Relationship between trawl selectivity and fish body size in a simulated population

Trawl is a main fishing gear in Chinese fishery,capturing large fish and letting small ones at large.However,long-term use of trawl would result in changes of phenotypic traits of the fish stocks,such as smaller size-at-age and earlier age-at-maturation.In this study,we simulated a fish population with size characteristics of trawl fishing and the population produces one generation of offspring and lives for one year,used trawl to exploit the simulated fish population,and captured individuals by body size.We evaluated the impact of the changes on selectivity parameters,such as selective range and the length at 50% retention.Under fishing pressure,we specified the selectivity parameters,and determined that smaller selection rates and greater length at 50% retention were associated with an increased tendency towards miniaturization.     

A comparison between benthic gillnet and bottom trawl for assessing fish assemblages in a shallow eutrophic lake near the Changjiang River estuary

Two fishing methods including gillnetting and trawling to estimate attributes of fish assemblage were compared in Dianshan Lake from August 2009 to July 2010. Species composition dif fered significantly between the gears, with four significant contributors in gillnet catches and one in trawl catches. Trawling collected more proportions of benthic species by number and biomass than gillnetting. Size distribution was significantly influenced by fishing technique; gillnetting captured relatively less small-sized fishes and trawling captured less large-sized individuals. Trawling produced species richness closer to the one expected than gillnetting. On the whole, trawl catch was a quadratic polynomial function of gillnet catch and a significantly negative correlation was found between them, both of which varied as dif ferent polynomial functions of temperature. However, trawl and gillnet catches were significantly correlated only in one of five month groups. It is concluded that single-gear-based surveys can be misleading in assessments of attributes of fish assemblages, bottom trawling is a more ef fective gear for assessing fish diversity than benthic gillnetting, and using gillnet catches as an indicator of fish density depends on fishing season in the lake.     

方目网囊对蓝圆鲹和多齿蛇鲻的选择性比较

为检测方目网囊对蓝圆鱼参和多齿蛇鲻的选择作用 ,2 0 0 0年 1 1～ 1 2月在南海北部海域试验了 4种目大的方目网囊。结果表明 ,方形网目网囊有利于释放纺缍形 (如蓝圆 鱼参)、圆形或近圆形 (如多齿蛇鲻 )两种形体鱼类的小、幼鱼 ,且对后者的释放效果更好。当网囊目大分别为 45、5 0mm时 ,蓝圆鱼参的5 0 %选择体长 (L0 .5)分别为 1 2 1 2 2、1 2 8 77mm ;当网囊目大分别为 40、45、5 0mm时 ,多齿蛇鲻的L0 5分别为 1 2 4 1 2、1 2 6 75、1 3 9 3 2mm。通过不同目大网囊对蓝圆鱼参、多齿蛇鲻选择性比较分析 ,发现 5 0mm目大方目网囊的选择效果好于 40、45mm目大的网囊 ,因此 ,在南海区拖网渔业中采用 5 0mm目大的方目网囊是必要的 ,同时建议将 1 5 0mm作为蓝圆鱼参、多齿蛇鲻的最小可捕叉长标准。     

东海带鱼资源变动及其栖息地驱动因子研究进展

【目的】从栖息地角度解析东海带鱼种群变动的原因,揭示东海带鱼资源变动的主要影响因子。【方法】通过综述我国60多年的东海带鱼研究成果,从栖息地选择、种群数量年间波动、生物学变化等角度阐述东海带鱼对栖息地环境变化的适应性表现。【结果与结论】揭示东海带鱼“衰而不竭”除了与带鱼偏r-选择型的生活史特征和摄饵可塑性强的习性有关外,还与其较强的栖息地环境适应性有关,其中温度、盐度和饵料对带鱼的影响较明显。现阶段应重点从海流(温度、盐度)和关键饵料生物历史变化等角度揭示东海带鱼资源变动的原因,为东海带鱼资源保护和生境修复提供科学依据。     

