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Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) has emerged as a promising framework for understanding and managing the long-term interactions between fisheries and the larger marine ecosystems in which they are nested. However, successful implementation of EBFM has been elusive because we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the network of interacting species in marine ecosystems (the food web) and the dynamic relationship between the food web and the humans who harvest those ecosystems. Here, we advance such understanding by developing a network framework that integrates the complexity of food webs with the economic dynamics of different management policies. Specifically, we generate hundreds of different food web models with 20–30 species, each harvested by five different fishers extracting the biomass of a target and a bycatch species, subject to two different management scenarios and exhibiting different information in terms of avoiding bycatch when harvesting the target species. We assess the different ecological and economic consequences of these policy alternatives as species extinctions and profit from sustaining the fishery. We present the results of different policies relative to a benchmark open access scenario where there are no management policies in place. The framework of our network model would allow policymakers to evaluate different management approaches without compromising on the ecological complexities of a fishery. This article is part of the theme issue 'Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Trade Organization (WTO) and European Union (EU) have both put forward tax reforms that impact fisheries' fuel costs, which are similar in the object of taxation but quite different in the externalities addressed, goals, scope, exemptions or tax rates, creating an opportunity to compare the effects and discuss the alternatives. These proposals are the result of long and intense debates in political, social and academic spheres. However, certain aspects remain unclear. First of all, the number of empirical studies is still limited, particularly considering that fisheries governance is subject to heterogeneous management systems and institutional contexts creating room for different potential outputs. Second, coastal states have no fiscal competence beyond 12 miles, which limits the scope of the reforms to small scale fleets (SSF). All in all, the economic consequences for the fleets remain unclear. To this end, we will build on the Galician fishing sector (NW Spain) input–output tables to discuss the direct impacts, effects and side effects of these reforms on a representative European fleet. Flaws identified in both initiatives mean that targeted externalities will not be corrected and, moreover, additional ones, such as distributional effects penalising SSF or fuel spillovers, could be boosted. Alternative policy approaches are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overfishing and unsustainable practices have caused drastic declines in shark populations worldwide; these decreases are largely attributed to the demand for shark products (e.g., fins and meat) and shark bycatch associated with the global fishing industry. In an effort to understand the species composition of the shark fin trade in Singapore – a globally significant trade hub, we collected and genetically identify a total of 6840 shark fins collected between January 2021 and February 2022. We then adopted a Bayesian modelling approach to understand how the identified species contributed to the overall trade within Singapore. The Singapore market appears distinct in terms of species composition when compared to the markets of Hong Kong and mainland China. In Singapore 81% of samples belonged to ten species, whereas, in Hong Kong and mainland China a single species dominated the trade. Of those identified in Singapore, the IUCN considers six to be threatened species and eight are listed in CITES Appendix II (in online). The differences in species composition between East and Southeast Asian markets suggest that different supply chains are sustaining these hubs. Given these differences, it is important that conservation, sustainable fisheries management and policy decisions are based upon the findings from multiple trade centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over one third of sharks, rays and chimaeras (chondrichthyans) are threatened with extinction globally. In the Mediterranean Sea, more than half of chondrichthyan species face this risk, although a variety of international, regional, and national rules and regulations apply directly and indirectly targeting management and conservation for these species. In this work, we provide an overview of relevant legislation and policies in the region, which regulate, inter alia, commercial fisheries, while highlighting through cases studies how implementation in practice at national level looks like. Horizontal gaps and inconsistencies that hinder chondrichthyan management in the region are also illustrated. Furthermore, we present recommendations for improvement and additional tools that can be used, even if not originally or explicitly targeting chondrichthyans, for improving the management of these taxa in the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the growth patterns of the spotted catfish, Arius maculatus (Thunberg, 1792) in the Thanlwin River Estuary throughout the analysis of standard lengths obtained from observed otolith data and back‐calculated data. Between April 2023 and January 2024, 516 fish ranging in standard lengths from 8.3 to 33 cm were collected. The annual deposition of annuli in otoliths was confirmed using the marginal increment ratio, with ages ranging from 2 to 9 years. The Dahl‐Lea back‐calculation method expanded the length at age data to 2472 records for ages 1–9 years. Growth was characterized using Von Bertalanffy growth curves, revealing the significant differences between the observed data (asymptotic length L∞ = 25.34 cm, growth coefficient K = 0.257 year−1 and growth performance index ϕ′ = 2.02) and the back‐calculated data (L∞ = 36.23 cm, K = 0.087 year−1 and ϕ′ = 2.21). The findings of the study suggested that the back‐calculated otolith data were more dependable for determining growth parameters compared to the observed otolith data. A. maculatus appears to exhibit slow growth characteristics, suggesting that the environmental conditions in the Thanlwin River Estuary may be deficient for this species. The insights gleaned from this research are crucial for guiding and shaping fishery management policies through informed advice and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government policies for marine fisheries have been implemented in Cabo Verde since its independence in 1975, with the aim to prevent overexploitation of wild fish species and promote sustainable fishing practices. Nonetheless, only minor amendments have been made to the legal harvesting size, considering biological sciences. This study, therefore, adopted a transdisciplinary approach to assess the political, ecological, and social dimensions of current fishery policy interventions applicable to the commercially valuable pelagic species Decapterus macarellus (mackerel scad). An ex‐post