An integrated biogeographic assessment of reef fish populations and fisheries in Dry Tortugas: Effects of No-take Reserves

The Tortugas Integrated Biogeographic Assessment presents a unique analysis of demographic changes in living resource populations, as well as societal and socioeconomic benefits that resulted from the Tortugas Ecological Reserves during the first five years after their implementation. In 2001, state and federal agencies established two no-take reserves within the region as part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The northern reserve (Tortugas Ecological Reserve North) was established adjacent to the Dry Tortugas National Park, which was first declared a national monument in 1935. The reserves were designed to protect a healthy coral reef ecosystem that supports diverse faunal assemblages and fisheries, serves as important spawning grounds for groupers and snappers, and includes essential feeding and breeding habitats for seabirds. The unique ecological qualities of the Tortugas region were recognized as far back as 1850, and it remains an important ecosystem and research area today. The two main goals of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Integrated Ecological Assessment were: 1) to determine if demographic changes such as increases in abundance, average size and spawning potential of exploited populations occurred in the Tortugas region after reserve implementation; and 2) whether short-term economic losses occurred to fishers displaced by the reserve. This project utilized a biogeographic approach in which information on the physical features (i.e., habitat) and oceanographic patterns were first used to determine the spatial distribution of selected fish populations within and outside the Tortugas Ecological Reserve. Before-and-after reserve implementation comparisons of selected fish populations were then conducted to determine if demographic changes occurred in reef fish assemblages. These comparisons were done for the Tortugas region and also for a subset of available habitats within the Tortugas Ecological Reserve Study Area. Social and economic impacts of the reserves were determined through: 1) analyses of commercial landings and revenues from fishers, operating in the Tortugas region before and after reserve implementation and 2) surveys of recreational tour guides. Analyses of the commercial landings and revenues excluded areas inside Dry Tortugas National Park because commercial fishing has been prohibited within park boundaries since 1992. Key findings and outcomes of this integrated ecological assessment are organized by chapter and listed below.

Aquaculture and food security, poverty alleviation and nutrition in Ghana: Case study prepared for the Aquaculture for Food Security, Poverty Alleviation and Nutrition project

This study provides an overview of the aquaculture sector in Ghana. It assesses the actual and potential contribution of aquaculture to poverty reduction and food security, and identifies enabling conditions for and drivers of the development of Ghana’s aquaculture sector. The study uses data collected from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including key informant interviews with actors within the aquaculture sector and relevant secondary literature.

Vocational education and fisheries

Vocational courses in fisheries are offered in 4 states in India. The technologies in fisheries developed offer good scope for vocational training for self employment. There is an urgent need to have radical revision of the course content to make the students vocationally competent.