Seasonally and spatially referenced estimates of recreational shore-angling effort,catch composition,catch rates and total catch in the Goukamma Marine Protected Area,South Africa

A roving creel survey of the recreational shore fishery along the 16.4-km coastline in the Goukamma Marine Protected Area on the south coast of South Africa was conducted from 2009 to 2011. Some 838 patrols were stratified equally among months, areas and years, but intentionally biased towards weekends. Angler densities at Buffalo Bay and Groenvlei were 0.59 and 0.28 anglers km?1, respectively. Weekend densities were double to quadruple weekday densities and fishing during winter was more popular than during summer. Area, habitat and distance to access points explained variation in angler densities. Shannon–Wiener diversity in catches declined from 2.18 in an earlier (1993–2002) survey to 1.79. Although the order of species abundance in the catches remained largely unchanged, blacktail Diplodus capensis dominance increased to 57.3% by number, at the expense of galjoen Dichistius capensis. Habitat explained 27% of the variance in catch composition. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) for the top nine species ranged from 0.19 to 6.35 fish 100-h?1. The CPUE of all species, except spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii, declined. Blacktail and galjoen CPUE declined by 17% and 77%, respectively. The total catch estimate was 2 986 fish y?1. Transgressions of size limits were common. The results suggest that the fishery is overexploited and that catch rates are declining.     

Population abundance and seasonal migration patterns indicated by commercial catch-per-unit-effort of hakes (Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus) in the northern Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem

We developed generalised additive models (GAMs) to estimate standardised time-series of population abundance indices for assessment purposes and to infer ecological and behavioural information on northern Benguela hakes, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus, using haul-by-haul commercial trawl catch-rate data as proxies for hake densities. The modelling indicated that individual ship identifiers should be used rather than general vessel characteristics, such as vessel size. The final models explained 79% and 68% of the variability in the commercial catch rates of M. capensis and M. paradoxus, respectively. The spatial density patterns were consistent and confirmed existing knowledge about these species in the northern Benguela system. Furthermore, seasonal migration patterns were described for the first time and were found to correspond to the known spawning areas and seasons for M. capensis and M. paradoxus. Spatial density patterns were validated using the geostatistical modelling results of fisheries-independent trawl survey data. Improved understanding of the relationships between fleet dynamics and fish movement can be achieved by taking into consideration the present catch-rate model and spatial and seasonal distribution maps. We conclude that the yearly standardised CPUE time-series are problematic as proxies for total stock abundance because of spatial coverage issues. Consequently, such CPUE data should not be used for stock-size assessments and fisheries advice concerning northern Benguela hakes until this is solved. We generally recommend the exclusion of standardised CPUE time-series from stock assessments when important and changing parts of the stock distribution cannot be targeted by the fishery, such as due to closed areas or seasons.     

Reconstructing pre-colonial oyster demographics in the Chesapeake Bay, USA

Recent estimates of growth and mortality rates in extant Chesapeake Bay, USA oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations are used to quantify changes in both population abundance (dN/dT) and shell accretion (dS/dT) associated with modern population demographics. The demographics of oyster populations that would be required to maintain reef accretion rates commensurate with sea level rise over geological time frames are examined using estimates of oyster longevity in pre-colonial (pre -1600) times combined with parallel estimates of pre-disease endemic mortality. The analysis demonstrates that modern populations, with their disease related, age-truncated demographics, are generally not capable of maintaining and building biogenic reefs through accretion. Estimates of filtration rates associated with Chesapeake Bay oyster populations prior to 1600 considerably underestimate actual benthic-pelagic coupling during that period. Pristine oyster populations would have supported water column turnover rates on the order of minutes to hours. Thus, the spatial footprint of oyster reefs was limited by available productivity in the estuary. Accretion rate calculations for pristine (pre-1600) oyster reefs describe the intimate relationship between benthic-pelagic coupling and the presence or absence of oyster reefs and the associated communities.     

