Fishing

About: Fishing is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 26543 publications have been published within this topic receiving 455552 citations. The topic is also known as: angling.

Rapid Decline of Nassau Grouper Spawning Aggregations in Belize: Fishery Management and Conservation Needs

Abstract: The Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) and other reef fishes aggregate in large numbers at specific locations and times to spawn. In Belize, as in the rest of the Caribbean, about one-third of the grouper spawning aggregations have disappeared due to overfishing. One of the last spawning aggregations still viable in Belize has decreased from 15,000 to fewer than 3,000 Nassau groupers in the last 25 years, a decline of more than 80%. The spawning aggregation was still open to fishing in January 2001, with a fishing quota of 900 groupers, which represented about 30% of the aggregation. The actual catch was at least 300 groupers. Fisheries models predict that, if fishing continues, the spawning aggregation will disappear by 2013, and the fishery will be abandoned by 2009 at the latest. Unsustainable fishing will eliminate the spawning aggregations in Belize, with subsequent negative effects on the grouper populations in the region. Since most of the spawning aggregations in Belize have now been f...

Gender and small-scale fisheries: a case for counting women and beyond

Abstract: Marine ecosystem–scale fisheries research and management must include the fishing effort of women and men. Even with growing recognition that women do fish, there remains an imperative to engage in more meaningful and relevant gender analysis to improve socio-ecological approaches to fisheries research and management. The implications of a gender approach to fisheries have been explored in social approaches to fisheries, but the relevance of gender analysis for ecological understandings has yet to be fully elaborated. To examine the importance of gender to the understanding of marine ecology, we identified 106 case studies of small-scale fisheries from the last 20 years that detail the participation of women in fishing (data on women fishers being the most common limiting factor to gender analysis). We found that beyond gender difference in fishing practices throughout the world, the literature reveals a quantitative data gap in the characterization of gender in small-scale fisheries. The descriptive details of women’s often distinct fishing practices nonetheless provide important ecological information with implications for understanding the human role in marine ecosystems. Finally, we examined why the data gap on women’s fishing practices has persisted, detailing several ways in which commonly used research methods may perpetuate biased sampling that overlooks women’s fishing. This review sheds light on a new aspect of the application of gender research to fisheries research, with an emphasis on ecological understanding within a broader context of interdisciplinary approaches.

Observational methods used in marine spatial monitoring of fishes and associated habitats: a review

Abstract: Management areas are used in marine spatial planning to conserve biodiversity of marine ecosystems and to protect fish from fishing pressure. To evaluate the effectiveness of these protected areas, observational techniques are used to determine densities, sizes, biomass, habitat types and distribution of fish species in and around management areas. Two types of observational techniques are used in spatial monitoring: (1) fishery-independent techniques, which include underwater visual census (UVC), underwater video, remote sensing, acoustics, and experimental catch and effort data; and (2) fishery-dependent techniques, which include catch, effort and catch per unit effort data from commercial and recreational fisheries. This review summarises the applications, advantages, disadvantages and biases of each of these observational categories and highlights emerging technologies. The main finding from this review was that a combination of observational techniques, rather than a single method, was the most effective approach to marine spatial monitoring. For example, a combination of hydroacoustics for habitat mapping and UVC or video for fish surveys was one of the most cost-effective and efficient means of obtaining fish-habitat linkages and fish assemblage data. There are also emerging technologies that could increase the precision and efficiency of monitoring surveys. There is a need for continued development of non-intrusive technology for marine monitoring studies.

The Fisherman's Problem: Ecology and Law in the California Fisheries, 1850-1980

Abstract: List of figures List of tables Preface Acknowledgments List of abbreviations Introduction 1. The problem of environment Part I. The Miner's Canary: 2. Aboriginal fishery management 3. The Indian fisheries commercialized Part II. Sun, Wind, and Sail, 1850-1910: 4. Immigrant fisheries 5. State power and the right to fish Part III. The Industrial Frontier, 1910-1950: 6. Mechanized fishing 7. The bureaucrat's problem Part IV. Enclosure of the Ocean, 1950-1980: 8. Gridlock 9. Something of a vacuum 10. Leaving fish in the ocean 11. An ecological community Conclusion Appendix Notes Selected Bibliography Index.

Engaging Recreational Fishers in Management and Conservation: Global Case Studies

Abstract: Globally, the number of recreational fishers is sizeable and increasing in many countries. Associ- ated with this trend is the potential for negative impacts on fish stocks through exploitation or management measures such as stocking and introduction of non-native fishes. Nevertheless, recreational fishers can be instrumental in successful fisheries conservation through active involvement in, or initiation of, conservation projects to reduce both direct and external stressors contributing to fishery declines. Understanding fishers' concerns for sustained access to the resource and developing methods for their meaningful participation can have positive impacts on conservation efforts. We examined a suite of case studies that demonstrate success- ful involvement of recreational fishers in conservation and management activities that span developed and developing countries, temperate and tropical regions, marine and freshwater systems, and open- and closed- access fisheries. To illustrate potential benefits and challenges of involving recreational fishers in fisheries management and conservation, we examined the socioeconomic and ecological contexts of each case study. We devised a conceptual framework for the engagement of recreational fishers that targets particular types of involvement (enforcement, advocacy, conservation, management design (type and location), research, and monitoring) on the basis of degree of stakeholder stewardship, scale of the fishery, and source of impacts (internal or external). These activities can be enhanced by incorporating local knowledge and traditions, tak- ing advantage of leadership and regional networks, and creating collaborations among various stakeholder groups, scientists, and agencies to maximize the probability of recreational fisher involvement and project success.