Management of wetland resources in the lower Mekong Basin: issues and future directions

The Lower Mekong Basin has extensive wetlands and these are being threatened by numerous problems. Most of these problems are interdependent and interact with one another. The lack of an appropriate definition of wetlands applicable to the region, pervasive inefficiencies and chronic lack of funds among riparian governments, and the poor appreciation of the true economic importance of wetlands and its resources are among the most prominent. The current definition, based on the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), is too broad when compared to the understanding of wetlands as being swamps, marshes and the like, and was developed specifically for wetlands with international importance as waterfowl habitats. Furthermore, wetlands are composed of different types of resources, which require different modes of management. Often, institutional competition, overlapping mandates and sometimes jealousies occur between government departments when they try to assert their authority on a particular wetland resource and use, and put forward their development plans without considering how these may conflict with other wetlands uses. Finally, effective wetland management requires reliable statistics or information on rate of harvest of natural resources such as fish and others, fishing/harvesting methods over time in order to determine the level of exploitation, and the status of the natural resources. This information is needed to identify opportunities for expansion, to establish historical trends, and to determine when management interventions are necessary to protect the resources from being overused by other developments. In order to address these issues, ICLARM - The World Fish Center has launched a project, the aim of objectives of which are described in this paper.

Low cost light traps for coral reef fishery research and sustainable ornamental fisheries

Two relatively inexpensive light traps to capture pre-settling reef fish and invertebrates are described. A trap made from a plastic bucket (with plastic bottles, a small plastic waste bin and two sheets of plywood) that costs US$15 appears to be just as effective as a large aluminium and plexiglass trap that costs US$275.

Indirect validation of the age-reading method for Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) using otoliths from marked and recaptured fish

Two examples of indirect validation are described for age-reading methods of Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus). Aging criteria that exclude faint translucent zones (checks) in counts of annuli and criteria that include faint zones were both tested. Otoliths from marked and recaptured fish were used to back-calculate the length of each fish at the time of its release by using measurements of the area of annuli. Estimated fish size at time of release and actual observed fish size were similar, supporting the assumption that translucent zones are laid down on an annual basis. A second method for validating reading criteria used otolith age and von Bertalanffy parameters, estimated from the tagging data, to predict how much each fish grew in length after tagging. We found that otolith aging criteria applied to otoliths from tagged and recovered Pacific cod predicted quite accurately the growth increments that we observed in these specimens. These results provide further evidence that the current aging criteria are not underestimating the age of the fish and support our current interpretation of checks (i.e., as subannual marks). We expect these indirect validations to advance age determination for Pacific cod, which in turn would enhance development of stock assessment methods based on age structure for this species in the eastern Bering Sea.

A High-Speed Fish Evisceration System (FES) for Bycatch and Underutilized Fish Stocks

Development of a high-speed and high-yield water-powered fish evisceration system (FES) to efficiently preprocess small fish and bycatch for producing minced fish meat is described. The concept of the system is propelling fish in a stream of water through an arrangement of cutting blades and brushes. Eviscerated fish are separated from the viscera and water stream in a dual screen rotary sieve. The FES processed head off fish, weighing 170–500 g, at the rate of 300 fish/min when used with an automatic heading machine. Yields of mince produced from walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma; and Pacific whiting, Merluccius productus; processed by the FES ranged between 43% and 58%. The maximum yield of minced muscle from fish weighing over 250 g was 52%, and the yield of 250 g was 58%. Test results indicated that surimi made from minced meat recovered from fish processed with the FES was comparable in quality to commercial grade surimi from conventional systems. Redesigned for commercial operation in the Faeroe Islands (Denmark), the system effectively processed North Atlantic blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou, with an average weight of 110 g at a constant rate of 500–600 fish/min, producing deboned mince feeding a surimi processing line at a rate of 2.0 t/h. Yields of mince ranged from 55% to 63% from round fish. Surimi made from the blue whiting mince meat produced by the FES was comparable to surimi commercially produced from blue whiting by Norway and France and sold into European markets.

