Short-term decisions of small-scale fishers selecting alternative target species: a choice model

2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 374-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Salas ◽  
Ussif Rashid Sumaila ◽  
Tony Pitcher

The complexity of small-scale fisheries makes it difficult to predict the allocation of fishing effort among alternative target species in mixed fisheries, resulting in limitation for fisheries management. One reason for the difficulty is that fishing effort has been assumed as an aggregate of different components, without consideration of fishers' decisions. In this paper, we use discrete choice models to identify factors involved in fishers' decisions about selecting target species on a daily basis. We analyze catch data, by species and fisher, from three fishing communities of Yucatan, Mexico, to contrast the following models: (i) random selection, (ii) economic motivation, and (iii) changes in resource availability. Our results show that fishers do not operate at random but consider information on resource availability and revenues generated from previous trips before selecting or shifting a target. We compare the results among communities and also use the proposed models to predict changes in fishing effort levels given changes in species price and catch per unit effort. We stress the importance of understanding fishers' behavior when it comes to developing appropriate management policies.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk Zeller ◽  
Gabriel M. S. Vianna ◽  
Matthew Ansell ◽  
Angie Coulter ◽  
Brittany Derrick ◽  
...  

The Mozambique Channel region in East Africa has diverse marine ecosystems and serves as a migratory corridor for economically important species. Local and foreign industrial fisheries operate in the Mozambique Channel, but regional small-scale fisheries are the crucially important fisheries that provide food security, livelihoods, and economic opportunities for rural coastal communities. This study reconstructed and investigated trends in the fishing effort and catch per unit effort (CPUE) of small-scale marine fisheries in four Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) that constitute the Mozambique Channel, i.e., Union of Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, and Mozambique, from 1950 to 2016. Effective fishing effort for small-scale fisheries in the form of fishing capacity in kWdays (i.e., kilowatt days) was derived using the number, length, motorization (engine power) by fishing vessels, as well as an approximate human-powered equivalent for shore-based fishers without vessels, as well as days of fishing per year. Effective small-scale fishing effort in the Mozambique Channel increased by nearly 60 times from just over 386,000 kWdays in 1950 to over 23 million kWdays in 2016. Correspondingly, the overall small-scale CPUE, based on previously and independently reconstructed catch data declined by 91% in the region as a whole, from just under 175 kg⋅kWday–1 in the early 1950s to just over 15 kg⋅kWday–1 in recent years. All four EEZs showed the strongest declines in the small-scale CPUE in the earlier decades, driven by motorization and growth in vessel numbers impacting effective fishing effort. Increased motorization combined with a substantial growth in overall vessel numbers were the drivers of the increasing fishing effort and decreasing CPUE, and clearly suggest that continuing to increase the fishing capacity of small-scale fisheries in the absence of effective and restrictive management actions may exacerbate overexploitation risk.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
FABIO GRATI ◽  
ADMIR ALADZUZ ◽  
ERNESTO AZZURRO ◽  
LUCA BOLOGNINI ◽  
PIERLUIGI CARBONARA ◽  
...  

The main aim of the present study is to increase the knowledge on the seasonal dynamics of the set gears used by Adriatic small-scale fisheries (SSFs) through the collation of data (landings, fishing effort, composition of catches, length-frequency distributions of target species and economic value of landings) on target species,. The study focused on the three set gears mainly used in the basin: gillnets, trammel nets and traps. The results confirmed that SSFs are diverse, complex and dynamic, representing an economic and social engine and providing seafood and employment to local economies. In the Adriatic Sea, SSFs exploit coastal fishing grounds where the seasonal fluctuations of the physical and chemical parameters of the water column strongly influence the occurrence of the different species. Because of this, many different types of set gears are currently used to catch a pool of target species over the year. Fishermen use more than one set gear during the year and tend to increase the fishing effort when the target species concentrate inside the coastal areas during the recruitment or the spawning season. Accordingly, landings reached the highest values during such periods and often include a large portion of juveniles and/or spawners. The study highlighted that the lack of appropriate data and complete statistics is still one of the main constraints for most of the Adriatic coastal countries, as few countries have in place routinely monitoring programs while others are dealing mostly with estimates. These gaps often have the effect of marginalizing and undervaluing the real role of SSFs in a Blue Growth process.


2008 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 711-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
TCM. Souza ◽  
M. Petrere-Jr

In the Camamu-Almada basin, marine fishery is exclusively small-scale, with several structural deficiencies such as boats with low or absent navigational technology, lack of credit and low income. Local fishers complain that shrimp and lobster trawling fishing is the main factor responsible for low stock abundance, but they still persist in these activities as these two species command the highest market prices. So they feel that the target species are already over-fished. We suggest that proper management action, alternative ways of income generation and the payment of job insurance would help to mitigate the problem.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel K. Mbaru ◽  
Dorcas Sigana ◽  
Renison K. Ruwa ◽  
Elizabeth M. Mueni ◽  
Collins K. Ndoro ◽  
...  

Fish aggregating devices (FADs) have been widely used by commercial fisheries to increase the catchability of pelagic stocks in the open sea. FADs have the potential to enhance nearshore small-scale fisheries where stocks are often overfished. This study examined changes in catch composition, abundance, catch and effort, and aspects of diversity in Kenya's nearshore coastal fisheries after deployment of anchored fish aggregating devices (AFADs). The study combined both fishery independent and dependent methods in assessing changes in fish assemblages post-deployment. Results showed orders of magnitude increase in length, weight, commercial value, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) of landed catch after deployment of FADs suggesting that FADs had a positive effect on the local fishery. Species richness at FAD sites increased post-deployment (n = 281) compared to pre-deployment values (n = 223). Simultaneous use of several complementary structural indices may be required in order to accurately describe and monitor fish assemblages around the FADs. The findings suggest that AFADs are capable of creating both short and long-term impacts on livelihoods, with the potential to deflect pressure on the overfished nearshore fish stocks. However, more research will be needed on redistribution of fish around FADs, design and placement configuration, and site selection amongst others.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Rehren ◽  
Maria Grazia Pennino ◽  
Marta Coll ◽  
Narriman Jiddawi ◽  
Christopher Muhando

Marine conservation areas are an important tool for the sustainable management of multispecies, small-scale fisheries. Effective spatial management requires a proper understanding of the spatial distribution of target species and the identification of its environmental drivers. Small-scale fisheries, however, often face scarcity and low-quality of data. In these situations, approaches for the prioritization of conservation areas need to deal with scattered, biased, and short-term information and ideally should quantify data- and model-specific uncertainties for a better understanding of the risks related to management interventions. We used a Bayesian hierarchical species distribution modeling approach on annual landing data of the heavily exploited, small-scale, and data-poor fishery of Chwaka Bay (Zanzibar) in the Western Indian Ocean to understand the distribution of the key target species and identify potential areas for conservation. Few commonalities were found in the set of important habitat and environmental drivers among species, but temperature, depth, and seagrass cover affected the spatial distribution of three of the six analyzed species. A comparison of our results with information from ecological studies suggests that our approach predicts the distribution of the analyzed species reasonably well. Furthermore, the two main common areas of high relative abundance identified in our study have been previously suggested by the local fisher as important areas for spatial conservation. By using short-term, catch per unit of effort data in a Bayesian hierarchical framework, we quantify the associated uncertainties while accounting for spatial dependencies. More importantly, the use of accessible and interpretable tools, such as the here created spatial maps, can frame a better understanding of spatio-temporal management for local fishers. Our approach, thus, supports the operability of spatial management in small-scale fisheries suffering from a general lack of long-term fisheries information and fisheries independent data.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 9848
Author(s):  
Alvin Slewion Jueseah ◽  
Dadi Mar Kristofersson ◽  
Tumi Tómasson ◽  
Ogmundur Knutsson

Many coastal fisheries are subject to harvesting externalities due to inadequate regulations compounded by limited enforcement. Coastal fisheries in Liberia consist of a fleet of dugout canoes (Kru) primarily targeting demersal finfish, larger open wooden boats propelled with outboard engines targeting small inshore pelagics (Fanti), and a small number of industrial trawlers employing midwater and bottom trawls targeting finfish and shrimp. This paper develops a bio-economic model for the coastal fisheries in Liberia and employs the model to identify economic optimal fishing effort and harvesting trajectories for the different coastal fleets. The results show under harvesting and disinvestments in the coastal fisheries in Liberia. In 2010 the Government of Liberia declared a six nautical mile inshore exclusion zone accessible only to small-scale fisheries (SSF), which was accompanied by increased enforcement. The coastal fleets in 2016 were profitable but the distribution of profits was tilted to the small-scale fleets. The government needs to evaluate what policy options are available to fully utilize the fisheries potential for different species complexes while at the same time reduce the risk of conflict and overharvesting. There appears to be a need for investment in new technologies, which can only take place if fishing in Liberia will remain profitable.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyriakoula Roditi ◽  
Dimitris Vafidis

Small-scale fisheries constitute an important component of coastal human societies. The present study describes the small-scale net fisheries on Kalymnos Island (south-east Aegean Sea) that harbors the largest small-scale fleet in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. In addition, this study aims to evaluate their characteristics and economics. Relevant métiers were identified through a multivariate analysis by inputting the main resources and fishing gear data that were recorded during landings. Four main practices were observed being used as fishing gears, gillnets and trammel nets, targeting the species Mullus barbatus, Boops boops, Mullus surmuletus, Scorpaena porcus, and Sepia officinalis. Further analysis, which incorporated data concerning the type of the gear used, revealed 11 distinct métiers. Most of these métiers are practiced by other Mediterranean small-scale fisheries as well, in terms of target species, gear and seasonality. However, the métier that had its target species as B.boops is not practiced in other Mediterranean small-scale fisheries. The seasonal rotation of métiers was determined by the availability of different species rather than their market price. The results revealed the difference in fishing practice used by the fishermen in the study area compared to other fishing practices in the Mediterranean Sea. In particular, the fishermen of this study area targeted more species (B.boops) with a very low market price. They also provided essential information for the development and implementation of management plans aiming at the sustainability of small-scale fisheries.


2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Fonteneau ◽  
Nicolas Richard

This paper analyses the local relationship between effort, catches, catch per unit effort (CPUE) and abundance of target species (such as tunas) and of non-target species (such as billfishes). The Indian Ocean longline fisheries are taken as an example. This paper evaluates the potential bias in the relationship between local CPUE and abundance when fisheries are increasing their fishing effort. A presentation of the Indian Ocean longline fisheries is carried out. A statistical analysis of CPUE is conducted using a generalized additive model which tends to indicate that the local effort is an important component in the statistical behaviour of the local CPUE. A migratory model in which both resources and fisheries are mobile was built. This model simulates the combined exploitation of two species, a target and a bycatch species, both fished at increasing intensity. This model confirms the potential bias as a result of the concentration of fishing effort in areas of high density of the target species. It also suggests that the CPUE of bycatch species may be more heavily biased because of their status. It is recommended that local fishing efforts should preferably be taken into account in order to calculate the CPUE of both target and non-target species.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. e0176862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauric Thiault ◽  
Antoine Collin ◽  
Frédérique Chlous ◽  
Stefan Gelcich ◽  
Joachim Claudet

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 427-435
Author(s):  
Jamaludin Malik ◽  
Achmad Fahrudin ◽  
Dietriech Geoffrey Bengen ◽  
Taryono Khodiron

Fisheries in Semarang City are dominated by small-scale fisheries. This is indicated by the use of the largest fishing fleet of 10 gross tons operating near the coast. This study aims to analyze the status of small-scale fisheries in Semarang City for sustainable management. Sustainable management is management that guarantees the availability of natural resources and environmental services for future generations. The study was conducted for three months, namely September-November 2018 in the coastal waters of Semarang City, which was part of the Fisheries Management Region (WPP) 712. The method used in this study is the analysis of time series surplus production, namely data from the catch (ton/year) and the number of fishing gear (unit) within 10 years (2007-2016), to calculate the catch per-unit effort (CPUE), maximum sustainable yield (MSY), optimum effort (fopt), utilization rate (TP) and capacity level (TK). This study was obtained results of a downward trend in CPUE; the existing fishery catch or production in 2016 has exceeded the MSY value is 479 tons/year (Schaefer) and 439.11 tons/year (Fox); utilization rate of more than 100% which is 108-127% (Schaefer) and 118-138% (Fox), so that small-scale fisheries in Semarang City are at the level of over-exploited. Based on the fopt analysis, the number of fishing gear used (fexisting) has exceeded the optimum effort with a fishing capacity exceeding 100%, so that small-scale fisheries in Semarang City have experienced overcapacity.


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