An investigation of the effect of temporal variation in growth rate of Umbrina robinsoni on biological reference point estimates calculated using per-recruit models

The effect of temporal variation in growth rate on per-recruit model outputs was investigated by comparing biological reference points obtained using growth curves derived for Umbrina robinsoni populations from False Bay, on the south coast of South Africa, sampled 10 years apart (1991–1993 and 2001–2003), and applying the two different age–length keys to length frequency data collected over the period 1991–1993 (n = 1 389) for the estimation of total mortality (Z), fishing mortality (F) and spawner biomass per recruit (SB/R). The SB/R and yield per-recruit (Y/R) curves constructed using biological data collected during the two different time periods were very similar, with target and threshold reference points differing only moderately (11%). This suggests that for long-lived species, the frequency of age and growth studies can be at least the lifespan of a cohort if they are to be assessed with a per-recruit approach. The use of the more recent length-at-age data, however, resulted in lower estimates of F (0.61 y^?1 vs 1.05 y^?1) and a slightly higher spawner biomass per-recruit ratio (19.5% vs 14.5%) for the earlier period. The reduced estimate of F when using the more recent dataset was likely due to a bias towards older fish caused by small sample size, the philopatric nature of U. robinsoni, and possible recruitment collapse. This highlights the importance of having a large, representative sample of length-at-age data for construction of age–length keys.     

The effects of barotrauma on five species of South African line-caught fish

Management measures for South African line-caught fish include output controls such as closed seasons, bag and size limits and no-take moratoria. The main condition for these measures to be effective is that undesirable catches can be successfully released. However, most of the line-caught fish species are susceptible to barotrauma, a condition caused in physoclists by the rapid reduction of hydrostatic pressure during the ascent to the surface during capture. We investigated the effects of barotrauma on five commercially important species: roman Chrysoblephus laticeps, silver kob Argyrosomus inodorus, hottentot Pachymetopon blochii, santer Cheimerius nufar and carpenter Argyrozona argyrozona. A classification of the external signs of barotrauma was developed and internal and external signs of barotrauma were examined in relation to fishing depth and fish size, and compared between species. Immediate post-release mortality was investigated during a catch-and-release experiment. Medium-term survival of C. laticeps (~1 d) was examined by returning fish to depth in cages and subsequent monitoring on SCUBA. Our results indicate that most of the fish experience barotrauma even when caught at relatively shallow depths. External signs include extension of the inflated, everted stomach through the mouth, distended eyes, protrusion of the hind-gut and other organs through the cloaca, and gas bubbles in the dermal tissue between the fin rays. The absence of any obvious external signs of barotrauma can be misleading as dissections of such fish revealed ruptures of the swimbladder and other internal injuries consistent with barotrauma. Our results indicate that there might be significant post-release mortality, a factor that needs to be taken into account during stock assessment predictions and during the implementation of catch restrictions.     

Growth and survival of the South African scallop Pecten sulcicostatus in suspended culture

Grow-out studies of the scallop Pecten sulcicostatus, endemic to the South African coast, contribute to an investigation of the suitability of this species for commercial culture. Hatchery-reared juvenile scallops were placed in a suspended culture system at 5 m depth in Saldanha Bay on the west coast of South Africa. Scallops of 78 days old and ranging in size from 4.5 mm to 11.0 mm shell height (mean 6.9 mm), as measured on 2 February 2010, were deployed in Saldanha Bay on 9 February 2010. Subsequent growth was assessed monthly through increments in shell height in relation to changing environmental conditions as determined through continuous measures of temperature and chlorophyll a. Upon termination of the experiment on 15 February 2011, scallops ranged in size from 42.1 mm to 48.7 mm (mean 45.1 mm), representing an increment in shell height of 38.2 mm over one year. The mean growth rate of 0.10 mm day^?1 (mean specific growth rate of 0.0046 day^?1) compares favourably with other commercially cultured species and exceeds previous estimates of growth of naturally occurring populations of P. sulcicostatus. Scallop growth was poorly correlated with either temperature or chlorophyll a concentration, but scallop mortality was closely aligned to the temperature regime of Saldanha Bay, exhibiting high mortalities during mid-summer.     

Influences of fisheries management measures on biological characteristics of threadfin bream (Nemipterus virgatus) in the Beibu Gulf,South China Sea

Long-term variations in population structure, growth, mortality, length at median sexual maturity, and exploitation rate of threadfin bream(Nemipterus virgatus) are reported based on bottom trawl survey data collected during 1960–2012 in the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea. Laboratory-based analyses were conducted on 16 791 individuals collected quarterly in eight different sampling years. Average body length, estimated asymptotic length, and percentage of large individuals have decreased significan...     

