Brazilian environmental legislation as tool to conserve marine ornamental fish

Legislation is considered an effective means to regulate the fishing and trade of marine ornamental fish (MOF), which is an industry with a wide range of environmental and social impacts worldwide. This study analyses Brazilian MOF legislation as a tool for conservation. Brazil's legal framework includes participation in international agreements, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as well as administrative measures that regulate the capture of certain species in Brazil. However, compared with the laws that pertain to terrestrial fauna, Brazil's MOF legislation remains limited and possibly lacks the necessary technical and scientific foundation. There is a trend to prohibit the capture of organisms according to the criterion of “rarity”. The legislation also includes the use of “positive lists”, which identify which species may be caught and establish maximum individual capture and trade quotas. Nevertheless, the criteria used to determine the quotas are not established a priori and apparently defined without scientific rigour. In this context, it is impossible to affirm that Brazilian MOF legislation fulfils its function as an instrument for the conservation of MOF stocks.     

Rethinking use and trade of pelagic sharks from Brazil

Brazil currently ranks as the 11th producer and 1st importer of shark meat around the world. Data available from the FAO software FishStatJ along with data from regional sources, such as governmental bulletins, scientific papers, gray literature and internet were revisited to identify the main issues surrounding pelagic shark fisheries, trade and consumption in the largest country in South America. Among the main findings, it was noted that Brazil has not properly collected fishery statistics since 2007, that many species of threatened sharks are freely landed and traded even though it is prohibited by local legislation and/or international recommendations (regional fisheries management organizations). The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is the most frequently recorded shark in the official bulletins and is currently a locally targeted species. Additionally, the significant imports of this species from 23 other countries that also provide fins for Asia has drawn attention in recent decades. Regarding consumption, shark is considered to be low-value seafood compared to more common fish, such as groupers and snappers, and most Brazilians actually do not know that they are eating sharks. At present, the proportion of threatened elasmobranchs (in which sharks are included) in Brazil (33%, of 145 species) exceeds the global rate identified for the group (25%), and, until the present moment, no measure related to the management of species has been implemented. As advice, Brazil urgently needs to restructure its fishery information collection systems, management strategies and to tighten sanitary and labeling regulations for the marketing of fish.     

Longevity overfishing

Overfishing is generally considered to be a reduction in biomass below some critical level such that the remaining fish are not able to replenish the population. We propose that the removal of large numbers of older age groups by fishing is also a form of overfishing, which we identify as longevity overfishing. Longevity overfishing is a potentially important consideration for the commercial fisheries off Canada’s Pacific coast that are dominated by species that have maximum ages of 30 years or longer. Sablefish is one of the key long-lived species that is managed for biomass and not longevity. An age structured model showed that if younger fish do not have the same productivity per unit biomass as older fish, the population depleted of older fishes would not recover after a shift of carrying capacity from a prolonged period of poor productivity to a more productive ocean ecosystem. Current management of long-lived species implicitly assumes that young fish will have the same productivity as older fishes, an assumption that is not supported by a sparse literature, and is thus not precautionary. We propose that the evolved age structure is an indication that long-lived species must be managed for longevity as well as biomass, which requires a management time frame that is decades and not annual.     

Keeping the lead: How to strengthen shark conservation and management policies in Canada

Internationally, shark conservation is now being recognized as a major environmental challenge, but management efforts to halt the overexploitation of sharks have lagged behind. This review examines the state of knowledge for shark species in Canadian waters and analyzes the role of existing management and legislation in ensuring shark conservation. Despite Canada's early leadership, the present management framework reveals major shortcomings with regard to legal protection, bycatch and finning regulations. These problems are not unique to Canada but illustrate broader issues pertaining to the global management of endangered fish species. To strengthen the conservation and management of sharks, this paper recommends a set of key policies and management priorities, which exemplify proper precautionary management of endangered shark species in Canada and could serve as a blueprint for improving conservation efforts internationally. A structured approach for grading progress in shark conservation efforts against best practices is also presented and could be used as a goalpost elsewhere.     