东南太平洋秘鲁海域光合有效辐射对茎柔鱼资源丰度和空间分布的影响研究

光合有效辐射（PAR）是海洋初级生产力的重要驱动因素之一,因此对海洋鱼类的资源丰度和空间分布产生潜在影响。本文根据2006-2015年1-12月中国鱿钓科学技术组提供的秘鲁外海茎柔鱼捕捞数据和光合有效辐射卫星遥感数据,以单位捕捞努力量渔获量（CPUE）表征资源丰度,以CPUE的纬度重心表征渔场空间分布,评估了东南太平洋秘鲁海域光合有效辐射对茎柔鱼资源变动的影响。结果发现,茎柔鱼渔场的产量、捕捞努力量、CPUE和PAR呈现明显的月间变化,其中CPUE和PAR月间变化规律表现为1-6月降低,7-12月增加的趋势。相关分析法表明,CPUE与PAR呈正相关关系,7月和8月相关性显著,而其余月份相关性不显著。依据频率分布法估算了各月适宜和最适PAR范围,各月最适PAR范围占渔场总面积比例与CPUE呈显著正相关关系,推测茎柔鱼资源丰度可能由各月适宜PAR面积大小决定;同时,最适PAR纬度与CPUE纬度重心呈显著正相关,说明茎柔鱼渔场的空间分布受最适PAR纬度的显著影响。此外,拉尼娜年份茎柔鱼适宜PAR面积要显著高于厄尔尼诺年份。研究表明,茎柔鱼资源丰度和空间分布受光合有效辐射的显著影响,其调控作用在不同气候条件下呈现不同的变化规律。     

不同气候模态下西北太平洋秋刀鱼资源丰度预测模型建立

秋刀鱼（Cololabis saira）资源对海洋环境因素极为敏感，不同气候模态可能对秋刀鱼资源丰度产生不同的影响。根据1990-2014年西北太平洋日本的秋刀鱼渔业中单位捕捞努力量渔获量（CPUE，以此作为资源丰度），以及相应产卵场、索饵场的海表温（SST）遥感数据，探讨太平洋年际震荡（PDO）指数冷、暖年下，秋刀鱼资源丰度CPUE变化与产卵场、索饵场SST的关系，并分别建立资源丰度的预测模型。研究表明，PDO冷年索饵场4月SST与年CPUE显著相关（P<0.05），PDO暖年索饵场11月的SST与年标准化CPUE显著相关（P<0.05）。PDO冷、暖年的秋刀鱼资源丰度的预测模型中，CPUE均与索饵场11月的SST、索饵场4月SST呈现正相关的关系，统计学上为显著相关（P<0.05）。PDO冷年（2012年）和PDO暖年（2014年）的CPUE预测值与实际值相对误差分别为14.03%、-16.26%，具有较好的拟合效果。研究认为，不同气候模态下，可用于秋刀鱼资源丰度预测的环境因子不同，上述建立资源丰度模型可用于业务化运行。     

利用BP神经网络标准化东南太平洋茎柔鱼(Dosidicus gigas)资源丰度

东南太平洋茎柔鱼(Dosidicus gigas)是短生命周期大洋性经济鱼类,其资源量受环境因素变化的影响较大。根据我国鱿钓船队2013~2017年在东南太平洋的生产统计数据,结合海洋环境数据包括海表面温度(SST)、海表面盐度(SSS)、叶绿素a浓度(chl a),运用BP神经网络(back propagation network)模型来标准化单位捕捞努力量渔获量(catch per unit effort, CPUE,也称名义CPUE)。以均方误差(mean square errors, MSE)和平均相对变动值(average relative variances, ARV)为最优模型判断依据,比较隐含层节点3-10的神经网络模型,发现6-9-1结构为最优模型。用Garson算法解释模型结果,发现各输入层因子对东南太平洋茎柔鱼资源丰度影响重要度排序为chl a、SST、经度(Lon)、SSS、纬度(Lat)、月份(Month)。并作名义CPUE和标准化CPUE资源丰度对比分布图,结果显示CPUE与标准化CPUE总体分布状况基本一致,但局部区域存在明显差异, 80°~85°W及10°~20°S海域适宜鱿钓生产,表明BP神经网络模型可以适用于东南太平洋茎柔鱼的CPUE标准化,从而为鱿钓渔业生产提供一定参考依据。     

Seasonal Variations in Abundance and Size Composition of the Lobate Ctenophore Bolinopsis Mikado (Moser) in Tokyo Bay, Central Japan

Surveys of the abundance and size composition of the ctenophore Bolinopsis mikado were conducted in Tokyo Bay over a 5-year period from 1990 to 1994. B. mikado appeared throughout the year, and its mass occurrence was observed between August and November; annual maximum abundance ranged from 19 to 91 ind. m^–2. Water temperature seems to influence the seasonal variation of B. mikado abundance. Environmental conditions (e.g. rough waters due to a typhoon) and predation by the beroid ctenophore Beroe cucumis appear to affect annual variations of B. mikado abundance. Size frequency distributions of B. mikado indicated that its reproduction was most active in summer and fall but occurred throughout the year in Tokyo Bay. A sharp decline of the copepod population in August 1990 was probably due to predation by B. mikado which was very abundant at that time; its predatory impact was estimated to be 24 % day^–1.     

