Perspectives:Gene expression in fisheries management

Functional genes and gene expression have been connected to physiological traits linked to effective production andbroodstock selection in aquaculture, selective implications of commercial fish harvest, and adaptive changes reflected innon-commercial fish populations subject to human disturbance and climate change. Gene mapping using single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) to identify functional genes, gene expression (analogue microarrays and real-time PCR), and digital sequencingtechnologies looking at RNA transcripts present new concepts and opportunities in support of effective and sustainable fisheries.Genomic tools have been rapidly growing in aquaculture research addressing aspects of fish health, toxicology, and earlydevelopment. Genomic technologies linking effects in functional genes involved in growth, maturation and life history developmenthave been tied to selection resulting from harvest practices. Incorporating new and ever-increasing knowledge of fish genomesis opening a different perspective on local adaptation that will prove invaluable in wild fish conservation and management.Conservation of fish stocks is rapidly incorporating research on critical adaptive responses directed at the effects of human disturbanceand climate change through gene expression studies. Genomic studies of fish populations can be generally grouped intothree broad categories: 1) evolutionary genomics and biodiversity; 2) adaptive physiological responses to a changing environment;and 3) adaptive behavioral genomics and life history diversity. We review current genomic research in fisheries focusing on thosethat use microarrays to explore differences in gene expression among phenotypes and within or across populations, informationthat is critically important to the conservation offish and their relationship to

An Analysis on Antarctic Fisheries Management Regime and China's Response

Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living R esources acts as the executive body for Antarctic fisheries management with Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living R esources( CAMLR Convention) as the legal framework. As the only multilateral agreement for the comprehensive management of Antarctic marine living resources,CAMLR Convention has received a wide international recognition. This paper analyzes the highlights of CAMLR Convention in Antarctic fisheries management,namely,open access to membership,sophisticated institutional structure,capability of keeping pace with the times,diplomatic wisdom,measures against IU U,advanced fisheries management philosophies,etc. Meanwhile,Antarctic fisheries management also encounters challenges,which should be addressed in the process of exploration. China is an important fishing state at Antarctic O cean.Investigation for Antarctic fisheries resources and research into its exploitation are of significant importance for China,which calls for the establishment of China's Antarctic fisheries policy.

The Human Dimension in the UNESCO Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve:Integrating Livelihood Issues of Small-Scale Fisheries with the Conservation of Natural Resources

Fisheries management worldwide struggles to strike a balance between protecting resources,ensuring fair access to resources and promoting economic effectiveness and stability.The transition to a participatory democracy in South Africa in 1994 resulted in the transformation of government institutions and an extensive process of legislative reform regarding

Ecology and Fish Biodiversity of Man-Made Lakes of Southern Benin (West Africa): Implications for Species Conservation and Fisheries Management

Man-made lakes are alternative and potential habitats for biodiversity conservation, fisheries and extensive aquaculture. We investigated the ecology and the fish community structure of two (2) sand-dragged man-made lakes, Lake Ahozon and Lake Bewacodji of Southern Benin, with implications for species conservation, fisheries management and aquaculture valorization. From August 2014 to July 2015, habitats conditions were evaluated and fishes were sampled monthly with seine, cast net, experimental gill net and hooks in the open water and aquatic vegetation habitats of both lakes. Overall, the water quality of Lake Ahozon was globally favorable for the growth and the survival of the fish resources whereas Lake Bewacodji exhibited a poor water quality indicated mainly by an acid pH (mean: 6.32 ± 0.58) and low dissolved oxygen concentrations (mean: 3.52 ± 1.25 mg/l) caused by dense floating plants, Nymphea sp mainly and huge daily dumping of domestic wastes. The study revealed low species richness, d = 5.89 and d = 3.87, and low species diversity, H’ = 0.76 and H’ = 0.48 for Lakes Ahozon and Bewacodji, respectively, with Lake Ahozon more diverse than Lake Bewacodji. The fish community of Lake Ahozon comprised six (6) species, 3 cichlids Sarotherodon galilaeus, Oreochromis niloticus and Tilapia guineensis, the silver catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Claroteidae), the African bonytongue, Heterotis niloticus (Osteoglossidae), and the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Clariidae). Numerically, S. galilaeus dominated Lake Ahozon and made 85.21% of the sample. In Lake Bewacodji, the fish composition comprised four (4) species, Sarotherodon galilaeus multifasciatus, the dominant species making numerically 91.58% of the total sample, T. guineensis, C. gariepinus and C. nigrodigitatus. With regard to trophic structure, the fish assemblages of both lakes were numerically dominated by planktinovores/ detritivores, mainly S. galilaeus, O. niloticus, T. guineensis and C. nigrodigitatus making together 99.46% of Lake Ahozon fish community, and S. galilaeus multifasciatus, T. guineensis and C. nigrodigitatus accounting together for about 98.59% of Lake Bewacodji. In Lake Ahozon, standard length (SL) frequencies histograms showed an unimodal size distribution for H. niloticus, the nile tilapia O. niloticus and C. gariepinus whereas the two cichlids, S. galilaeus and T. guineensis exhibited a bimodal size distribution. In Lake Bewacodji, S. galilaeus multifasciatus, C. nigrodigitatus and C. gariepinus exhibited an unimodal size distribution. A sustainable exploitation of both man-made lakes requires the implementation of an integrated management scheme which should include habitat restoration and protection plan, fisheries/aquacultural valorization, ecological sound agriculture/ecotourism and environmental monitoring.