渤海、黄海、东海几种主要发生鱼类(石首鱼科)群体声的研究

海洋生物声学的研究,在第二次世界大战后已取得了很大进展,并已在军事和生产上得到应用,取得了效果。海洋动物发声是海洋环境噪声的一个组成部分,也是声纳系统的水下背景干扰源,尤其是在近岸海区,往往不可忽视。所以,研究海洋动物发声,除了在海洋生物学的研究中有明显的重要性外,对进一步了解海洋环境噪声的产生原因、变化规律及其物理机理,以及在声纳设计等方面也是十分重要的。已有报道,人们曾观測到鼓虾、石首鱼类、海胆、殆贝、藤壶、鲸等海洋动物集群发出的声音,往往造成很强的海洋噪声源。这些生物机体噪声通常还具有季节性或周日性的变化。有关海洋生物机体发声的观测和信号分析研究,国外虽有一些报道,但仅限于某些海区。 据不完全统计,我国近岸海区的发声生物在100种以上,其中不少种类具有集群大、发声强的特点。石首鱼科鱼类是我国近岸海区主要的海洋发声鱼类,约占我国海洋发声鱼类总数的三分之一,在渤海、黄海、东海和南海均有分布。其主要发声器官为鳔和邻近的鼓肌,当鼓肌收縮时压迫内脏,使鳔壁共振发出声音。他们在上述某些海区集群发出的声音,有时在海面也能清晰听到。 本文主要对过去多年来我国渤海、黄海、东海近岸海区,某些集群大、发声强、具有代表性的石首科鱼的现场观测资料作了分析和阐述,其中包括集群发声的声学特征,以及随时间、地点的変化。     

Tracing value chains to understand effects of trade on coral reef fish in Zanzibar,Tanzania

Coral reef fish are an important source of food security and income for human coastal populations. They also underpin ecosystem processes vital for the future ability of coral reefs to generate ecological goods and services. Identifying socio-economic drivers behind the exploitation of fish that uphold these key ecosystem processes and the scales at which they operate is therefore critical for successful management. This study addresses this issue by examining the reef-associated fish value chain in Zanzibar, and how it links to functional groups of fish and maturity stage of fish within these groups. Semi-structured interviews with 188 respondents (fishers, traders and hotel staff) involved in the fisheries and trade with reef-associated fish in Zanzibar and participatory observations were used. The trade with reef fish in Zanzibar is a complex structure involving many different agents and this study shows that these different agents exhibit differential “preferences” regarding fish functional groups and/or maturity stages within these groups. Consequently, both high and low trophic species, as well as small and large fishes are fished and sold, which leaves no refuge for the fish assemblage to escape fishing. When other market agents than fishers have so much influence and there are few alternative income generating activities, it is not possible to put all burden on fishers. Management measures that extend down the value chain to include all market agents as well as their links to ecosystem processes are thus likely to be needed to reach the target of sustainable fisheries.     

闽南-台湾浅滩渔场鱼类食物网研究

海洋鱼类食物网是海洋生态学基础理论研究之一,从多种海洋鱼类食性类型的综合分析,阐明食物网营养级的能流途径,为改造海洋生态系统,减少食物链的环数而提高水域生产力。因此,深入研究海洋鱼类食物网,对于合理利用海洋渔业资源具有一定的实践意义。近年来,国外在河口红树林群落,以残屑(detritus)为基础的食物网研究已有报道[1];对河口游泳动物食物网也发表过综合论述[2]。     

Co-occurrence of demersal fishes in a tropical bay in southeastern Brazil: A null model analysis

Co-occurrence of demersal fishes was assessed in a tropical bay in southeastern Brazil along an environmental gradient (inner, middle, and outer zones), defined according to depth and salinity. The aim was to test whether fish species are distributed randomly and independently of one another in accordance with a null model. The unconstrained null hypothesis for occurrence of a given species by chance in relation to other species was accepted for each zone separately, and rejected for the bay as a whole, for the full year and for each season separately, except summer. Findings of the environmentally constrained null models, which predict species presence or absence as a function of environmental conditions, were not significant, suggesting that the environmental variables we chose are not key factors for these species and that biotic interactions between species are not strong when species–environment relationships are considered. The partition of available resources inside each zone and fish movements along the three zones during summer may have contributed to higher fish species co-occurrence. Habitat segregation in the bay during the remaining seasons could explain the pattern of reduced co-occurrence, indicating the presence of two fish assemblages associated with different environmental characteristics.     