Significant effects of fishing gear selectivity on fish life history

Over the past few decades, extreme changes have occurred in the characters of exploited fish populations. The majority of these changes have affected the growth traits of fish life history, which include a smaller size-at-age, an earlier age-at-maturation and among others. Currently, the causes of these life history traits changes still require systematic analyses and empirical studies. The explanations that have been cited are merely expressed in terms of fish phenotypic adaptation. It has been claimed that the original traits of fish can be recovered once the intensity of exploitation of the fish is controlled. Sustained environmental and fishing pressure will change the life history traits of most fish species, so the fish individual’s traits are still in small size-at-age and at earlier age-at-maturation in exploited fish populations. In this paper, we expressed our view of points that fishing gear has imposed selectiv-ity on fish populations and individuals as various other environmental factors have done and such changes are unrecoverable. Ac-cording to the existing tend of exploited fish individual’s life history traits, we suggested further researches in this field and provided better methods of fishery management and thereby fishery resources protection than those available early.     

Age and Growth Characteristics of Crimson Sea Bream Paragyrops edita Tanaka in Beibu Gulf

Age and growth characteristics of crimson sea bream Paragyrops edita Tanaka in Beibu Gulf were studied through bot-tom trawling and gillnet fleets fishing from July 2006 to December 2007.A total number of 1155 individuals,ranging from 49 to 249mmin standard length was examined.The age of the fish was determined from sagittal otoliths.One year growth was made up of onetranslucent and one opaque zone.A maximum likelihood estimation procedure was used to fit the Von Bertalanffy,Logistic andGompertz growth functions to the length-at-age data.ARSS indicated that there were no significant differences in growth betweensexes in the three growth models (P>0.05),and the Von Bertalanffy growth function L<,t>=292.8{1-exp[-0.167(t 1.116)]} was se-lected as the most appropriate growth model according to Akaike's information criterion (AIC).     

东海中部夏季鱼类群落结构及其多样性分析

根据2008年8月东海区主要渔场重要渔业资源调查资料,分析东海中部鱼类的种类组成、区系特征、多样性等群落结构特征。结果表明:共调查捕获鱼类88种,其中暖水种59种,占67.0%;暖温种29种,占33.0%。相对重要性指数(IRI)值大于500的优势种鱼类共有5种,分别为带鱼、刺鲳、小黄鱼、六斑刺鲀和鳄齿鱼;种类丰富度指数变动范围为0.10～2.31,平均为0.88;Shannon-Wiener多样度指数变动范围为0.01～1.86,平均为0.87;种类均匀度指数变动范围为0.01～0.92,平均为0.41;东海中部夏季鱼类多样性指数与往年相比有下降的趋势。     

A preliminary study on the diversity of fish species and marine fish faunas of the South China Sea

There are 3048 species offish occurring in the China Seas (CS), of which at least 2321 species are found in the South China Sea (SCS), belonging to 35 orders, 236 families and 822 genera. The fish species diversity is analyzed in this paper based on biogeography, biostatisties, fishing methods, etc. It is found that the regional environment, especially biological factors, plays an important role in the distribution of faunas, and there are two fish faunas in the SCS, one in the north and another in the center and south. This regional division is of value for sustainable fishery production and efficient management of fishery resources.     

Age and growth characteristics of crimson sea bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paragyrops edita</Emphasis> Tanaka in Beibu Gulf

Abstact  Age and growth characteristics of crimson sea bream Paragyrops edita Tanaka in Beibu Gulf were studied through bottom trawling and gillnet fleets fishing from July 2006 to December 2007. A total number of 1155 individuals, ranging from 49 to 249 mm in standard length was examined. The age of the fish was determined from sagittal otoliths. One year growth was made up of one translucent and one opaque zone. A maximum likelihood estimation procedure was used to fit the Von Bertalanffy, Logistic and Gompertz growth functions to the length-at-age data. ARSS indicated that there were no significant differences in growth between sexes in the three growth models (P>0.05), and the Von Bertalanffy growth function L _t =292.8{1−exp [−0.167(t+1.116)]} was selected as the most appropriate growth model according to Akaike’s information criterion (AIC).     

