Productivity and Management of Renewable Resources: Why More Efficient Fishing Fleets Should Fish Less

This article analyses the effect of productivity improvements on optimal fisheries management. It is shown that when harvest costs are independent of resource stock and the stock is below its steady state level, then for any given stock it is optimal to reduce harvest levels in response to a productivity increase unless optimal harvest rate is already zero. If harvest costs are stock dependent this result is modified; for stock dependent harvest costs there exists an interval of stock sizes below the steady state where it is optimal to reduce the harvest rate for any given stock size whereas if the harvest rate is close to an economically optimal steady state it is optimal to increase the harvest rate.

Analysis of the causes of some ship power plants accidents in the Far Eastern region in 2020

В работе содержится обзор отказов главных силовых установок на судах торгового и рыболовного флота, осуществляющих деятельность в дальневосточных морях с целью установления основных факторов, способствующих возникновению аварии. Решение таких задач, как анализ актов расследования экспертами морских происшествий с отказами судовых технических средств, в первую очередь главных двигателей, применительно к соблюдению судомеханиками обязательных нормативных требований, позволяет эффективнее выявлять проблемы безопасности мореплавания. Нормативно-правовая дисциплина судовой технической службы относится к недостаточно исследованным факторам, влияющим на поломки судовой техники. Ретроспективный анализ ошибочных действий или бездействия судового персонала необходим для выработки мер по снижению аварийности. Одним из перспективных подходов представляется индексация аварий, гармонизированная с действующей в морской отрасли системой кодов. The paper provides an overview of the failures of the main power plants on ships of the merchant and fishing fleets operating in the Far Eastern seas in order to establish the main factors contributing to the occurrence of the accident. The solution of such problems as the analysis of acts of investigation by experts of marine accidents with failures of ship technical equipment, primarily of the main engines, in relation to the observance of mandatory regulatory requirements by ship mechanics, makes it possible to more effectively identify problems of safety of navigation. The regulatory and legal discipline of the ship's technical service is one of the insufficiently studied factors affecting the breakdown of ship equipment. Retrospective analysis of erroneous actions or inaction of shipboard personnel is necessary to develop measures to reduce accidents. One of the promising approaches is the indexing of accidents, harmonized with the current code system in the maritime industry.

Climate driven spatiotemporal variations in seabird bycatch hotspots and implications for seabird bycatch mitigation

Bycatch in fisheries is a major threat to many seabird species. Understanding and predicting spatiotemporal changes in seabird bycatch from fisheries might be the key to mitigation. Inter-annual spatiotemporal patterns are evident in seabird bycatch of the U.S. Atlantic pelagic longline fishery monitored by the National Marine Fisheries Service Pelagic Observer Program (POP) since 1992. A newly developed fast computing Bayesian approximation method provided the opportunity to use POP data to understand spatiotemporal patterns, including temporal changes in location of seabird bycatch hotspots. A Bayesian model was developed to capture the inherent spatiotemporal structure in seabird bycatch and reduce the bias caused by physical barriers such as coastlines. The model was applied to the logbook data to estimate seabird bycatch for each longline set, and the mid-Atlantic bight and northeast coast were the fishing areas with the highest fleet bycatch estimate. Inter-annual changes in predicted bycatch hotspots were correlated with Gulf Stream meanders, suggesting that predictable patterns in Gulf Stream meanders could enable advanced planning of fishing fleet schedules and areas of operation. The greater the Gulf Stream North Wall index, the more northerly the seabird bycatch hotspot two years later. A simulation study suggested that switching fishing fleets from the hindcasted actual bycatch hotspot to neighboring areas and/or different periods could be an efficient strategy to decrease seabird bycatch while largely maintaining fishers’ benefit.

medieval fisheries of Galicia (Northwestern Iberia): A preliminary archaeozoological overview

