An Inverted Management Strategy for the Fishery of Endangered Marine Species

Abstract

Overfishing is notorious for triggering population collapses and disrupting marine biological functioning worldwide. To counter such a threat, policy-makers have created and implemented multiple management strategies, but most were incapable to prevent the decline of several key species. Here, we discuss a new management strategy in force since June 2019 in Brazil that aims to deter the overfishing of parrotfish species of the genera Scarus and Sparisoma. This innovative strategy, here referred to as inverted management, allows the capture of endangered parrotfish species inside management areas, such as partially protected marine areas—MPAs, but bans it elsewhere. This initiative is supposed to be built in a partnership among the government, scientists, managers, and fishers. If implemented correctly, endangered species would recover in the much larger area outside MPAs, and fishers would benefit from the conservation-value of the scarce and valued product. However, to succeed, the strategy depends on the adoption of a series of challenging management rules that are not currently being enforced along an extensive coastline. So far, few MPAs have incorporated rules for endangered species in their management plan, and those that have done so have no plans or the means to enforce them. Therefore, fishing of endangered species is currently ongoing without any management or monitoring in the entire Brazilian coast. Concerned with the challenges to develop plans to recover populations of endangered species faced by Brazilian managers, we suggest wide communication and a ban on the fisheries until management plans are implemented. Additionally, we suggest that the effectiveness of the inverted management strategy for parrotfishes should be assessed before it’s applied to other endangered species.

Effectiveness of management zones for recovering parrotfish species within the largest coastal marine protected area in Brazil

“…A new management strategy in force since June 2019 in Brazil, has been introduced to deter the overfishing of parrotfish species 54 . This innovative strategy, “ inverted management ”, allows the capture of endangered species inside management areas, such as partially-protected marine areas (MPAs), while it remains banned elsewhere.…”

Trait groups as management entities in a complex, multispecies reef fishery

“…To manage this group with the TBAM framework, actions such as prioritizing local subsistence exploitation over commercial export or placing size restrictions on catches could help maintain biomass and key functions (i.e., herbivory) while enabling some fishing of an important group of species. It may also be practical to have some more targeted management within large trait groups, such as widely employed restrictions on parrotfish (Pinheiro et al., 2021) or on morphologically similar species (to facilitate communication and enforcement of any restrictions) and species‐specific actions, such as bans for Bolbometopon muricatum (Roff et al., 2017). The TBAM approach also offers a way to prioritize.…”

Genetic structure of the threatened Gray Parrotfish (Sparisoma axillare) in the Southwestern Atlantic

“…Given the wide distribution of the endemic S. axillare across Brazilian reefs, the level of exploitation and general threats to reef habitats, it is valuable to characterize the genetic structure of this species in order to guide management and conservation actions. A recently published recovery plan that focused on parrotfishes in Brazil, including S. axillare, suggested that exploitation of these species should only occur inside IUCN category IV protected areas (a category that allows a sustainable level of exploitation) under specific rules, and be banned elsewhere (Pinheiro et al 2021). In light of this, knowledge of gene flow between protected and unprotected areas can assist managing for population sustainability.…”