scholarly journals A Framework for Simulating Ecosystem Effects in Data-Poor Small-Scale Fisheries Using Science-Based and Local Ecological Knowledge-Based Models

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel J. Zetina-Rejón ◽  
Gladis A. López-Ibarra ◽  
Lorena Rocha-Tejeda ◽  
Alesa Flores-Guzmán ◽  
Inés López-Ercilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Ecological Indicators ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Quantitative Models ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
Qualitative Models ◽  
Species Removal

The constant demand for seafood products and the undeniable effects of fishing on marine ecosystems make it urgent to implement an ecosystem approach, even in data-poor scenarios such as small-scale fisheries. Understanding the impacts of fishing is essential for promoting management strategies that prevent irreversible damage to marine ecosystems. Thus, ecosystem quantitative science-based models have been frequently used to evaluate the effects of fishing, although fishers’ local ecological knowledge (LEK) can aid the implementation of qualitative models, particularly in data-poor conditions. Here, we present a framework for simulating and assessing the effects of fishing following two strategies: (1) for both types of models, we simulated species removal scenarios, and (2) for quantitative science-based models, we fitted time series to dynamically assessed impacts. The impacts were analyzed through ecological indicators commonly used for quantitative models, and because these indicators cannot be easily estimated for qualitative models, we propose the use of topological indicators in both types of models. The approach was applied to three case studies of small-scale finfish fisheries in northwestern Mexico. We found that the ecosystem response to species removal was different in each case study and that the target species can play an important role in ecosystems, but their removal does not generate abrupt changes in the ecosystem structure. The quantitative science-based models were able to reproduce the historical catch trends, which allowed us to reveal that changes in ecosystems are indeed influenced by fishing effort but also by underlying primary productivity. Furthermore, topological and ecological indicators showed similar trends in the quantitative models, which suggests that the former could be useful when data-poor conditions allow only qualitative models. This result confirms the relevance of the participation of fishers in generating qualitative models and their decisive role in the discussion of co-management strategies and risk scenarios in a better-informed manner.

scholarly journals Integrating science and citizen science: the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) sustainable fishery of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alpina Begossi ◽  
Svetlana V. Salivonchyk
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Dusky Grouper ◽  
Sustainable Fishery

AbstractWe followed landings of dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus, from 2013 to 2019. We observed 1,896 individuals of dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus, in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, from September 2013 to February 2019. The total weight of the catches was 6,065.57 kg, with an average of 1,442.50 kg/year and a std of 147.30 kg.We integrated fishers in our study through citizen science (CS): individuals were trained to monitor grouper gonads and supplied information on fishing spots and prices. After comparing catch curves (based on weight) and curve prices (in the Brazilian monetary currency of reals), our results showed that catches in the Copacabana fishery have been stable (the results of the Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant difference for either the weight of the catches or the average prices of dusky groupers in the years compared). Copacabana has been a sustainable fishery when considering its catches of dusky grouper. This is a very important result for conservation and management, considering the importance of small-scale fisheries in terms of their low fishing efforts and their possible effects on vulnerable species, as well as their ecological and economic importance in developing countries. Citizen science, alomng with local ecological knowledge, helps integrate research and fisheries as well as researchers and fishers and allows for larger sampling efforts and management training for fishers.

Using local ecological knowledge of Fishers to infer the impact of climate variability in Galápagos’ small-scale fisheries

Marine Policy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 104195
Author(s):  
Leticia Maria Cavole ◽  
Solange Andrade-Vera ◽  
José R. Marin Jarrin ◽  
Daniela Faggiani Dias ◽  
Octavio Aburto-Oropeza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals The Endangered Coastal Fishers along the Coast of the Archipelago Sea

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 5-35
Author(s):  
Kirsi Sonck-Rautio
Keyword(s):  
Political Ecology ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Great Cormorant ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
Current State ◽  
Fishing Sector

The small-scale fisheries of the Finnish archipelago are in crisis. Three major problems were identified during an ethnographic study of the different stake- holders in the fishing sector: the grey seal, the great cormorant, and regulation of pikeperch harvesting. Within the framework of political ecology, develop- ments in the current state of the fisheries are examined and the policy-mak- ing processes are analysed. Additionally, the notion of knowledge and the role of both scientific knowledge and local ecological knowledge in the context of fisheries management and fisheries management science are discussed.

scholarly journals FISHERMEN ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS: AN INTERPRETATIVE MODEL FOR SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Loto ◽  
Ronaldo Lobão ◽  
Edson Pereira Silva ◽  
Cassiano Monteiro-Neto
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Marine Biology ◽  
Complex Adaptive System ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Interpretative Model

