What are we protecting? Fisher behavior and the unintended consequences of spatial closures as a fishery management tool

Abbott, Joshua K.; Haynie, Alan C.

doi:10.1890/11-1319.1

Cited by 126 publications

(84 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…More recently, conservation and fisheries management goals have been converging (Gaines et al 2010;Rice et al 2012) under more inclusive ecosystem-based management (EBM) regimes (Salomon et al 2011). Implementing such closed areas remains controversial (Gell and Roberts 2003;Abbott and Haynie 2012), particularly in temperate seas where evidence of their effectiveness in meeting management objectives is often lacking (Auster and Shackell 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of closing bottom trawling on fisheries, biodiversity, and fishing communities in a boreal marine ecosystem: the Hawke Box off Labrador, Canada

Kincaid

Rose

2017

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

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Abstract:The Hawke Box is an offshore area (8610 km 2 ) of the boreal Northwest Atlantic that at the request of local fishers was closed to trawling and gillnetting in 2003, but remained open to seasonal snow crab (Chionocetes opilio) pot fishing. Closure was a precautionary management measure primarily to sustain the crab fishery and secondarily to conserve cod known to aggregate there. Fall (1996Fall ( -2013Fall ( ) and spring (1996Fall ( -2003Fall ( , 2015 surveys indicated that biological community assemblages changed significantly before-after and inside-outside the closure (PERMANOVA P < 0.01). Crab fishery data (1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013) indicated that landings and relative production declined throughout the region after closure, but was significantly more outside than inside. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) increased inside and outside the closure, and several other demersal species increased significantly more inside. The Hawke Box provides a unique boreal area for the study of restrictions on trawling and gillnetting in an area with historically strong fisheries, restrictions that are strongly supported by local fishers. The overall evidence suggests that within a decade the Hawke Box has benefited fisheries communities, fisheries production, and biodiversity conservation.Résumé : La Hawke Box est une zone extracôtière (8610 km 2 ) de l'Atlantique Nord-Ouest boréal qui, à la demande de pêcheurs locaux, a été fermée à la pêche au chalut et au filet maillant en 2003, mais est demeurée ouverte à la pêche au casier saisonnière au crabe des neiges (Chionoecetes opilio). La fermeture constituait une mesure de gestion préventive visant en premier lieu à soutenir la pêche au crabe et, en deuxième lieu, à conserver les morues qui se regroupent dans cette zone. Des évaluations automnales (1996-2013) et printanières (1996-2003, 2015) indiquent que les assemblages de la communauté biologique ont changé de manière significative après la fermeture et diffèrent selon qu'ils sont à l'intérieur ou à l'extérieur de la zone visée par la fermeture (P de l'analyse PERMANOVA < 0,01). Des données sur la pêche au crabe (1996-2013) indiquent que les débarquements et la production relative ont baissé dans toute la région après la fermeture, mais significativement plus à l'extérieur qu'à l'intérieur de la zone de fermeture. L'abondance de la morue (Gadus morhua) a augmenté tant à l'intérieur qu'à l'extérieur de la zone, et celle de plusieurs autres espèces démersales a augmenté significativement plus à l'intérieur de la zone. La Hawke Box constitue une zone boréale unique pour l'étude des restrictions sur la pêche au chalut et au filet maillant dans une région caractérisée par des pêches traditionnellement fortes, restrictions fortement soutenues par les pêcheurs locaux. Dans l'ensemble, les données probantes portent à croire que, en une décennie, la Hawke Box a été bénéfique pour les collectivités de pêcheurs, la production des pêches et la conservat...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of closing bottom trawling on fisheries, biodiversity, and fishing communities in a boreal marine ecosystem: the Hawke Box off Labrador, Canada

Kincaid

Rose

2017

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

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“…Moreover it neglects to consider possible adaptation of the fishermen to the new conditions. These aspects have proven to be important (Salas and Gaertner 2004;Abbott and Haynie 2012) and could be included by adding a dynamic model of the fleet spatial behaviour, linked to the fishing costs and the prices of the fish. Several models that incorporate these effects are documented in the literature (Wilen et al 2002;Grafton et al 2005;Dowling et al 2011), but in order to better anticipate the possible re-allocation of effort in response the implementation of an MPA, we need first to deepen our understanding of fisher behaviour (Salas and Gaertner 2004;Torres-Irineo et al 2011;Abbott and Haynie 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the effect of marine protected areas on the population of skipjack tuna in the Indian Ocean

Dueri

Maury

2012

Aquat. Living Resour.

