Sustainable reference points for multispecies coral reef fisheries

Zamborain‐Mason, Jessica; Cinner, Joshua E.; MacNeil, M. Aaron; Graham, Nicholas A. J.; Hoey, Andrew S.; Beger, Maria; Brooks, Andrew J.; Booth, David; Edgar, Graham; Ferse, Sebastian C. A.; Friedlander, Alan M.; Gough, Charlie; Green, Alison; Mouillot, David; Polunin, Nicholas; Stuart‐Smith, Rick D.; Wantiez, Laurent; Williams, Ivor D.; Wilson, Shaun K.; Connolly, Sean R.

doi:10.1101/2022.09.14.508013

Cited by 3 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…In catch landing studies, fishing effort and measures of ocean energy and productivity were seldom recorded, which makes it difficult to evaluate their influences on this high variability. Modeling studies suggest ocean temperature and productivity, fisheries management, distance to people, coral cover, and reef characteristics influence biomass and production (McClanahan et al, 2019; McClanahan, D'Agata, et al, 2023; McClanahan, Darling, et al, 2023; Zamborain‐Mason et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Knowing r is important because recovery rates have the largest effect on estimates of MSY, as per Equation () (McClanahan, 2018b). The current state of the literature suggests some difficulties with estimating and generalizing production in tropical reefs without knowledge of r , K , and fishing effort (i.e., Newton et al, 2007; Zamborain‐Mason et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, two global compilations found the mean landed fish had high variation of 4.8 ± 3.5 (SD) tons/km 2 /year from 67 studies (McClanahan, 2018a; Samoilys et al, 2017). A more individualized reef biomass modeling approach estimates a mean of ~5.5 tons/km 2 /year but a larger range of 2.5–20.6 tons/km 2 /year (Zamborain‐Mason et al, 2023). In catch landing studies, fishing effort and measures of ocean energy and productivity were seldom recorded, which makes it difficult to evaluate their influences on this high variability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(McClanahan, 2018b). The current state of the literature suggests some difficulties with estimating and generalizing production in tropical reefs without knowledge of r, K, and fishing effort (i.e., Newton et al, 2007;Zamborain-Mason et al, 2023). The semi-enclosed bay located leeward of Pemba and Zanzibar islands is likely to have low physical energy of waves and currents, thereby causing the low fisheries production.…”

Section: Causes Of Low Yieldsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Along the African coastline, this often entails reducing fishing pressure to promote stock recovery (McClanahan & Muthiga, 2016; Rehren et al, 2020; Robertson et al, 2018). Stock biomass is closely associated with the biodiversity of fish and other ecological resilience characteristics of fish communities (Graham et al, 2017; McClanahan, 2022; Zamborain‐Mason et al, 2023). Large‐scale studies suggest a series of ecological thresholds associated with fish biomass that will have consequences for ecological processes, such as fisheries production and reef growth (McClanahan, Graham, et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Low optimal fisheries yield creates challenges for sustainability in a climate refugia

McClanahan,

Kosgei

2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Reducing resource depletion and promoting ecosystem‐based management are considered key climate change adaptation policies. Therefore, the resource status of an identified climate refugia in a semi‐enclosed bay on the Kenya–Tanzania border was evaluated for sustainability. Both fisheries stock and catch assessment methods found low production and excess effort. Stock recovery in closures (up to 45 years) determined the best‐fit r and K values, which established a maximum sustainable production (MSY) of 2.98 ± 0.45 (SEM) tons/km2/year. Stock estimates in the bays' fishing grounds indicated that biomass was below the MSY and predicted to produce 1.8 ± 1.0 (SEM) or 1.1 ton/km2/year below the optimal MSY. However, landed fish at five studied fishing villages varied greatly from 0.22 to 2.9 tons/km2/year. MSY in the refugia was therefore considerably lower than estimates in nearby ocean‐exposed locations, which has been estimated at 5–7 tons/km2/year. Therefore, low to modest capture rates of fish will be required to allow the recovery needed to achieve sustainability and restore the refugia's ecology. The refugia's highest stocks and near‐MSY yields were captured in the national reserve. Therefore, broader implementation of the reserve's gear‐restriction policies should restore fisheries. High spatial variability in yield patterns indicate interactions between fisheries management, compliance, trade connections, and governance. In climate refugia, reducing cumulative impacts will require knowing and managing for lower fisheries production limits.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Causes Of Low Yieldsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Low optimal fisheries yield creates challenges for sustainability in a climate refugia

McClanahan,

Kosgei

2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Study of the coastal reef fishery pressure in a South Pacific Island (Bora-Bora, French Polynesia)

Gatouillat,

Gairin,

Minier

et al. 2024

Aquat. Living Resour.

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In the context of the general overexploitation of South Pacific reef fisheries, there is a global push to precisely define fishery parameters such as fishing effort, annual landings, and exploitation levels. In Bora-Bora, several surveys were performed to define the fishing grounds and the fishing effort of the reef fishery for the first time. Maps of the fishing grounds under different fishing pressures were created for the Bora-Bora reef fishery. The average fishing effort throughout the lagoon was 40 trips week−1 km−2. Annual landings were estimated following two different methods: school participatory surveys and landing based on the catch per unit effort. These estimations were used to determine that the maximum sustainable yield of the island's fisheries was 6.5 tons km−2 year−1. the reported annual yield in 2022 was 5.35 tons km−2 year−1, under the estimated maximum sustainable yield. The level of exploitation of the fisheries was also estimated based on the catch size composition of the ten most fished species. This revealed that fishing is responsible for more than 50% of fish mortality in six of the ten studied species, and that catch length could be increased to optimize both catches and biomass. Overall, the Bora-Bora reef fishery may be experiencing growth overfishing (i.e., the catching of fish that are too small to maximise biological sustainability and economical yield), which can endanger stock recruitment in the future if no actions are taken.

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Coral reef fish biomass and nutrient availability losses from thermal stress

Zamborain-Mason,

Eurich,

Viana

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

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Thermal stress driven by climate change is a major threat to tropical coral reef ecosystems1, with marine heatwaves expected to increase in frequency and intensity throughout the century. While corals are most often the focus of impacts2,3, thermal associated changes on reef fishes may lead to important flow-on effects for the nutrients available for people dependent on reef fisheries for food4. Here, we examine the cumulative impacts of thermal stress on reef fish assemblages between 1996 and 2020 to project the potential impacts of different climate change scenarios on reef fish biomass and associated nutrients available to human populations. We show that reefs that have experienced greater thermal stress in the past tend to have less reef fish biomass across all trophic guilds, and reduced nutrient availability across all nutrients. Applying such association to future thermal stress projections implies a continued decline in reef fish biomass and nutrient provision throughout the century. However, spatial variability in thermal stress projections pinpoints the locations and reef-based food systems that could (i) suffer the largest biomass and nutrient availability losses, and (ii) benefit the most from implementen climate mitigation strategies. Overall, our study provides empirical evidence that both climate change mitigation and adaptation are needed to bolster reef fish assemblages and associated tropical nutrition security.

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Sustainable reference points for multispecies coral reef fisheries

Cited by 3 publications

References 61 publications

Low optimal fisheries yield creates challenges for sustainability in a climate refugia

Low optimal fisheries yield creates challenges for sustainability in a climate refugia

Study of the coastal reef fishery pressure in a South Pacific Island (Bora-Bora, French Polynesia)

Coral reef fish biomass and nutrient availability losses from thermal stress

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