Abstract The fishermen ecological knowledge (FEK) encompasses information on biology of species and climatic and oceanographic changes, all related with schools of fish and its capture. It incorporates a complex set of codes and signs, which are constantly updated and transmitted orally thorough generations. In this sense, FEK presents characteristics such as diversity and ability to learn from experience, which are in conformity with the definition of a complex adaptive system (CAS). Based on this assumption, this work proposes to structure and interpret FEK as a CAS. It is supported that such approach can promote the exchange of information among areas, which are other way considered incommensurable (anthropology, oceanography, marine biology, meteorology etc.), and also among formal sciences and the FEK. However, CAS is a structure designed with heuristic goals associated with mathematical modeling what is beyond the aims of this work, which uses CAS only as a structuring metaphor.

scholarly journals The shifting distribution of Mediterranean fishes: a spatio-temporal assessment based on Local Ecological Knowledge .

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Azzurro ◽  
Valerio Sbragaglia ◽  
Jacopo Cerri ◽  
Michel Bariche ◽  
Luca Bolognini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Spatio Temporal

A major problem worldwide is the rapid change in species abundance and distribution, which is rapidly restructuring the biological communities of many ecosystems under changing climates. Tracking these transformations in the marine environment is crucial but our understanding is often hampered by the absence of historical data and by the practical challenge of survey large geographical areas. Here we focus on the Mediterranean Sea, a region which is warming faster than the rest of the global ocean, tracing back the spatio-temporal dynamic of species, which are emerging the most in terms of increasing abundances and expanding distributions. To this aim, we accessed the Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) of small-scale and recreational fishers reconstructing the dynamics of fish perceived as ‘new’ or increasing in different fishing area. Over 500 fishers across 95 locations and 9 different countries were interviewed and semi-quantitative information on yearly changes in species abundance was collected. Overall, 75 species were mentioned by the respondents, being the most frequent citations related to warm-adapted species of both, native and exotic origin. Respondents belonging to the same biogeographic sectors described coherent spatio-temporal dynamics, and gradients along latitudinal and longitudinal axes were revealed. This information provides a more complete understanding of recent bio-geographical changes in the Mediterranean Sea and it also demonstrates that adequately structured LEK methodology might be applied successfully beyond the local scale, across national borders and jurisdictions. Acknowledging this potential through macro-regional coordination, could pave the ground for future large-scale aggregations of individual observations, increasing our potential for integrated monitoring and conservation planning at the regional or even global level.

scholarly journals Leveraging Traditional Agroforestry Practices to Support Sustainable and Agrobiodiverse Landscapes in Southern Brazil

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 176
Author(s):  
André Eduardo Biscaia Lacerda ◽  
Ana Lúcia Hanisch ◽  
Evelyn Roberta Nimmo
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Local Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Ilex Paraguariensis ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Traditional Agroforestry ◽  
Agroforestry Practices

Integrated landscape approaches have been identified as key to addressing competing social, ecological, economic, and political contexts and needs in landscapes as a means to improve and preserve agrobiodiversity. Despite the consistent calls to integrate traditional and local knowledge and a range of stakeholders in the process of developing integrated landscape approaches, there continues to be a disconnect between international agreements, national policies, and local grassroots initiatives. This case study explores an approach to address such challenges through true transdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder research and outreach to develop solutions for integrated landscapes that value and include the experience and knowledge of local communities and farmers. Working collaboratively with small-scale agroforestry farmers in Southern Brazil who continue to use traditional agroecological practices to produce erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis), our transdisciplinary team is working to collect oral histories, document local ecological knowledge, and support farmer-led initiatives to address a range of issues, including profitability, productivity, and legal restrictions on forest use. By leveraging the knowledge across our network, we are developing and testing models to optimize and scale-out agroforestry and silvopastoral systems based on our partners’ traditional practices, while also supporting the implementation of approaches that expand forest cover, increase biodiversity, protect and improve ecosystem services, and diversify the agricultural landscape. In so doing, we are developing a strong evidence base that can begin to challenge current environmental policies and commonly held misconceptions that threaten the continuation of traditional agroforestry practices, while also offering locally adapted and realistic models that can be used to diversify the agricultural landscape in Southern Brazil.