analysis of relevant fishery management policies targeting D. macarellus was conducted. This was supplemented by strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis conducted by key fisheries stakeholders. Stocks assessment was conducted on catch data before (2003–2007) and after (2017–2021) the policy interventions. This was followed by a survey of 175 fishery sector actors to understand their perception of the policies, compliance challenges, and recommendations for reforms. Results showed that although the mackerel scad landing size comparably increased, landing catches were on the decline. Most fisheries stakeholders are aware of the policies implemented and acknowledge their favorable developmental outcomes. However, certain gaps exist in the national marine fisheries policies. For example, there is an absence of follow‐up research on implemented fishing policies and a lack of monitoring data on the ecology and distribution of the mackerel scad, which hinders our understanding of the exact causes of the reported continual decrease in catches. There is, therefore, a need for regular monitoring of the environmental health of coastal and marine habitats to inform prioritization and/or reformulation of policy intervention measures to achieve intended conservation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal fisheries are vital for food supply, employment, and social stability. However, overfishing is a common problem, often attributed to open access. Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURFs) have gained popularity as a tool to improve the sustainability of coastal fisheries, but research on TURFs in China is limited. This paper examines the island reef fishery lease policy implemented in Shengsi County, Zhejiang Province, within the Ma'an Islands National Marine Special Reserve. The policy leases the use of island reefs to a collective, aiming to address overfishing and resource degradation by establishing fishing area boundaries and limiting the number of users and usage time. Technically, it is an application of TURFs, and it represents a shift from traditional fishing licenses to collective compliance. This experience has disrupted the existing top–down fishery governance structure and signifies a transition to a rights-based fishery management system in China. Through a comprehensive investigation and analysis of the policy's implementation, this research identifies the factors contributing to its flaws. These include the inadequate provision of national and local government policies, insufficient support for policy implementation from fishery management authorities, and the limited involvement of fishermen's organizations. To enhance coastal fishery management, we propose that the Chinese government should build upon existing foundations by clarifying fishing rights through central and local laws and policies. Additionally, there is a need to strengthen data monitoring of coastal fisheries, conduct multidisciplinary research to improve the allocation mechanism of fishing rights, adopt diverse fishery management approaches to enhance supervision capabilities, establish a collaborative governance mechanism, and foster coordination and cooperation between grassroots fishermen's organizations and government departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore optimal harvest conditions for Nunatsiavut's Arctic charr, a data-deficient yet economically and culturally important fishery for Labrador Inuit. In the past, arbitrarily set quotas in the absence of data on science and climate shifts have led to sustainability concerns. The fishery, adhering to conservation principles, continues at low intensity today, so as to support local employment and maintain sociocultural values, despite its low economic viability. Using the only available data for Nain's commercial fishery, we estimate intrinsic growth, catchability, and carrying capacity, which we then use in a bioeconomic model to estimate maximum economic yield. Results indicate that foregone commercial harvests are 75%–93% below optimal, before accounting for subsistence harvest. Improved understanding of the conditions under which subsistence and commercial fishing coexist alongside more investments in data collection to address scientific uncertainty can help provide clearer management guidance to meet harvest needs of both sectors and allow for better policies and governance of the fishery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In comparison to the wealth of critical evaluation of LEADER (i.e., Liaison entre actions de développement de l'économie rurale), there has been no consolidated attempt to reflect on the contribution of Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), now entering their third EU programming period. Set up in the image of LEADER, and a novel governance instrument within the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), FLAGs aim to activate local responses that build resilience and adaptability within the fisheries sector and wider communities. In addition to introducing the accompanying articles that make up this special issue of Sociologia Ruralis, our article gives an account of the emergence of community‐led local development (CLLD) in fisheries and the attributes that have characterised the application of the LEADER approach within a fisheries‐territorial development context. In many cases, FLAGs have led to improved relationships between the small‐scale fishing sector and wider local social and economic networks, helping the sector reimagine its role within local economies. Yet outcomes vary as the FLAG approach has been applied across different cultural and institutional settings. There are indications that the system is becoming enveloped by wider priorities of coastal development and blue growth. Yet FLAGs may well provide a successful test case for widening participation in the CFP and upscaling integration of the fishing industry within local and regional economies. For CLLD in general, they are a reminder of the value of a differentiated CLLD approach tailored to different sectoral‐territorial contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide a balanced overview of how risk assessment and management is being tackled in the European Union (EU) and beyond to address the challenges of overexploiting marine living resources in EU waters. We aim to guide EU fisheries and aquaculture policymakers towards key actions to foster the transition to responsible, sustainable, clean energy, and resilient fisheries and aquaculture sectors, aligning with EU environmental objectives under the European Green Deal and the Common Fisheries Policy. Despite progress in reducing fishing pressure on some stocks in recent years, most of the stated (single-stock) sustainability objectives still need to be met. The risk of overexploiting marine resources remains high, especially when combined with other pressures such as pollution and climate change. Risk is defined as the probability of an adverse event arising from natural or human activities and excessive pressures. Scientists have documented these pressures, proposing regional risk assessments to support adequate risk-based management of human activities impacting marine and coastal regions. As a next step, we recall actionable short- to long-term