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Real-time spatial management in fisheries, a type of dynamic ocean management, uses nearly real-time data collection and dissemination to reduce susceptibility of certain species or age classes to being caught in mixed fisheries. However, as with many fisheries regulations, it is difficult to assess whether such a regulation can produce tangible results on population dynamics. In this study, we take advantage of a rare opportunity in which data regarding real-time closures (RTCs) are available for 1990–2014 alongside annual estimates of fishing mortality for three species (Atlantic cod, haddock, and herring) and catch for four species (all plus saithe) in Icelandic fisheries management. We use time series analyses to assess whether RTCs work as expected and yield a lower susceptibility of small fish to being caught, indicated by lower catch levels and selectivities (as estimated from fishing mortalities) in years with more closures. Results indicate that haddock and herring followed this pattern, but only under conditions of generally high fishing mortality. This study represents the first time evidence has been presented that real-time fishery closures can have a beneficial effect on population dynamics, but also suggests that results differ among species.
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The consequences of size‐selective fishing mortality for larval production and sustainable yield in species with obligate male care
Abstract Size‐based harvest limits or gear regulations are often used to manage fishing mortality and ensure the spawning biomass of females is sufficiently protected. Yet, management interactions with species’ mating systems that affect fishery sustainability and yield are rarely considered. For species with obligate male care, it is possible that size‐specific harvest of males will decrease larval production. In order to examine how size‐based management practices interact with mating systems, we modelled fisheries of two species with obligate care of nests, corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops, Labridae) and lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus,Hexigrammidae) under two management scenarios, a minimum size limit and a harvest slot limit. We simulated the population dynamics, larval production and yield to the fishery under a range of fishing mortalities. We also modelled size‐dependent male care to determine its interaction with management. In both species, the slot limit decreased yield by <12% (relative to minimum size limits) at low fishing mortalities; at higher mortalities, individuals rarely survived to outgrow the slot and spawning potential decreased substantially relative to unfished levels, similar to minimum size limits. Spawning potential decreased less when managed with a slot limit if we included a positive feedback between male size, care and hatching success, but the benefit of implementing the slot depended both on the relative proportions of each sex selected by the fishery and on our assumptions regarding male size and care. This work highlights that the effects of size‐ and sex‐selective fisheries management can be nuanced and produce counter‐intuitive results.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1655297
- PAR ID:
- 10452067
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Fish and Fisheries
- Volume:
- 21
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 1467-2960
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 1135-1149
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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