两种GAM模型对海州湾短吻红舌鳎（Cynoglossus joyneri）资源分布预测效果的比较研究

根据2011年及2013?2018年春、秋两季在海州湾及其邻近海域进行的底拖网调查数据，研究该海域短吻红舌鳎(Cynoglossus joyneri)的资源分布特征及其受环境因子和饵料生物的影响，并比较了两种模型(普通GAM模型和PCA-GAM模型)对其资源分布的预测效果，采用交叉验证的方法对模型的预测能力及拟合效果进行评价。结果显示:PCA-GAM模型的拟合度及预测效果均优于普通GAM模型。春、秋两季海州湾短吻红舌鳎资源丰度均呈现南高北低、近岸浅水区大于深水区的分布特征，因为海州湾南部近岸海域较高的水温利于春、秋季短吻红舌鳎产卵群体性腺发育，较低的盐度利于其鱼卵及仔鱼的生长发育，同时，近岸海域丰富的饵料资源为产卵后的亲体提供大量食物供给。分别应用两种模型预测了2018年春季和秋季短吻红舌鳎在海州湾的资源分布，结果显示，PCA-GAM模型的预测值与实际调查的结果更为吻合，预测效果要优于普通GAM模型。本研究为今后开展渔业生物空间分布的研究提供了一种新的方法。     

基于灰色系统西南大西洋阿根廷滑柔鱼资源丰度预测模型的构建

阿根廷滑柔鱼（Illex argentinus）是西南大西洋鱿钓渔业的主要作业鱼种，对资源丰度进行准确的预测可指导企业合理安排渔业生产。因此，本研究根据2000-2016年我国西南大西洋阿根廷滑柔鱼的生产数据，以单位捕捞努力量的渔获量（Catch per unit effort， CPUE）为阿根廷滑柔鱼资源丰度的指标，利用灰色绝对关联分析和灰色预测建模的方法（GM（0， N）），计算2001-2015年CPUE的时间序列值与产卵期（6-8月）产卵场海表面温度（Sea surface temperature， SST）时间序列值的灰色绝对关联度，选取产卵场海域中灰色绝对关联度大于0.90的海区SST建立资源丰度预测模型，并用2016年实际CPUE进行验证。灰色绝对关联分析表明，6-8月，30°~40°S，45°~60°W海域内存在若干海区的SST与次年对数CPUE时间序列呈现较强的关联度，可作为预报因子。GM（0， N）模型结果表明，以6-8月产卵场SST作为环境因子建立的模型4能较好地拟合出阿根廷滑柔鱼资源丰度变动趋势，与2016年真实值相比，相对误差为7%，该模型可较好地作为阿根廷滑柔鱼资源丰度的预测模型。相反，包含6月和7月SST的模型1效果优于不包含6月SST的模型2或不包含7月SST的模型3，拟合得到的2016年的数据与真实值相比，相对误差分别为128%和289%，这说明6月和7月是西南大西洋阿根廷滑柔鱼的主要产卵月份。     

Selected fishery and population parameters of eight shore-angling species in the Tsitsikamma National Park no-take marine reserve

An eight-year research angling dataset collected between February 1998 and December 2005 in the Tsitsikamma National Park marine protected area (MPA), along the south-eastern Cape coast of South Africa, was examined to provide estimates of important fishery and population parameters for eight important shore-angling species. Five different estimates of natural mortality (M), and the coefficients of variation (CVs) of catch per unit effort (CPUE) and size measurements were calculated. There was no consistency in estimates of M between methods, highlighting the difficulty in obtaining reliable estimates of this parameter for per-recruit assessments. The CVs of CPUE measurements were generally higher than those for size measurements. Estimates obtained for the most abundant species, blacktail Diplodus capensis, with a mean CPUE of 0.252 fish h^–1, yielded the lowest CVs for CPUE (0.806) and size (0.130) measurements. Therefore, blacktail is considered the preferred indicator species for making comparisons with estimates obtained for shore-angling fish in exploited areas and other MPAs along the South African coastline. The large inter annual variations in mean CPUE and size for all species indicated that a minimum assessment period of four years is required to obtain reliable estimates.     

