The spectre of uncertainty in management of exploited fish stocks: The illustrative case of Atlantic bluefin tuna

The recent overexploitation of East Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna stock has been well documented in the media where it has become the archetype of overfishing and general mis-management. Beyond the public debate, the crisis also highlighted how the interactions between science and management can change through time according to the awareness of the public opinion. To reflect these issues, the history of Atlantic bluefin tuna overfishing is first described. Then, the major uncertainties that undermine the current scientific advice are summarized and the importance of reducing their impacts by improving knowledge and developing robust scientific framework is considered. The study also discusses how uncertainty was used by different lobbies to discredit science-based management. The recent improvement in bluefin tuna stock status following the implementation of the rebuilding plan shows that, despite uncertainty in the scientific advice, the management of a heavily exploited fish stock can be positive when there is a political will. However, optimizing long-term yields of modern fisheries implies good science. The study concludes by advocating for the implementation of a scientific quota that should be part of the management framework to support the scientific advice.     

Managing Bluefin Tuna in the Mediterranean Sea

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is an important but not well managed fishery in the Mediterranean Sea. In this paper, management system is evaluated with information on stock status, resource rent, and total employment. The non-restrictive implementation of International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) policies is found to be the institutional reason for its management failure, while the common-property and shared stock nature of this fishery is the fundamental reason. To address these major issues, policy schemes are proposed to help sustainably manage this valuable resource in the Mediterranean Sea.     

International fisheries agreement: Review of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas: Case study—Shark management

To properly manage world fisheries, especially highly migratory species, there are numerous treaties that have been implemented by specialized international fishery commissions. One of the oldest organizations is the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The main focus of this review was to summarize the history, roles and responsibilities of ICCAT, and to evaluate ICCAT's management of sharks in general and specifically for shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) shark. This review found that the Convention was established 40 years ago, but it was not until 2004 that the commission conducted its first population assessment on pelagic sharks.     

基于贝叶斯状态空间产量模型的大西洋黄鳍金枪鱼资源评估

黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacares)是全球远洋渔业的重要目标鱼种,要实现有效的管理,对其进行科学的资源评估是必不可少的.本文以大西洋黄鳍金枪鱼为研究对象,根据国际大西洋金枪鱼养护委员会的渔获量和单位捕捞努力量渔获量数据,使用贝叶斯状态空间模型进行资源评估,并探讨不同剩余产量函数和单位捕捞努力量渔获量数据对评...     

Habitat mapping of the Atlantic bluefin tuna derived from satellite data: Its potential as a tool for the sustainable management of pelagic fisheries

The feeding and spawning habitats of the overfished Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) are mapped in the Mediterranean Sea and used in the present proposal for selecting restricted fishing grounds. The feeding habitat is mainly traced by oceanic fronts of satellite-derived temperature and chlorophyll while the spawning habitat is mostly characterized by an important heating of surface waters. The proposal recommends opening the fishery in feeding areas in case the BFT stock is low (current situation). Only spawning areas at its latest stage could be opened once the stock has recovered to its optimum yield. Due to the possible concentration of fishing vessels if fishing areas are restricted (e.g. four-fold increase with a 1/16th restriction of the Mediterranean Sea) the inspection activities could be better targeted. Identified spawning grounds, opened or closed to fishing, could also be particularly monitored by control operations. Within the authorized areas, the habitat maps would guide fishermen to the favourable habitat reducing their costs. The habitat guided management could be able to adapt the spatial and temporal distribution of the effort to the requirements of both the fisheries’ control and the resource. Its implementation is likely to protect the stock (a) by apparently decreasing illegal fishing which accounts in the recent years for more than 1/3rd of total catches, (b) by protecting the spawners to ensure a suitable recruitment and (c) by distributing the effort to respect the population structure. The first species studied is the emblematic bluefin tuna which is at high risk of collapse due to overfishing. The approach is a priori transposable to other epipelagic species of commercial importance.     