recommendations to reduce the risks associated with exploiting these natural resources and ensure their sustainability and resilience. This includes actions the EU can take to improve and implement fisheries policy while prioritising less harmful alternatives among current fishing methods and considering the three pillars of sustainability i.e. environmental, economic and social. Such actions include capturing in scientific advice the strong, causal links between pressures induced by human activities, natural disturbances and ecosystem states; such understanding can be used in an uncertain and changing environment, with ocean productivity possibly trending towards new levels. Finally, we restate that conserving by reducing pressures and restoring the integrity of marine ecosystems is crucial for minimising the risk of overexploitation and ensuring future fishing and farming opportunities. This is the aim of an Ecosystem Approach to fisheries and aquaculture -- it should safeguard the long-term economic and social capital already invested by the public and private sectors in exploiting marine living resources to continue delivering healthy, low-carbon, low-impact seafood to EU citizens and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open data that can be easily incorporated into analyses are essential for developing ecosystem approaches to marine ecological management: a common goal in fisheries policy in many countries. Although it is not always clear what constitutes an ecosystem approach, it always involves scientists working with a large variety of data and information, including data from physical and oceanographic sampling, multispecies surveys, and other sources describing human pressures. This can be problematic for analysts because these data, even when available, are often held in disparate datasets that do not necessarily correspond at appropriate temporal and spatial scales. Data can often only be obtained by specific requests to individuals in governmental agencies who are delivering on an increasing number of data requests as interest grows in practical ecosystem approach implementation. This data access model is not sustainable and hinders the momentum for ecosystem approach development. We describe a data bundling R package that makes data and climate projections available at appropriate scales to facilitate development of an ecosystem approach for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. This approach integrates closely with the present workflow of most government analysts, academics in fisheries, and scientists in private industry. The approach conforms with open data initiatives and makes data easily available globally while relieving some of the burden of data provision that can fall to some individuals in government laboratories. The structure and approach are generic, adaptable, and transferable to other regions and jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Conventional harvesting problems for natural resources often assume physiological homogeneity of the body length/weight among individuals. However, such assumptions generally are not valid in real‐world problems, where heterogeneity plays an essential role in the planning of biological resource harvesting. Furthermore, it is difficult to observe heterogeneity directly from the available data. This paper presents a novel optimal control framework for the cost‐efficient harvesting of biological resources for application in fisheries management. The heterogeneity is incorporated into the resource dynamics, which is the population dynamics in this case, through a probability density that can be distorted from reality. Subsequently, the distortion, which is the model uncertainty, is penalized through a divergence, leading to a nonstandard dynamic differential game wherein the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman–Isaacs (HJBI) equation has a unique nonlinear partial differential term. Here, the existence and uniqueness results of the HJBI equation are presented along with an explicit monotone finite difference method. Finally, the proposed optimal control is applied to a harvesting problem with recreationally, economically, and ecologically important fish species using collected field data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous low-income groups and rural communities depend on fish as an inexpensive protein source worldwide, especially in developing countries. These communities are constantly exposed to various pollutants when they frequently consume polluted fish. The largest river basin in South Africa is the Orange-Vaal River basin, and several anthropogenic impacts, especially gold mining activities and industrial and urban effluents, affect this basin. The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries in South Africa has approved the much-anticipated National Freshwater (Inland) Wild Capture Fisheries Policy in 2021. The aims of this study were (1) to analyze element concentrations in the widely distributed Clarias gariepinus from six sites from the Orange-Vaal River basin and (2) to determine the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks associated with fish consumption. The bioaccumulation of eight potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) was assessed in C. gariepinus from sites with different anthropogenic sources. The human health risks were determined to assess the potential risks posed by consuming contaminated C. gariepinus from these sites. Carcinogenic health risks were associated with fish consumption, where it ranged between 21 and 75 out of 10,000 people having the probability to develop cancer from As exposure. The cancer risk between the sites ranged between 1 and 7 out of 10,000 people to developing cancer from Cr exposure. A high probability of adverse non-carcinogenic health risks is expected if the hazard quotient (HQ) is higher than one. The HQ in C. gariepinus from the six sites ranged between 1.5 and 5.6 for As, while for Hg, it was between 1.8 and 5.1. These results highlight the need for monitoring programs of toxic pollutants in major river systems and impoundments in South Africa, especially with the new fisheries policy, as there are possible human health risks associated with the consumption of contaminated fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greek fishing sector faces various challenges which can threaten its long-term sustainability. The PESTLE analysis is used to assess the impact of the external environment on the Greek fishing sector. According to our analysis, appropriate strategic planning should emphasize promoting the integration of innovation and technology transfer from the laboratory to the fisheries sector to address the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities. Future research can be conducted on the prioritization of external factors by sector experts and the coupling with other strategic planning tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The policy implementation process is often overlooked when policy is introduced, potentially leading to policy failure. The present study, therefore, sought to contribute to this endeavour by examining the association between co-evolution (in terms of adaptation and social dynamics) and fisheries policy implementation in Uganda. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted on a sample of 155 fishing sub-counties. Data were collected using questionnaires. The study found a significant positive relationship between co-evolution and fisheries policy implementation. Policy implementation should therefore be undertaken in consideration of the co-evolving holistic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Promoting coherence for sustainable development (PCSD) is a key means of implementation for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, yet it has been overlooked as policy discussions have focused predominantly on the financing of the agenda. The literature and policy debates about PCSD largely focus on processes and on OECD countries, and they neglect their political and normative dimensions. This article complements recent literature on PCSD by elaborating and testing a relational perspective on the concept. Purpose: To address these issues, this article elaborates a relational perspective that responds to the misrepresentation of third countries as passive recipients of (in)coherent OECD policy preferences. Methods and approach: The analysis presented summarizes the literature on the related concepts of PCSD and Policy Coherence for Development (PCD). On this basis, the article articulates a relational perspective on policy coherence that complements other critical perspectives in the literature. Subsequently, it explores the potential and relevance of this relational perspective by analysing how the fisheries policy preferences of the European Union interact with those of Ghana. Findings: Overall, the analysis shows that a commitment to sustainable fisheries cannot be assumed for either the EU or Ghana. Furthermore, assessing the responsibilities of the EU and Ghana around sustainability and degrees of adherence is difficult due to the presence of other fishing nations and influences. In the context of the EU's ambitious policy framework, the continued overfishing in Ghanaian waters negatively affects the credibility and justification of its continued involvement. Policy dialogue between the EU and the Ghanaian government and accompanying EU technical assistance have supported changes to Ghanaian fisheries policies, but overfishing continues. Policy implications: Discussions on promoting PCSD should be supported by more empirical research into the extent and manner that policy preferences consider by policy‐makers to be coherent with the 2030 Agenda contribute to advancing the agenda in different country and regional contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Black Sea is divided into six Exclusive Economic Zones for each of the bordering countries. This study offers a brief evaluation of fisheries management in the Black Sea, focusing on the divergent approaches of Türkiye and EU member states, Bulgaria and Romania. It highlights the common challenges of managing shared fishery resources in a region characterized by varied regulatory frameworks and policies. EU's Common Fisheries Policy claims a unified approach for member states where Türkiye follows an independent path, reflective of its unique geopolitical stance. The need for cross-border cooperation and knowledge exchange are underscored to effectively manage the semienclosed and transboundary nature of the Black Sea. In addition, the role of the EU funds in supporting sustainable fisheries practices and the constitution of regional cooperation are also briefly assessed. The high number of ongoing initiatives prioritizing sustainable utilization of the Black Sea is determined to be the demonstrations of the collective effort of the countries toward sustainable marine resource management. The study concludes that the effectiveness of any initiatives depends on the extent of collaboration among all Black Sea countries and a cooperative, science-based approach is essential for the long-term sustainability of the marine ecosystems and fisheries in the Black Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous peoples' resurgence to use their own ways, laws, and political and intellectual traditions is becoming synonymous with fisheries governance in Canada. On the east coast, a Mi'kmaw perspective was garnered to enhance understanding of the Mi'kmaq image of their fisheries based on Aboriginal and treaty rights to fish to inform governance design. Using semi-structured interviews exploring governance challenges and opportunities with Mi'kmaw participants and desktop research, an image of the Mi'kmaw fisheries was derived. Based on content analysis of the transcripts, historical, legal, and current perspectives of Aboriginal and treaty rights-based fisheries, Mi'kmaq fisheries is described as one that supports the individual's and collective's physical, spiritual, cultural, and economic needs yet is self-governed, ethical, shared, responsible, conservative, respectful, and intermittent. This image of the Mi'kmaw fisheries was found to conflict with the current fisheries image held by the federal government and thus requires a shift of federal understanding of the role of the legal and historic interdependency as one fishery. Such understandings would require changes to federal policy to reflect an integrated understanding and image of the Mi'kmaw Aboriginal and treaty rights-based fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the attention that the European Union (EU) currently pays to fisheries management in the Mediterranean Sea. The Union's action in this marine area is complex. On the one hand, the EU is present through its Common Fisheries Policy, as the coast of eight Member States border the Mediterranean Sea. On the other hand, the EU cooperates with the other Mediterranean countries through its European Neighbourhood Policy as well as with two regional fisheries management organisations with a mandate over Mediterranean living marine resources, namely, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Bangladesh, fishing communities are one of the most climate-vulnerable groups, though they play an important role in economic development. The main objective of this study was to identify vulnerability by exploring exposure (i.e., lack of regulating services or household capitals), susceptibility (i.e., lack of access to provisioning services), and lack of resilience (i.e., lack of alternative livelihoods and capacity) and to explore adaptation options, and challenges to understand risk governance. The study considered 45 published research articles for analysis following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Keywords were used in combinations (e.g., fishing communities and Bangladesh) to identify and screen published articles. Articles published in English focusing on vulnerability and/or risk governance, published between 2011 and 2022, featuring original empirical data or a comprehensive systematic review, and published in peer-reviewed journals were included. Articles were excluded if vulnerability and risk governance were evaluated but did not fit or match the definition used in this study. The study found frequent disasters and ocean warming caused different stresses, such as reduced fish catch and income, and resulted in an increased risk of fisheries conflict. Moreover, fishing communities have limited access to properties, modern fishing equipment, financial