Methods for detecting regime shifts in large marine ecosystems: a review with approaches applied to North Pacific data

This note provides a brief review of five analytical methods previously used or promoted for diagnosing regime shifts in marine ecosystems. The methods discussed are: (i) principal components analysis, (ii) compositing average standard deviates, (iii) autoregressive moving average and intervention analysis modeling, (iv) vector autoregressive process modeling, and (v) Fisher information. Assessments of the relative strengths and weaknesses for the different analytical approaches are also offered. Some of these methods are applied to a collection of fishery oceanographic time series for the N. Pacific to illustrate aspects of their relative utility and limitations for diagnosing regime shift behavior. One recommendation for future studies is to analyze biotic and abiotic time series separately in order to identify ecosystem state variables of interest and to better isolate ecosystem behaviors from other influences like environmental change. Methods that allow for quantitative assessments of the statistical significance of hypothesized regime shifts should be favored over those that do not. Analyses of especially large collections of time series may benefit from first using a data compression technique and then applying one of the methods that are more appropriate for just one or a small number of time series. Because of the difficulties in observing and adequately documenting many aspects of marine ecosystem variability, it is crucial that future research attempt to combine empirical studies of large marine ecosystems with theoretical and modeling studies of other systems for which the dynamics and predictability are better understood. With such a comparative approach it should be possible to refine conceptual and simulation models, while also identifying crucial gaps in existing observations.     

东太湖的贝类及其生物学

本文分析了东太湖的贝类组成、密度、生物量及其分布；结合水文物理，水化学及水生生物等生态因子的观测，探讨了贝类和这些因子间的关系；分析了贝类资源的变化，并估算了其渔产潜力。     

A spatio-temporal ecosystem model to simulate fishing management plans: A case of study in the Gulf of Gabes (Tunisia)

The Gulf of Gabes located in southern Tunisia is one of the most productive ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea. Despite its ecological importance, it is subject to high fishing pressure affecting the different components of the ecosystem. Given the multispecies, multigear nature of the fishery, there is a need to manage trade-offs between environmental and economic objectives. In this study, an Ecospace model was developed based on the previously constructed Ecopath model of the Gulf of Gabes and calibrated for the period 1995–2008 to investigate the response of the ecosystem to a set of alternative spatial management scenarios. These scenarios were derived from the current fishery regulation owing the important interest expressed by local fishery managers to assess new management measures. The results showed for each management scenario how bottom trawling and coastal fishing impact the different trophic groups and the complexity of interaction between these two fishing activities. Furthermore, spatially explicit simulations were performed to identify regions where the management measures are effective. Results suggested that for some trophic groups, these regions are well-defined which would be interesting to propose more accurate spatial measures. Finally, several indicators were calculated to evaluate the proposed management plans and provide managers with a straightforward set of decision rules to describe the potential trade-offs and fulfill both fisheries and conservation management objectives in the context of an ecosystem approach. The decision rules were based on observed trends to reduce uncertainty relative to the model complexity and provide consistent advice to decision-makers.     

The sensitivity of long-term yield targets to changes in fishery age-selectivity

Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) has been adopted as the primary management goal by several inter-government fishery organisations, and in the United States it forms the cornerstone of federal fishery management policy. MSY became a strategic goal for the management of Europe's fisheries following the resolution of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 to restore or maintain fish stocks to MSY levels by 2015. Calculation of MSY requires information on the rate at which biomass increases through growth and reproduction and the rate at which it decreases through natural mortality and fishing. Population-selection, which measures the age-specific rates of fishing mortality, is a key component for the calculation of yield as a function of fishing mortality and MSY, yet selection rarely features in either management advice or sensitivity analyses. Effective management of selection can potentially lead to increases in long-term yield, but before taking action managers need to understand what long-term increases are possible. Using a hypothetical stock, equilibrium yield curves were calculated for three scenarios in which the shape of the population-selection curve varied. The results illustrate the potential extent of variation in MSY and the corresponding fishing mortality required to achieve it (F_MSY) that may result solely due to changes in population selectivity. They show that relatively subtle changes in selection can produce substantial differences in MSY and F_MSY. The results are discussed with specific reference to the development of long-term management targets and the mechanisms by which managers might try to influence population-selection.     

Plastic debris ingestion by marine catfish: an unexpected fisheries impact

Plastic marine debris is a pervasive type of pollution. River basins and estuaries are a source of plastics pollution for coastal waters and oceans. Estuarine fauna is therefore exposed to chronic plastic pollution. Three important catfish species [Cathorops spixii (N = 60), Cathorops agassizii (N = 60) and Sciades herzbergii (N = 62)] from South Western Atlantic estuaries were investigated in a tropical estuary of the Brazilian Northeast in relation to their accidental ingestion of plastic marine debris. Individuals from all three species had ingested plastics. In C. spixii and C. agassizii, 18% and 33% of individuals had plastic debris in their stomachs, respectively. S. herzbergii showed 18% of individuals were contaminated. All ontogenetic phases (juveniles, sub-adults and adults) were contaminated. Nylon fragments from cables used in fishery activities (subsistence, artisanal and commercial) played a major role in this contamination. These catfish spend their entire life cycles within the estuary and are an important feeding resource for larger, economically important, species. It is not yet possible to quantify the scale and depth of the consequences of this type of pollution. However, plastics are well known threat to living resources in this and other estuaries. Conservation actions will need to from now onto take plastics pollution into consideration.     

