scholarly journals Traditional Fisheries Management of Lake Bosomtwe, a Sacred Lake in Ghana: Past, Present and Future

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-43
Author(s):  
Mark OWUSU-FRIMPONG ◽  
Gifty ABACHE ◽  
Prince Emmanuel OPPONG ◽  
Randy Kwadwo AGYEIBI ◽  
Akwasi AMPOFO-YEBOAH
Keyword(s):  
Freshwater Fish ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Impact Crater ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Crater Lake ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
Meteoritic Impact ◽  
Conventional Management ◽  
Lake Bosomtwe

Lake Bosomtwe is an ancient meteoritic impact crater lake, situated near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The lake is highly prized as a major source of freshwater fish supply, livelihoods, and a resort attraction. The lake is held sacred because of the legend surrounding its discovery. Its predominantly cichlid fishery has been managed for many centuries only by laws that were shrouded in taboos or traditional religious prohibitions. Human activities with the tendency to upset the spirits believed to be dwelling in the lake, such as excessive agitation of the water, noise-making, fishing on a sacred day and the use of conventional nets were prohibited and outlawed. The chiefs, at the instance of the priests of the local shrines, demanded ritual (animal and drink) sacrifices from offenders in cases of non-observance of the taboos to pacify and avert the wrath of the spirits. Although, the laws were essentially traditional religious commandments they were not without connotations for conventional fisheries management. Currently, however, virtually all the traditional fisheries rules and regulations appear to have broken down, as modernity seems to have eroded their relevance, with the result that there is a serious overfishing and depletion of the fish stocks. Nevertheless, recovery of the dwindled fisheries is possible by blending conventional management practices and the traditional laws that are still deemed relevant.  

scholarly journals Adopting a Wider Ecosystem Approach for Fisheries Management

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Anthony Hawkins*
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
Environmental Interests ◽  
Current Systems

Many marine and freshwater fisheries are now in a very poor state, and many fish stocks are close to collapse. There is a need to manage fisheries more carefully, especially since fishing can affect other aspects of the environment. It is also important to reduce the adverse effects of climate changes upon the marine and freshwater environments, fish, and other animals, and the need to manage other human activities taking place in the sea, to improve the marine environment and protect the wildlife and the fishing activities. Forms of pollution, including plastics, and also noise and substrate vibration, from industrial and other activities may affect both the abundance and quality of fish and other marine animals. This paper deals with fisheries management, and environmental protection, and concludes that fishermen, fisheries scientists, fisheries managers and environmental interests must work closely together, if fish are to be adequately protected, and fisheries are to be better managed. It describes current systems of management. It especially draws attention to the importance of moving towards an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. Such an approach aims to manage all those human activities that have an impact upon the marine environment and its life forms. Keywords: Fish; Fisheries; Environments; Ecosystems; Management; Scientists

Taking Stock of Genetic Concepts in Fisheries Management

1991 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 722-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Gauldie
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Allele Frequencies ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Sustainable Yield ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
Meristic Count ◽  
Intuitive Idea ◽  
Selection Mechanisms ◽  
Insight Into

The historical development of the idea of isolated stocks of fish that can be managed as separate management units has been as strongly tied to the intuitive idea of separate races as it has been to the practical necessities of jurisprudence and the estimation of both biomass and sustainable yield by fisheries managers. Demonstrating the existence of isolated fish stocks and delineating their boundaries has generally proved unsuccessful. Various techniques ranging from meristic count differences to polymorphic allelism have usually failed. However, in the pursuit of isolated stocks, biochemists have uncovered a great deal of information about the variation of polymorphic allele frequencies over time and space. Following the shift in opinion away from stochastic to natural selection mechanisms in allele frequency variation, it is evident that the observed variation in allele frequencies allows more insight into the biology of fishes than into the breeding structure of populations. These insights argue against the idea of isolated stocks of fish with homogeneous growth rates that are the basis of the sustainable yield models in favour of migration-linked stocks with heterogeneous growth rates.

scholarly journals Depleted marine fish stocks and ecosystem-based management: on the road to recovery, we need to be precautionary