Reef Habitats in the Middle Atlantic Bight: Abundance, Distribution, Associated Biological Communities, and Fishery Resource Use

One particular habitat type in the Middle Atlantic Bight is not well recognized among fishery scientists and managers, although it is will known and used by recreational and commercial fisheries. This habitat consists of a variety of hard-surface, elevated relief "reef" or reef-like environments that are widely distributed across the predominantly flat or undulating, sandy areas of the Bight and include both natural rocky areas and man-made structures, e.g. shipwrecks and artificial reefs. Although there are natural rock and shellfish reefs in southern New England coastal waters and estuaries throughout the Bight, most reef habitats in the region appear to be man-made reef habitat modification/creation may be increasing. Very little effort has been devoted to the study of this habitat's distribution, abundance, use by living marine resources and associated biological communities (except on estuarine oyster reefs) and fishery value or management. This poorly studied and surveyed habitat can provide fish refuge from trawls and can be a factor in studies of the distribution and abundance of a variety of reef-associated fishery resources. This review provides a preliminary summary of information found on relative distribution and abundance of reef habitat in the Bight, the living marine resources and biological communities that commonly use it, threats to this habitat and its biological resources, and the value or potential value of artificial reefs to fishery or habitat and its biological resources, and the value or potential value of artificial reefs to fishery or habitat managers. The purpose of the review is to initiate an awareness among resource managers about this habitat, its role in resource management, and the need for research.

Small-scale aquaculture for rural livelihoods: Proceedings of the Symposium on Small-scale aquaculture for increasing resilience of Rural Livelihoods in Nepal. 5-6 Feb 2009. Kathmandu, Nepal

Over the years, aquaculture has developed as one of the fastest growing food production sectors in Nepal. However, local fish supplies have been extremely inadequate to meet the ever increasing demand in the country. Nepal imports substantial quantities of fish and fish products from India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and elsewhere. Integration of pond aquaculture in existing crop-livestock-based farming system is believed to be effective in increasing local fish supply and diversifying livelihood options of a large number of small-holder farmers in southern plains (terai) and mid-hill valleys, thereby also increasing resilience of rural livelihoods. There is growing appreciation of the role of small-scale aquaculture in household food and nutrition security, income generation, and empowerment of women and marginalized communities. This book includes a total of 25 papers presented at the ‘Symposium on Small-scale Aquaculture for Increasing Resilience of Rural Livelihoods in Nepal’, held in Kathmandu on 5-6 February 2009. The papers cover technological, social, economic and environmental aspects of small-scale aquaculture development emerged from research and development initiatives of governmental, non-governmental and international research organizations in recent decad

Salmon stocks and fisheries in England and Wales, 2001. Preliminary assessment prepared for ICES, April 2002

This report presents a preliminary assessment of the state of salmon stocks and fisheries in England and Wales in 2001 to assist ICES in providing scientific advice to NASCO and to provide early feedback to fishery managers and anglers. The chief indicators of the state o f salmon stocks are normally the catches taken by rod and net fisheries. However, in 2001 angling was affected by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD), which restricted angling opportunities and access to rod fisheries in many parts of the country for lengthy periods. It is impossible to quantify the impact that FMD had on rod catches, although these were undoubtedly significantly reduced; net fisheries were unaffected by FMD. The declared salmon catch for 2001 (including those fish released alive by anglers) is provisionally estimated at 209 tonnes, representing some 57,000 fish, and comprising 153 tonnes (-43,000 fish) by nets and fixed engines and 56 tonnes (-14,000 fish) by rods. For direct comparison with previous years, it should be noted that the declared catch prior to the issue of a second reminder was about 49 tonnes (see below). An estimated 26 tonnes (43%) of the rod catch was released alive. These figures do not take account of catches of salmon which go unreported (including those taken illegally), and it is estimated that there may have been a total of 33 tonnes of additional fish caught in 2001; approximately 15% of all fish killed.