A review of the ecology and management of temporarily open/closed estuaries in South Africa,with particular emphasis on river flow and mouth state as primary drivers of these systems

Research in South African temporarily open/closed estuaries that includes studies on the hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics, macronutrients, microalgae, macrophytes, zoobenthos, hyperbenthos, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, fishes and birds is used as a basis to review the ecology and management of this estuary type on the subcontinent. Particular attention is given to the responses of the different ecosystem components to the opening and closing of the estuary mouth and how this is driven by riverine and marine events, as well as anthropogenic influences. In addition, the wider implications of these research findings for the management of temporarily open/closed estuaries in terms of freshwater supply are explored, together with the role of government legislation in maintaining the ecological integrity of these important wetland systems.     

Physical habitat and social conditions across a coral reef shape spatial patterns of intraspecific behavioral variation in a demersal fish

As coral reef ecosystems decline in health worldwide, reef‐associated fishes are being impacted by changes to their coral reef habitats. While previous studies have shown coral reef structure to affect the demography of reef fishes, changes in reef conditions may also impact the behavior of reef fishes as they cope with altered habitats. In this study, we examined spatial patterns of intraspecific behavioral variation in the bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus) across the fringing reefs of Curaçao (Caribbean Sea), and explored how this behavioral variation associated with physical and social conditions on the reef. Principal components analysis (PCA) condensed physical parameters of the reef into principal component 1 (PC1), comprising depth, coral cover (%), rugosity, and average hole size (cm²), and principal component 2 (PC2), which represented the number of holes. PC1, but not PC2, increased spatially across the reef as the habitat transitioned from coral rubble in the shallows to live coral on the reef slope. This transition in reef structure was paralleled by changes in social conditions including decreases in bicolor damselfish density in habitats with higher PC1 values. The behavior of bicolor damselfish also varied spatially with greater aggression and more frequent shelter use in habitats with lower PC1 values. Path analysis revealed robust associations between this behavioral variation and physical habitat conditions of the reef, indicating that physical – rather than social – habitat variation is the primary determinant of these spatial patterns of intraspecific behavioral variation. Taken as a whole, this coupling between physical reef structure and behavior suggests that reef fish may show altered behaviors on coral reefs degraded by anthropogenic impacts.     

黄河断流对河口空间场后效反馈的遥感复合信息研究

就黄河断流对河口空间场后效所涉及的地理要素的演变,以所建河口演变概念-遥感信息系统,分析研究了黄河口近期演变的互关联信息基础,并依据研究目标的信息需求分析(IRA)与水下地貌趋势面分析的结果,阐述了河口空间场诸种反馈信息、变异中直观信息及隐伏信息.     

Marine aquarium trade in India: Challenges and opportunities for conservation and policy

The collection of marine taxa for the aquarium trade continues to demand live animals be extracted from reefs, but in doing so, offers economic benefits for local communities. To improve our understanding of the status of marine aquariumtrade in India, information on harvested species and their volume was gathered at the major collection hubs (Tuticorin, Kilakarai and Mandapam) in the Gulf of Mannar region, and compared to the export data. During one year, 87 species of fish (51% belonging to the family Pomacentridae) and 21 species of invertebrates were harvested for the trade. The conservation status of exploited species revealed that nearly 50% (n=43) have not been assessed for their extinction risk by the IUCN, while of the 44 species assessed, 41 were Least Concern (LC), and one each was in the Data Deficient (DD), Near Threatened (NT) and Endangered (EN) categories. While many fish were collected, only a few were exported from India. The sea anemones were the major export as they were of a higher value in the international markets, largely attributed to their color patterns. Price discrepancies within the trade value of marine fishes and invertebrates used for the aquarium trade indicated that price increased approximately 200% at each transition in the value chain (collectors to wholesalers, wholesalers to retailers). Management strategies and conservation plans for India's marine ornamental taxa subjected to exploitation are provided so as to ensure long-term sustainability of the coral reef ecosystems, as well as the livelihood that are dependent on them.     

