Population Trends in Pacific Oceanic Sharks and the Utility of Regulations on Shark Finning

Accurate assessment of shark population status is essential for conservation but is often constrained by limited and unreliable data. To provide a basis for improved management of shark resources, we analyzed a long‐term record of species‐specific catches, sizes, and sexes of sharks collected by onboard observers in the western and central Pacific Ocean from 1995 to 2010. Using generalized linear models, we estimated population‐status indicators on the basis of catch rate and biological indicators of fishing pressure on the basis of median size to identify trends for blue (Prionace glauca), mako (Isurus spp.), oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus), and silky (Carcharhinus falciformis) sharks. Standardized catch rates of longline fleets declined significantly for blue sharks in the North Pacific (by 5% per year [CI 2% to 8%]), for mako sharks in the North Pacific (by 7% per year [CI 3% to 11%]), and for oceanic whitetip sharks in tropical waters (by 17% per year [CI 14% to 20%]). Median lengths of silky and oceanic whitetip sharks decreased significantly in their core habitat, and almost all sampled silky sharks were immature. Our results are consistent with results of analyses of similar data sets. Combined, these results and evidence of targeted fishing for sharks in some regional fisheries heighten concerns for sustainable utilization, particularly for oceanic whitetip and North Pacific blue sharks. Regional regulations that prohibit shark finning (removal of fins and discarding of the carcass) were enacted in 2007 and are in many cases the only form of control on shark catches. However, there is little evidence of a reduction of finning in longline fisheries. In addition, silky and oceanic whitetip sharks are more frequently retained than finned, which suggests that even full implementation of and adherence to a finning prohibition may not substantially reduce mortality rates for these species. We argue that finning prohibitions divert attention from assessing whether catch levels are sustainable and that the need for management of sharks should not be addressed by measures that are simple to implement but complex to enforce and evaluate. Tendencias Poblacionales de Tiburones del Océano Pacífico y la Utilidad de Regulaciones sobre Cercenamiento de Aletas     

Serial patterns of biodiversity change in corals across shallow reef flats in Ko Phuket,Thailand, due to the effects of local (sedimentation) and regional (climatic) perturbations

A 17-year monitoring programme of reef flats at Ko Phuket, Thailand afforded an opportunity to evaluate both univariate and multivariate measures of environmental stress in an assessment of change on coral reef ecosystems. The sites at Ko Phuket suffered the effects of dredging in 1986-1987 and then anomalously low sea levels in 1997-1998 as a result of climate-related events in the Indian Ocean. Univariate measures of species diversity and taxonomic distinctness ((*) increased across the reef flat, reflecting the greater effects of physical stresses on the inner reef flats (compared with outer reef flats) at all sites, with more congeneric species present on the inner reef and more confamilial species on the outer reef. Multivariate measures showed a clear breakdown in seriation patterns at all sites during the dredging in 1987 and in 1998, as a result of earlier negative sea-level anomalies. Recovery from environmental disturbances was obvious within 12 months in each case. The domination of the reefs by massive coral species, which are physiologically adapted to intertidal living and which display partial rather than total colony mortality, may be a factor contributing to the apparent resilience of the reef flats together with continued recruitment and survival of juvenile corals during adverse environmental conditions. Elevated sea temperatures and extensive bleaching of corals in 1991, 1995, and 1998 had no effect upon coral community measures, with many corals recovering their zooxanthellae numbers within 3-5 months of the bleaching events.     

Cephalopod prey of the grey-headed albatrossDiomedea chrysostoma

Cephalopod remains were collected, at regular intervals throughout the fledging period, from the stomach contents of chicks of the grey-headed albatrossDiomedea chrysostoma at Bird Island, South Georgia, in 1984 and 1986 and from regurgitations of adults at the nest in 1986. The 1984 sample was taken during a season characterised by abnormal local oceanographic conditions in which the breeding success was very low; in 1986 conditions were normal and breeding success was high. Cephalopod beaks (289 from adults; 5 651 from chicks) were identified, and allometric equations were used to estimate the biomass represented. Five cephalopod species belonging to five families (Gonatidae, Onychoteuthidae, Psychroteuthidae, Ommastrephidae and Cranchiidae) contributed 98% by number and 97% of the biomass fed to chicks. The most important species was the ommastrephidMartialia hyadesi, contributing 68.9 to 77.4% by number and 72.5 to 79.3% of the total biomass fed to chicks. The relative proportions of cephalopod species in the chicks' diet were similar between 1984 and 1986, but the total number and biomass was significantly less in 1984. There is evidence of growth ofM. hyadesi between January and June.     

Effects of nutrition and temperature on metabolic enzyme activities in larval and juvenile red drum,Sciaenops ocellatus,and lane snapper,Lutjanus synagris

The metabolic enzyme activities were determined in larvae of red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, and lane snapper, Lutjanus synagris, to determine the effect of temperature and nutrition on metabolic enzyme activities and to evaluate if metabolic enzyme activities are useful in assessing the feeding condition of larval fish. During experiments conducted during the spring of 1990, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities in both red drum and lane snapper were approximately an order of magnitude lower than values typical for adult fish; LDH and citrate synthase (CS) activities increased during early developmental stages, but nutritional effects were apparent. Clear differences (up to 4-fold) between well-fed and starving fish were evident in both LDH and CS activity in red drum. Differences between well-fed and poorly fed larvae were evident until 9 d after hatching. Lane snapper larvae reared at a 25°C had significantly lower LDH activities than larvae reared at 28°C.     

Distribution of salmon-habitat potential relative to landscape characteristics and implications for conservation.

The geographic distribution of stream reaches with potential to support high-quality habitat for salmonids has bearing on the actual status of habitats and populations over broad spatial extents. As part of the Coastal Landscape Analysis and Modeling Study (CLAMS), we examined how salmon-habitat potential was distributed relative to current and future (+100 years) landscape characteristics in the Coastal Province of Oregon, USA. The intrinsic potential to provide high-quality rearing habitat was modeled for juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and juvenile steelhead (O. mykiss) based on stream flow, valley constraint, and stream gradient. Land ownership, use, and cover were summarized for 100-m analysis buffers on either side of stream reaches with high intrinsic potential and in the overall area encompassing the buffers. Past management seems to have concentrated nonindustrial private ownership, agriculture, and developed uses adjacent to reaches with high intrinsic potential for coho salmon. Thus, of the area in coho salmon buffers, 45% is either nonforested or recently logged, but only 10% is in larger-diameter forests. For the area in steelhead buffers, 21% is either non-forested or recently logged while 20% is in larger-diameter forests. Older forests are most extensive on federal lands but are rare on private lands, highlighting the critical role for public lands in near-term salmon conservation. Agriculture and development are projected to remain focused near high-intrinsic-potential reaches for coho salmon, increasing the importance of effectively addressing nonpoint source pollution from these uses. Percentages of larger-diameter forests are expected to increase throughout the province, but the increase will be only half as much in coho salmon buffers as in steelhead buffers. Most of the increase is projected for public lands, where policies emphasize biodiversity protection. Results suggest that widespread recovery of coho salmon is unlikely unless habitat can be improved in high-intrinsic-potential reaches on private lands. Knowing where high-intrinsic-potential stream reaches occur relative to landscape characteristics can help in evaluating the current and future condition of freshwater habitat, explaining differences between species in population status and risk, and assessing the need for and feasibility of restoration.     

Relearning the ABC: taxonomic changes and abundance/biomass relationships in disturbed benthic communities

For marine macrobenthic communities, a shift from higher biomass dominance with increasing levels of disturbance can be determined by the abundance/biomass comparison (ABC) method. This response results from (i) a shift in the proportions of different phyla present in communities, some phyla having larger-bodied species than others, and (ii) a shift in the relative distributions of abundance and biomass among species within the Annelida (specifically Polychaeta) but not within any of the other major phyla (Mollusca, Crustacea, Echinodermata). The shift within polychaetes reflects the substitution of largerbodied by smaller-bodied species, and not a change in the average size of individuals within a species. In most instances the phyletic changes reinforce the trend in species substitutions within the polychaetes, to produce the overall ABC response, but in some cases they may work against each other. Indications of pollution or disturbance detected by this method should be viewed with caution if the species responsible for the polluted configurations are not polychaetes. These observations provide an aid to interpretation of the ABC plots, especially in some situations where they have been deemed to give a false impression of the disturbance status of a community.     

Assimilation efficiency of the antarctic marine isopod Glyptonotus antarcticus

When fed shrimp every 2 days, the isopod Glyptonotus antarcticus Eights assimilated over 90% of the ingested food. Errors in this estimate due to loss of food material during maceration by G. antarcticus were investigated and allowed for. These results are discussed in relation to data for other isopods and marine invertebrates.