Estimating the total allowable catch and management of Threadfin porgy(Evynnis cardinalis)fisheries in the northern South China Sea based on sampling surveys conducted at fishing ports

In order to develop a method that apply sampling survey data randomly obtained at fishing ports to fish stock assessments,based on fish landing surveys conducted at fishing ports in the northern South China Sea(SCS),19 Threadfin porgy(Evynnis cardinalis)catch per unit effort(CPUE)datasets were collected for fishing vessels with different gear types and engine powers and incorporated into surplus production models.Considering only the fitting performance,the Schaefer model had the best overall goodness of fit,followed by the Fox,CYP,W-H,and Schnute models.Among fishing vessels with different gears and engine powers,the data were best fitted for single-trawl vessels powered by 301-400-kW engines and for gillnet vessels powered by>200-kW engines.Eight model expressions were superior and selected for subsequent analyses based on their goodness of fit and relative residuals.The Kobe plot analysis results showed an optimistic fish stock status when using the four model expressions,required more caution when using three model expressions and output pessimistic estimations using one model expression.Considering the incomplete information acquired,a compromising decision-making method was used to derive a 2017 northern SCS E.cardinalis total allowed catch(TAC)of 44,691.21 t.The different conclusions drawn from estimations using CPUEs reflect variable exploitation and utilization fish stock statuses among fishing vessels with different gears and engine powers.Hence,the fishing operations were grouped according to their CPUE relationship,and recommendations regarding optimum fishing efforts were assigned to the groups following a fundamental principle:to improve fishery TAC management,fishing efforts should be reduced if the fish stock assessment is pessimistic and maintained if the assessment is optimistic.This study providing a feasible technical method for the TAC management of China’s offshore fisheries.

Constructing a raster-based spatio-temporal hierarchical data model for marine fisheries application

Marine information has been increasing quickly. The traditional database technologies have disadvantages in manipulating large amounts of marine information which relates to the position in 3-D with the time. Recently, greater emphasis has been placed on GIS （geographical information system）to deal with the marine information. The GIS has shown great success for terrestrial applications in the last decades, but its use in marine fields has been far more restricted. One of the main reasons is that most of the GIS systems or their data models are designed for land applications. They cannot do well with the nature of the marine environment and for the marine information. And this becomes a fundamental challenge to the traditional GIS and its data structure. This work designed a data model, the raster-based spatio-temporal hierarchical data model （RSHDM）, for the marine information system, or for the knowledge discovery fi＇om spatio-temporal data, which bases itself on the nature of the marine data and overcomes the shortages of the current spatio-temporal models when they are used in the field. As an experiment, the marine fishery data warehouse （FDW） for marine fishery management was set up, which was based on the RSHDM. The experiment proved that the RSHDM can do well with the data and can extract easily the aggregations that the management needs at different levels.

Evaluation of Three Harvest Control Rules for Bigeye Tuna(Thunnus obesus) Fisheries in the Indian Ocean

The stock of Bigeye tuna(Thunnus obesus) in the Indian Ocean supports an important international fishery and is considered to be fully exploited. The responsible management agency, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission(IOTC), does not have an explicit management decision-making framework in place to prevent over-fishing. In this study, we evaluated three harvest control rules, i) constant fishing mortality(CF), from 0.2 to 0.6, ii) constant catch(CC), from 60000 to 140000 t, and iii) constant escapement(CE), from 0.3 to 0.7. The population dynamics simulated by the operating model was based on the most recent stock assessment using Stock Synthesis version Ⅲ(SS3). Three simulation scenarios(low, medium and high productivity) were designed to cover possible uncertainty in the stock assessment and biological parameters. Performances of three harvest control rules were compared on the basis of three management objectives(over 3, 10 and 25 years): i) the probability of maintaining spawning stock biomass above a level that can sustain maximum sustainable yield(MSY) on average, ii) the probability of achieving average catches between 0.8 MSY and 1.0 MSY, and iii) inter-annual variability in catches. The constant escapement strategy(CE=0.5), constant fishing mortality strategy(F=0.4) and constant catch(CC=80000) were the most rational among the respective management scenarios. It is concluded that the short-term annual catch is suggested at 80000 t, and the potential total allowable catch for a stable yield could be set at 120000 t once the stock had recovered successfully. All the strategies considered in this study to achieve a ‘tolerable' balance between resource conservation and utilization have been based around the management objectives of the IOTC.