黄海鱼类食物网的研究

于1985年3月—1986年10月和1988年5月间,对黄海海域40科69属80种鱼的食性及其相互关系进行了较系统地调查、分析。结果表明:1.黄海鱼类饵料分为4个生态类型;2.黄海鱼类摄食有明显的季节变化;3.黄海鱼类基本属于第二—第四营养级;4.日本鳀、脊尾褐虾、太平洋磷虾等优势饵料生物在黄海鱼类食物网中起着举足轻重的作用;5.黄海多数鱼类间的食物竞争关系基本是协调的。     

Transboundary fisheries management in the Amazon: Assessing current policies for the management of the ornamental silver arawana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)

The management and governance of shared stocks have long been identified as a challenge to achieve long-term sustainability in fisheries. This is the situation of fisheries in the Amazon basin, a region shared by nine countries. This paper provides an overview of the social-ecological outcomes and management implications of sharing fish stocks among countries with different public policies, taking the valuable Amazonian ornamental silver arawana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) trade as a case study. Specifically, it (i) presents and discusses the policies of Colombia, Peru and Brazil for the silver arawana fishery, and how these are conducive for the successful management of this shared transboundary fishery; and (ii) analyzes the market for the ornamental silver arawana and how it affects the ability to sustainably manage the fishery. The interplay between the multiple environmental, economic and social dimensions involved in the ornamental silver arawana fishery affects the sustainability of this species even in Brazil, where this fishing is forbidden but still illegally caught by Colombians and Peruvians. Among the factors that make fisheries policies inefficient in this region are: (i) incongruent policies between the countries and institutions with low organizational capacity to accomplish the established policies; (ii) environmental heterogeneity of Amazonian aquatic systems, which requires local and adaptive measures; and (iii) complex socio-economic relationships in the live-fish trade business. Legally binding efforts to reduce problems derived from shared fish stocks are an urgent need and should be addressed by the multilateral organizations created for the Amazonian sustainable development.     

The uncertainty of seafood labeling in China: A case study on Cod,Salmon and Tuna

Exotic marine fish products are increasingly appreciated in China. In this study, 100 samples of Cod, Salmon and Tuna products were collected from supermarkets in Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou. First the information reported on the label were assessed in the light of the Chinese legislation, paying particular attention to the fish names and the geographical origin. Then, a comparative analysis of the official trade denominations adopted by five European countries (Italy, France, Germany, Spain and United Kingdom) for Cod, Salmon and Tuna was performed. Finally, the Chinese names of the species considered in the EU list were verified consulting the available international lists. Overall, 95% of the samples employed just generic names. In particular, 98% of Salmon and 100% of Tuna products were generically labeled while the labeling of Cod products was more diversified, even though 80% reported misleading or fake denominations. The results of this work highlighted the lack of a mandatory legislation on seafood traceability and of an official naming system. In particular, this study propose the introduction of a detailed Chinese naming system based on the Chinese Latin Dictionary for Seafood Names, following the EU approach. In fact, inaccurate labeling can have both economic and health implications for consumers as well as it may distort the true abundance of fish stocks. These drawbacks can be particularly serious considering the pivotal role of China in the global fishery industry.     

Structure, function, and neural control of pectoral fins in fishes

Fin-based propulsion systems perform well for both high-speed cruising and high maneuverability in fishes, making them good models for propulsors of autonomous underwater vehicles. Labriform locomotion in fishes is actuated by oscillation of the paired pectoral fins. Here, we present recent research on fin structure, fin motion, and neural control in fishes to outline important future directions for this field and to assist engineers in attempting biomimicry of maneuverable fin-based locomotion in shallow surge zones. Three areas of structure and function are discussed in this review: 1) the anatomical structure of the fin blade, skeleton, and muscles that drive fin motion; 2) the rowing and flapping motions that fins undergo for propulsion in fishes; and 3) the neuroanatomy, neural circuitry, and electrical muscle activity that are characteristic of pectoral fins. Research on fin biomechanics, muscle physiology and neural control is important to the comparative biology of locomotion in fishes and application of fin function for aid in aquatic vehicle design. Recommendations are made regarding fin propulsor designs based on the fin shape, activation pattern, and motion. Research on neural control of fins is a key piece in the puzzle for a complete understanding of comparative fin function and may provide important principles for engineers designing control systems for fin-like propulsors.     

