Emerging Issues and Methodological Advances in Fisheries Reproductive Biology

Abstract

Although incorporating detailed reproductive data into all stock assessments is not a practical goal, the need to understand how reproductive biology affects population productivity is being increasingly recognized. More research focused on reproductive biology—coupled with a shift towards a resilience perspective in fisheries science—is resulting in challenges to many long‐held assumptions; the emergence of important new issues; and identification of the need to improve data and methods used in reproductive studies. Typically, data for reproductive studies are based on an assessment of gonadal development, which is most accurately evaluated with histology. This special section of Marine and Coastal Fisheries contains contributions from a workshop on the gonadal histology of fishes that was held in Cadiz, Spain, during June 2009. These papers cover a wide range of species and reproductive topics while introducing improved and new histological techniques. In this introduction, we address the following needs: (1) to employ standardization, thereby improving our ability to conduct comparative studies; (2) to better understand patterns of gonadal development and spawning events over time; and (3) to move beyond the spawning stock biomass paradigm. We identify the contributions of special section papers to these topics and conclude by suggesting needs for future research and integration of reproductive data into both conceptual and quantitative models to better understand how reproductive performance affects population dynamics.

Reproductive cycle of Bolinus brandaris (Gastropoda: Muricidae) in the Ria Formosa lagoon (southern Portugal)

“…1999) and sperm degeneration (Amor et al 2005). The few studies available on the reproductive cycle of B. brandaris were also performed with populations from the Mediterranean Sea, namely in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) (Ramón & Amor 2002) and Andalucía (southern Spain) (Tirado et al 2002).Recent literature has highlighted the need for a better understanding of fisheries reproductive biology, both at the individual and population levels (Lowerre-Barbieri et al 2011). As with other resources, rational decision making and sustainable management of commercially exploited gastropod species require reliable information on key aspects of the target species' biology, including the detailed description of the reproductive cycle.…”

Using mariculture as a breeding site: reproduction of <em><em>Hypleurochilus fissicornis</em></em> (Actinopterygii: Blenniidae)

“…Slides were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and analysed under a light microscope to characterize the maturity stage of females and males and to confirm the macroscopic identification of gonadal stages. The characterization of the development of female germ cells was based on Lowerre-Barbieri et al (2013), while the maturity stage for females and males was prepared according to Vazzoler (1996) and Brown-Peterson et al (2011). The sex ratio (monthly and by length classes) was analysed by a χ 2 test, with a degree of freedom of 1 and a significance of 0.05 (χ 2 > 3.84), according to Vazzoler (1996).…”

Health and reproduction of red mullet, Mullus barbatus, in the western Mediterranean Sea

“…atretic oocytes (Muñoz et al, 2010). To describe the developmental stage of the oocytes, we used the terminology employed by (Lowerre-Barbieri et al, 2011): primary growth (PG), cortical alveolar (CA), vitellogenesis (VIT1 and VIT2), maturation (OM), hydrated oocytes (H) and atresia. On the other hand, we used the presence of specific histological markers to classify our specimens into four ovarian developmental phases, following : regenerating (REG) -sexually mature but reproductively inactive; developing (DEV) -gametes begin to develop; spawning capable (SC) -advanced, developed gametes ready for the spawning season; and regressing (REGR) -massive atresia which indicates the end of the reproductive cycle.…”