Age and Growth of Southern Bluefin Tuna,Thunnus maccoyii,Based on Otolith Microstructure

Ocean Science Journal - Age and growth of southern bluefin tuna (SBT, Thunnus maccoyii) were estimated based on otoliths collected by Korean tuna longline vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans...     

大西洋金枪鱼渔业现状分析

本文采用大西洋国际金抢鱼保护委员会ICCAT的报告和统计常设委员会（SCRS）数据库，统计分析了1978-2002年大西洋金抢鱼的渔获种类及渔具渔法。结果表明：按种类分黄鳍金枪鱼（占28％）、鲣鱼（22％）、长鳍金枪鱼（15％）、大眼金枪鱼（11％）、其他种类（8％）；按渔具分围网（42％）、延绳钓（29％）、饵钓（22％）、其它渔具（7％）。同时分析了不同海域的渔获种类、渔获量波动情况和原因。     

Identification and prioritization of uncertainties for management of Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

In recent decades there has been steady progress towards a risk-based management approach for fisheries. An important first step in a risk analysis framework is scoping to identify, describe and catalog the sources of uncertainty that might have an impact on a fishery. This paper introduces a methodology based on a range of tools to formalize the process of elicitation of uncertainties, from both experts and stakeholders, for the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). ICCAT is a regional fisheries management organization responsible for the conservation of tunas and other highly migratory fish in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas. The aim of the elicitation was to identify and prioritize uncertainties for inclusion in Operating Models for Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE). The tool presented in this paper supports the qualitative prioritization of uncertainties, while also visualizing the degree of consensus among stakeholders on particular issues. Perceptions of uncertainty in fisheries often vary widely among scientists, industry and other interest groups, so tools that can facilitate inclusion and representation of different opinions are useful where decision-making depends on broad agreement and more generally, where effective management depends on commitment from stakeholders.     

A limit reference point to prevent recruitment overfishing of Pacific bluefin tuna

Pacific bluefin tuna (PBF) (Thunnus orientalis) is commercially important in the North Pacific Ocean. Although its stock has been relatively low for decades, international discussions on a long-term management framework, including the definition of a limit reference point (LRP), have only recently started. This paper argues that an LRP for PBF could be developed by determining a biomass level that would prevent recruitment overfishing. First, it reviews the development of LRPs for various tuna species and demonstrates that most of these limits are not necessarily based on biological information on the respective species. Then, the current management of PBF is also reviewed as background information for considering an LRP for PBF. Finally, a variety of simple analyses of the stock–recruitment relationship of PBF are conducted to find a biomass level that would prevent recruitment overfishing—i.e. an LRP below which stocks should not fall. It is concluded that, for the first time to our knowledge, defining such an LRP for a tuna species is possible (about 30 thousand tonnes or 5% of estimated unfished spawning stock biomass in our calculation). Not only is the LRP based on actual experience, but also the logic behind it would be easier for stakeholders to understand than the theoretical LRPs used elsewhere. This LRP should be useful in future in more comprehensive management framework, such as one through management strategy evaluations, in which stakeholder involvement in decision-making is crucial.     

DNA identification of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) in the New Zealand fishery

Muscle samples were collected from 69 specimens identified as Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) (Temminck and Schlegel, 1844) in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between 1990 and 2000. Identifications before 1996 were based on body size and colour of the caudal keel; later identifications were mostly based on the shape of abdominal cavity. The tissue samples were tested with a diagnostic mitochondrial DNA marker that distinguishes southern bluefin Thunnus maccoyii (Castelnau, 1872) and Pacific bluefin tuna T. orientalis; 59 specimens were confirmed as T. orientalis and 10 as T. maccoyii. Specimens recorded as Pacific bluefin tuna by the shape of the abdominal cavity were correctly identified as T. orientalis, and this character can be used to identify large specimens landed on tuna vessels. Some specimens recorded as Pacific bluefin tuna on the basis of colour and size were T. maccoyii; and early records of T. orientalis in New Zealand waters, based on these characters, are unreliable. Unusual colour patterns were reported in some specimens of T. orientalis but not T. maccoyii. The Pacific bluefin tuna T. orientalis accounted for less than 0.3% of the bluefin tuna catch in the New Zealand EEZ during the 1990s.     