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-The benefits of implementing no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for the conservation of highly migratory species are not easy to assess. They depend on several factors, such as the fish mobility, fisher behaviour and the area covered by the MPA with respect to the distribution area of the species to protect. In this study, we explore the simultaneous effects of MPAs and fishing scenarios on skipjack tuna population dynamics, using the spatially-explicit APECOSM-E model. The model represents the size-structured population dynamics of skipjack tuna in the Indian Ocean and their dependence on climatic variability and exploitation by fisheries. Numerical experiments were run from the beginning of industrial fisheries in the early 1980s to the year 2030, considering different scenarios for the future development of fisheries. These scenarios combined different trends in fishing effort and technological development, either assuming a continuous increase following historical trends or a stabilization of these factors at present values. The simulations were designed to explore the effects of two MPAs of different size and location: the recently established Chagos MPA, and a hypothetical MPA covering a large part of the Western Indian Ocean, where most of the skipjack catches are presently made. We modelled the redistribution of fishing effort around the MPAs assuming that the fishers had partial knowledge of the spatial distribution of the skipjack population. The effects of the two MPAs on the population dynamics, catch and fishing mortality are shown. Our results revealed a very minor effect of the Chagos MPA on the skipjack tuna population, while the Western Indian Ocean MPA had an important impact on the fishing mortality and succeeded in stabilizing the spawning population. The simulations also showed that the effect of an MPA depends on the evolution of fisheries and it is therefore important to explore different fishery scenarios to assess the future benefits of an MPA.

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“…The history of fisheries management is replete with examples of such unintended consequences [2,31], for example with attempts to control total fishing effort regularly undermined by the ingenuity of fishers in substituting between various forms of controlled and uncontrolled effort i.e. when restrictions on the number of vessels results in increased vessel or engine size.…”

Section: Challenges and Design Considerations For Nudges In Recreatiomentioning

confidence: 99%

When push comes to shove in recreational ﬁshing compliance, think ‘nudge’

Mackay¹,

Putten²,

Sibly³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Enforcing compliance with rules and regulations in recreational fisheries has proved difficult due to factors such as the high number of participants and costs of enforcement, the absence of regular monitoring of recreational fishing activity, and the inherent difficulties in accurately determining catch levels. The effectiveness of traditional punitive deterrence is limited, yet current management is heavily reliant on this compliance approach. In this paper, the potential of behavioural based management is considered through a narrative review of the relevant literature; specifically, exploring the use of nudges, which aim through subtle changes and indirect suggestion to make certain decisions more salient, thereby improving voluntary compliance. This concept is explored with specific reference to the compliance of fishers within Australian recreational fisheries. There are only a few examples of behavioural based approaches found. However, based on their theoretical foundations, nudges may represent an inexpensive, and potentially highly effective tool for recreational fisheries management. Nudges do not offer a 'quick fix' to cases where traditional policy instruments have failed. Rather, there is the potential for behavioural nudges (based on framing, changing the physical environment, presenting default options, and social norms) to augment and complement existing deterrence regimes. A number of potential nudges for compliance management in recreational fisheries are suggested, but caution is advised. As with any novel management approach, nudges must be rigorously tested to demonstrate their cost-effectiveness and to avoid unintended consequences.

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What are we protecting? Fisher behavior and the unintended consequences of spatial closures as a fishery management tool

Cited by 126 publications

References 52 publications

Effects of closing bottom trawling on fisheries, biodiversity, and fishing communities in a boreal marine ecosystem: the Hawke Box off Labrador, Canada

Effects of closing bottom trawling on fisheries, biodiversity, and fishing communities in a boreal marine ecosystem: the Hawke Box off Labrador, Canada

Modelling the effect of marine protected areas on the population of skipjack tuna in the Indian Ocean

When push comes to shove in recreational ﬁshing compliance, think ‘nudge’

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