Problems and Countermeasures of Logistics in the Marine Fisheries Industry

Based on the connotation of marine fisheries logistics,the thesis gives a brief account of its features:firstly,it is more susceptible to natural conditions;secondly,the aquatic logistics is with strong specialized assets;thirdly,the aquatic products market has relative greater uncertainties;fourthly,it calls for higher logistics technology;fifthly,it is difficult to conduct supply chain management.Then the thesis analyzes the problems in the marine fisheries industry:the first problem is the imperfect standardization system of the aquatic logistics;the second is the backward development in the cold storage of the marine fisheries;the third is low information-based degree of marine fisheries logistics system;the fourth one is the low level of the value-added services;the fifth problem is the immature participants in logistics.In order to solve these problems,this thesis further proposes some countermeasure to develop the logistics in the marine fisheries industry:at first,to build various forms of logistics organization entities;secondly,to gradually realize the integration of logistics functions and performance;thirdly,to strengthen the information construction of marine fisheries logistics;at last,to reinforce the government roles in developing the logistics industry of aquatic products.

Co-management of small-scale fishery in the Tonle Sap Lake,Cambodia

In Cambodia,fishery co-management is an important process to transfer authority and ownership to the communities along the Tonle Sap Lake to manage fishery.This paper aims to determine why the co-management of small-scale fishery has not been implemented satisfactorily in the Tonle Sap Lake of Cambodia.The research was primarily based on a household survey among 404 house-holds for quantitative data,equally divided between the Cham(202 households)and Khmer(202 households).Participatory process was also applied to collect qualitative data from key stake-holders.We found that limited interaction among the involved stakeholders,i.e.,unequal distribution of authority and resources co-management,has impeded implementation.The engagement of fisherfolk was influenced by dependence on fishery,law enforcement,and events organized by the communities.While the Khmer had better opportunities to participate in planning at the provincial and district levels,the Cham were only engaged in local development activities initiated by their people.However,the latter evinced a higher rate of satisfaction due to their access tofishery resources and to a large quantity of fishing gear.In the future,efforts should be made to:(1)improve resource and authority sharing among all key stakeholders;(2)urgently resolve issues pertinent to capacity building,insufficient budgets for commune councils(CoCs)and community fishery(CFi);and(3)urge law enforcement regarding illegal fishing.

Identification and Characterization of Métiers in Multi-Species Artisanal Fisheries. A Case Study in Northwest Spain

Artisanal fisheries are characterized by using a vast array of different fishing gears and target species. Such heterogeneity has traditionally complicated their management and the availability of accurate data on fishing effort and incomes. This study identifies and characterizes the métiers currently used by an artisanal fishing fleet based in a coastal Atlantic region in South-Europe (Asturias, Northwest Spain), by applying an integrated method of analysis which combines administrative data on fishing licenses, daily sales statistics and information from surveys. As a result, 21 artisanal fishing métiers have been identified, with special relevance of the trammel net (targeting Lophius spp.), the Merluccius longline and the Merluccius gillnet métiers. Spatio-temporal patterns of fishing effort have been also described, and outputs and inputs demands per métier have been quantified. It has been also found a high degree of alternation between different métiers during the fishing season and significant differences in terms of technical aspects and workforce. Finally, fishermen’s short- and long-term strategies (métier choice) are discussed, different comparisons are made on the basis of other South-European studies and main findings are linked to artisanal fisheries management.

A Qualitative Appraisal of China’s Efforts in Fishing Capacity Management

This paper provides a critical review of some major efforts made by China to manage the fishing capacity of its marine capture fisheries. It begins by reviewing the key concepts and issues closely related to fishing capacity management. Following on this, a brief introduction to China’s marine capture fisheries is offered, especially the trends of its marine landings and marine fishing fleets and the status of fish stocks in waters under its jurisdiction. Next comes the main concern of the paper, i.e., some major actions recently initiated by China to deal with the overcapacity problem confronting it. The paper ends with conclusions and suggestions.