Fish community diversity in the middle continental shelf of the East China Sea

The status of fishery stocks in the coastal waters of China is far from ideal, mainly due to climate change and the impacts of human activities (e.g., pollution and overfishing). Thus, the restoration and protection of fishery resources have become critical and complex. The stability and balanced structure of the fish community is a basic foundation for the protection of fishery resources. Based on data collected from bottom trawls by the R/V Beidou in continental shelf of the East China Sea in November 2006 and February 2007, changes in the composition and diversity of fish species and functional groups were analyzed. The research area was divided into offshore waters and inshore waters by the two-way indicator species analysis (TWIA). The results showed that the dominant species were different between offshore waters and inshore waters and also varied with the survey time. The most abundant family was Sciaenidae and Teraponidae in November 2006, Sciaenidae, Engraulidae and Triglidae were most abundant in February 2007. The species belonged mainly to mobile piscivores (G6), benthivores/piscivores (G4), benthivores (G3) and planktivores (G1), and the dominant species in November 2006 were commercial species (e.g. Larimichthys polyactis and Trichiurus japonicus), but small-sized species were dominant in February 2007 (e.g., Harpadon nehereus, Benthosema pterotum, Champsodon capensis, and Acropoma japonicum). The species diversity showed a similar trend as the functional group diversity. Stations with higher diversity were mainly distributed in inshore waters in February 2007, whereas higher diversity was found in offshore waters in November 2006. The highest biomass and species number were found in G6 group, followed by the G4, G5 and G1 groups. The distribution of the number of individuals of each functional group showed the opposite trend as that of the biomass distribution. In addition, the size spectra were mainly concentrated around 3–29 cm, and the individual number of fish species gradually decreased with the increase in body size, but the relative biomass showed a moderate fluctuation in each size class. These changes showed that species with faster growth rate and earlier maturity age became dominant in continental shelf of the East China Sea. So the variations in biological characteristics of fish should be fully considered in maintaining sustainable utilization of fishery resource.     

变水层大网目拖网试验与推广

报道了 2 86 .0 0m× 14 4.4 0m( 99.50m)变水层大网目拖网生产和网模试验情况 ,对网目尺寸、网口周长、配纲系数、网位调整、拖速与捕捞对象等方面进行适渔性分析 ,并分析了该网具的捕捞效果。结果表明 ,变水层大网目拖网具有阻力小、网型轻巧、网口扩张性能良好、网口高、破网率低等优点。试验船与对比船相比 ,产量增长 2 4 .53% ,产值增长 2 8.35% ,日创值增长 2 3.83% ,平均网产增长 19.2 3%。生产对比期间 ,试验船产量 131.5t ,产值 2 7.6 2万元 ,日创值 0 .95万元 ,平均网产 1.55t ,分别比对比船增长 2 4 .53%、2 8.35%、2 3.83%和 19.2 3%。该网型已在茂名市大面积推广 ,推广面达 10 0 %。     

Selectivity of escape-hole size in tube traps for white-spotted conger Conger myriaster

Comparative fishing experiments were carried out in 2010 using tube traps with five hole diameters (8, 15, 18, 20 and 22 mm) to establish the size selectivity of escape holes for white-spotted conger. Selectivity and split parameters of the SELECT model were calculated using the estimated-split and equal-spilt model. From likelihood ratio tests and AIC (Akaike’s Information Criterion) values, the estimated-split model was selected as the best-fit model. Size selectivity of escape holes in the tube traps was expressed as a logistic curve, similar to mesh selectivity. The 50% selection length of white-spotted conger in the estimated-split model was 28.26, 33.35, 39.31 and 47.30 cm for escape-hole diameters of 15, 18, 20 and 22 mm, respectively. The optimum escape-hole size is discussed with respect to management of the white-spotted conger fishery. The results indicate that tube traps with escape holes of 18 mm in diameter would benefit this fishery.     

底拖网作业对珠江口香港海域底层鱼类的影响

【目的】研究底拖网作业对珠江口香港海域底层鱼类的影响。【方法】根据2007-2009年及2014-2016年在珠江口香港海域进行的定点底拖网调查数据,分析该海域在禁止底拖网捕捞实施前后鱼类种类组成及生物量和生态多样性指数,评估5种典型底层鱼类资源的变化。【结果与结论】该海域捕获鱼类种类数在禁止底拖网作业后明显增加,鱼类种类数量从44种升至73种。种类丰富度指数D变化范围为:2007至2009年,4.937~5.711,2014至2016年,6.559~7.074;多样性指数H'变化范围为:2007至2009年,1.945~2.841,2014至2016年,2.220~2.381;均匀度指数J变化范围为:2007至2009年,0.539~0.776,2014至2016年,0.557~0.600。卵鳎Solea ovata、韦式羊舌鮃Arnoglossus waitei、尖嘴魟Dasyatis zugei这3种底层鱼类禁止底拖网实施后在数量(number)和生物量(biomass)上都增幅明显。不同站位数量和生物量的数值在“禁拖令”实施后也都有所增加,其中以站位2(大屿山以北,较靠近香港国际机场海域)增加最为显著。     