The case for an international commission for the conservation and management of sharks (ICCMS)

The current rate of shark global exploitation and mortality is arguably so high under current management regimes that unless a renewed initiative is undertaken some species of shark will become effectively extinct. Current efforts to sustainably manage shark mortality are driven primarily by domestic laws in a few countries, big international non-governmental organizations (BINGOs) promoting environmental laws in the countries or regions where they exist, a handful of regional fisheries management organizations (e.g., IATTC and ICCAT), and inter-governmental organizations such as CITES. The absence of enforcement capability is often argued as the critical component in the failure to protect sharks from overexploitation. The remedy advanced here goes far beyond the need for stepped up enforcement, and calls for the creation of an entirely new international management regime, the International Commission for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (ICCMS). Such an agency could learn from the experiences of management bodies tasked with conservation of species biologically similar to sharks, such as the International Whaling Commission (IWC), to improve its efficacy. Critics have identified many organizational flaws that reduced the IWC’s effectiveness during its earliest years. Some of those flaws are examined here and remedies are suggested that an ICCMS could use to create a more effective management regime. The life histories of elasmobranches and large whales are compared to illustrate their similarities as a biological foundation for the selection of the IWC as a model.     

Taiwan's response to international fisheries management after 2005 as influenced by ICCAT and fishers' perception

It is widely recognized that fishing states are obliged to exercise flag state responsibility over their vessels. In an attempt to become a responsible fishing actor, Taiwan has endeavored to manage its distant water fishing fleet in accordance with international fisheries management. However, the long-standing problems of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, fish laundering, and fishing overcapacity, which remained unsolved during the 1990s and early 2000s, brought its management capability into doubt. Failure to address these problems undermined the credibility of all management measures and ultimately resulted in a recommendation adopted by International Commission for the Conservation of the Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in 2005. This recommendation significantly affected Taiwan's distant water fishing policy. This paper examines how Taiwan assimilated this outside force into its fishing policy as a new response to international fisheries management and how fishers perceived this response. It shows that Taiwan's efforts in controlling distant water fisheries marked a big change, specifically manifest in three noticeable actions - reducing excessive bigeye-targeted efforts, deterring IUU fishing, and strengthening fisheries management. The study advises that management of small tuna vessels be effectively exercised and recommends future actions on providing subsidies for fishers to partially offset costs incurred by rule compliance, streamlining their administrative work, enhancing communication with them, putting more enforcement and meaningful penalties in place. Finally, the study indicates the existence of an interaction in the international fisheries management scheme, potentially favoring Taiwan to bargain for fishing rights and a favorable status in the participation of regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) in the future if it continues to exercise effective control of distant water fisheries.     

Leatherback turtle conservation in the Caribbean UK overseas territories: Act local,think global?

Leatherback turtles migrate across the jurisdictions of multiple sovereign states and present complex challenges to those responsible for their conservation. Concern for marine turtles has led to their protection under range state legislation and protective listing under a suite of multilateral environmental agreements. Evidence suggests that a distinct, reproductive sub-population of leatherback turtles is shared amongst a number of northern Caribbean range states, including the UK overseas territories (UKOTs) of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The post-nesting movements of three female leatherbacks were tracked after they nested in Anguilla (n=1, tracked for 228 days) and the BVI (n=2, tracked for 12 and 13 days, respectively). These turtles used territories of multiple range states, with the leatherback tracked from Anguilla also migrating through high seas to foraging grounds in Canadian waters. In addition, a review of regional leatherback flipper tag return records helps define the range of this northern Caribbean nesting population (NCNP), which appears to be in recovery in some range states. While national legislation and conservation efforts appear to have contributed to these population recoveries, most relevant MEAs appear to have played little or no role. However, opportunities for constructive dialogue between NCNP range states exist under the Cartagena Convention the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). UKOT conservation managers would, therefore, be justified in prioritising unilateral leatherback conservation action, and multilateral efforts through the Cartagena convention and regional fishery management mechanisms, over potentially costly accessions to additional MEAs.     