The biology,life history and management needs of a large sciaenid fish,Argyrosomus coronus,in Angola

The West Coast dusky kob Argyrosomus coronus is an understudied yet important fishery species in Angola. During a five-year study (2005–2009), the species was recorded in all fishery sectors, but was most important in the inshore recreational fishery in southern Angola (Cunene Estuary to Namibe). Early juveniles (<300 mm total length, TL) were captured in the offshore artisanal fishery at Praia Pinda, whereas juveniles (300–600 mm TL), subadults (600–870 mm TL) and adults (>870 mm TL) were captured in all fisheries as far north as Namibe, and shoals of large adult fish (>1 000 mm TL) were occasionally captured in the offshore purse-seine commercial fishery between the Cunene Estuary and Lucira. Because some Argyrosomus species are morphologically cryptic, a DNA barcoding method was used to confirm the taxonomic status of the biological samples used in this study. The male:female sex ratio of examined samples was 1:1.4 (n = 225). The length-at-50% maturity was 823 mm and 904 mm TL for males and females respectively. Age-at-50% maturity was 4.4 and 4.3 years for males and females respectively. The periodicity of otolith ring formation was confirmed to be one year using a marginal zone and a chemical marking analysis. Growth (in mm TL) was best described by: L_t = 1 826(1—e^{?0.12(t + 1.60)}). Argyrosomus coronus fed predominantly on fish, mainly Sardinella aurita (62% frequency of occurrence). Early juveniles appeared to frequent the offshore zone (50–100 m depth), moving into the inshore region at approximately 300 mm TL. Juveniles and subadults were resident (57% recaptured at the same site) and were particularly abundant around the mouth of the Cunene Estuary as well as in central and northern Namibia. Adults undertake migrations that correspond with the movement of the Angola–Benguela frontal zone, moving north as far as Gabon in winter and returning to southern Angola in spring, when spawning appeared to take place offshore. There are currently no catch restrictions on A. coronus in Angolan waters. However, declining catches and increasing fishing effort suggest that some management intervention is required, commencing with a proposed closure of the Cunene Estuary mouth region to fishing.     

南海北部海域小型非经济鱼类资源声学评估

为探讨南海北部渔业资源的可持续利用情况 ,根据 1997年 12月～ 1999年 6月“北斗”号调查船SimradEK5 0 0回声探测 积分系统在南海北部海域获取的渔业资源调查资料 ,对该海域天竺鲷科、科、灯笼鱼科、鳄齿鱼科以及犀鳕科等 5类 5 8种小型非经济鱼类进行了资源量评估。结果表明 ,这些种类在南海北部海域具有比较丰富的资源储量 ,它们春、夏、秋、冬 4个季节的平均资源量分别为 18.5× 10 4t,2 6.1× 10 4t,2 2 .3× 10 4t,17.6× 10 4t和 4.5× 10 4t ;分析了其资源量的区域分布和季节变化。     

A spatial- and age-structured assessment model to estimate the impact of illegal fishing and ecosystem change on the South African abalone Haliotis midae resource

The management of abalone stocks worldwide is complicated by factors such as illegal fishing combined with the difficulties of assessing a sedentary (but not immobile) resource that is often patchily distributed. The South African abalone Haliotis midae fishery is faced with an additional problem in the form of a relatively recent movement of rock lobsters Jasus lalandii into much of the range of the abalone. The lobsters have heavily reduced sea urchin Parechinus angulosus populations, thereby indirectly negatively impacting juvenile abalone which rely on the urchins for shelter. A model is developed for abalone that is an extension of more standard age-structured assessment models because it explicitly takes spatial effects into account, incorporates the ecosystem change effect described above and estimates the magnitude of substantial illegal (‘poached’) catches. The model is simultaneously fitted to catch per unit effort and Fishery-Independent Abalone Survey abundance data, as well as to several years of catch-at-age (cohort-sliced from catch-at-size) data for the various components of the fishery and different spatial strata. It constitutes the first quantitative approach applied to the management of this commercially valuable resource in South Africa and has provided a basis for management advice over recent years by projecting abundance trends under alternative future catch levels.     

The 2004 re-assessment of the South African sardine and anchovy populations to take account of revisions to earlier data and recent record abundances

Hydroacoustic surveys off the coast of South Africa over the early years of the 21st century indicated that both the sardine Sardinops sagax and anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus populations had simultaneously reached record abundances. The South African pelagic fishery is regulated using an Operational Management Procedure (OMP). The OMP in use at that time had been developed using data from the two populations prior to this rapid and substantial increase in abundances. This paper documents the revised assessments that were urgently required to provide a basis to update the OMP. These assessments resulted in a changed perception of the status and productivity of these populations. In particular, estimates of the stock-recruitment relationships and the extent of variation about them, which play a key role in evaluating risk when developing OMPs, altered substantially from estimates derived from earlier assessments.     

Life cycle of chokka-squid Loligo reynaudii in South African waters

This short note summarises past and current knowledge of the life cycle of chokka-squid Loligo reynaudii d’Orbigny, 1845, in South African waters. Prior to approximately 2010, the chokka-squid stock was considered simple and uniform, with one paralarval pool, the drift of paralarvae westwards, one main nursery area and one main, long spawning migration of adult squid eastwards, back to the main spawning grounds. Based on new information, this life-history scheme has been revised. Genetically, the stock is uniform; however, morphologically, it comprises three main geographic groups. It is proposed that the differences between the groups originate from many different paralarval events and that short (not long) migrations dominate the life cycle.     