菲律宾蛤仔不同地理群体生化遗传结构与变异的研究

采用聚丙稀酰胺凝胶电泳技术对福建平潭岛、浙江象山港、江苏海州湾和辽宁辽东湾4个海区菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapes philippinarum)野生群体的生化遗传特征进行了分析.结果表明,菲律宾蛤仔4个群体的多态位点比例为62.5%～75.0%,平均杂合度观测值在0.274 3～0.338 7之间,与平均杂合度期望值相近;平均有效等位基因数在1.489 1～1.632 5之间,遗传变异水平较高;杂合子缺失不显著.比较群体间的遗传分化指数和群体每代迁移数发现,平潭岛、象山港和海州湾3个群体间的遗传分化不显著,而辽东湾群体与3个群体间出现遗传差异.聚类分析同样表明,平潭岛群体首先与象山港群体聚类,再与海州湾群体相聚,最后与辽东湾群体相汇.讨论了杂合子缺失不显著原因和群体间遗传分化机制.     

Distribution patterns,stock size and life-history strategies of Cape horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus capensis,based on bottom trawl and acoustic surveys

Research surveys of Cape horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus capensis abundance on the south coast of South Africa are complicated because changes in the species' vertical and horizontal distribution limit the value of stock assessments based a single survey method. Annual bottom trawl surveys conducted in spring provide estimates of the abundance of fish close to the bottom over trawlable grounds. Between 1991 and 1994, hydroacoustic surveys conducted in spring have been used to estimate the pelagic portion of the stock, as well as the portion over untrawlable grounds. These two research datasets, as well as data from purse-seine, mid water and bottom trawl commercial landings, are reviewed to elucidate distribution patterns of horse mackerel and their migratory and spawning strategies. The problems and advantages of bottom trawl and acoustic surveys are discussed in the context of fluctuations in estimates of the size of the stock between 1991 and 1994 and the prevailing environmental conditions. It is concluded that combined acoustic and bottom trawl surveys are the only effective means of surveying horse mackerel, and that effort should be concentrated east of 22°E to assess the spawner stock. It is suggested that research effort directed at improving understanding of exchanges between West Coast (including Namibia) and South Coast population of horse mackerel, as well as of the role of vertical migrations in modulating these exchanges, would be beneficial.     

2018年6月渤海大型水母分布特征

2018年6月使用渔业底拖网采样，对渤海大型水母进行了全面调查，调查船舶为"中渔科102"渔业科考船。本研究分析了渤海大型水母的种类组成、渔获密度与伞径大小，并对其源地进行了探讨。结果表明：本次调查共采集到海月水母、沙海蜇、海蜇、多管水母四种大型水母，其中海蜇、多管水母数量较少，各采集到一只。海月水母在渤海三湾均有分布，各海区伞径大小无显著差异且多为幼体（<10cm），密度高值区出现在渤海湾东南侧海域，可达38-221.21ind./（net·h），辽东湾海月水母出现于湾南，密度<5ind./（net·h），湾北未见；作者推测，海月水母在渤海沿岸可能存在多个源头，诸如：莱州湾与渤海湾交界近岸海域、河北近岸、辽东湾大连近岸以及北部近岸。沙海蜇在渤海分布较广，辽东湾为密度高值区，均值为（35.32±21.64）ind./（net·h），但伞径较小，均值为（12.15±6.52）cm；与此相对，渤海湾与莱州湾外侧海域沙海蜇密度虽小[<20ind./（net·h）]，但伞径要显著大于辽东湾，最大伞径均值可达（33.86±7.40）cm；作者推测，沙海蜇在渤海海域发源地主要集中于辽东湾近岸，渤海湾与莱州湾，外海出现的沙海蜇可能源于辽东湾，随海流运输至此。海月水母、沙海蜇在渤海发生时间要晚于黄、东海。本研究结果可为深入分析渤海大型水母的种群动态变化、暴发机理提供基础。     

Linkages between Alaskan sockeye salmon abundance, growth at sea, and climate, 1955–2002

