The status of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), in southern Scotland: a cause for concern

The objective of this article is to review the populations of Arctic charr in the south of Scotland which have become locally extinct, and the reasons for their demise. In the British Isles, the Arctic charr in individual lakes have been isolated from each other for thousands of years and have developed a variety of phenotypic characteristics which are probably genetically based. About 200 populations of Arctic charr have been recorded from different parts of the British Isles: approximately 12 in England, 50 in Ireland, 175 in Scotland and four in Wales. The threats to charr from acidification, afforestation, engineering schemes, angling and fish farming are assessed, and the establishment of new populations is proposed as a method of replacing extinct stocks or providing an additional safeguard for valuable stocks in threatened waters.

Artisanal fisheries status and sustainable management options in Teknaf coast, Bangladesh

The study was an endeavor to bring forward a concise, factual description of the salient features of the present status of artisanal fisheries resources and its management for sustainable development of fishing communities in Teknaf coast, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This study was conducted through 14 fishing villages of 4 Unions in Teknaf Upazila. As a hub of various fisheries deeds, a comprehensive coastal fisheries census, conducted on the coast during the study period, revealed that about 566 fishing fleet of two types, 1263 fishing gears of seven kinds, 6466 fishermen were being involved in fishing at Naaf river estuary. The catch composition of the coastal fishing was found 52 finfish species, 10 shrimp and 3 crabs. The unique potentialities provided by mostly affluent fisheries resources are needed to be tapped and channelized in the appropriate direction for maintaining a paragon of these fisheries resources of coastal area and for pursuing ecologically sustainable development via environment friendly intrinsic exploration and exploitation. “Community Based Fisheries Co-management” program should initiate immediately for the fisherman community of Naaf river estuary of Teknaf coastal region. This will go along way to help sustain the coastal fisheries resources with active participation of the fishermen

Current status of the fish stocks of Lake Victoria (Uganda)

A total of 457 hauls were taken during experimental bottom trawl surveys in the Uganda sector of Lake Victoria between November 1997 and June 1999 to estimate composition, distribution and abundance of the major fish species in waters 4-60 m deep. Fifteen fish groups were caught with Nile perch, Lates niloticus (L.), constituting 94% by weight. Haplochromines and L. niloticus occurred in all areas sampled, while Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and other tilapiines were restricted to waters 30 m deep or less. The mean trawl catch rate in the zone where artisanal fishermen operate (i.e. in waters less deep than 30 m was 165 kg hr, of which 93.6% comprised L. niloticus. Species diversity and relative abundance decreased with increasing water depth.

The status of the artisanal fishery of Lake Victoria, Kenya, with notes on improvements to the catch data collection system

Catch and effort assessment surveys have been used to assess trends in fish landings in Kenyan waters of Lake Victoria since 1976. Landings reached a maximum of 200000 t annually in 1989-1991 as Nile perch, Lates niloticus (L.), catches increased due to an expansion in stock size and increased fishing effort. CPUE peaked at 180 kg boat day-1 in 1989 and decreased thereafter with increasing effort. By 1998 total Nile perch catches were half those at the beginning of the decade despite increased effort. Catches of Rastrineobola argentea (Pellegrin) have levelled off despite increased effort.

Monitoring the trophic status of reservoirs

The current situation of regional, rather' than national, problems of eutrophication in standing waters has been widely aired in recent reports. A reliable, quantitative data base is a prerequisite to future trend monitoring, a concensus view of those reports. The objective of this report is to establish requirements, methodology and a minimal data set for nutrient and algae status in water supply reservoirs in England which may be used as a protocol for future trend monitoring.A pilot study has been carried out to assess the relative merits of different sampling strategies, the choice of which has major implications for the cost of sample collection. This short report suggests that consider the possibility of designating a few sites as ”baseline sites” at which detailed changes in trophic status as monitored by the more labour-intensive parameters would be collected on a regular, long term basis to help in the interpretation of the low cost survey results.

Preliminary report on the coarse fishery status in the River Lune with particular reference to the Lansil Fishery

This study takes a preliminary step towards investigating the reports of poor rod catches of coarse fish in the River Lune. These poor catches and concern over the possible loss of coarse fish from the Lower Lune is investigated, using creel census data from 1991. Historical data is used where available for comparative studies. The conclusion that this report comes to is that there is a problem with the recruitment of coarse fish within the population. Dace, roach and bream all show good growth rates but only poor if any recruitment. Historical investigations suggest that roach and bream may never have successfully recruited without artificial induced conditions. The situation with dace is of more concern as populations in other rivers in Northern England are also in decline, whilst historically they were naturally recruiting.

Biology and Management of the American Shad and Status of the Fisheries, Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1960

This paper summarizes current information on the American shad, Alosa sapidissima, and describes the species and its fishery. Emphasis is placed on (1) life history of the fish, (2) condition of the fishery by State and water areas in 1960 compared to 1896 when the last comprehensive description was made, (3) factors responsible for decline in abundance, and (4) management measures. The shad fishery has changed little over the past three-quarters of a century, except in magnitude of yield. Types of shad-fishing gear have remained relatively unchanged, but many improvements have been made in fishing techniques, mostly to achieve economy. In 1896 the estimated catch was more than 50 million pounds. New Jersey ranked first in production with about 14 million pounds, and Virginia second with 11 million pounds. In 1960 the estimated catch was slightly more than 8 million pounds. Maryland ranked first in production with slightly more than 1.5 million pounds, Virginia second with slightly less than 1.4 million pounds, and North Carolina third with about 1.3 million pounds. Biological and economic factors blamed for the decline in shad abundance, such as physical changes in the environment, construction of dams, pollution, over-fishing, and natural cycles of abundance, are discussed. Also discussed are methods used for the rehabilitation and management of the fishery, such as artificial propagation, installation of fish-passage facilities at impoundments, and fishing regulations. With our present knowledge, we can manage individual shad populations; but, we probably cannot restore the shad to its former peak of abundance.

Larval abundance of summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) as a measure of recruitment and stock status

Summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) is one of the most economically and ecologically important estuarine-dependent species in the northeastern United States. The status of the population is currently a topic of controversy. Our goal was to assess the potential of using larval abundance at ingress as another fishery independent measure of spawning stock biomass or recruitment. Weekly long-term ichthyoplankton time series were analyzed from Little Egg Inlet, New Jersey (1989–2006) and Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina (1986–2004). Mean size-at-ingress and stage were similar between sites, whereas timing of ingress and abundance at ingress were not similar. Ingress primarily occurred during the fall at Little Egg Inlet and the winter at Beaufort Inlet. These findings agree with those from earlier studies in which at least two stocks (one north and one south of Cape Hatteras) were identified with different spawning periods. Larval abundance at Little Egg Inlet has increased since the late 1990s and most individuals now enter the estuary earlier during the season of ingress. Abundance at Little Egg Inlet was correlated with an increase in spawning stock biomass, presumably because spawning by larger, more abundant fish during the late 1990s and early 2000s provided increased larval supply, at least in some years. Larval abundance at ingress at Beaufort Inlet was not correlated with spawning stock biomass or with larval abundance at ingress at Little Egg Inlet, further supporting the hypothesis of at least two stocks. Larval abundance at Little Egg Inlet could be used as a fishery-independent index of spawning stock size north of Cape Hatteras in future stock assessments. Larval occurrence at Beaufort Inlet may provide information on the abundance of the stock south of Cape Hatteras, but additional stock assessment work is required.