Fisheries and conservation - Part 2 Flashcards
What is the basic idea of a marine reserve? How is it controversial?
The basic idea is to set aside large chunks of water as a reserve to act as a source.
It is controversial politically but proven scientifically.
Describe in more detail a marine reserve.
Fish can be caught outside the reserve but cannot be caught inside it.
Inside, it acts as a source because the fish in the reserve are allowed to grow and spawn.
These baby fish will then migrate.
So, even if there is high fishing pressure outside the reserve, there is still a source population to replenish that fishery.
Are marine reserves exclusive to marine waters?
No, they just originated there.
How is diversity of fish species affected by a marine reserve.
Obviously, within the reserve it is increased but, it also increases outside the reserve.
How does fish catch fare when a reserve is established.
Also increases
What is CPUE and, how does this get affected by a marine reserve?
Catch per unit effort
Greatly increases
So, describe the benefits of a marine reserve.
Fish catch is increased outside the reserve.
Diversity increases both inside and out of the reserve.
CPUE is increased.
Fishery is more stable and there is increased ecotourism on the reserve area.
With all these benefits of marine reserves what could possibly be the downside?
They are controversial politically.
Placement of reserves is extremely critical because it limits local fishermen living nearby.
Enforcement is difficult.
Where are marine reserves generally located?
In sites with the right nutrients, structure or spawning locations.
Describe the enforcement issue and what progress has been made.
Some marine reserves can be quite larger (Ex: Australian Barrier Reef) and, the coast guard is generally not that large.
Recently, google has been able to track via GPS boats that are in protected waters and locals can call the police if they see someone fishing in protected waters.
Describe the collapse of Atlantic Cod in Canada.
Cod have the characteristics of a fish that should not be overfished.
However, there was a worry that the fishing pressure was starting to exact a toll on them.
The English decided to commision a study led by Thomas Huxley who decided it was impossible to overfish cod.
This remained the official position of the Canadian government until the late 80s.
Fish that were getting caught were smaller and there were less of them.
Catch rates were increasing, solely due to increased efficiency in harvesting practices.
1990 - first regulations on cod
1992 - first even moratorium on cod fishing anywhere in Canada
1994 - entire cod fishery in Canada collapse
Still no Cod fishery today
Are sturgeon susceptible to being overfished?
Adults mature around 25 years of age and spawn every 3-4 years so, yes.
Where does most caviar come from?
Caspian sea
How was sturgeon sustainably fished?
Soviet Union and Iran realized the economic value and imposed fishing regulations to prevent overfishing.
How did sturgeon get overfished in the Caspian sea?
Soviet Union fell apart.
New countries were having issues with any regulations leading to a free for all in the Caspian.
No regulation outside of Russian/Iranian waters.
Where do sturgeon spawn relative to the Caspian Sea?
Spawn in rivers off the Caspian, inland.
At about the early 2000s, the sturgeon population started to decline. Thus begun tight regulations but, the population was still crashing due to individual countries being unable to regulate their fishery.
What was done to prevent the fisheries crash?
Started working with CITES - convention on international trade of endangered species.
They could not control what a country did but could control where caviar was being bought.
At one point, countries that signed with CITES banned import altogether.
This relieved the heavy fishing pressure.
Sturgeon on the rebound due to tight regulations.
