Limitations of the Korean conventional fisheries management regime and expanding Korean TAC system toward output control systems

In this paper, we focus on the status and trends of the current Korean fisheries management regime. Specifically, this paper briefly introduces the Korean conventional fisheries management regime (KCFMR) and discusses its problems and limitations. In describing policy evolution, this paper finds reasons why the Korean government has chosen a TAC system, an output control approach, besides input control approaches in force for almost a century. This paper also describes the evolution of the Korean TAC system, which is carrying out a pivotal role in Korean fisheries development, and analyzes problems of the Korean TAC system. Finally, this paper gives a perspective on expanding the Korean TAC system toward Output Control Systems (OCSs) such as Individual Quotas (IQs), Individual Vessel Quotas (IVQs), Individual Transferable Traps (ITTs), Community Quotas (CQs), and Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs).     

Adaptive fisheries management in Vietnam: The use of indicators and the introduction of a multi-disciplinary Marine Fisheries Specialist Team to support implementation

Vietnam is in the process of introducing adaptive management based on indicators and time-series to manage its marine fisheries. The development of indicator-based frameworks for fisheries management has accelerated in recent years. This article describes the suite of indicators being suggested or used in Vietnam including the data-collection system. The Vietnamese approach is supported by an institutional structure consisting of a multi-disciplinary advisory system to facilitate the process of using indicators and to introduce knowledge-based management. The article concludes by identifying current problems and weaknesses and by providing suggestions for future improvement of the system.     

Malthusian overfishing in Pulau Banggi?

We assess, based on fisheries and interview data collected on-site, whether Malthusian overfishing is occurring in Pulau Banggi, Sabah. Fisheries resources in Pulau Banggi have been perceived to be declining over the past 20 years, and characteristics of Malthusian overfishing are evident, although not at a magnitude comparable with other more heavily exploited artisanal fisheries in the Philippines. It appears that Pulau Banggi's reef fisheries are at an early stage of Malthusian overfishing, and this is therefore a critical time for addressing and mitigating drivers of overfishing to prevent inevitable and further decline of Pulau Banggi's reef fisheries.     

Optical properties of low molecular weight and colloidal organic matter: Application of the ultrafiltration permeation model to DOM absorption and fluorescence

Cross-flow ultrafiltration (CFF) is often used to obtain separation and concentration of colloids from bulk natural water samples. Application of the ultrafiltration permeation model allows the quantitative determination of the low molecular weight material (LMW, < 1 kDa) and colloids in bulk dissolved organic matter (DOM) from measurements of time series permeate samples obtained from CFF. Detailed analysis of a Yukon River water sample shows that DOM absorption coefficient and fluorescence follow the permeation model and that the complex spectral optical properties of LMW DOM can be reconstructed from CFF data. A combination of measured and modeled data indicates that the LMW contribution to bulk DOM optical properties obtained from CFF can be grossly underestimated by the use of a low concentration factor (CF, the ratio of initial sample volume to retentate volume). Even at a relatively high CF of 19, optical properties of LMW DOM calculated from measurements of the retentate or integrated permeate would underestimate true values by 5–36%. In the Yukon River sample, LMW dissolved organic carbon represented 26% of the bulk concentration, but only 3–14% of the colored DOM was in the LMW fraction while 31–33% of bulk DOM florescence was due to LMW DOM. The contrasting optical properties of LMW and colloidal DOM support the concept that analysis of bulk DOM absorption and fluorescence properties reveals information about DOM molecular weight.