2010 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 212-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Gårdmark ◽  
Anders Nielsen ◽  
Jens Floeter ◽  
Christian Möllmann
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Marine Fish ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
The Road ◽  
Stock Status ◽  
Ecosystem Based Management ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
On The Road

Abstract Gårdmark, A., Nielsen, A., Floeter, J., and Möllmann, C. 2011. Depleted marine fish stocks and ecosystem-based management: on the road to recovery, we need to be precautionary. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 212–220. Precautionary management for fish stocks in need of recovery requires that likely stock increases can be distinguished from model artefacts and that the uncertainty of stock status can be handled. Yet, ICES stock assessments are predominantly deterministic and many EC management plans are designed for deterministic advice. Using the eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) stock as an example, we show how deterministic scientific advice can lead to illusive certainty of a rapid stock recovery and management decisions taken in unawareness of large uncertainties in stock status. By (i) performing sensitivity analyses of key assessment model assumptions, (ii) quantifying the uncertainty of the estimates due to data uncertainty, and (iii) developing alternative stock and ecosystem indicators, we demonstrate that estimates of recent fishing mortality and recruitment of this stock were highly uncertain and show that these uncertainties are crucial when combined with management plans based on fixed reference points of fishing mortality. We therefore call for fisheries management that does not neglect uncertainty. To this end, we outline a four-step approach to handle uncertainty of stock status in advice and management. We argue that it is time to use these four steps towards an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management.

Does growing Canadian Western Hard Red Spring wheat under organic management alter its breadmaking quality?

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Mason ◽  
A. Navabi ◽  
B. Frick ◽  
J. O'Donovan ◽  
D. Niziol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Content ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Test Weight ◽  
Kernel Hardness ◽  
Organic Management ◽  
Breadmaking Quality ◽  
Conventional Management ◽  
Flour Yield

AbstractCanadian Western Hard Red Spring (CWRS) wheat is recognized as premium quality wheat, ideal for breadmaking due to its superior milling qualities, baking characteristics and protein content. Organic wheat production is becoming more prevalent in Canada, due to increasing consumer demand for organic wheat products. Differences may exist in the baking and milling quality of wheat grown under conventional and organic management, a result of the dissimilarity between organic and conventional soil and crop management practices. Five CWRS cultivars released from 1885 to 1997 were grown under conventional and organic management and were assessed for their breadmaking potential. Several traits were investigated, including test weight, protein content, flour yield, kernel hardness and several mixograph parameters. Test weight was higher under conventional management, while no differences in protein content were observed between organic and conventionally grown wheat. Higher sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation (SDSS) volume, a reflection of gluten strength, was observed under conventional management, while there was a trend towards higher dough strength under organic management. Cultivars differed in grain protein, flour yield, kernel hardness and mixograph parameters, with Park and McKenzie superior to the others, particularly Red Fife, a much older cultivar. Management×cultivar interaction effects suggest that cultivars exhibit somewhat different baking characteristics when grown in the two management systems. There was no evidence that older cultivars (developed prior to the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers) are better suited, in terms of breadmaking quality, for organic production.

scholarly journals Applying a knowledge–action framework for navigating barriers to incorporating telemetry science into fisheries management and conservation: a qualitative study

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (10) ◽  
pp. 1733-1743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian M. Nguyen ◽  
Nathan Young ◽  
Steven J. Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Aquatic Resources ◽  
Applied Ecology ◽  
Fundamental Knowledge ◽  
Fish Telemetry ◽  
Management And Conservation

Telemetry studies have produced fundamental knowledge on animal biology and ecology that has the potential to improve management of aquatic resources such as fisheries. However, the use and integration of telemetry-derived knowledge into practice remain tenuous, so we surveyed 212 fish telemetry experts to understand existing barriers for incorporating telemetry-derived knowledge into fisheries management practices. We apply a sociological knowledge–action framework to structure the findings, which revealed four primary challenges to integrating telemetry findings into management: (1) the perceived uncertainties and unclear relevance of telemetry findings; (2) the underlying motivations and constrained rationalities of actors that can lead to inaction or suboptimal decisions; (3) the constraints of institutions, governance structures, and lack of organizational support, and (4) time and mismatches in scale, culture, and world views. On a more positive note, the relational dimension (collaboration, trust, and relationship building) appears to be important for overcoming and avoiding barriers. We further provide recommendations to navigate these perceived barriers and argue that these lessons also apply to other fields of applied ecology, conservation, and resource management.