A qualitative appraisal of China’s efforts in fishing capacity management

This paper provides a critical review of some major efforts made by China to manage the fishing capacity of its marine capture fisheries. It begins by reviewing the key concepts and issues closely related to fishing capacity management. Following on this, a brief introduction to China’s marine capture fisheries is offered, especially the trends of its marine landings and marine fishing fleets and the status of fish stocks in waters under its jurisdiction. Next comes the main concern of the paper, i.e., some major actions recently initiated by China to deal with the overcapacity problem confronting it. The paper ends with conclusions and suggestions.     

FVID: Fishing Vessel Type Identification Based on VMS Trajectories

Vessel Monitoring System(VMS) provides a new opportunity for quantified fishing research. Many approaches have been proposed to recognize fishing activities with VMS trajectories based on the types of fishing vessels. However, one research problem is still calling for solutions, how to identify the fishing vessel type based on only VMS trajectories. This problem is important because it requires the fishing vessel type as a preliminary to recognize fishing activities from VMS trajectories. This paper proposes fishing vessel type identification scheme(FVID) based only on VMS trajectories. FVID exploits feature engineering and machine learning schemes of XGBoost as its two key blocks and classifies fishing vessels into nine types. The dataset contains all the fishing vessel trajectories in the East China Sea in March 2017, including 10031 pre-registered fishing vessels and 1350 unregistered vessels of unknown types. In order to verify type identification accuracy, we first conduct a 4-fold cross-validation on the trajectories of registered fishing vessels. The classification accuracy is 95.42%. We then apply FVID to the unregistered fishing vessels to identify their types. After classifying the unregistered fishing vessel types, their fishing activities are further recognized based upon their types. At last, we calculate and compare the fishing density distribution in the East China Sea before and after applying the unregistered fishing vessels, confirming the importance of type identification of unregistered fishing vessels.     

东海区鲳鱼资源利用现状分析

通过对东海区鲳鱼近年群体组成变化及银鲳生物学特性变化来分析目前鲳鱼资源利用状况,结果表明：一方面,虽然近年鲳鱼产量大幅增加,但其平均体重、优势叉长组成及年龄组成均出现明显下降,资源状况日益恶化；另一方面,1龄鱼已占渔获的93．68％,目前捕捞现行点开捕年龄tc=1和捕捞死亡系数F＝2．51,单位补充量繁殖力相对百分比P＜1．9％,单位补充量渔获量(Yw／R)为70g／尾,均显示已处于严重的生物学型捕捞过度．建议渔业管理部门大力削减作业渔船约50％,严格控制捕捞强度,逐步推迟开捕年龄至3龄以上,使鲳鱼资源真正能够永续利用。     

Current status of small yellow croaker resources in the southern Yellow Sea and the East China Sea

We used data from bottom trawl surveys to study the factors influencing the abundance of small yellow croaker, Larimichthys polyactis, in the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) and the East China Sea (ECS). The resource density index (RDI) was generally higher in summer and autumn than in spring and winter. RDIs were also significantly greater in the SYS than in the ECS in summer and autumn. The bottom water salinity and depth of spatial distribution of small yellow croaker was similar between the two areas in summer, but different in other seasons. Regression analysis suggested that environmental factors such as bottom water temperature, salinity, and depth influenced the RDIs in summer in these areas. Growth condition factor (GCF) in the two areas varied monthly and the croaker in the SYS grew more slowly than those in the ECS. This was likely due to the low bottom temperature of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass in summer and autumn or to higher human fishing pressure in the ECS. To ensure sustainable utilization of the croaker stocks in these regions, we recommend reducing the fishing intensity, increasing the cod-end mesh size, and improving the protection of juveniles.     

