Risks of shifting baselines highlighted by anecdotal accounts of New Zealand's snapper (<i>Pagrus auratus</i>) fishery

Parsons, Darren M.; Morrison, Mark A.; MacDiarmid, Alison; Stirling, Bruce; Cleaver, Phillip D.; Smith, Ian; Butcher, Maria

doi:10.1080/00288330909510054

Cited by 30 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In order to quantify how the experiences of fishermen have changed over time, we consider primarily the methodological approach used by Sáenz-Arroyo et al (2005a, b), Bunce et al (2008), and Parson et al (2009) who first tested quantitatively and qualitatively shifting baselines in coastal and island environments. Surveys and interviews were conducted between January and March 2010.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting Baselines in the Galapagos White Fin Fishery, Using Fisher’s Anecdotes to Reassess Fisheries Management: The Case of the Galapagos Grouper

Burbano¹,

Mena²,

Guarderas

et al. 2013

Social and Ecological Interactions in the Galapagos Islands

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study links social and ecological aspects of the white fin fishery in San Cristobal Island. This is a traditional fishery focused at first on the Galapagos grouper (Mycteroperca olfax), a top predator and an iconic species of the archipelago as part of a traditional dish to celebrate Easter on the continent. We used anecdotal information and perceptions provided by three generations of fisherman to understand the impacts of fishing on the dried and salted fishery. Significant differences were found among fishers' groups surveyed and interviewed for this study. The oldest group indicated a greater past abundance of the Galapagos grouper than the other two younger age groups. The close relationship between fishers and their activity have generated certain knowledge about marine environments, its species, and the dynamics developed in their fishing areas, creating a perception of changes in this fishery.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting Baselines in the Galapagos White Fin Fishery, Using Fisher’s Anecdotes to Reassess Fisheries Management: The Case of the Galapagos Grouper

Burbano¹,

Mena²,

Guarderas

et al. 2013

Social and Ecological Interactions in the Galapagos Islands

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, systematic data collection is usually lacking for recreational fisheries [ 10 ], and researchers have thus turned to alternative sources of data to evaluate catch and size trends. These include fishing club data [ 13 , 14 ], personal diaries [ 15 ], logbook records [ 16 ], magazines [ 17 ] and photographs [ 18 ]. However, many of these sources are not commonly available and access may be restricted (e.g., fishing club records, logbooks), or comparable data through time are rare (e.g., photographs).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Popular media records reveal multi-decadal trends in recreational fishing catch rates

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite threats to human wellbeing from ecological degradation, public engagement with this issue remains at low levels. However, studies have shown that crafting messages to resonate with people’s personal experiences can enhance engagement. Recreational fishing is one of the principal ways in which people interact with aquatic environments, but long-term data from this perspective are considered rare. We uncovered 852 popular media records of recreational fishing for an Australian estuary across a 140-year period. Using information contained in these articles we analysed the species composition of recreational catches over time and constructed two distinct time series of catch and effort (n fish fisher-1 trip-1; kg fish fisher-1 trip-1) for recreational fishing trips and fishing club competitions (mean n and kg fish caught across all competitors, and n and kg fish caught by the competition winner). Reported species composition remained similar over time. Catch rates reported from recreational fishing trips (1900–1998) displayed a significant decline, averaging 32.5 fish fisher-1 trip-1 prior to 1960, and 18.8 fish fisher-1 trip-1 post-1960. Mean n fish fisher-1 competition-1 (1913–1983) also significantly declined, but best n fish fisher-1 competition-1 (1925–1980) displayed no significant change, averaging 31.2 fish fisher-1 competition-1 over the time series. Mean and best kg fish fisher-1 competition-1 trends also displayed no significant change, averaging 4.2 and 9.9 kg fisher-1 competition-1, respectively. These variable trends suggest that while some fishers experienced diminishing returns in this region over the last few decades, the most skilled inshore fishers were able to maintain their catch rates, highlighting the difficulties inherent in crafting conservation messages that will resonate with all sections of a community. Despite these challenges, this research demonstrates that popular media sources can provide multiple long-term trends at spatial scales, in units and via a recreational experience that many people can relate to.

show abstract

“…Such a situation can result in tension, as some stakeholder groups may be differentially responsible for and affected by localised depletion. For snapper in the Hauraki Gulf, localised depletion and resulting resentment towards management agencies and between stakeholder groups has been present since the early 20th century (Parsons et al 2009). Furthermore, fishery extraction and management responses to fishing may inadvertently favour one life-history component over the other.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in morphology and life-history strategy of an exploited sparid fish

Parsons

Morrison

Gillanders

et al. 2016

Mar. Freshwater Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Defining appropriate management units to balance productivity and yield of exploited species is fundamental to effective resource management. Anecdotal and tag-recapture information related to morphology, movement behaviour and life-history strategy suggest that separate groups of snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) exist in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. To address the existence of discrete groups, we examined morphology, meristics and otolith chemistry from snapper collected throughout the Hauraki Gulf. We also used tag-recapture information, stable isotope analysis and interpreted functional aspects of morphology and meristics data to understand potential life-history strategy differences. Snapper from rocky reef habitats did not display morphology and meristic features distinct from snapper from soft sediment habitats and differences in otolith chemistry and stable isotope ratios could respectively be explained by a locational influence and predominance of kelp in rocky reef food webs. Conversely, snapper collected from a known spawning area had distinct morphological and meristic features consistent with semi-pelagic sparids and stable isotope analysis also indicated a potentially more pelagic and higher trophic-level diet. Maintenance of population complexity such as this is generally beneficial to fish populations, and can be achieved by revisiting the spatial units used for fishery management.

show abstract

Risks of shifting baselines highlighted by anecdotal accounts of New Zealand's snapper (Pagrus auratus) fishery

Abstract: Anecdotal data sources may constitute an important component of the information available about an exploited species, as record keeping may not have occurred until after exploitation began. Here,

Cited by 30 publications

References 17 publications

Shifting Baselines in the Galapagos White Fin Fishery, Using Fisher’s Anecdotes to Reassess Fisheries Management: The Case of the Galapagos Grouper

Shifting Baselines in the Galapagos White Fin Fishery, Using Fisher’s Anecdotes to Reassess Fisheries Management: The Case of the Galapagos Grouper

Popular media records reveal multi-decadal trends in recreational fishing catch rates

Variation in morphology and life-history strategy of an exploited sparid fish

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About