scholarly journals Structure and spatio-temporal dynamics of the artisanal small-scale fisheries at the future MPA of “Taza” (Algerian coast, SW Mediterranean)

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 555 ◽  
Author(s):  
IBRAHIM BOUBEKRI ◽  
ALEX JAMES CAVEEN ◽  
ABDALLAH BORHANE DJEBAR ◽  
RACHID AMARA ◽  
HUBERT MAZUREK

Artisanal Small-Scale Fisheries (SSFs) are a primordial and very diverse activity in the Mediterranean, also within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This diversity is explained in terms of target species, gears, and fishing strategies. The main objective of this work was to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of artisanal SSFs of the future MPA of “Taza” (Algeria, SW Mediterranean). Data were collected through direct assessment of daily landings and using questionnaires. They were the subject of multivariate analyses that allowed us to identify the métiers practiced by artisanal fishers. During the one year (May 2013 to April 2014) field work period, 1330 fishing trips and 1613 fishing operations in 16 fishing grounds were recorded in the Ziama fishing harbor, where 15.2 tons of total catch was assessed. Our results show that, in the study area, the boats are predominantly gillnetters and that among the five métiers characterized by target species, gear type, fishing grounds, and fishing seasons, two métiers (“Mullus surmuletus trammel net” and “Sparids monofilament gillnet”) are practiced throughout the year, while the remaining three (“Sarda sarda driftnet”, “Merluccius merluccius set gillnet”, and “Pagellus set gillnet”) are specific to a determined period of the year. The ‘Mullus surmuletus trammel net’ métier represents 40% of the total fishing operations, of which 57.5% are carried out in the coastal sector at - 25 m. This study could contribute to defining the appropriate management approaches for SSFs in the future MPA of “Taza” by providing baseline information to build a sound management plan. In Algeria, it will certainly serve as a scientific reference in terms of zoning, protection of biodiversity, and specific monitoring at particular locations and periods of the year for the sustainable management of MPAs.

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.


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.


Author(s):  
John N. Kittinger ◽  
Joshua E. Cinner ◽  
Shankar Aswani ◽  
Alan T. White ◽  
John N. Kittinger

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.


2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 147-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelos Tzanatos ◽  
Evangelos Dimitriou ◽  
George Katselis ◽  
Michalis Georgiadis ◽  
Constantin Koutsikopoulos

2013 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 1219-1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Tsagarakis ◽  
A. Palialexis ◽  
V. Vassilopoulou

Abstract A considerable amount of the existing knowledge of discards in the Mediterranean Sea is presented. Discarding highly varies along the basin both geographically and among the different fishing gears with bottom trawls being responsible for the bulk of discards, since they are characterized by high discards ratios. Midwater trawls, purse-seines, and small-scale fisheries, despite their less proportion of discards per se, produce overall high discards quantities, since they are responsible for the majority of the landings. Based on the collected information, a rough Mediterranean-wide estimate of discards around 230 000 t or 18.6% (13.3–26.8%) of the catch is produced. Discarding in the Mediterranean is regulated by market demands rather than by legal constraints, and marketable bycatch may constitute an important supplemental source of income. A pattern in resource use related to socio-cultural characteristics is apparent, with welfare communities discarding more in terms of percentages. Natural conditions (e.g. environmental gradients) and fishers' strategies also substantially affect discarding. Mitigation tools mainly comprise selectivity improvement and spatio-temporal closures. Despite the progress in studying discards, needs are evident to expand monitoring schemes, apply analytical techniques, and establish objectives of the discards issue under the framework of ecosystem approach to fisheries.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna S Zimmerhackel ◽  
Anna C Schuhbauer ◽  
Paolo Usseglio ◽  
Lena C Heel ◽  
Pelayo Salinas-de-León

Fisheries bycatch is one of the most significant marine conservation issues as valuable fish are wasted and protected species harmed with potential negative ecological and socio-economic consequences. Even though there are indications that the small-scale handline fishery of the Galapagos Marine Reserve has a low selectivity, information on its bycatch never has been published. We therefore assessed the bycatch of the Galapagos handline fishery by estimating the bycatch ratio, determining species compositions of landings and bycatch, and identifying fishers’ reasons for discarding certain individuals using onboard monitoring and interview data. Moreover, we used interview surveys to reveal historical trends in the bycatch ratio. The estimated bycatch ratio of 0.40 confirmed a low selectivity of this fishery. Characterisation of the catch resulted in a total of 19 target species which were dominated by groupers, and 53 non-target species, with grunts and groupers being most prominent. Most individuals were not landed for economic motivations, either because species (77.4%) or sizes (17.7%) are not marketable and to a lesser extent for regulatory reasons (5.9%). However, sharks were after grunts with 69% the second most often mentioned bycatch taxa during interview surveys. We found that small sized individuals of some of the most exploited species suffer high bycatch mortality because they are used as bait. Moreover, over half of interviewees perceived a historical decrease in bycatch ratios that was explained by a diversification of the catch composition due to the reduction in abundance of the traditionally most important target species. As some target species show signs of overfishing and to date there are no specific regulations for the finfish fishery in place, we recommend the investigation of different gear settings such as the use of different hooks and bait species. Furthermore, we suggest the integration of faster growing species to the local market as well as spatio-temporal closures, and minimum and maximum catch sizes for overexploited species in order to improve the selectivity and sustainability of the Galapagos handline fishery.


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.


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