition and Trophic Groups for Tidepool Fishes of a Western Pacific Island – Taiwan

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin K. C. Wen ◽  
Li-Shu Chen ◽  
Kwang-Tsao Shao
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Species Numbers ◽  
Intertidal Fish ◽  
Intertidal Fishes

Spatial and temporal variations in the species composition of assemblages are common in many marine organisms, including fishes. Variations in the fish species composition of subtidal coral reefs have been well documented, however much less is known about such differences for intertidal fish assemblages. This is surprising, given that intertidal fishes are more vulnerable to terrestrial human disturbances. It is critical to evaluate the ecology and biology of intertidal fishes before they are severely impacted by coastal development, especially in developing countries such as those in the tropical western Pacific region where coastal development is rapidly increasing. In this study, we investigated the species composition, abundance, biomass and species number (richness) for intertidal fish assemblages in subtropical (northern) and tropical (southern) Taiwan across four seasons by collecting fishes from tidepools using clove oil. We also examined the gut contents of collected fishes to identify their trophic functional groups in order to investigate regional and seasonal variations for different trophic groups. We found significant differences in the species composition of tidepool fish assemblages between subtropical and tropical Taiwan. Bathygobius fuscus, Abudefduf vaigiensis and Istiblennius dussumieri were dominant species in subtropical Taiwan, whereas Bathygobius coalitus, Abudefduf septemfasciatus and Istiblennius lineatus were dominant in tropical Taiwan. Other species such as Bathygobius cocosensis, Abudefduf sordidus and Istiblennius edentulus were common in both regions. For trophic groups, omnivores and detritivores had or showed trends towards higher species numbers and abundances in the subtropical region, whereas herbivores, planktivores and general carnivores had or showed trends towards higher species numbers and biomass in the tropical region. Overall, many intertidal fish species and trophic groups showed differences in abundance, biomass and species number between subtropical and tropical Taiwan. Further studies on large scale geographical gradients in trophic groups and species compositions in the Indo-west Pacific region are encouraged to assist with ecosystem monitoring and assessment. Keywords: Intertidal fishes, spatio-temporal pattern, feeding guild, diet

scholarly journals Human impacts and their interactions in the Baltic Sea region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Reckermann ◽  
Anders Omstedt ◽  
Tarmo Soomere ◽  
Juris Aigars ◽  
Naveed Akhtar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
The Other ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
General Description ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract. Coastal environments, in particular heavily populated semi-enclosed marginal seas and coasts like the Baltic Sea region, are stongly affected by human activities. A multitude of human impacts, including climate change, affects the different compartments of the environment, and these effects interact with each other. As part of the Baltic Earth Assessment Reports (BEAR), we present an inventory and discussion of different human-induced factors and processes affecting the environment of the Baltic Sea region, and their interrelations. Some are naturally occurring and modified by human activities (i.e. climate change, coastal processes, hypoxia, acidification, submarine groundwater discharges, marine ecosystems, non-indigenous species, land use and land cover), some are completely human-induced (i.e. agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, river regulations, offshore wind farms, shipping, chemical contamination, dumped warfare agents, marine litter and microplastics, tourism, coastal management), and they are all interrelated to different degrees. We present a general description and analysis of the state of knowledge on these interrelations. Our main insight is that climate change has an overarching, integrating impact on all of the other factors and can be interpreted as a background effect, which has different implications for the other factors. Impacts on the environment and the human sphere can be roughly allocated to anthropogenic drivers such as food production, energy production, transport, industry and economy. We conclude that a sound management and regulation of human activities must be implemented in order to use and keep the environments and ecosystems of the Baltic Sea region sustainably in a good shape. This must balance the human needs, which exert tremendous pressures on the systems, as humans are the overwhelming driving force for almost all changes we see. The findings from this inventory of available information and analysis of the different factors and their interactions in the Baltic Sea region can largely be transferred to other comparable marginal and coastal seas in the world.

scholarly journals Spatial models to support the management of coastal marine ecosystems: a short review of the best practices in Liguria, Italy

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 189 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. VACCHI ◽  
M. MONTEFALCONE ◽  
V. PARRAVICINI ◽  
A. ROVERE ◽  
P. VASSALLO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Impacts ◽  
Spatial Models ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Posidonia Oceanica ◽  
Spatial Modelling ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Marine Habitat ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Coastal Marine ◽  
The Status

Spatial modelling is an emerging approach to the management of coastal marine habitats, as it helps understanding and predicting the results of global change. This paper reviews critically two recent examples developed in Liguria, an administrative region of NW Italy. The first example, aiming at predicting habitat status depending on pressures, provides managers with the opportunity of envisaging different scenarios for the consequences of coastal development choices. The second example defines the status of an important Mediterranean coastal marine habitat (Posidonia oceanica meadows) under natural conditions, allowing for quantifying human impacts on regressed meadows. Both modelling approaches are useful to define the targets of coastal management, and may help choosing the best management option. Well-planned and sustained monitoring is essential to model validation and improvement.

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