Evaluation of three harvest control rules for Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) fisheries in the Indian Ocean

The stock of Bigeye tuna(Thunnus obesus) in the Indian Ocean supports an important international fishery and is considered to be fully exploited. The responsible management agency, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission(IOTC), does not have an explicit management decision-making framework in place to prevent over-fishing. In this study, we evaluated three harvest control rules, i) constant fishing mortality(CF), from 0.2 to 0.6, ii) constant catch(CC), from 60000 to 140000 t, and iii) constant escapement(CE), from 0.3 to 0.7. The population dynamics simulated by the operating model was based on the most recent stock assessment using Stock Synthesis version Ⅲ(SS3). Three simulation scenarios(low, medium and high productivity) were designed to cover possible uncertainty in the stock assessment and biological parameters. Performances of three harvest control rules were compared on the basis of three management objectives(over 3, 10 and 25 years): i) the probability of maintaining spawning stock biomass above a level that can sustain maximum sustainable yield(MSY) on average, ii) the probability of achieving average catches between 0.8 MSY and 1.0 MSY, and iii) inter-annual variability in catches. The constant escapement strategy(CE=0.5), constant fishing mortality strategy(F=0.4) and constant catch(CC=80000) were the most rational among the respective management scenarios. It is concluded that the short-term annual catch is suggested at 80000 t, and the potential total allowable catch for a stable yield could be set at 120000 t once the stock had recovered successfully. All the strategies considered in this study to achieve a ‘tolerable' balance between resource conservation and utilization have been based around the management objectives of the IOTC.     

不同结构网囊特性的初步研究

为了测定不同拖网网囊结构对网囊的几何形状、同目张开、网目形状和拖网阻力的影响,设计和制作了4种网囊,一种是传统的菱形同目（DM）网囊,另三种是新型网囊：方形同目（SM）网囊,菱、方形网目混合二片式（DSM2）网囊和菱、方形同目混合四片式（DSM4）网囊。于1996年9月11～12日在中山大学试验水槽进行了同模试验,结果表明：1）各网囊阻力相差不大,且随拖速和渔获的增加而增大。2）新型网囊的几何形状和同目的张开及其形状均优于传统菱形网目网囊。3）空网时,各种网囊均呈圆筒状。当网囊中有了渔获后,传统菱形同目网囊的端部变为球状,除了球状部分的网目有较大张开外,其余同目张开很小,网囊使用直径也小,而新型网囊始终保持筒状,且网目充分张开,网囊使用直径也大。4）新型例翼的几何形状及使用直径和网目的张开及形状几乎不受拖速大小、有无渔获和渔获多少的影响。     

南海区域渔船活动时空特征分析

近年来海洋资源的不断开发利用,使得海洋空间规划变得尤为重要,其中以渔业资源占主要比重。为了对渔业资源监测与规划提供辅助决策信息,本文通过对南海及周边国家2018年船舶自动识别系统（AIS）数据进行预处理,采用数理统计和GIS空间分析方法,实现了南海区域渔船活动强度时空特征分析。结果显示： ① 2018年南海及周边国家渔船以区域性分布为主,集中在中国和越南沿海岸100 km以内区域,在秋季11月捕捞活动频繁,全年渔船平均活动强度白天大于夜晚,16:00 PM 时达到最大渔船活动强度; ② 中国在广东省、广西省和海南省各主要港口渔船活动强度呈现聚集性点状分布,渔船活动强度多大于100,部分港口附近海域呈条带状分布,西沙群岛相较南海其他群岛渔船活动强度较大,除越南外其他周边国家靠近南海附近海域部分海湾和港口有聚集式分布,渔船活动强度都小于2; ③ 越南渔船区域性分布明显,在胡志明港口呈现稳定的块状聚集性分布,且一年四季活动强度变化趋势不大,近岸渔船活动强度保持在50~100,越南渔船在中国南海禁渔线内靠近海南省西南部有两处活动较强的块状分布区域,2018年全年在此区域活动频率占采样天数的87.71%,且平均每小时有7~10艘渔船在该海域活动,休渔期内平均每小时渔船数量大于5,给中国南海海域渔业资源造成巨大威胁。本文通过AIS数据研究分析渔船活动可为海洋空间规划与政府相关部门提供数据支撑。