白令海和楚科奇海鱼类种类组成及其对生态环境变化的响应

根据第4次中国北极科学考察在白令海与楚科奇海进行的鱼类拖网调查资料,分析了白令海与楚科奇海鱼类生物的种类组成、优势种、物种多样性和区系特征,探讨了鱼类生物对北极气候快速变化的响应。结果表明,白令海与楚科奇海两个海域共鉴定鱼类生物14科41种;主要优势种类为粗壮拟庸鲽(Hippoglossoides robustus)、北鳕(Boreogadus saida)、短角床杜父鱼(Myoxocephalus scorpius)、斑鳍北鳚(Lumpenus fabricii)、粗糙钩杜父鱼(Artediellus scaber);从适温性来看,冷水性种类最多,有35种,冷温性种类6种;从栖息地生态类型来看,底层鱼类、近底层鱼类和中上层鱼类分别为35、5和1种;Shannon-Wiener多样性指数平均为1.21,呈现南高北低的特点,整体多样性水平不高;气候变化引起部分北极、亚北极海区鱼类出现不同程度的纬向和纵向移动,由此将引起北极渔业资源分布格局的变化。     

Trade secrets: Renaming and mislabeling of seafood

As the global trade and market for seafood has grown, so have the twin problems of renaming and mislabeling. Resource scarcity, the potential for greater profits, and weak legislation have all encouraged incorrect labeling, the results of which include consumer losses, the subversion of eco-marketing, further degradation of fisheries resources, and even adverse effects on human health. This paper examines the extent and consequences of renaming and mislabeling seafood, the state of current legislation, and the importance of future policies, with particular attention to the US, where 80% of the seafood is imported and more than one-third of all fish are mislabeled. Policy recommendations include governments’ support for a global mandate to label species, country of origin, and catching or production method on all seafood with high penalties for infractions. Chain of custody standards, such as those recently implemented by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), should also be considered for adoption worldwide. To garner support for this legislation, consumers must become better acquainted and concerned with their seafood and its origins.     

基于氮稳定同位素的九龙江口鱼类营养级研究

采用氮稳定同位素技术对2013年6—8月九龙江口采集到的隶属于13目42科61属共71种鱼类的营养级进行研究。结果表明,九龙江口鱼类的δ15 N值跨度较大,介于7.23‰~14.66‰之间。以菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapes philippinarum)为基准生物估算出鱼类的营养级介于1.70~3.89之间,营养级最低与最高的鱼类分别为少牙斑鲆(Pseudorhombus oligodon)与多鳞鱚(Sillago sihama)。与Fishbase同种鱼类的营养级数据进行比较,83.1%的鱼类的营养级均值处于Fishbase同种鱼类的营养级范围内,但81.7%的鱼类的营养级均值比Fishbase同种鱼类的营养级均值略低;与传统的胃含物分析结果比较,58.3%的鱼类的营养级在0.5个营养级的误差范围内。基于氮稳定同位素估算的鱼类营养级较低的原因可能与本研究样品中低龄鱼及幼鱼比例较大有关。与其他方法相比,稳定同位素法在研究体型较小的幼鱼和低龄鱼营养级更具优势。鱼类营养级随其个体大小的变化明显,但存在种的差异性:不同体长的髭缟鰕虎鱼(Tridentiger barbatus)和绿鳍鱼(Chelidonichthys kumu)的营养级跨度较大,分别为1.54和1.43;而鳓(Ilisha elongata)等的营养级则跨度较小,这可能与不同鱼类的食性变化有关。     

Adaptive management of declining fisheries: When is it worth trying to rebuild stocks through fishery regulation?

Declining catches are typically taken to be a warning sign of overfishing. But in fact, many such declines have been driven by recruitment changes unrelated to stock size, as evidenced by the failure of stocks to recover after reduction in fishing or recovery despite the failure to reduce fishing. Given a declining pattern, supposedly precautionary decisions to reduce fishing should be treated as experimental management options with a high probability of not resulting in the desired recovery to more productive stock sizes. Simple decision tables can be used to compare such experimental options to “wait and see” options that do not involve fishing reductions. A case example with a grouper fishery in Kuwait demonstrates that experimental effort reduction may not be the best policy from a decision analysis perspective, at least when there are substantial reasons to expect recruitment changes unrelated to stock size. In this case, virtual population analysis and stock reduction analysis models indicate either unusually weak recruitment compensation (steepness h < 0.4) or progressive decline in recruitment carrying capacity, possibly caused by decreases in estuarine rearing habitat associated with declining flows of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.