institutions, and fisher-centered organizations. Adaptation strategies include ecosystem-based (e.g., plantation, payment for ecosystem services) and non-ecosystem-based (e.g., temporary migration, getting help from neighbors) approaches. To boost fish production, the Government of Bangladesh instituted fishing restrictions and social safety net programs (e.g., distributing rice during the fishing restrictions); both initiatives were helpful. However, the conservation policies are not being implemented properly, and there is no particular social welfare, such as banking systems, and low- or no-interest loans being provided that may support fishers to buy fishing equipment or generate alternative income sources. Considering the previous evidence of risks, this paper recommends that fisheries conservation policies be implemented properly, and fishing communities be provided with insurance services and no- or low-interest loans. This will contribute to reducing the climate-induced social-ecological risk and improve sustainable livelihoods that can withstand any regional, national, or local crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brackish water ecosystems often have high primary production, intermediate salinities, and fluctuating physical conditions and therefore provide challenging environments for many of their inhabitants. This is especially true of the Baltic Sea, which is a large body of brackish water under strong anthropogenic influence. One freshwater species that is able to cope under these conditions in the northern Baltic Sea is the vendace (Coregonus albula), a small salmonid fish. Here, we review the current knowledge of its ecology and fishery in this brackish water environment. The literature shows that, by competing for resources with other planktivores and being an important prey for a range of larger species, C. albula plays a notable role in the northern Baltic Sea ecosystem. It also sustains significant fisheries in the coastal waters of Sweden and Finland. We identify the need to better understand these C. albula populations in terms of the predator–prey interactions, distributions of anadromous and sea spawning populations and other putative (eco)morphs, extent of gene exchange between the populations, and effects of climate change on their future. In this regard, we recommend strengthening C. albula‐related research and management efforts by improved collaboration and coordination between research institutions, other governmental agencies, and fishers, as well as by harmonization of fishery policies across national borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA) to assess the strengths and weaknesses of small-scale fisheries (SSF) in the Paraná River delta (Argentina), their vulnerability to different external stressors, and their role in the rural economy. Methods included semi-structured interviews and participant observation to assess 33 criteria corresponding to human, social, natural, physical, and financial capitals and to analyze the main governmental structures in fisheries management and policies. Natural, physical, and human capital showed the highest scores, while social and financial assets presented the lowest. Identified government institutions showed little capacity to address capital-strengthening measures. The SLA assessment allowed us to understand the critical factors and institutions that affect the performance of inland SSF and suggest that the fisheries of the lower Paraná River are highly vulnerable in the face of climate change and other external stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishing activity generates high amounts of fishing discards, a predictable anthropogenic food subsidies used by seabirds. Although the use of discards by these predators has been well studied, there is a lack of knowledge about the ontogenetic differences in their use. We contributed to filling this gap for the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), an opportunistic predator that extensively exploits anthropogenic food subsides. We investigated its foraging behaviour during the early breeding season deploying GPS devices on adults, immatures, and juveniles from the urban population of Barcelona (northwestern Mediterranean Sea) and examining the effect of fishing vessels on their spatial movements using a Vessel Monitoring System. The results revealed age-related differences in distribution and foraging behaviour at sea and an interaction with fishing vessels in this seabird. Age-related differences in behaviour were explained by the reproductive constraints of adults and the ontogenetic differences associated with lower foraging ability in immature and juvenile individuals. We did not find apparent preferences for a specific type of fishing vessel between ages. These results suggest that the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy might affect the entire population of this species, that could lead to an increase in the use of urban environments, increasing the conflicts with human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses why food security implications of projected losses to inland capture fisheries due to hydropower development have been neglected in policy arenas. Drawing on the case of the Lower Mekong Basin, this paper applies a conceptual framework for analyzing this question as a case of fundamental food system change. Four inter-related axes of change – narratives, actors, institutions and resources – constitute the framework for analyzing and challenging the dynamics and values of food systems change. Despite substantial scientific evidence on the nutritional and food security significance of the fisheries, and the magnitude of negative impacts of planned hydropower development, there has been no discernible shift in hydropower investment and related policy. The lack of attention to this food production loss is due to a broader transformation in food systems, itself shaped by powerful interests and values. Addressing the neglect of fisheries requires challenging this trajectory of food system change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries and coastal forests, including the coastal fisheries they support, are among the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. In Southern Puerto Rico (SPR), there is a culturally significant emic category of estuarine/coastal forest resource utilization known as "Pesca de monte" (tropical coastal forest fisheries, TCF fisheries hereafter) that constitute a parallel activity to commercial fisheries underreported in fishery statistics. Our three years of field research revealed that SPR communities derive considerable value from TCF resources, showing multiple engagements with these environments and wide-spectrum resource dependency. The value generated by TCF use includes the social and cultural acts of production and exchange in households, neighborhoods, and communities, whether the resources are sold, bartered, given as gifts, or consumed directly. Coastal policy that fails to protect productive TCF landscapes or hinders community access to these resources risks degrading human well-being around the coast. We discuss the implication of our findings for coastal policy in TCF fishery dependent regions such as SPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable management of aquatic resources requires efficient acquisition and processing of vast amounts of information to check the compliance of fishing activities with the regulations. Recent implementation of the European Common Fisheries Policy Landing Obligation implies the declaration of all listed species and sizes at the harbour. To comply with such regulation, fishers need to collect and store all discards onboard the vessel, which results in additional processing time, labour demands, and costs. In this study, we presented a system that allowed image-based documentation of discards on the conveyor belt. We presented a novel integrated end-to-end simultaneous detection and weight prediction pipeline based on the state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural network. The performance of the network was evaluated per species and under different occlusion levels. The resulting model was able to detect discards with a macro F1-score of |$94.10\%$| and a weighted F1-score of |$93.88\%$|⁠. Weight of the fish could be predicted with mean absolute error, mean absolute percentage error, and root squared error of 29.74 (g), |$23.78\%$|⁠ , and 44.69 (g), respectively. Additionally, we presented a new dataset containing images of fish, which, unlike common object detection datasets, also contains weight measurements and occlusion level per individual fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fisheries are supposed to be for the benefit of society, producing food, providing livelihoods and enabling cultural continuity. Biological productivity goals for fish stocks operationalised through Harvest Control Rules (HCRs) are central to contemporary fisheries management. While fisheries policies often state socio‐economic objectives, such as enhancing the livelihoods of coastal communities, those are rarely, if ever, incorporated into operationalised management procedures. The lack of articulation of social objectives and lack of monitoring of social outcomes around HCRs amounts to poor public policy. In this article, we explore the potential for social HCRs (sHCRs) with reference points and agreed predefined actions to make the social dimensions of fisheries explicit. sHCRs cannot cover all social dimensions, so should be considered as one tool within a broader framework of fisheries governance. Moreover, successful sHCRs would require sound deliberative and participatory processes to generate legitimate social objectives, and monitoring and evaluation of fisheries management performance against those objectives. We introduce two potential types of sHCRs, one based on allocation of catch within biological limit reference points, and one for when fishing exceeds biological limit reference points. The application of sHCRs, we argue, can foster accountability and help avoid non‐transparent negotiations on size and distribution of the catch. Our proposal is a call to action for policy makers and fisheries managers to properly integrate social criteria into fisheries governance, and for both biophysical fisheries scientists and social scientists to do better in practical collaboration for methods and knowledge development to support this integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale electronic tagging is a very powerful tool to study how fish movements and migrations shape the internal dynamics of populations. This knowledge, crucial for improving fishery management, was still limited for the European seabass, whose stocks in the Northeast Atlantic have declined drastically over the last decade. To better understand the species ecology and the spatio-temporal structure of the population, we tagged seabass in the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Bay of Biscay, from 2014 to 2016. Out of 1220 deployed DSTs, 482 have been recovered by November 2022. Approximately half of them included a period of potential spawning migration. Reconstructed trajectories confirmed seabass to be a partial migratory species, as individuals exhibited either long-distance migrations or residence. Most migrants exhibited fidelity to summer feeding areas and winter spawning areas. Our dataset enriches the knowledge of seabass biological traits (e.g. temperature and depth ranges, vulnerability to predation and fishing). Our results suggest a spatial structure of the Atlantic population that differs from the stock structure currently considered for assessment and management. The consequences should be explored at both the European level and by regional managers involved in conservation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention to human dimensions of capture fisheries involves understanding how harms and benefits are experienced and distributed among different groups or people. Yet, not all harms are well understood or adequately addressed. There is a general (mis)conception that gender‐based violence (GBV) is not of relevance for fisheries management or a topic within the remit of practitioners. Through a global review of capture fisheries, we illustrate how five types of GBV—physical, sexual, psychological, economic and cultural—are pervasive and can be reinforced by fisheries policies, practices and institutions. Our synthesis shows a variety of activities associated with these forms of violence, such as labour and human rights abuses, unsafe working and living conditions for children, women and men, and the cultural acceptance of various forms of discrimination. We argue GBV cannot be disentangled from other actions taken to achieve equitable social outcomes through fisheries management. We provide seven recommendations to help practitioners understand and work towards addressing GBV in capture fisheries: (1) removing gender blindness and bias by investing in gender‐sensitisation of the sector; (2) forming strategic partnerships; (3) improving policy and coordination between regulatory bodies; (4) increasing investments in labour rights and laws; (5) gender integrative programme design and implementation; (6) investing in specific programs for the empowerment of women; and (7) investing in specific programs for men seeking healthy models of masculinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoliberal thought has exerted significant influence over the crafting and delivery of environmental policy. This has manifested in enlisting non-state actors to advance environmental policy agendas in ways that were previously the responsibility of the state. The participation of these non-state actors is positioned as integral to solving intractable environmental challenges, such as the degradation of fish habitat. Drawing on responsibilisation as a technique of governance, this research adopts a case-based study of fisheries rehabilitation policy to explore how recreationists are being mobilized to address environmental problems. Deploying interpretive policy analysis to analyze key policy artifacts this research highlights how fishers as recreational users of aquatic areas are constituted as moral, political and authoritative actors who bear responsibility for ameliorating degraded fish habitats, despite the impacts of recreational fishing on these habitats being contested. We conclude by identifying the implications of this responsibilisation for the implementation of co-management and shared stewardship of fisheries resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the end of the 20th century, despite the crisis in the fishing sector in Spain, there has been a significant growth in fishing ports. This is partly due to the fact that the requalification of ports has been an objective of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) since the mid-1990s. The aim of the paper is to analyse the impact of this policy, as well as to observe the integration between port and city linked to social demand which makes it possible for fishing uses to coexist with other recreational, sporting or commercial uses. The case study focuses on the ports of Muros and Ribeira (Galicia), based on a combined quantitative and qualitative analysis, using statistical and cartographic sources (SIOSE programme and photointerpretation) and fieldwork. The results show a significant growth and diversification of port uses, at the same time as a reduction in the number and power of the fishing fleet (SGP, 2021). The authors highlight the absence of a master plan to guide investments at regional level, and, in general, of sectoral and urban planning instruments to harmonise these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown has indisputably affected the aquaculture industry across the globe. India imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the outbreak of COVID-19 that disrupted normalcy and economic activities. The fisheries sector was also highly affected. Hence, a study was conducted from July to December 2020 to understand the stakeholders' perception of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown, wherein 517 stakeholders participated (online) in the first stage. The policy reforms suggested by the stakeholders were referred to the fisheries experts in the second stage for prioritization towards implementation. Data analysis depicted that a majority (81%) of the stakeholders were aware of COVID-19 lockdown impacts on their businesses. Due to this unprecedented lockdown, labour availability was hampered, transport facilities were fully halted and access to inputs like seed, feed, and advisory were largely affected. Importantly, all stakeholders unanimously adduced to the uncertainty over the future of the fisheries sector. Moreover, fishery experts feel that enabling policies for the promotion of awareness, appropriate training, and transparency in the implementation of schemes, credit facilities, and price regulation can have a massive positive impact. Furthermore, the study also recommends utilizing the potential of e-resources (ICTs and IoT) to digitize the business networking of fishery sector stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Landing Obligation (LO), introduced in 2015 by the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union (EU-CFP), has been subject to a transitional period until recently. The rationale behind the measure is that all fish species subject to a total allowable catch (TAC) must be landed to increase the sustainability of fishing activities. Through the analysis of official statistical data, it is possible to find out which species of fish were landed and their relative importance, including their monetary value, and verify the potential for consumer acceptance. Some insights are drawn from the interconnection between these three factors (i.e., social acceptability, landings of main fish species, and their market value) with empirical results and the scientific literature using data from Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable fishing is one of the most pressing challenges for mankind and requires insightful knowledge of the drivers that may foster or hinder predatory exploitation. It has been widely recognized that Indigenous and local knowledge can contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of resources, such as fisheries, worldwide. Nevertheless such knowledge continues to be marginalized and unacknowledged by a range of academic scientists and policy makers. In the present paper, we tackle this issue by discussing laws regarding closed fishing seasons, which are part of the Brazilian environmental policies for protecting marine fauna, from the perspective of artisanal fishers' knowledge. In Brazil, these laws are typically based on governmental decisions (i.e., by administrative organizations and researchers acting as consultants) without taking fishers' knowledge into account. Through semistructured interviews with traditional experts of fishing villages situated along the northeast coast of Brazil, we aimed to investigate their knowledge of fish reproductive periods and analyze how it is related to the closed seasons at work in their region. We found an exact agreement between fishers' knowledge and closed season regulations on the reproductive period of the mangrove crab (Ucides cordatus), but a conflict regarding the reproductive period of two snook species and four species of shrimps. We highlight the potential of fishers' knowledge contributions to environmental regulations and we also explore three challenges of incorporating epistemic diversity in environmental policy. We conclude by advocating for a reflexive transdisciplinarity that highlights the potential of Indigenous and local knowledge while critically reflecting on the methodological and political challenges of transdisciplinary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottom-towed fishing gears produce significant amounts of seafood globally but can result in seafloor habitat damage. Spatial closures provide an important option for mitigating benthic impacts, but their performance as a fisheries management policy depends on numerous factors, including how fish respond to habitat quality changes. Spatial fisheries management has largely focused on marine protected areas with static locations, overlooking dynamic spatial closures that change through time. To investigate the performance of dynamic closures, we develop a spatial fishery model with fishing-induced habitat damage, where habitat quality can affect both fish productivity and movement. We find that dynamic spatial closures often achieve greater harvest and habitat protection than fixed marine protected areas or conventional nonspatial maximum sustainable yield management, especially under strong habitat–stock interactions. Determining optimal dynamic spatial closures may require considerable information, but we find that simple policies of fixed-schedule rotating closures also perform well. Dynamic spatial closures have received less attention as fisheries management tools, and our results demonstrate their potential value for addressing both harvest and habitat impacts from fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the science supporting fisheries management has generally been dominated by the natural sciences, there has been a growing recognition that managing fisheries essentially means managing economic systems. Indeed, over the past seven decades, economic ideas and insights have increasingly come to play a role in fisheries management and policy. As an illustration of this, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has been actively seeking to expand the scope of its scientific expertise beyond natural sciences [another inter-governmental marine science organization which has done this over the