Feed the future aquaculture project: draft quarterly progress report, Jan-March 2013

The Feed the Future Aquaculture project is a five year transformative investment in aquaculture focused on 20 southern districts in Barisal, Khulna and Dhaka divisions, Bangladesh, which started in October 2011. This report describes the achievements of FtF-Aquaculture project activities implemented during the 6th quarter (January to March 2013) along with cumulative progress on FtF indicators. Due to the seasonality of fish and shrimp production, which is out of sync with the project year, final harvesting of aquaculture production was completed in this quarter. The achievements summarized below relate to progress of project activities. Progress against the FtF indicators that were not reported on previously are now included in this report.

Value chain analysis: shrimp, prawn and tilapia from the southern region of Bangladesh & feasibility analysis: brackish water sea-bass in the southern region in Bangladesh

The WorldFish Center is implementing the FtF Aquaculture Project in 20 southern districts in Bangladesh. The project is implemented under USAID’s Feed the Future initiative in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh. The project contributes to achieving the ‘Feed the Future’ goals through four objectives: (i) dissemination of improved quality fish and shrimp seed, (ii) improving the nutrition and income status of farm households, (iii) increasing investment, employment and fish production through commercial aquaculture and (iv) policy and regulatory reform and institutional capacity building to support sustainable aquaculture growth. The project commissioned this study to gather insights into the value chains of shrimp, prawn and tilapia in the project region and the feasibility of promoting culture of brackish water sea-bass in the region. The findings and recommendations are expected to provide the foundation for the project to design its interventions for achieving its goals.

Comparing autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and vessel-based tracking performance for locating acoustically tagged fish

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV’s) are increasingly used to collect physical, chemical, and biological information in the marine environment. Recent efforts include merging AUV technology with acoustic telemetry to provide information on the distribution and movements of marine fish. We compared surface vessel and AUV tracking capabilities under rigorous conditions in coastal waters near Juneau, Alaska. Tracking surveys were conducted with a REMUS 100 AUV equipped with an integrated acoustic receiver and hydrophone. The AUV was programmed to navigate along predetermined routes to detect both reference transmitters at 20–500 m depths and tagged fish and crabs in situ. Comparable boat surveys were also conducted. Transmitter depth had a major impact on tracking performance. The AUV was equally effective or better than the boat at detecting reference transmitters in shallow water, and significantly better for transmitters at deeper depths. Similar results were observed for tagged animals. Red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, at moderate depths were recorded by both tracking methods, while only the AUV detected Sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria, at depths exceeding 500 m. Strong currents and deep depths caused problems with AUV navigation, position estimation, and operational performance, but reflect problems encountered by other AUV applications that will likely diminish with future advances, enhanced methods, and increased use.

Survey and impact assessment of derelict fish traps in St. Thomas and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Since 2001, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment’s (CCMA) Biogeography Branch (BB) has been working with federal and territorial partners to characterize, monitor, and assess the status of the marine environment across the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). At the request of the St. Thomas Fisherman’s Association (STFA) and NOAA Marine Debris Program, CCMA BB developed new partnerships and novel technologies to scientifically assess the threat from derelict fish traps (DFTs). Traps are the predominant gear used for finfish and lobster harvesting in St. Thomas and St. John. Natural phenomena (ground swells, hurricanes) and increasing competition for space by numerous user groups have generated concern about increasing trap loss and the possible ecological, as well as economic, ramifications. Prior to this study, there was a general lack of knowledge regarding derelict fish traps in the Caribbean. No spatially explicit information existed regarding fishing effort, abundance and distribution of derelict traps, the rate at which active traps become derelict, or areas that are prone to dereliction. Furthermore, there was only limited information regarding the impacts of derelict traps on natural resources including ghost fishing. This research identified two groups of fishing communities in the region: commercial fishing that is most active in deeper waters (30 m and greater) and an unknown number of unlicensed subsistence and or commercial fishers that fish closer to shore in shallower waters (30 m and less). In the commercial fishery there are an estimated 6,500 active traps (fish and lobster combined). Of those traps, nearly 8% (514) were reported lost during the 2008-2010 period. Causes of loss/dereliction include: movement of the traps or loss of trap markers due to entanglement of lines by passing vessels; theft; severe weather events (storms, large ground swells); intentional disposal by fishermen; traps becoming caught on various bottom structures (natural substrates, wrecks, etc.); and human error.