Assessment of IUU fishing for Southern Bluefin Tuna

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is recognized as one of the largest threats to the sustainability of the world's fisheries. This paper focuses on IUU fishing in the context of unreported catches by members or co-operating non-members of regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) and their implications for scientific assessments of stock status and management advice. A review of Japanese market statistics was undertaken in 2006 by an independent panel in relation to catches of southern bluefin tuna (SBT). Based on this review, the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) concluded that very substantial and continuous unreported catches of SBT had been taken by longline vessels since at least the early 1990s. While uncertainty exists about the fleets contributing to these IUU catches, the assumption used within the CCSBT Scientific Committee is that a significant proportion of these were taken by Japanese longliners. Implications of these unreported catches for the stock assessments by RFMOs are discussed in light of the central role that Japanese vessel reported data have in the assessment of the world's tuna and billfish stocks. Results indicate that it is plausible that the unreported catches of SBT stem from the misreporting of catches as other tuna species and/or the location of fishing effort. The magnitude and extended period of the unreported SBT catches highlight the wide-spread risks of relying on fishery dependent logbook data in the absence of verification. An urgent need exists for minimum standards of verification of catch, effort and landing statistics for use in scientific assessments. The fisheries science community needs to be more pro-active in the development of such standards and the implementation of independent monitoring and verification. In addition, there is a need to reform the operation of the scientific bodies of RFMOs in terms of transparency, the treatment of uncertainty and the burden of proof if they are to be effective in providing objective scientific advice consistent with the intent of international agreements.     

大西洋大眼金枪鱼渔业概况

大西洋大眼金枪鱼（Ｔｈｕｎｎｕｓ ｏｂｅｓｕｓ）是高经济价值鱼种,其分布几乎覆盖整个大西洋水域。研究大西洋大眼金枪鱼的渔业对于我国远洋渔业意义重大。所以在此对其渔业及资源状况进行研究。根据三种主要渔业（延绳钓、围网和竿钓）的渔获量,可看出大眼金枪鱼渔业的发展概况。为了分析资源状况,文中使用了Ｗａｌｔｉｒｓ ａｎｄ Ｈｉｌｂｏｒｎ（１９７６）产量模型。其结果是９９．６千公吨的最大持续产量和１１４．７     

Stock assessment for Atlantic yellowfin tuna based on extended surplus production model considering life history

The modern fishery stock assessment could be conducted by various models, such as Stock Synthesis model with high data requirement and complicated model structure, and the basic surplus production model, which fails to incorporate individual growth, maturity, and fishery selectivity, etc. In this study, the Just Another Bayesian Biomass Assessment (JABBA) Select which is relatively balanced between complex and simple models, was used to conduct stock assessment for yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the Atlantic Ocean. Its population dynamics was evaluated, considering the influence of selectivity patterns and different catch per unit effort (CPUE) indices on the stock assessment results. The model with three joint longline standardized CPUE indices and logistic selectivity pattern performed well, without significant retrospective pattern. The results indicated that the stock is not overfished and not subject to overfishing in 2018. Sensitivity analyses indicated that stock assessment results are robust to natural mortality but sensitive to steepness of the stock-recruitment relationship and fishing selectivity. High steepness was revealed to be more appropriate for this stock, while the fishing selectivity has greater influence to the assessment results than life history parameters. Overall, JABBA-Select is suitable for the stock assessment of Atlantic yellowfin tuna with different selectivity patterns, and the assumptions of natural mortality and selectivity pattern should be improved to reduce uncertainties.     