The impact of natural mortality variations on the performance of management procedures for Spanish mackerel(Scomberomorus niphonius) in the Yellow Sea, China

Natural mortality rate（M） is one of the essential parameters in fishery stock assessment, however, the estimation of M is commonly rough and the changes of M due to natural and anthropogenic impacts have long been ignored.The simplification of M estimation and the influence of M variations on the assessment and management of fisheries stocks have been less well understood. This study evaluated the impacts of the changes in natural mortality of Spanish mackerel（Scomberomorus niphonius） on their management strategies with data-limited methods. We tested the performances of a variety of management procedures（MPs） with the variations of M in mackerel stock using diverse estimation methods. The results of management strategies evaluation showed that four management procedures DCAC, SPMSY, cur E75 and minlen Lopt1 were more robust to the changes of M than others; however, their performance were substantially influenced by the significant decrease of M from the 1970s to 2017. Relative population biomass（measure as the probability of B〉0.5 BMSY） increased significantly with the decrease of M, whereas the possibility of overfishing showed remarkable variations across MPs. The decrease of M had minor effects on the long-term yield of cur E75 and minlen Lopt1, and reduced the fluctuation of yield（measure as the probability of AAVY〈15%） for DCAC, SPMSY. In general, the different methods for M estimation showed minor effects on the performance of MPs, whereas the temporal changes of M showed substantial influences. Considering the fishery status of Spanish mackerel in China, we recommended that cur E75 has the best trade-off between fishery resources exploitation and conservation, and we also proposed the potentials and issues in their implementations.

Management of China's capture fisheries:Review and prospect

Management of capture fisheries has been a perpetual problem facing all fisheries countries worldwide.This study first analyzes the features of China's capture fisheries,and points out that its management tends to be more complex and difficult than any other country in the world.It goes on to describe the history of China's fisheries management and the development process of China's fisheries policies,recognizing the role of fisheries policies in guiding and promoting industrial production during the whole development process.With Fisheries Law of the People's Republic of China as the basic framework,China is thought to have initially formed a fisheries management system with a complete structure and powerful measures for constant improvement and reinforcement.Major systems and measures of China's fisheries management are summarized,with their corresponding effects being evaluated to a certain extent.China's continuous introduction of advanced fisheries management philosophies over the past decades,especially since the reform and opening up,plays an active role in securing the prosperity of the following five industries:aquaculture,capture fisheries,processing and logistics,enhancement,and recreational fisheries;more effort has been put into fisheries ecological environment restoration;and lawbased governance capacity in fisheries has been significantly improved.However,due to the characteristics of China's fisheries,as well as the complex and uncertain nature of fisheries itself,certain prominent problems still remain in its capture fisheries.With reference to relevant fisheries development planning,the study concludes with a prospect that China's capture fisheries management will be steered towards the total catch control of fisheries resources and the intensification of resource conservation and ecological restoration.

Utilization and Management of Small Fishery Population Resources in Coastal and Offshore Areas of China

There are numerous types of living resources in coastal and offshore areas of China. In recent years,both the population type and quantity structure have significant changes,and the stock of small fishery population resources is increasing. This population is precious protein resource. It is urgent to study how to take prompt and effective fishing and take full advantage of processing,utilization and management. Traditional utilization methods are limited by many factors. The utilization efficiency is extremely low. The feed conversion rate of some mariculture fishes with fresh small trash fishes as feeds is even as low as 0. 2. Innovative production and management organization model with aquatic enterprises as leaders greatly increases the utilization efficiency of small fish resources with the aid of marine processing mother ship. In order to further accelerate developing and utilizing small fishery population resources in coastal and offshore areas,China should launch survey and utilization researches of small fishery population resources in coastal and offshore areas,formulate practical and feasible laws,regulations and policies,actively encourage and support autonomous innovative management mode of enterprises,and promote effective utilization and management of coastal and offshore fishery resources.

Using data-limited approaches to assess data-rich Indian Ocean bigeye tuna:Data quantity evaluation and critical information for management implications

The majority of fishery stocks in the world are data limited,which limits formal stock assessments.Identifying the impacts of input data on stock assessment is critical for improving stock assessment and developing precautionary management strategies.We compare catch advice obtained from applications of various datalimited methods(DLMs)with forecasted catch advice from existing data-rich stock assessment models for the Indian Ocean bigeye tuna(Thunnus obesus).Our goal was to evaluate the consistency of catch advice derived from data-rich methods and data-limited approaches when only a subset of data is available.The Stock Synthesis(SS)results were treated as benchmarks for comparison because they reflect the most comprehensive and best possible scientific information of the stock.This study indicated that although the DLMs examined appeared robust for the Indian Ocean bigeye tuna,the implied catch advice differed between data-limited approaches and the current assessment,due to different data inputs and model assumptions.Most DLMs tended to provide more optimistic catch advice compared with the SS,which was mostly influenced by historical catches,current abundance and depletion estimates,and natural mortality,but was less sensitive to life-history parameters(particularly those related to growth).This study highlights the utility of DLMs and their implications on catch advice for the management of tuna stocks.