Marine cage culture and the environment: twenty-first century science informing a sustainable industry

Technological innovation has made it possible to grow marine finfish in the coastal and open ocean. Along with this opportunity comes environmental risk. As a federal agency charged with stewardship of the nation’s marine resources, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requires tools to evaluate the benefits and risks that aquaculture poses in the marine environment, to implement policies and regulations which safeguard our marine and coastal ecosystems, and to inform production designs and operational procedures compatible with marine stewardship. There is an opportunity to apply the best available science and globally proven best management practices to regulate and guide a sustainable United States (U.S.) marine finfish farming aquaculture industry. There are strong economic incentives to develop this industry, and doing so in an environmentally responsible way is possible if stakeholders, the public and regulatory agencies have a clear understanding of the relative risks to the environment and the feasible solutions to minimize, manage or eliminate those risks. This report spans many of the environmental challenges that marine finfish aquaculture faces. We believe that it will serve as a useful tool to those interested in and responsible for the industry and safeguarding the health, productivity and resilience of our marine ecosystems. This report aims to provide a comprehensive review of some predominant environmental risks that marine fish cage culture aquaculture, as it is currently conducted, poses in the marine environment and designs and practices now in use to address these environmental risks in the U.S. and elsewhere. Today’s finfish aquaculture industry has learned, adapted and improved to lessen or eliminate impacts to the marine habitats in which it operates. What progress has been made? What has been learned? How have practices changed and what are the results in terms of water quality, benthic, and other environmental effects? To answer these questions we conducted a critical review of the large body of scientific work published since 2000 on the environmental impacts of marine finfish aquaculture around the world. Our report includes results, findings and recommendations from over 420 papers, primarily from peer-reviewed professional journals. This report provides a broad overview of the twenty-first century marine finfish aquaculture industry, with a targeted focus on potential impacts to water quality, sediment chemistry, benthic communities, marine life and sensitive habitats. Other environmental issues including fish health, genetic issues, and feed formulation were beyond the scope of this report and are being addressed in other initiatives and reports. Also absent is detailed information about complex computer simulations that are used to model discharge, assimilation and accumulation of nutrient waste from farms. These tools are instrumental for siting and managing farms, and a comparative analysis of these models is underway by NOAA.

Compliance Program report of findings: FY 79 pesticides and metals in Fish Program (7305.007)

Because fish bioaccumulate* certain chemicals, levels of chemical contaminants in their edible portion must be closely monitored. In recent years, FDA has conducted several surveys designed to determine the occurrence and levels of selected chemicals or groups of chemicals in fish. Previous fish surveillance programs included the Mercury in Wholesale Fish Survey (FY 71), the FY 73 and 74 Comprehensive Fish Surveys, the Canned Tuna Program (FY 75), the Kepone and Mirex Contamination Program (FY 77), and the FY 77 Mercury in Swordfish Program. In addition, recent Compliance Programs for Pesticides and Metals in Foods and Pesticides, Metals, and Industrial Chemicals in Animal Feed have specified coverage of fish and fish products. Because of previous findings and the sustained high level of fish imported into the United States, a separate compliance program dealing solely with chemical contaminants in fish was initiated by the FDA Bureau of Foods in FY 78. The program includes all domestic and imported fish coverage except that directed by the Bureau of Veterinary Medicine for animal feed components derived from fishery products. The earlier surveys indicated that "bottom feeder" species such as catfish generally had the highest levels of pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). For this reason, coverage at these species has been emphasized. Similarly, tuna has received special attention because it is the most prevalent fish in the U.S. diet and because of potential problems with mercury. Halibut, swordfish, and snapper also were emphasized in the sampling because of potential problems with mercury levels determined in previous years. The findings in this program were used in detecting emerging problems in fish and directing FDA efforts to deal with them. Care must be exercised in drawing conclusions about trends from the data because this Compliance Program was not statistically designed. Sampling objectives and sources may vary from year to year; thus the results are not directly comparable.

