Risks of shifting baselines highlighted by anecdotal accounts of New Zealand's snapper (Pagrus auratus) fishery

Anecdotal data sources may constitute an important component of the information available about an exploited species, as record keeping may not have occurred until after exploitation began. Here, we aimed to fill any gaps in the exploitative history of the sparid snapper (Pagrus auratus), using social and historical research methods. Social research consisted of interviews with recreational fishers, focusing on the most and largest snapper they had caught. In addition, the diary‐logs of two recreational fishers were analysed. Historical research consisted of investigation of old books, photos, archives and unpublished sources unconventional to fishery science. Interviews with fishers demonstrated no or weak trends in snapper abundance or size, and were likely impeded by a lack of ability to detect change in a fish stock that may still be considered abundant. The fishers’ perception of change, however, largely reflected recent experiences (last c. 10 years), when biomass is understood to have increased, and mostly did not consider experiences before the 1980s. Alternatively, diary‐logs of fisher catch rates produced a pattern that matched formal stock assessments of snapper biomass, suggesting declines in abundance up until the 1990s and an increase in biomass after that time. Historical research, although more qualitative, had the ability to investigate periods where formal records were not kept and described a fishery vastly different from the current one. Snapper were easily caught, in great abundance and in unusual locations. Localised depletion of snapper was first noticed in the early 20th century, despite spectacular catches of snapper occurring after that time. Snapper behaviour was also likely different, with visual sightings of snapper by onlookers a common occurrence. Although predictions from stock assessment models are consistent with that of the anecdotes listed here (i.e., high biomass in the past), these anecdotes are valuable as they explain lost biomass in a perspective meaningful to all. This perspective may be valuable for managers trying to consider the non‐financial value of a shared fishery but, if unrecognised, represents a shifting baseline.     

Mollusca from a recent coral community in Palliser bay,cook strait

From a trawling at 448–512 m in Palliser Bay, Cook Strait, New Zealand, molluscs associated with. Tertiary siltstone concretions and with a large colony of Goniocorella dumosa (Alcock) are listed. A juvenile Acesta, extremely tall and extremely broad forms of Emarginula striatula Quoy & Gaimard, and the animals of Stilifer neozelanica Dell and of Waipaoa marwicki Dell are described. Sculptifer, a new genus provisionally included in the Fossaridae, is proposed for Stilifer neozelanica. New species of Danilia and Pholadidea are described and their relationships discussed. Emarginula lophelia Beu, 1967 is synonymized with E. striatula Quoy & Gaimard, 1834, and the recent New Zealand forms of Emarginula are reviewed.     

Habitat selection and quality for multiple cohorts of young-of-the-year bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix): Comparisons between estuarine and ocean beaches in southern New Jersey

In this study, seasonal and annual variability in the use of estuarine and ocean beaches by young-of-the-year bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, was evaluated by indices of abundance in coastal areas of southern New Jersey (1998–2000). Biological and physical factors measured at specific sites were correlated with bluefish abundance to determine the mechanisms underlying habitat selection. In addition, integrative and discrete indicators of bluefish growth were used to examine spatio-temporal dynamics in habitat quality and its effect on habitat selection by multiple cohorts of bluefish. Intra-annual recruitment to coastal areas of southern New Jersey was episodic, and resulted from the ingress of spring-spawned bluefish (hatch-date April) to estuarine beaches in late May to early June, followed by the recruitment of summer-spawned fish (hatch-date early July) to ocean beaches from July to October. Bluefish utilized estuarine and ocean beaches in a facultative manner that was responsive to dynamics in prey composition and temperature conditions. The recruitment and residency of bluefish in the estuary (1998–1999) and ocean beaches (1998), for example, was coincidental with the presence of the Atlantic silverside Menidia menidia and bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli, the principal prey species for bluefish occupying these respective habitat-types. Bluefish abundance in the estuary (2000) and ocean beaches (1999–2000) was also correlated with water temperature, with the greatest catches of juveniles coinciding with their optimal growth temperature (24 °C). Bluefish growth, estimated as the slope of age–length relationships and daily specific growth rates, equaled 1.27–2.63 mm fork length (FL) d⁻¹ and 3.8–8.7% body length increase d⁻¹, respectively. The growth of sagittal otoliths was also used as a proxy for changes in bluefish size during and shortly before their time of capture. Accordingly, otolith growth rates of summer-spawned bluefish were greater at ocean beaches relative to the estuary and were explained by the more suitable temperature conditions found at ocean beaches during the mid- to late summer. Notwithstanding the fast growth of oceanic summer-spawned bluefish, individuals spawned in the spring were still larger in absolute body size at the end of the summer growing season (240 and 50–200 mm FL for spring- and summer-spawned bluefish, respectively). The size discrepancy between spring- and summer-spawned bluefish at the onset of autumn migrations and during overwintering periods may account for the differential recruitment success of the respective cohorts.     