The hits and misses of Namibia’s attempt to implement the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries(EAF)Management

Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries(EAF)management is a concept aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of the entire ecosystem.While EAF is a noble approach,its implementation has been challenging.Although Namibia has committed to the implementation of EAF,only limited assessment has been done of Namibian fisheries management processes and instruments concerning EAF.A qualitative assesment was done to ascertain if the Namibian fisheries management processes and instruments conform to the EAF principles.Namibian fisheries management processes and instruments largely conform to the EAF principles,although there are notable areas needing improvements.The conformities were pronounced in the total allowable catch setting,rebuilding depleted stocks,minimizing bycatch,and fishing impact minimization.The polluter pays,and user pays principles were also applied.Areas that were found lacking in this study included setting the indicators for EAF and ecosystem integrity.The assessment also noted the absence of guidelines for the precautionary approach principle and a transparent policy for quota and right allocation processes.The strategies for managing transboundary fish species are also not formulated.Overall,this assessment showed the complexities and challenges that Namibia and other countries need to overcome to implement EAF successfully.

An Evaluation of the Management Effectiveness of a Stock Re-Building Strategy for a Multi-Species Demersal Trap Fishery in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The off-shore demersal trap fishery in the southern Arabian Gulf has been managed by gear regulations and effort constraints which were aimed at rebuilding depleted stocks. In order to evaluate the success of these regulations, a variety of selectivity and other fishery metrics were compared for the key species (Diagramma pictum, Epinephelus coioides and Lethrinus nebulosus) before and after their introduction. With the exception of a minor increase in the mean age at first capture from 1.3 yrs to 1.9 yrs for E. coioides, there were no significant changes in the values or trends in juvenile retention, mean size or the mean sizes and ages at first capture. The comparison of selectivity ogives with data derived independently through an experimental fishing program indicated that the failure of juvenile escape panels to modify the selectivity characteristics of the fishery could not be attributed to a lack of compliance. Furthermore, there were no significant changes in fishing mortality rates, harvest rates, catch, effort, yield per recruit and relative spawner biomass per recruit following the introduction of the management regulations. Age structures were highly truncated and the management measures had failed to increase the relative proportion of older age classes. Stock status indicators suggested that all species were heavily over-exploited with evidence of both growth and recruitment over-fishing. Given the failure of existing regulations to modify gear selectivity, reduce effort and rebuild stocks, the results of the study suggest that management authorities should consider alternative measures including a moratorium on the use of traps in the off-shore demersal fishery of Abu Dhabi.

Using Cellular Automata for Grid-Based Fishery Management

This report introduced new concept and technics for a grid-based fishery management system. The fishing ground was first divided into small grid of equal area, each with predefined longitudes and latitudes (both 0.033 degrees or approximately 2 × 2 nautical miles in this study). All grids were laid and formatted into a Microsoft-Excel spreadsheet system, as defined by the coastline. Individual sheets were also constructed to represent different ecological characters, serving as supporting data of the main grid-map. Including individual fishing record, water depth, wind & current vector, benthic character, etc. Cellular automata (CA) mathematics was applied for simulation studies. They were programmed on the built-in Visual BASIC langrage in EXCEL. In a three-year research project, the author was able to accomplish the following major results: 1) An EXCEL-based spreadsheet system for storage of fishing effort in each grid. Provided that data of fishing yield is also available for each grid, research model for fishery management can be constructed, leading toward solutions for total allowable catch (TAC) as well as maximum economic yield (MEY). 2) A multi-layered, 2-dimentional spread-sheet system demonstrating the distribution of relative intensity for individual grids. The system can be decked up with different ecological data for more advanced studies. 3) Estimation of the nearest distance between two special grids as well as fishing harbors. This would help in more efficient navigation management and allocation of fishing rights for the fishing vessels.

Japanese Aquatic Resources Management and Its Enlightenment to China

This article briefly reviewed the history of fishery resource management,especially the basic laws,concepts and basic techniques of aquatic resource management in Japan. It was concluded that the experience of management systems,basic methods,etc. in Japan,as a county that has earlier protected and managed aquatic resources,is worth learning by the establishment of China's aquatic resource management system.