The origin and development of the Iberian Medieval fisheries is a poorly documented phenomenon both from the standpoint of historical (documentary) and material (archaeological) evidence. Such dearth of knowledge can be explained in terms of proximal (i.e., a deficient retrieval of fish remains) and ultimate causes. Among the latter, the Muslim invasion, that lasted ca. 800 years of the “medieval millennium” in the Iberian Peninsula, needs to be taken into account as it probably delayed the development of fishing fleets within the Christian kingdoms for a substantial period of time. Be it as it may, the lack of knowledge does not allow one to explore a range of critical issues of Spanish and Portuguese history, such as the role played by the ever-expanding fishing fleets of Portugal and Castilla in the process of maritime discovery and colonization that these two kingdoms fostered by the end of the Middle Ages. In this paper, the results from a comparative analysis of selected fish assemblages from primary (i.e. coastal) deposits of the northern Iberian shores are presented. The aim is to check whether changes can be documented both at the level of (1) the range of species occurring in sites from the late Iron Age (Castreña culture, IV-I BC) to the Late Middle Ages (XV AD), and (2) the skeletal spectra of certain species that could reveal a differential processing of taxa meant for local consumption and those that appear in inland sites.

Vessel Strikes of Large Whales in the Eastern Tropical Pacific: A Case Study of Regional Underreporting

Vessel strike is recognized as a major modern threat to the recovery of large whale populations globally, but the issue is notoriously difficult to assess. Vessel strikes by large ships frequently go unnoticed, and those involving smaller vessels are rarely reported. Interpreting global patterns of vessel strikes is further hindered by underlying reporting biases caused by differences in countries’ research efforts, legislation, reporting structures and enforcement. This leaves global strike data “patchy” and typically scarce outside of developed countries, where resources are more limited. To explore this we investigated vessel strikes with large whales in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), a coastal region of ten developing countries where heavy shipping and high cetacean densities overlap. Although this is characteristic of vessel strike “hotspots” worldwide, only 11 ETP strike reports from just four countries (∼2% of total reports) existed in the International Whaling Commission’s Global Ship Strike Database (2010). This contrasts greatly with abundant reports from the neighboring state of California (United States), and the greater United States/Canadian west coast, making it a compelling case study for investigating underreporting. By reviewing online media databases and articles, peer review publications and requesting information from government agencies, scientists, and tourism companies, we compiled a regional ETP vessel strike database. We found over three times as many strike reports (n = 40), from twice as many countries (n = 8), identifying the geographic extent and severity of the threat, although likely still underestimating the true number of strikes. Reports were found from 1905 until 2017, showing that strikes are a regional, historic, and present threat to large whales. The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) was the most commonly hit species, and whale-watch industries involving small vessels in areas of high whale densities were recognized as a conservation and management concern. Industrial fishing fleets and shipping were suggested to be underrepresented sectors in the database, and are likely high-risk vessels for strikes with whales. We demonstrate the implications of known vessel strike reporting biases and conclude a more rapid assessment of global vessel strikes would substantially benefit from prioritized research efforts in developing regions, with known vessel strike “hotspot” characteristics, but few strike reports.

Spatiotemporal Variation in the Catch Composition and Abundance of Precious Corals Around Taiwan: Implications for Fisheries Management

Precious corals are a fishery resource of cultural and religious importance. Because of their high commercial value, precious corals have been exploited for several centuries in the Mediterranean and for almost one century in the Northwest Pacific. Taiwanese fishing fleets have harvested precious corals since the 1920s; however, management regulations have only been promulgated since January 2009, when the catch and effort data of fisheries began to be collected. This study examined spatiotemporal variation in the catch composition and abundance of precious corals Corallium, Hemicorallium, and Pleurocorallium spp. around Taiwan using fishery data from 2009 to 2018 and discussed its implications for fisheries management. Licenses are issued for 60 vessels annually, and the annual total catch was 2.9–3.5 t between 2009 and 2018, peaking in 2015 and then decreasing sharply in 2016. Because of the use of non-selective fishing gear, dead and fossilized colonies were included in the total catches of the fishery. Fossilized colonies were predominant (average 78.5%) in the total catches, whereas the proportion of live colony catches accounted for less than 5%. Pink coral (Momo) was predominant in the total and live colony catches during the 10-year period. The Taiwanese precious coral fishing fleets are restricted to harvesting precious corals in five designated fishing grounds (DFGs; A–E). The fishing effort (vessel⋅day) was mainly concentrated in DFG-A (average 56.6%), which accounted for an average of 63.9% of the total catches. However, the live colony catches were largest in DFG-E (average 39.9%) and DFG-A (average 39.6%). The annual catch rates of live colonies decreased in two major fishing grounds (DFGs-A and DFG-B), whereas it increased in two minor fishing grounds (DFGs-C and DFG-D). The temporal variation in occurrence rates of live colonies decreased between 2015 and 2018, indicating a declining trend for precious coral populations around Taiwan. These results indicate that an unsustainable condition may occur in the near future if the precious corals continue to be harvested at the current scale. Revised regulations for the Taiwanese precious coral fishery should contain proposals on fishing gear modifications, a rotational harvesting scheme, or both; such measures can contribute to the conservation of precious coral populations. Regional cooperation in fisheries management is necessary to achieve the sustainable development of precious corals and their fisheries in the Northwest Pacific.