We tested the hypothesis that increased growth of salmon during early marine life contributed to greater survival and abundance of salmon following the 1976/1977 climate regime shift and that this, in turn, led to density-dependent reductions in growth during late marine stages. Annual measurements of Bristol Bay (Bering Sea) and Chignik (Gulf of Alaska) sockeye salmon scale growth from 1955 to 2002 were used as indices of body growth. During the first and second years at sea, growth of both stocks tended to be higher after the 1976–1977 climate shift, whereas growth during the third year and homeward migration was often below average. Multiple regression models indicated that return per spawner of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon and adult abundance of western and central Alaska sockeye salmon were positively correlated with growth during the first 2 years at sea and negatively correlated with growth during later life stages. After accounting for competition between Bristol Bay sockeye and Asian pink salmon, age-specific adult length of Bristol Bay salmon increased after the 1976–1977 regime shift, then decreased after the 1989 climate shift. Late marine growth and age-specific adult length of Bristol Bay salmon was exceptionally low after 1989, possibly reducing their reproductive potential. These findings support the hypothesis that greater marine growth during the first 2 years at sea contributed to greater salmon survival and abundance, which in turn led to density-dependent growth during later life stages when size-related mortality was likely lower. Our findings provide new evidence supporting the importance of bottom-up control in marine ecosystems and highlight the complex dynamics of species interactions that continually change as salmon grow and mature in the ocean.     

西北太平洋环境变化对柔鱼冬春生群体资源丰度年间变化的影响

The neon flying squid Ommastrephes bartramii is an economically important species in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The life cycle of O. bartramii is highly susceptible to climatic and oceanic factors. In this study, we have examined the impacts of climate variability and local biophysical environments on the interannual variability of the abundance of the western winter-spring cohort of O. bartramii over the period of 1995–2011. The results showed that the squid had experienced alternant positive and negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO) over the past 17 years during which five El Ni?o and eight La Ni?a events occurred. The catch per unit effort(CPUE) was positively correlated with the PDO index(PDOI) at a one-year time lag. An abnormally warm temperature during the La Ni?a years over the positive PDO phase provided favorable oceanographic conditions for the habitats of O.bartramii, whereas a lower temperature on the fishing ground during the El Ni?o years over the negative PDO phase generally corresponded to a low CPUE. The same correlation was also found between CPUE and Chl a concentration anomaly. A possible explanation was proposed that the CPUE was likely related to the climateinduced variability of the large-scale circulation in the Northwest Pacific Ocean: high squid abundance often occurred in a year with a significant northward meander of the Kuroshio Current. The Kuroshio Current advected the warmer and food-rich waters into the fishing ground, and multiple meso-scale eddies arising from current instability enhanced the food retention on the fishing ground, all of which were favorable for the life stage development of the western squid stocks. Our results help better understand the potential process that the climatic and oceanographic factors affect the abundance of the winter-spring cohort of O. bartramii in the Northwest Pacific Ocean.     

Trophic relationships in the demersal fish community off Namibia

The benthic fish community off Namibia (between the Cunene River and Walvis Bay) in 50–650 m of water was studied during three bottom trawl surveys. The community was investigated on the basis of distribution, abundance and diet of 51 species, constituting 95 per cent of the demersal fish biomass. Dietary studies revealed the existence of three major trophic groups, one containing species that prey on pelagic and nektonic organisms, a second dominated by predators that feed on benthic polychaetes and copepods and a third group containing predators of benthic crabs, demersal shrimps and fish. Well differentiated from these groups are a few species that prey mainly on jellyfish and ophiuroids. Because for most of the species, their trophic level changes with growth, they were divided into size classes which are analysed independently. To describe interactions between the size classes, a similarity index combining diet affinity with spatial coincidence was applied. Cluster analysis showed that, for Merluccius capensis, Raja straeleni, R. clavata and Trachurus trachurus, there is a large difference in both geographic distribution and dietary preference between the size classes. For species such as Hoplostethus atlanticus, Austroglossus microlepis and Coelorinchus flabellispinis, the different size classes seem to share the same ecological niche. Variation in the number of species and the parameters mean abundance and niche width are described to enhance knowledge of the general structure of the community.     

桁拖网渔具刚性栅栏对鱼类的分隔效率研究

东海捕虾桁拖网选择性能不佳,对渔业资源的保护和渔业的合理管理带来了负面的影响.刚性栅栏是实现拖网渔具种类选择性捕捞的主要装置,本文根据在吕四渔场开展刚性栅栏海上生产试验,结合SELECT模型分析不同栅条间距(15、20和25mm)的刚性栅栏对短吻舌鳎、小黄鱼和棘头梅童鱼的分隔效率.结果表明,随着栅条间距的增大,栅栏对鱼类的重量分隔率逐渐减小,分隔栅栏对鱼类的50%选择体长(L50S))逐渐增大;对于短吻舌鳎,个体接触分隔栅栏的概率可使用常数来表示,即接触概率与个体尺寸无关,接触概率在0.2-0.4之间,并随着栅条间距的增大而增大(不显著,P>0.05):对于小黄鱼和棘头梅童鱼,所有进入网囊的个体都将接触刚性栅栏;不同鱼类接触栅栏概率的显著差异说明不同鱼类在网囊中的不同行为习性.     