same period is the North Pacific Marine Science organization (PICES)]. In particular, the recently created ICES Working Group on Economics set out to review current work and key future needs relating to economic research and management advice on marine capture fisheries. This article presents the results of this review and addresses how economic research can be incorporated into the science of ICES to provide integrated perspectives on fisheries systems that can contribute to the provision of advice in support of policy development and management decision-making for sustainable uses of living marine resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale setnet fishery is a traditional multispecies fishery in Japan. This fishery is vital to the seafood industry to maintain stable annual landing volume and create employment in coastal areas. The 2018 fisheries policy reforms decided to expand the total allowable catch (TAC) managed species and introduce single-species-based fishing quotas. Such quantitative management may lead to landing regulation on specific species, potentially destabilizing revenue of the large-scale setnet fishery as the multispecies fishery. This study has quantified the impact of landing regulation on specific species due to the management measures of single-species-based fishing quotas on revenue of the large-scale setnet fishery in Hakodate, Hokkaido, by applying the fishery portfolio analysis. The results show that, when landing regulation on Japanese flying squid Todarodes pacificus, not only is average revenue reduced by about 52%, but the revenue risk increased by about 120%, and the portfolio effect decreased from 8.1 to 3.5 compared with the case without landing regulation. These results indicate that landing regulation on specific species due to the management measures of single-species-based fishing quotas not only reduces average revenue but also destabilizes revenue from the large-scale setnet fishery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's participation in community-based decision-making in managing natural resources such as fishery is considered crucial to the sustainability of the fishery industry. However, women experience the brunt of inequality in fishery tasks and decision-making despite their crucial contributions. Using survey data (N = 400) from an ethnographic study on Ghanaian female fisherfolk, we examine the factors affecting women's participation in community-based fishery decision-making. Findings show that while women attended community meetings, only a few held positions in the fishery associations. Whilst education was not a significant factor in women's community participation, the age of children, women's ownership of fishery assets as well as psychological characteristics such as trust, interests and gender role attitudes were very crucial. Results further show that network variables such as women's position in other associations were more important to their participation in community-based fishery decision-making than mere membership in such associations. This study highlights the need for fishery policies aimed at gender equality to move beyond gender structures and economic models toward examining the complexity of factors affecting different aspects of women's participation in fishery decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU deploys technical measures (TMs) to avoid unwanted catches—here, overquota catches and juveniles of commercial species—including gear specifications and closures. In 2012, the European Commission had asked its advisory committee, Scientific, Technical, and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF), to evaluate the TMs and provide recommendations for improvement. In 2012–2013, STECF judged that the TMs had failed to achieve their objectives and identified approaches for improvement: (1) regionalization and move away from top-down management; (2) bottom-up results-based management to internalize the costs to the resource into individual businesses; and (3) abandon threshold percentages of bycatch leading to perverse incentives. In 2014, the new EU Common Fisheries Policy came in force, with a landing obligation (LO), and regionalization. In 2019, the new TM regulation (TMR) came in force. Besides sets of regional baseline measures, the TMR allows for regional proposals for amendments and results-based bottom-up approaches ("the good"). However, the LO is not enforced, therefore, not providing the incentive for change in fishing practices; and despite avoidance strategies being available regional, innovative bottom-up practices are still rare ("the bad"). TMs still contain threshold percentages ("the ugly"). The onus for bottom-up initiatives is on the industry, although new governance structures are needed to facilitate this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial bycatch species and their exploitation pattern in the Mediterranean trawl fishery are little studied. The present work examines the overall size-selection pattern, both regarding the trawl in the sea and the fisher onboard the vessel, for seven commercial bycatch species using different codends. The applied selection model predicted the escape, discard, and landing probability for each species simultaneously, a useful method for providing information important for fisheries management under the ecosystem approach. Among the studied codends, the 40-mm diamond mesh codend, still in use in non-EU Mediterranean fleets, was found unsuitable for the stocks in all cases. The 40-mm square mesh codend (40S) was found appropriate for blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), comber (Serranus cabrilla), and bogue (Boops boops) sustainability. The 50-mm diamond mesh codend (50D) was more suitable than the square mesh codend only for the spotted flounder (Citharus linguatula). Both the 40S and the 50D codends were appropriate for picarel (Spicara smaris), whereas none ensured sustainable exploitation for the blackbelly rosefish (Helicolenus dactylopterus), and the streaked gurnard (Chelidonichthys lastoviza). The results are discussed in relation to juvenile protection, discard mitigation, and fisher selection behaviour, important factors for the sustainability of stocks and fisheries in the Common Fishery Policy for the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep‐sea fisheries policies promulgated by the Chinese government have contributed to healthy development of deep‐sea fisheries. Using content analysis, we explored the evolution of 159 deep‐sea fisheries policy documents enacted in China since 1979. These policies were divided into three periods: initial start‐up during 1979–2002, optimisation and adjustment during 2003–2016 and rapid development during 2017–2021. During the optimisation and adjustment period, deep‐sea aquaculture policies predominated (more than 80%) and policy focus shifted from deep‐sea fishing to deep‐sea aquaculture. Since then, policy power has intensified, and policy support modes evolved from single to diverse. Future deep‐sea fisheries policies should strengthen scientific and technological innovation support, build stakeholder interest consultation mechanisms, strengthen supervision of ecological impacts on surrounding sea areas and adhere to sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]