自然死亡和亲体补充关系对黄鳍金枪鱼资源评估的影响

黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacares)是全球经济和生态价值最重要的鱼类之一,其资源养护和管理受到各方的高度关注。本文依据年龄结构产量模型研究了印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼的资源状态,着重探讨了其生活史特征的不确定性对资源评估结果的影响。研究结果显示,1960-1985年间印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼资源量保持相对稳定,之后开始逐渐下降,相应的捕捞死亡系数也在2010年之后迅速增加,目前其种群可能存在过度捕捞(F₂₀₂₀/F_MSY>1,SSB₂₀₂₀/SSB_MSY<1)。印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼的资源评估结果对自然死亡系数(M)和亲体-补充量关系陡度参数(h)的改变较为敏感。当h增大时,SSB_MSY和初始SSB(即SSB₀)的变化较大,分别减少了约25.53万t和34.04万t;F₂₀₂₀/F_MSY减小了1.15。当M增大时,F₂₀₂₀/F_MSY、SSB_MSY...     

Whether to employ trade controls or fisheries management to conserve precious corals (Coralliidae) in the Northern Pacific Ocean

Precious corals (Coralliidae) have been a part of numerous aspects of human life and culture for several millennia. They differ from reef-building corals and primarily inhabit deep waters. Their characteristics of a slow renewal rate and high commercial value make them a frangible resource that is easily overexploited. Proposals to manage the main species with high commercial value through trade controls and listing in Appendix II were submitted to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2007 and 2010. Two of the main arguments for the northern Pacific precious coral CITES proposal were the more than 60–80% decline of Corallium secundum and C. sp. nov. in landings since 1980s and lack of proper management. Although both proposals were rejected, they have sparked debates regarding the benefits of managing coral resources through trade controls and fisheries management. In this study, several arguments related to this topic on northern Pacific precious corals are presented, in the following three dimensions: (1) a reconstructed historical landing series from official FAO data and information on the history of coral fishing have scientifically indicated that the substantial decline in landings in the late 1980s was caused by the abandonment of fishing grounds and a shift in the target species; (2) enhanced management plans, which incorporate effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) measures, have been implemented in the two main countries that fish precious coral; and (3) the influence of socioeconomic factors must be considered when assessing CITES listing applications. Recommendations for achieving sustainable coral resource conservation are also provided.     

Using data-limited approaches to assess data-rich Indian Ocean bigeye tuna: Data quantity evaluation and critical information for management implications

The majority of fishery stocks in the world are data limited, which limits formal stock assessments. Identifying the impacts of input data on stock assessment is critical for improving stock assessment and developing precautionary management strategies. We compare catch advice obtained from applications of various datalimited methods(DLMs) with forecasted catch advice from existing data-rich stock assessment models for the Indian Ocean bigeye tuna(Thunnus obesus). Our goal was to evaluate the co...     

利用后向预报方法分析印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼资源评估模型

当前,对渔业资源评估模型的诊断与选择,主要依赖于模型对观察数据的拟合度,很少评价模型的预测能力、并将其作为评价渔业资源评估与管理质量的依据。为此,本文利用后向预报方法评价了印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacores)资源评估模型的预测能力,并在此基础上分析了印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼的资源评估与管理质量。研究表明,在利用贝叶斯剩余产量模型对印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼进行资源评估时,存在如下问题:(1)拟合较好的模型其预测能力较差;(2)利用不同时段数据拟合模型时,采用DIC(Deviance Information Criterion)选择的最佳模型缺少稳定性;(3)不同模型估计的TAC (Total Allowable Catch)存在较大差异。据此可以判断,利用贝叶斯剩余产量模型对印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼进行资源评估与管理效果较差。本研究结果表明:(1)利用后向预报方法可评价模型的预测能力、DIC选择模型的稳定性,从而能在一定程度上判断模型模拟的种群演化动态是否正确、资源评估结果是否存在问题;(2)利用后向预报方法可揭示评估结果的不确定性及其可能引起的渔业管理风险,从而有利于避免渔业管理风险、实现渔业管理目标。