When plenty is not enough: an assessment of the white stumpnose (Rhabdosargus globiceps) fishery of Saldanha Bay,South Africa

White stumpnose Rhabdosargus globiceps is the main target of the linefishery in Saldanha Bay. Increased fishing pressure over the last three decades, particularly by the recreational sector, has led to concerns regarding sustainability of the local white stumpnose stock. The fishery was exceptionally productive between 2006 and 2008, with an estimated annual catch of 141.2 tonnes (t). Only 3% of boat outings surveyed were commercial boats targeting white stumpnose, yet this sector accounted for 39.3 t (31%) of the average annual catch. The recreational boat sector accounted for most of the catch (70.0 t), and the recreational shore sector the least (31.9 t). Commercial boat catch per unit effort (CPUE; 3.7 fish angler^–1 h^–1) was more than 10 times that of recreational boats (0.3 fish angler^–1 h^–1). White stumpnose catch length-frequency differed significantly (p < 0.01) between the fishing sectors, with the commercial sector retaining larger fish (34.7 cm [SD 5.9]) than the recreational boat (33.9 cm [SD 5.9]) and shore (30.4 cm [SD 5.8]) sectors. A decline in commercial CPUE (2000–2015) of approximately 40% and a concomitant severe decline (>95%) in survey data for juvenile white stumpnose CPUE (2007–2016) indicate that the current rate of exploitation is not sustainable. Recovery of the white stumpnose stock will require a decrease in fishing mortality. Possible management regulations include sector-specific effort limitations, extending the ‘no take’ marine protected area, reducing the recreational-sector bag limit to 5 fish person^–1 day^–1, implementing a commercial-sector bag limit, and increasing the minimum size limit to 30 cm TL.     

A voluntary reduction in the commercial catch of rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) in a New Zealand fishery

We describe the development and application of a management procedure (decision rule) that resulted in a voluntary reduction in the commercial catch of spiny rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) in the lower east coast of North Island of New Zealand. The management procedure was developed from an accepted assessment of the CRA 4 (Wellington‐Hawke's Bay) fishery, which used an integrated length‐based assessment model fitted to commercial fishery catch‐per‐unit‐effort (CPUE) biomass indices, commercial length‐frequency data, and tag‐recapture data. The assessment model had been Bayesian, and used the joint posterior distribution of parameters to predict the effect of 384 alternative harvest control rules on the future size of the CRA 4 stock. The harvest control rules all used CPUE as their input, and generated annual changes in catch, which were then simulated by the population dynamics of the operating model. Uncertainty was added to evaluations through observation error, added to the simulated CPUE observations, and stochastic serial auto‐correlation variation in recruitment. We describe how this management procedure was used to effect a voluntary reduction in catch to address the problem of a rapidly declining population.     

Influences of diel and tidal cycles on fish assemblage in eelgrass (Zostera marina) bed of southern Korea during autumn

Short-term tidal and diel variations of autumn fish assemblage in a Zostera marina bed were investigated using 3 h interval samplings for 24 h in both spring and neap tide using a small beam trawl. A total of 1 346 fishes belonging to 19 species were collected at spring tide, whereas 1 115 fishes belonging to 17 species were at neap tide. The common fish species were Nuchequula nuchalis, Acanthogobius flavimanus, Takifugu niphobles, Acentrogobius pflaumii, and Pholis nebulosa with the former three species dominating at spring tide, while the latter two species being abundant at neap tide. Diel variation in abundance was significant with higher abundance at night than day, but there were no significant differences between spring and neap tides, and between ebb and flood tides (three-way ANOVAs). Diel variation in the abundance of fishes may be influenced by tidal range and cycle, and day-night differences of food availability and behaviors of fishes indirectly. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) ordination and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) results revealed significant differences in species compositions both between day and night, and between spring and neap tide. Eelgrass beds are highly productive marine ecosystem, and thus, our results will contribute to conservation of seagrass ecosystem in the study area.