Analysis of bycatch in the South African midwater trawl fishery for horse mackerel Trachurus capensis based on observer data

The South African midwater trawl fishery targets adult horse mackerel Trachurus capensis. The bulk of the catch is taken by a single freezer-trawler, the biggest fishing vessel operating in South African waters. As fishing takes place off the south coast in ecologically sensitive areas, there are concerns about the potential impacts of this fishing operation on non-target species. Fishing behaviour and bycatch of this fishery from 2004 to 2014 were investigated by analysing observer records with regard to catch composition, volume and temporal and spatial patterns. The midwater trawl fishery was estimated to have caught 25 415 tonnes annually, with a bycatch of 6.9% of the total catch, by weight. There are species overlaps with various fisheries, namely the demersal trawl, small-pelagic, line, shark longline and squid fisheries, yet the total bycatch estimates from this fishery are generally small relative to catches taken in the target fisheries. Bycatch species with the highest average annual catches were chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, redeye roundherring Etrumeus whiteheadi, ribbonfish Lepidopus caudatus and hake Merluccius spp. Large-fauna bycatch species included sunfish Mola mola as well as a number of CITES II- and IUCN-listed species, such as Cape fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus, dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus, smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena and thresher sharks Alopias spp. The 97.9% observer coverage is high and the 6.9% bycatch rate low compared to other South African fisheries; however, due to the large size of the individual hauls (average of 46.3 t), the average sampling rate of 1.56% is low. Our analyses suggest that bycatch in the South African midwater trawl fishery has been lower than in other South African fisheries and similar fisheries elsewhere, but due to the combination of high catch volumes and low sampling rates, estimation errors for rare species are high and there is a substantial risk of incidental unmonitored bycatch of rare large fauna and aggregations of small fauna. This could be mitigated by spatio-temporal management of this fishery, to avoid fishing in high-risk areas, and the introduction of an electronic monitoring programme.     

数据缺乏条件下的渔业资源评估方法研究进展

全球范围内绝大多数渔业处于数据缺乏的状态,而常规的资源评估方法需要准确的生物学信息和完整的渔获数据,通常并不适合此类渔业资源的评估。数据缺乏方法(DLM)正是适用于此类情况的渔业资源评估方法,DLM的研究已经成为渔业资源研究的热点。作者对DLM的近期发展作了简要回顾,重点对主要的DLM方法和数据需求进行了分析比较,指出这些方法的应用需要注意的问题。历史渔获量是大多数DLM方法运用的必要数据(如DCAC、Catch-MSY模型),而关于资源丰度的相对指标和重要生活史参数(如种群内禀增长率、自然死亡系数),则是运用这些方法的必要补充。此外,对运用DLM所需的主要生物学参数的估算方法进行了简介。最后对DLM方法的使用及其在国内渔业中的运用提出了建议。     

南海北部带鱼生长死亡与参数动态综合模式

根据我国近海带鱼分种研究结果,利用南海北部底拖网调查收集的带鱼属3鱼种的生物学资料,运用长度频率法估算了3鱼种的生长和死亡参数.带鱼、南海带鱼和短带鱼von Bertalanffy生长方程的渐近肛长分别为70.0,54.5和48.0 cm;生长系数分别为0.27,0.27和0.17;理论生长起点年龄分别为-0.60,-0.68和-1.10龄.用长度变换渔获曲线法估算的3鱼种总死亡系数分别为3.02,0.80和2.43;用经验公式估算的自然死亡系数分别为0.39,0.58和0.44;捕捞死亡系数分别为2.63,0.22和1.99.动态综合模式的分析结果表明,3鱼种都能承受较大的捕捞压力,资源利用的不合理之处是大量捕捞1龄以内的幼鱼;在最适利用状态下,带鱼、南海带鱼和短带鱼的开捕年龄分别应为3.0,2.0和2.7龄,对应的肛长分别为44,28和23 cm.     

基于世代分析法的西北太平洋柔鱼冬春生西部群体资源评估

根据1996-2006年7～11月中国大陆鱿钓船在西北太平洋38°N～46°N、150°E～165°E海域的生产统计、平均渔获个体等数据,基于Pope提出的世代分析法估算了不同自然死亡系数下(M＝0.03～0.1/10 d)柔鱼冬春生西部群体7月的初始资源量,以及该群体为对象的渔业管理参考点,包括最大可持续产量(MSY)和逃逸率,并且拟合了该群体补充量与亲体量的关系,推测了2006-2020年资源量和渔获量的变化.结果表明,M为0.06/10 d为1个临界点,若实际M＜0.06/10 d则该群体处于过度开发状态;若M=0.06/10 d则该群体处于充分利用状态;若M＞0.06/10 d则该群体还有进一步开发利用的空间.补充量亲体关系表明,Beverton-Holt模型拟合效果略优于Ricker模型.要持续利用该资源,逃逸率应设在40%左右,其相应的MSY为10万t左右.文章模拟了M=0.06/10 d时不同捕捞强度下资源量变化状况,认为维持目前的捕捞努力量下,到2020年该群体的资源量都将处在稳定状态,且能保持每年9～10万t的渔获量.