Patterns of scale-dependency and the influence of map resolution on the seascape ecology of reef fish

Detection and perception of ecological relationships between biota and their surrounding habitats is sensitive to analysis scale and resolution of habitat data. We measured strength of univariate linear correlations between reef fish and seascape variables at multiple spatial scales (25 to 800 m). Correlation strength was used to identify the scale that best associates fish to their surrounding habitat. To evaluate the influence of map resolution, seascape variables were calculated based on 4 separate benthic maps produced using 2 levels of spatial and thematic resolution, respectively. Individual seascape variables explained only 25% of the variability in fish distributions. Length of reef edge was correlated with more aspects of the fish assemblage than other features. Area of seagrass and bare sand correlated with distribution of many fish, not just obligate users. No fish variables correlated with habitat diversity. Individual fish species achieved a wider range of correlations than mobility guilds or the entire fish assemblage. Scales of peak correlation were the same for juveniles and adults in a majority of comparisons. Highly mobile species exhibited broader scales of peak correlation than either resident or moderately mobile fish. Use of different input maps changed perception of the strength and even the scale of peak correlations for many comparisons involving hard bottom edge length and area of sand, whereas results were consistent regardless of map type for comparisons involving area of seagrass and habitat diversity.

Assessment of existing information on Atlantic coastal fish habitats: development of a web-based spatial bibliography, query tools, and data summaries

The primary objective of this project, “the Assessment of Existing Information on Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat”, is to inform conservation planning for the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP). ACFHP is recognized as a Partnership by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), whose overall mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation. This project is a cooperative effort of NOAA/NOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA) Biogeography Branch and ACFHP. The Assessment includes three components; 1. a representative bibliographic and assessment database, 2. a Geographical Information System (GIS) spatial framework, and 3. a summary document with description of methods, analyses of habitat assessment information, and recommendations for further work. The spatial bibliography was created by linking the bibliographic table developed in Microsoft Excel and exported to SQL Server, with the spatial framework developed in ArcGIS and exported to GoogleMaps. The bibliography is a comprehensive, searchable database of over 500 selected documents and data sources on Atlantic coastal fish species and habitats. Key information captured for each entry includes basic bibliographic data, spatial footprint (e.g. waterbody or watershed), species and habitats covered, and electronic availability. Information on habitat condition indicators, threats, and conservation recommendations are extracted from each entry and recorded in a separate linked table. The spatial framework is a functional digital map based on polygon layers of watersheds, estuarine and marine waterbodies derived from NOAA’s Coastal Assessment Framework, MMS/NOAA’s Multipurpose Marine Cadastre, and other sources, providing spatial reference for all of the documents cited in the bibliography. Together, the bibliography and assessment tables and their spatial framework provide a powerful tool to query and assess available information through a publicly available web interface. They were designed to support the development of priorities for ACFHP’s conservation efforts within a geographic area extending from Maine to Florida, and from coastal watersheds seaward to the edge of the continental shelf. The Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership has made initial use of the Assessment of Existing Information. Though it has not yet applied the AEI in a systematic or structured manner, it expects to find further uses as the draft conservation strategic plan is refined, and as regional action plans are developed. It also provides a means to move beyond an “assessment of existing information” towards an “assessment of fish habitat”, and is being applied towards the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) 2010 Assessment. Beyond the scope of the current project, there may be application to broader initiatives such as Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs), Ecosystem Based Management (EBM), and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP).