Socioeconomic Factors that Affect Artisanal Fishers' Readiness to Exit a Declining Fishery

Abstract:  The emerging world crisis created by declining fish stocks poses a challenge to resource users and managers. The problem is particularly acute in poor nations, such as those in East Africa, where fishing is an important subsistence activity but high fishing intensity and use of destructive gear have resulted in declining catches. In this context developing effective management strategies requires an understanding of how fishers may respond to declines in catch. We examined the readiness of 141 Kenyan fishers to stop fishing under hypothetical scenarios of declines in catch and how socioeconomic conditions influenced their decisions. As expected, the proportion of fishers that would exit the fishery increased with magnitude of decline in catch. Fishers were more likely to say they would stop fishing if they were from households that had a higher material style of life and a greater number of occupations. Variables such as capital investment in the fishery and the proportion of catch sold had weak, nonsignificant relationships. Our finding that fishers from poorer households would be less likely to exit a severely declining fishery is consistent with the literature on poverty traps, which suggests the poor are unable to mobilize the necessary resources to overcome either shocks or chronic low-income situations and consequently may remain in poverty. This finding supports the proposition that wealth generation and employment opportunities directed at the poorest fishers may help reduce fishing effort on overexploited fisheries, but successful interventions such as these will require an understanding of the socioeconomic context in which fishers operate.     

Application of High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete to Marine Structures

A new material with high content of fly ash named ‘Ashcrete’ has been developed. to examine the applicability of Ashcrete to marine structures, strength characteristics, resistance to sea water attack, and safety in the marine environment have been studied. the following results have been obtained:

1) the strength characteristics of high-volume fly ash concrete depend upon the type and proportions of chemical activators as well as curing conditions.

2) Ashcrete using sodium chloride (NaCI) as a chemical activator shows high initial strength and good strength development with age.

3) Ashcrete containing NaCI activator shows good resistance to sea water from the viewpoint of its strength characteristics, volume changes and microstructurcs.

4) Since 1980 many types of large-scale artificial reefs made of Ashcrete have been installed in the sea. As a result of long-term studies and underwater observations, the Japanese Government has demonstrated the durability of the material, safety in the marine environment and attractiveness to fish.

5) It is therefore proposed that Ashcrete might be used in constructing large-scale sea mounts in deep water for the purpose of generating upwelling.     

望虞河环境生物质量评价与渔业关系

望虞河为太湖流域引水、泄洪综合治理骨干工程之一,贯通江苏省东太湖与长江。全长60.8km。穿越苏州、无锡、常熟经济发达区,受流域性经济发达区所伴随的热污染和有机污染影响。1986年9月至10月在全河流共完成18个点的浮游植物、浮游动物、透明度调查,并勘察和收集高等水生植物、蚌类、增养殖、捕捞、栏围养规模、渔业经济等有关样品和资料。全河流被明显地分成三个不同富营养型河段,其中重、中的二个富营养型河段渔业发达且受益,但在夏季的中富营养型西河段,水温超越38℃已成为渔业危险期和危险区。工程可改善富营养化程度和环境质量,但在渔业上依赖浮游生物为主的渔业产品结构可被高质高值的品种所替换。     

近30年来高邮湖(含邵伯湖)自然水域面积变化及其影响因素

湖泊水域面积变化特征反映气候与人类活动对湖泊生态系统结构与功能的影响,对湖泊健康评价与水生态修复有重要指导价值.以1988-2015年8期Landsat TM/ETM+遥感影像为数据源,综合运用目视解译法与比值阈值法提取了研究区高邮湖（含邵伯湖）及其围网养殖区的边界信息,分析了研究区水域面积变化特征及其影响因素.结果表明:①1988-2015年研究区自然水域面积呈现前期持续缩小、近期部分恢复的阶段性变化趋势.其中,1988-2000年自然水域面积缓慢缩减,平均减小速率为4.08 km2/a;2000-2011年迅速缩减,平均减小速率为12 km2/a;2011-2015年迅速增长,自然水域面积增加108 km2;1988年自然水域面积最大（716 km2）,2011年最小（535 km2）,2015年部分恢复（643 km2）.②1988-2015年流域内年均降水量先减后增,年均气温逐渐升高.年均气温升高与自然水域面积变化具有相关性（R2=0.472）;年均降水量则与自然水域面积变化无明显关联（R2=0.118）.③1988年和1992年研究区内未见明显的围网养殖,2000年围网养殖区面积仅为45 km2,2011年最大,达199 km2.2000-2009年和2009-2015年围网养殖区面积平均增长速率分别为15.56和9.00 km2/a;北部湖区围网养殖集中,自然水域面积变化最为显著,东西湖区次之.研究显示,1988年以来,年均气温和围网养殖对高邮湖自然水域产生了显著影响,湖区北部湿地侵占严重,湿地生态屏障功能下降.      

重金属Pb在不同水产品中的含量及污染状况评价

2005年5～10月,对上海市场水产品中的Pb含量进行了调查,分析了Pb含量的分布趋势,并引用水产品卫生质量标准对水产品中的Pb含量进行评价,结果表明,水产品中Pb含量的总体情况良好,97%的产品低于生物污染评价标准值。水产品中的Pb含量虽有季节性变化,但影响产品Pb超标的主要因素还是其生长环境。同时对不同类别生物体内的Pb含量进行比较,不同科间Pb含量差异不明显,未发现有对Pb特别富集的品种。     

Phosphorus accumulation and eutrophication in feed-supply freshwater fishponds

The rapid growth and intensification of freshwater fishery can cause imbalances between phosphorus （P） input in feed and its output in produce. This aquaculture can result in enriching exogenous P in fishponds and, consequently, accelerates the process of eutrophication. To assess relations among input, accumulation, release of P and as a consequence degrading water quality in terms of chlorophyll-a （Chl-a） in freshwater fishponds, fourteen fishponds with feed supply, nine fishponds without feed supply, and five nonfish ponds in Shaoxing Plain, southeast China were selected for comparing P accumulation in their waters and surface sediments. Surface sediment samples were collected from each pond to evaluate their total P, water soluble P, Olsen P, algal available P, and P fractions. Water samples were also collected from the ponds to measure concentrations of dissolved P and Chl-a. Total P in the sediments ranged from 0.88 to 1.73 g/kg in the fishponds with feed supply, that in the non-fish ponds ranged from 0.47 to 0.86 g/kg. Organic P, accounted for 23% to 60% of total P in the sediments, was an important P fraction and increased linearly with increasing organic matter. Long-term application of feeds resulted in increased P availability in the bottom sediments and degradation of water quality in the freshwater fishponds. Compared with non-fish ponds, sediments from the feed-supplied fishponds contained considerably higher Olsen P, algal available P, and water soluble P. Higher proportions of the labile P （NH4Cl-P） and potentially labile P （NaOH-IP） were also found in the sediments from the fishponds. High solubility of P in the sediments resulted in elevation of P and chlorophyll-a concentration in the pond water. The dissolved P concentration in the pond water increased in the order of non-fish ponds （12μg/L） 〈 fishponds without feed supply （24 μg/L） 〈 fishponds with feed supply （66 μg/L）. Linear correlations between concentrations of total P, Olsen-P, algal available P, water-soluble P and P concentration in saturation extracts in the sediments and dissolved P in the pond water indicated that there was a buffering action of the sediment constituents on the dissolved P.     

Petroleum hydrocarbons and their effects on fishery species in the Bohai Sea, North China

Systematic studies on the changes in concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) and their e ects on fishery species in the Bohai Sea during 1974–2004 are presented. Changes in PHs concentrations were closely related to Yellow River runo . Concentrations of PHs accumulated in fish and shrimp increased by about 0.712 mg/kg dry weight when trophic level of fish and shrimps increased by 1. Attention should also be paid to the high PHs concentrations in mollusks along the coastal waters of the Bohai Sea. Average concentration of PHs in the adjacent coastal waters of Tianjin City during 1996–2005 decreased the population growth rates of fish, crustaceans and mollusks in the Bohai Sea by 2.58%, 6.59% and 2.33%, respectively. Therefore, PHs have significantly contributed to the decline in fisheries in the Bohai Sea, and they must be reduced to realize the sustainable fisheries.     