Stock assessment for Atlantic yellowfin tuna based on extended surplus production model considering life history

The modern fishery stock assessment could be conducted by various models, such as Stock Synthesis model with high data requirement and complicated model structure, and the basic surplus production model, which fails to incorporate individual growth, maturity, and fishery selectivity, etc. In this study, the Just Another Bayesian Biomass Assessment (JABBA) Select which is relatively balanced between complex and simple models, was used to conduct stock assessment for yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the Atlantic Ocean. Its population dynamics was evaluated, considering the influence of selectivity patterns and different catch per unit effort (CPUE) indices on the stock assessment results. The model with three joint longline standardized CPUE indices and logistic selectivity pattern performed well, without significant retrospective pattern. The results indicated that the stock is not overfished and not subject to overfishing in 2018. Sensitivity analyses indicated that stock assessment results are robust to natural mortality but sensitive to steepness of the stock-recruitment relationship and fishing selectivity. High steepness was revealed to be more appropriate for this stock, while the fishing selectivity has greater influence to the assessment results than life history parameters. Overall, JABBA-Select is suitable for the stock assessment of Atlantic yellowfin tuna with different selectivity patterns, and the assumptions of natural mortality and selectivity pattern should be improved to reduce uncertainties.     

海洋牧场背景下的休闲渔业旅游发展模式研究

近年来随着产业融合的发展趋势显著,第一产业和第二产业开始向第三产业转型,海洋牧场建设发展过程中渔业与旅游业逐渐融合发展形成休闲渔业等渔业旅游形式。许多地区因地制宜形成了不同的休闲渔业发展模式,休闲渔业旅游发展多元化的趋势也在逐渐形成。文章对休闲渔业的概念进行了阐述,介绍了休闲渔业的产生与发展,并对我国休闲渔业的旅游模式进行归纳,提出当前休闲渔业发展存在的问题。如:发展观念滞后,缺乏长远规划;海洋休闲渔业产业结构单一;缺乏高素质的从业人员;科技、资金投入不足等。最后总结了海洋牧场背景下休闲渔业的未来发展趋势并对发展方向提出建议。     

渤海湾渔业碳汇分析与预测初探

为了解渤海湾近十年来渔业碳汇能力,本研究汇总了渤海湾地区2010-2020年海水养殖的品种和产量。通过建立不同养殖品种固碳能力评估体系,计算了不同养殖品种对渔业碳汇的贡献和渤海湾近十年海水养殖固碳总量。结果表明,2010-2020年渤海湾海水养殖以池塘养殖为主要养殖模式,年固碳量从2010年的5.79万吨增至2020年的11.04万吨,十年内共计固碳96.0万吨,平均碳转化比为12.5%,其中山东省贡献超过65%。该探索对建立“渔业碳汇”计算的指标体系、科学发展碳汇渔业、提升海洋碳汇生态价值具有一定的指导意义。     

高黎贡山羚牛生境适宜性评价及廊道建设

以高黎贡山羚牛为研究对象,选取了植被类型、植被覆盖度、海拔、坡度、水源、土地覆被、主要道路、居民点8个影响因子,基于GIS技术,构建阻力面,从而探测多因子影响作用下高黎贡山羚牛适宜生境。结果表明：区域内羚牛的适宜生境面积整体占比较少,适宜区域主要分布在研究区的中西部及西南地区,在北部区域也有零散分布。羚牛的迁徙受到人类活动的干扰及道路阻隔的影响,其生境遭到一定程度的破坏。结合现有羚牛栖息地分布及最小阻力模型,建立区域内羚牛的生态廊道,结果显示：廊道主要分布于高黎贡山保护区南段、马边瓦底中段、子巴、俄恰沙迪、马士打亚窟、其期北段、四克洛娃俎及木当一带。     

Conflation and aggregation of spatial data improve predictive models for species with limited habitats: A case of the threatened yellow-billed cuckoo in Arizona,USA

Riparian vegetation provides important wildlife habitat in the southwestern United States, but limited distributions and spatial complexity often leads to inaccurate representation in maps used to guide conservation. We test the use of data conflation and aggregation on multiple vegetation/land-cover maps to improve the accuracy of habitat models for the threatened western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis). We used species observations (n = 479) from a state-wide survey to develop habitat models from 1) three vegetation/land-cover maps produced at different geographic scales ranging from state to national, and 2) new aggregate maps defined by the spatial agreement of cover types, which were defined as high (agreement = all data sets), moderate (agreement ≥ 2), and low (no agreement required). Model accuracies, predicted habitat locations, and total area of predicted habitat varied considerably, illustrating the effects of input data quality on habitat predictions and resulting potential impacts on conservation planning. Habitat models based on aggregated and conflated data were more accurate and had higher model sensitivity than original vegetation/land-cover, but this accuracy came at the cost of reduced geographic extent of predicted habitat. Using the highest performing models, we assessed cuckoo habitat preference and distribution in Arizona and found that major watersheds containing high-probably habitat are fragmented by a wide swath of low-probability habitat. Focus on riparian restoration in these areas could provide more breeding habitat for the threatened cuckoo, offset potential future habitat losses in adjacent watershed, and increase regional connectivity for other threatened vertebrates that also use riparian corridors.     

Hog Daddy and the Walls of Steel: Catch Shares and Ecosystem Change in the New England Groundfishery

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration implemented market-based fishery management in the New England groundfishery as catch shares, controlling aggregate harvests through tradable annual catch quotas allocated to fishing groups called sectors. Policy supporters assert that resulting markets raise conservation incentives. In compliance with the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, species assessments permit catch shares to replace more spatially and temporally specific constraints on fishing gear, time, areas, and daily harvest limits. Qualitative evidence from field interviews and participant observation questions the efficacy of catch shares. Fishing industry members observe that increased presence of large trawl vessels in previously protected areas damages fish subpopulations and benthic habitat. Regulatory bioeconomic models fail to consider these lay observations. The consequent inability of quota markets to recognize the materiality of human–environment relationships at the spatiotemporal scales of fishing activity, and to internalize associated externalities, may have devastating consequences for the fishery.