Using stakeholder’s perspectives of ‘Managed Access’ to guide management efforts in small-scale fisheries

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Chad A Bowman ◽  
Stephen C Mangi ◽  
Hazel A Oxenford
Keyword(s):  
Q Methodology ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Financial Investment ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Systems Implementation ◽  
Financial Investments

Summary Controlling and monitoring fishing effort and understanding human perspectives on fisheries management strategies are paramount to the successful management and sustainability of fisheries. Open-access fishing, which is commonplace in the small-scale fisheries (SSFs) of developing countries, poses severe challenges to management, and to address many of these challenges, Belize implemented a country-wide rights-based fishery (RBF) management strategy known as Managed Access (MA). This study uses Q methodology to explore the perspectives of four key stakeholder groups on the early impacts of the strategy, revealing five distinct perspectives. Perspective 1 supported MA but believed some components needed revision. Perspective 2 had high confidence in MA and expected improvements with financial investments. Perspective 3 did not believe in the strategy and expressed frustration with it not protecting fishers’ rights. Perspective 4 captured the biological concerns not addressed by the strategy, while Perspective 5 focused on the strategy’s inability to make the fisheries more profitable thus far. The different perspectives indicate that MA will be unlikely to meet its objectives without more financial investment in enforcement and stakeholder engagement, research and the strengthening of institutional capacity. This study contributes to the scarce scientific information on the early stages of RBF systems implementation in SSFs.

scholarly journals Community Development Quotas and Support of Small-Scale Fisheries as Two Key Concepts for Blue Growth in Fisheries

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Sulanke ◽  
Sandra Rybicki
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Growth Strategies ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
Blue Growth

Blue Growth has become one of the key topics of ocean management. It is defined as a holistic framework for an environmentally friendly and socio-economically sustainable development of ocean-related activities with a special emphasis on technological innovation. Capture fisheries are widely considered to have no substantial growth potential and consequently are not subject to the European Union’s Blue Growth strategy. In our review, we, however, argue that capture fisheries should play an essential role in national Blue Growth strategies. We identified two interconnected management strategies to foster Blue Growth in fisheries, a) the implementation of Community Development Quota (CDQ) systems and b) the support of small-scale fisheries (SSF). They hold the potential to benefit fishery-dependent coastal communities and therefore counteract consolidations in the fishing sector. Additionally, they provide the possibility to improve quota access for small-scale fishermen. Besides having better access to quota, the future of SSF depends on sources of public funding for technical improvement and innovation as well as increased representation in the management. In this perspective, we present different cases that successfully implemented CDQs (the Alaska pollock fishery) or have considerable potential to implement CDQ programs or improve their current approaches (United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland). We further discuss examples for successful management strategies to support SSF directly. If these aspects are considered in a Blue Growth strategy, the survival of fishery-dependent communities could be assured, and SSF could develop from predominantly part-time or subsistence fisheries to a full-time occupation. By those means, they would be part of a fostering Blue Economy and strengthen environmentally friendly and socio-economically sustainable fishing practices in Europe.

scholarly journals Evaluating the bio-economic performance of a Callo de hacha (Atrina maura, Atrina tuberculosa & Pinna rugosa) fishery restoration plan in La Paz, Mexico

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliano Palacios-Abrantes ◽  
Salvador Rodríguez ◽  
Juliana Herrera-Correal ◽  
Jacy Brunkow ◽  
Renato Molina
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Regional Economies ◽  
Fishing Community ◽  
Active Monitoring ◽  
La Paz ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Small Scale Fisheries ◽  
Pen Shell ◽  
Shell Fishery

mall-scale fisheries are large contributors to regional economies and livelihoods in coastal communities of Latin America. While Mexico is one of the cases where small-scale fisheries play an important role, overfishing and poor management strategies have led to the collapse of many of its fisheries. The callo de hacha scallop fishery of the Ensenada de La Paz in Baja California Sur is an example of such a fishery which, after years of mismanagement, was closed by the Mexican authorities in 2009. The present study evaluated the recovery efforts in the cove and the potential outcomes of a collaboration between a non-governmental organization and a fishing community working towards the restoration of this pen-shell fishery. After more than four years of closure and active monitoring of the recovering process, the callo de hacha population has shown a significant population recovery, with potential solvency for reopening fishing activities. Four scenarios of uncertainty are evaluated with two of them providing positive net present values from reopening the fishery. We also document the involvement of a non-governmental organization with a fishing community, which created social capital and, in our opinion, was essential for a successful restoration. Having an actively involved community helped raise funds for the fishing closure so fishers were able to comply with Mexican legislation; it also fostered community building and self-organization that will be crucial to maintaining the sustainability of the fishery.

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