scholarly journals Opportunity for marine fisheries reform in China

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 435-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Cao ◽  
Yong Chen ◽  
Shuanglin Dong ◽  
Arthur Hanson ◽  
Bo Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Marine Fisheries ◽  
Marine Resource ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
Marine Resource Management

China’s 13th Five-Year Plan, launched in March 2016, provides a sound policy platform for the protection of marine ecosystems and the restoration of capture fisheries within China’s exclusive economic zone. What distinguishes China among many other countries striving for marine fisheries reform is its size—accounting for almost one-fifth of global catch volume—and the unique cultural context of its economic and resource management. In this paper, we trace the history of Chinese government priorities, policies, and outcomes related to marine fisheries since the 1978 Economic Reform, and examine how the current leadership’s agenda for “ecological civilization” could successfully transform marine resource management in the coming years. We show how China, like many other countries, has experienced a decline in the average trophic level of its capture fisheries during the past few decades, and how its policy design, implementation, and enforcement have influenced the status of its wild fish stocks. To reverse the trend in declining fish stocks, the government is introducing a series of new programs for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, with greater traceability and accountability in marine resource management and area controls on coastal development. As impressive as these new plans are on paper, we conclude that serious institutional reforms will be needed to achieve a true paradigm shift in marine fisheries management in China. In particular, we recommend new institutions for science-based fisheries management, secure fishing access, policy consistency across provinces, educational programs for fisheries managers, and increasing public access to scientific data.

https://fisheries.org/doi/9781934874301-ch19

2012 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Energy Development ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Seafloor Mapping ◽  
The U.S

<i>Abstract</i> .—The Gulf of Maine’s seafloor provides a wide array of valuable ecosystem services, including provision of habitat for commercially and ecologically important mammals, seabirds, fish, and invertebrates. Implementing ecosystem-based management will require improved information about the habitats of economically and ecologically important species and the impacts of different human activities, such as fish harvesting, offshore energy development, and shipping, to balance these competing needs. Currently, there is limited high resolution seabed substrate information in the Gulf of Maine, especially in the U.S. portion, because of the high cost of multi-beam echo sounder surveys. Moreover, this lack of coverage limits the ability of managers to use seafloor substrate information in ecosystem management activities, such as fisheries management, that require more holistic coverage of the bioregion. Therefore, the potential need for seafloor mapping in this region is enormous given the value of accurate seafloor information to managers in charge of minimizing impacts to and sustaining the ecosystem services provided by benthic habitat in the Gulf of Maine.

Experimental culling of minnows suppresses cyanobacterial bloom under low-nutrient conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 2102-2109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blake R. Stuparyk ◽  
Mark Graham ◽  
Jenna Cook ◽  
Mitchell A. Johnsen ◽  
Karen K. Christensen-Dalsgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Trophic Cascade ◽  
Phytoplankton Biomass ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Cyanobacterial Bloom ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
Phytoplankton Blooms ◽  
Cascade Effect

Cyanobacterial blooms in lakes of low nutrient status are recent ecological surprises. Culling of planktivorous fish may help suppress phytoplankton blooms via a trophic cascade effect. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a 90-day experiment adjacent to a shallow oligomesotrophic lake increasingly beset by midsummer cyanobacterial blooms in the presence of high abundances of minnows and sparse herbivorous zooplankton. The single-factor (± three spottail shiners, Notropis hudsonius) experimental design was replicated 10 times for a total of twenty 1200 L capacity mesocosms. Contrary to the trophic cascade hypothesis, minnow removal decreased the abundance of bosminids capable of grazing cyanobacteria. Nevertheless, removal of the minnows significantly both suppressed phytoplankton biomass and offset the development of cyanobacteria, such as Gloeotrichia echinulata. Lower concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen in the fishless relative to stocked mesocosms best explained these differences in the phytoplankton community. Our findings highlight how fisheries management practices that enhance minnow populations in lakes of low productivity may inadvertently contribute to cyanobacterial blooms through increased nutrient cycling.

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