Mapping the unjust global impact of harmful fisheries subsidies

Harmful fisheries subsidies contribute to overfishing leading to environmental and societal impacts1. If only fisheries within the subsidising nations’ jurisdiction were affected, then unilateral actions might be sufficient to help safeguard our ocean and the people reliant upon it. However, just as fish move between jurisdictions2, so too do the subsidised fishing fleets targeting them3. As such, the impacts and solutions to subsidies-induced overfishing are matters of international concern. Mapping that impact is therefore key to understanding these concerns and informing multilateral reform. Here we combine existing datasets4–6 to quantify the amount of harmful fisheries subsidies impacting the high seas, domestic and foreign waters, respectively. We estimate that between 24% and 43% of all harmful fisheries subsidies impact foreign waters or the high seas. We show that harmful subsidies primarily originate from countries with high-Human Development Index (HDI), strong fisheries management capacity and relatively sustainable fish stocks, yet disproportionately impact countries with low-HDI, lower management capacity and more vulnerable stocks. Indeed, over 40% of the harmful subsidies impacting low-HDI countries originate from high-HDI countries. This discrepancy between the source of harmful subsidies and the nations that are ultimately impacted is unsustainable and unjust. Policy-makers from all nations must push for effective multilateral subsidies reform. Prohibiting subsidies to distant-water fishing should be prioritised to support equitable and sustainable fisheries worldwide.

Climate risk to European fisheries and coastal communities

With the majority of the global human population living in coastal regions, correctly characterizing the climate risk that ocean-dependent communities and businesses are exposed to is key to prioritizing the finite resources available to support adaptation. We apply a climate risk analysis across the European fisheries sector to identify the most at-risk fishing fleets and coastal regions and then link the two analyses together. We employ an approach combining biological traits with physiological metrics to differentiate climate hazards between 556 populations of fish and use these to assess the relative climate risk for 380 fishing fleets and 105 coastal regions in Europe. Countries in southeast Europe as well as the United Kingdom have the highest risks to both fishing fleets and coastal regions overall, while in other countries, the risk-profile is greater at either the fleet level or at the regional level. European fisheries face a diversity of challenges posed by climate change; climate adaptation, therefore, needs to be tailored to each country, region, and fleet’s specific situation. Our analysis supports this process by highlighting where and what adaptation measures might be needed and informing where policy and business responses could have the greatest impact.

Introducing the Seasonal Closure into the CCAMLR Fishery Management Framework: Problems, Methods, and Prospects

In June 2020, China unilaterally announced two seasonal closures on squid fishing in certain areas of the high seas that apply to the Chinese distant water fishing fleets. Such closure refers to the withdrawal of the Chinese distant water fishing fleet from part of the high seas where they regularly operate. It is an innovative conservation measure initiated by a nation-state with the significance for global ocean governance and meeting the requirements from the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This paper is designed to seek the possibility, through a qualitative study and interpretive analysis, of whether such an innovative conservation measure can be introduced into the fishery management in the Southern Ocean, currently mainly under the framework of CCAMLR. This paper attempts to answer some questions with this new introduction. First, whether this kind of seasonal closure is applicable or feasible within the framework of CCAMLR. Second, whether this kind of seasonal closure would infringe upon or disrupt existing regimes, such as marine protected areas (MPAs) created by CCAMLR. Third, how and to what extent such a measure is supported by best scientific evidence so as to reach optimal effectiveness. In this regard, firm support from contracting parties is necessary to enforce the seasonal closure within the coverage of CCAMLR. The paper concludes that the seasonal closure feasible under the CCAMLR legal framework, which, like the measures of MPAs, will facilitate the fulfillment of best scientific evidence and eventually contribute to the SDG-14 progressively in the Southern Ocean.