Transferable Fishing Concessions (TFC): A pilot study on the applicability in the Mediterranean Sea

Fisheries management systems based on Transferable Fishing Concessions (TFC) and similar rights-based systems have been developed during the last decades in some European countries. However, at present there is not a clear view on the possible effects caused by the application of this management systems in the Mediterranean Sea. The current study, involving nine Geographical Sub-Areas (GSAs) of the Mediterranean Sea, focuses on the appropriateness, transferability and modes of applicability of a TFC system in the Mediterranean area. Three different scenarios of quota allocation have been analyzed by taking into account biological, ecological, environmental, economic and social aspects: quota in terms of resource quantity, quota as a portion of the total fishing time, quota as a portion of the total fishing capacity. Results show that the transferability of a TFC-based system to the Mediterranean context appears to be low due to the characteristics of the Mediterranean fisheries (multispecificity of resources, fishing grounds shared among different countries, multigear, importance of small-scale fisheries) and to the general lack of sound and reliable individual historical data. The study also highlights rights-based systems such as Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURF) might only be applied for the exploitation of sedentary resources, such as clams. A management system based on TFC could be theoretically reasonable for anchovy fishing, where a few species are caught, even if all countries and stakeholders should be involved in the decision making process.     

环境DNA技术在渔业资源生物量评估中的研究进展

近年来,由于过度频繁的人类活动,导致全球渔业资源正遭受威胁。与传统渔业评估方法相比,环境DNA(eDNA)技术具有操作简便、侵入性低、灵敏度高等优点,因而在水生生态系统中应用广泛。eDNA技术在物种丰度和生物量评估中已经被证明是可行的,本文总结了eDNA技术渔业资源生物量评估中的研究进展,从eDNA技术与传统方法互补性、eDNA浓度影响因素及模型、生物量定量模型以及应用前景等方面展开阐述,为以后eDNA技术在渔业资源生物量评估中应用提供参考。     

辽宁省渔业产业结构分析与发展建议

为促进辽宁省渔业尤其是海洋渔业的可持续发展,文章综合相关统计数据,运用产业结构三轴图和灰色关联度分析方法,系统分析辽宁省渔业产业结构及其主要产业的发展情况以及6个主要产业对海洋渔业的影响程度,并提出发展建议。研究结果表明:辽宁省渔业第一产业仍占主体地位,但第二和第三产业占比逐渐提高,产业结构三角形的重心呈左旋趋势;渔业第一产业有所优化,第二产业对渔业经济发展起到支柱作用,第三产业以水产品运输业为主;海水产品加工业和运输业对海洋渔业的影响程度最高;未来辽宁省应继续科学发展海水养殖业、远洋渔业、水产品加工业、水产品运输业、休闲渔业和“互联网+渔业”,不断优化渔业产业结构。     

水产品合法性标签制度的法律属性及其立法完善

为促进我国渔业资源和水产品贸易的可持续发展,文章结合国际和国内的相关实践情况,分析我国水产品合法性标签制度的立法现状和存在的不足,尝试解答其中的关键问题即水产品合法性标签制度的法律属性,并就相关立法的完善提出建议。研究结果表明:水产品合法性标签制度是国际社会破解非法、不报告和不管制捕捞难题的重要制度,我国已开展相关实践并推动立法进程;目前我国水产品合法性标签制度的立法现状主要包括发布相关规范性文件和修订渔业法律,但该项制度在法律依据等方面仍存在不足;水产品合法性标签在法律上应被认定为强制标志,该项制度应属于强制性行政确认,且可适用于水产品国内贸易;在我国渔业法律的修订过程中,应通过健全实施程序和明确法律后果,进一步完善水产品合法性标签制度。     

Mud crab ecology encourages site-specific approaches to fishery management

Little is known about the effects of mud crabs population patterns on their exploitation. We used complementary approaches (experimental, fisher-based) to investigate how small-scale variations in density, size and sex-ratio related to the ecology of S. serrata may impact fishing practices in New Caledonia. Crabs were measured/sexed across 9 stations in contrasted mangrove systems between 2007 and 2009. Stations were described and classified in different kinds of mangrove forests (coastal, riverine, and estuarine); vegetation cover was qualitatively described at station scale. Annual catch was used as an indicator of fishing pressure. Middle-scale environmental factors (oceanic influence, vegetation cover) had significant contributions to crab density (GLM, 84.8% of variance), crab size and sex-ratio (< 30%). While small-scale natural factors contributed significantly to population structure, current fishing levels had no impacts on mud crabs. The observed, ecologically-driven heterogeneity of crab resource has strong social implications in the Pacific area, where land tenure system and traditional access rights prevent most fishers from freely selecting their harvest zones. This offers a great opportunity to encourage site-specific management of mud crab fisheries.