盐碱地农-渔开发对土壤环境的影响

在东北苏打盐碱地进行了稻-鱼-苇-蒲开发试验,并探讨了该模式对盐碱土壤环境的影响。结果表明,开发后土壤有机质含量增加96.8%(平均值,以下同),盐分含量下降43.6%,全量和速效N、P、K质量分数分别增加142.8%和188.2%;阳离子交换量、盐基总量分别增加8.21%及27.71%;土壤腐殖质以富里酸为主,w(HA)/w(FA)比值提高36.15%;养鱼稻田的土壤微生物总量明显高于未养鱼田(P<0.01);优势种为放线菌。土壤酶活性进一步加强。系统废水的盐分质量浓度降至1.0 g/L左右,碱浓度低于水源(7.0~10.0 mmol/L)。该模式不会造成土壤次生盐碱化。     

Using fisher-contributed secondary fins to fill critical shark-fisheries data gaps

Developing-world shark fisheries are typically not assessed or actively managed for sustainability; one fundamental obstacle is the lack of species and size-composition catch data. We tested and implemented a new and potentially widely applicable approach for collecting these data: mandatory submission of low-value secondary fins (anal fins) from landed sharks by fishers and use of the fins to reconstruct catch species and size. Visual and low-cost genetic identification were used to determine species composition, and linear regression was applied to total length and anal fin base length for catch-size reconstruction. We tested the feasibility of this approach in Belize, first in a local proof-of-concept study and then scaling it up to the national level for the 2017–2018 shark-fishing season (1,786 fins analyzed). Sixteen species occurred in this fishery. The most common were the Caribbean reef (Carcharhinus perezi), blacktip (C. limbatus), sharpnose (Atlantic [Rhizoprionodon terraenovae] and Caribbean [R. porosus] considered as a group), and bonnethead (Sphyrna cf. tiburo). Sharpnose and bonnethead sharks were landed primarily above size at maturity, whereas Caribbean reef and blacktip sharks were primarily landed below size at maturity. Our approach proved effective in obtaining critical data for managing the shark fishery, and we suggest the tools developed as part of this program could be exported to other nations in this region and applied almost immediately if there were means to communicate with fishers and incentivize them to provide anal fins. Outside the tropical Western Atlantic, we recommend further investigation of the feasibility of sampling of secondary fins, including considerations of time, effort, and cost of species identification from these fins, what secondary fin type to use, and the means with which to communicate with fishers and incentivize participation. This program could be a model for collecting urgently needed data for developing-world shark fisheries globally. Article impact statement: Shark fins collected from fishers yield data critical to shark fisheries management in developing nations.     

Estuarine management strategies and the predictability of ecosystem changes

The Dutch Delta Region (S-W Netherlands) originally consisted of interconnected estuaries, interfacing the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Schelde with the North Sea. The ecosystems were immature, with physical rather than biological control of population dynamics. Main functions were shipping and shellfisheries. An emergent function of the interconnected estuaries was the buffering and upgrading of riverborne substances before they entered the sea. Execution of the Delta Project in the period 1960–1986 resulted in isolation of several water systems disconnected from rivers and sea, and loss of gradients within these systems. Population dynamics were now controlled by chemical and biological rather than physical factors. Vulnerability to external perturbation increased. These changes also affected the buffering capacity, i.e. reduced the utility of the area as stabiliser of the geosystem. Recreational use and appreciation of natural values increased, potentially conflicting with shipping and shellfisheries. Retrospective analysis of the environmental policy and management revealed three consecutive strategies in the Delta Project. 1. Reactive one-issue management, focusing on safety against flooding only. This strategy aimed at complete closure of the estuaries thus transforming them into fresh water lakes. It has destroyed feed-backs and buffering between coastal and inland waters. This strategy has not promoted sustainable development and has increased the vulnerability of the area to future catastrophes. 2. Protective bio-ecological management focused on the preservation of existing values of landscape and environment, and resulted in the maintenance of saline conditions and preservation of marshes by shore protection measures. The drawback of this passive orientation to existing values Ôwhere they are nowÕ is the necessity of continuous intensive care because the natural adaptive ability is not being restored. 3. Constructive geo-ecological management is based on understanding functional properties within and between ecosystems as integrated elements of the landscape structure. This strategy aims at environmental protection, restoration and development of values Ôwhere they must beÕ. Re-establishment of gradients by e.g. re-introducing tidal influence and by restoring salt marshes should contribute to sustainable development.