Gewinnmaximierung der Fischerei schützt den Dorsch der westlichen Ostsee vor Überfischung – Nur ein theoretischer Ansatz ?

Profit maximization in fishery protects cod of western Baltic Sea against overfishing – Only a theoretical approach? The frame for the management of fish stocks politically given contains – apart from ecological and social goals – also an economic goal, which is considered here in particular. From the point of view of fishery enterprises the main management goal for the exploitation of fish stocks is the maximization of profit. There are models for the yield optimization since long time. They are mainly used so far to optimize fishing mortality. Here the Beverton and Holt yield model was used. Apart from the optimization of fishing effort the model was used to optimize age of first capture and thus mesh opening. Starting point of the considerations is a given age group of a fish stock. If this age group is completely fished the yield obtained from this age group is maximized. The investigations show that the term overfishing is not exclusively linked as frequently assumed with a too large fishing mortality, but likewise with a mismatch of the mesh opening. For the calculated example Baltic cod data are used. At present the cod is caught far from reaching its mass optimum. Therefore, the profit of fishery enterprises can in the long term be considerably increased by the optimization of the mesh opening. During the conversion from the state of the art to fishing with optimised mesh sizes, however, a loss of profit has to be expected. The title of the paper sounds provocative. However, the stock of the Baltic Sea cod is better protected by a long-term maximum-profit oriented exploitation than by the precautionary approach applied now.

Ist die Steigerung des dauerhaften Fischereiertrages durch Maschengrößenoptimierung möglich?

The management of a fish aimed at maximising the fishing yield of the managed fish stock. There are models for the yield optimisation since long time. They are used so far mainly to optimise the fishing mortality. Starting point of this paper is a number of fish of an age group of a fish stock. This age group is accompanied over its lifetime. A result of the investigations is that the term growth over-fishing is linked not as frequently assumed exclusive with a too large fishing mortality, but likewise with a mismatch of the mesh opening. The investigations show that the fishing yield increases with the fishing effort on condition that fishing is carried out with an optimised mesh opening. For the calculated example Baltic cod data are used. At present the cod is caught far before reaching the yield optimum. Now the fish is substantially too small when it is caught and did not reach its optimal mass at this time. Therefore the sustainable fishing yield could be increased considerably by the optimasation of the mesh opening. During the conversion from the state of the art to fishing with optimised mesh sizes, however, a loss of profit has to be expected. A further advantage of the mesh enlargement is an increase of the spawning stock size accompanying with it, since the fish is caught at a later age. By the use of substantially larger mesh openings the cod has the opportunity to spawn several times and generate descendants and this will also lead to an increased yield in future. In addition better prices could be obtained at the market by catching larger cod.

Mississippi River sustenance of brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) in Louisiana coastal waters

Brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) are abundant along the Louisiana coast, a coastline that is heavily influenced by one of the world’s largest rivers, the Mississippi River. Stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur (CNS) isotopes of shrimp and their proventriculus (stomach) contents were assayed to trace riverine support of estuarine-dependent brown shrimp. Extensive inshore and of fshore collections were made in the Louisiana coastal zone during 1999–2006 to document shrimp movement patterns across the bay and shelf region. Results showed an unexpectedly strong role for nursery areas in the river delta in supporting the offshore fishery, with about 46% of immigrants to offshore regions arriving from riverine marshes. Strong river influences also were evident offshore, where cluster analysis of combined CNS isotope data showed three regional station groups related to river inputs. Two nearer-river mid-shelf station groups showed isotope values indicating river fertilization and productivity responses in the benthic shrimp food web, and a deeper offshore station group to the south and west showed much less river inf luence. At several mid-shelf stations where hypoxia is common, shrimp were anomalously 15N depleted versus their diets, and this d15N difference or mismatch may be useful in monitoring shrimp movement responses to hypoxia.