Revealing the Effectiveness of Fisheries Policy: A Biological Observation of Species Johnius belengerii in Xiamen Bay

Abstract

The rapid development of China’s economy has brought tremendous pressure to the marine ecosystem, and about 57% of marine fish populations have been overexploited or collapsed. A series of fisheries policies have been implemented successively to improve the decline of resources. Over the past decade, the fisheries sector has particularly increased focus on resource and ecosystem sustainability, which has led to the wider use of stock management policies in China. Therefore, fishery resource assessment is crucial, such as assessing the long-term changes in biological information. This study is based on biological characteristics of Johnius belengerii captured by bottom trawls in Xiamen Bay during two periods, beginning in 2006 and 2016. Length composition, length–weight relationship, growth, mortality, sexual maturation, and feeding intensity were analyzed. The changes in biological characteristics show that there is a phenomenon of improvement in the later period, of which the changes are closely related to a series of fisheries management strategies, such as setting closed fishing periods and non-fishing areas, and establishing fishery restoration marine protected areas. This result seems to reveal the effectiveness of a long-term series of fisheries policies. It can provide an important basis and visibility for management effectiveness.

Urban Governance, Economic Transformation, and Land Use: A Case Study on the Jimei Peninsula, Xiamen, China, 1936–2023

“…As Xiamen is a pilot city of the United Nations, the governance of its coastal zone must focus on the protection and use of marine resources [63,64,[81][82][83]; for example, the restoration of fishery resources and marine species [84]. However, the interviewees said that the artificialization of the coastal zone has left organisms with no place to hide.…”

The Transformation of Coastal Governance Pattern from Human Ecology to Political Ecology—A Case Study of Jimei Peninsula, Xiamen, China

“…During the rapid economic development process in the surrounding waters of the Jimei Peninsula, various issues have emerged [87] , including sedimentation in the ocean [88] , heavy metal pollution [89,90] , reduction in species diversity [91] , habitat compression for protected animals [39] , embryonic deformities in fish [92,93] , overfishing [94] , as well as concerns regarding residents' health [95,96] and food safety [91,97] . As a pilot city recognized by the United Nations, Xiamen's coastal governance must focus on the protection and utilization of marine resources [17,23,36,37,98] , aiming to enhance positive outcomes such as the recovery of fishery resources and the restoration of marine species [99].…”

Marine Fisheries Management

“…The effectiveness of fisheries policies was evaluated by Huang et al [5], who collected the biological information (length composition, length-weight relationship, growth, mortality, sexual maturity, and feeding intensity) of Johnius belengerii in Xiamen Bay in two Acknowledgments: The author wishes to thank all the contributors to and reviewers of this Special Issue.…”

“…The results, in addition to showing indicators of demographic expansion (which was affected by the Pleistocene glacial cycles) and human introduction, highlighted the possible dispersal routes of P. pelagicus throughout Southeast Asia. In the second study [5], an analysis of partial sequences from the mitochondrial control region allowed the authors to determine the population genetic structure, phylogeography and historical demography of Portunus sanguinolentus in East Asia. The results suggested that several past and present habitat configurations have shaped the genetic patterns of P. sanguinolentus to date.…”