Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Fisheries Resources Assessment'

A problem commonly encountered in stock assessments of tropical marine resources in developing countries is data paucity, which invariably results from the lack of both human and economic capacity within the government to implement and maintain programmes for data collection and analysis. With special reference to the demersal fishery of Brunei Darussalam, this thesis examines approaches for extracting useful information from data-poor fisheries to assess the state of resources and inform fishery management actions. By using official fishery statistics, augmented by local ecological knowledge (LEK) obtained from fishers engaged in either the large-scale (LS) or small-scale (SS) fisheries in Brunei, changes in demersal fishery resources over the years were assessed. The sustainability of Brunei’s demersal capture fishery was evaluated in the face of its ongoing development and climate change. Using trophodynamic indicators such as mean trophic level (MTL), Fishing-in- Balance (FiB), trophic spectra (TS) and community structure analyses, LS fishery catches of Brunei between 2000 and 2009 revealed a deteriorating state of the coastal demersal ecosystem. Closer examination of the abundance of overall demersal finfish stocks, using the Catch-Per-Unit-Effort (CPUE) index – standardised for other factors not related to abundance – indicated a declining trend, even when total catches remained stationary, although trends in abundance of the different demersal fish families varied. This rapid significant change in recent years is further supported by fishers’ LEK on relative abundance of Brunei marine resources. The study on LEK has also revealed the ‘shifting baseline syndrome’ (SBS) among currently active fishers and their exploited populations, a phenomenon not previously reported for Brunei fisheries. Findings from the study are synthesised with other information, where a number of key issues and policy options are discussed, and recommendations for the management of the fishery are made. This thesis demonstrates that researchers in data-poor fisheries can utilise different assessment tools, given the resources at their disposal, to assist in the management of marine resources.

Riverine fisheries in England are under pressure from a variety of activities, including increasing intensification of land-use, urbanisation, rising demands for water abstraction, pollution, proliferation of exotic species, climate change and recreational activities. As a result, the integrity of English rivers has changed. In this study, an attempt was made to measure the ecological health of 22 English lowland rivers from the Thames, Trent and Yorkshire Ouse catchments using a variety of tools. The objective was to modify the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for use on English lowland rivers and compare it with existing indices. A number of diversity indices, Margalef (DMg), Simpson (Dsm) and ShannonWiener (H') were used to evaluate the status of fisheries in the study rivers. The Abundance / Biomass (ABC) method and computer-based multivariate analyses, UPGMA, TWINS PAN, DECORANA, were also used to evaluate the status of fish communities. In addition to these indices, the ABC method and multivariate analyses, the IBI, a multimetric index was also used to evaluate the ecological health of study rivers. The IBI is based on structural and functional attributes of fish communities and is capable of evaluating health and condition of an aquatic ecosystem. The IBI requires a reference condition with which to compare the output. In English rivers, no pristine (reference) sites were considered available, consequently best available data were used to develop a reference condition. In this study, the IBI was modified from Karr (1981), which was based on 12 metrics (community characteristics) of fish assemblages. For the study rivers, 15 metrics which described the status of the fish communities were selected to calculate the IBI. Each metric was scored on a simple scale from 0 (absence) to 5 (high quality). The sum of all the metrics (range 0 - 75) was used to assign sites to qualitative classes of biotic integrity. Six integrity classes on a continuous scale were chosen with the following class boundaries: Excellent (56 - 75), Good (42 - 55), Fair (28 - 41), Poor (16 - 27), Very Poor (1 - 15) and No Fish (0). In the study rivers, the DMg, Dsm and H' indices were unable to measure anthropogenic impacts on fish communities as all these indices were based on structural properties of fish communities. These indices also failed to take account of the presence of juveniles in the fish community in a river. Moreover, these indices were influenced by dominant species abundance and sampling strategies, giving an inaccurate assessment of the status of the fisheries. The ABC method was better at evaluating fish communities than diversity indices as the method considered fish abundance and biomass. However, the method did not include functional components of the fish community and was over influenced by juvenile fishes. Consequently, the ABC method was not considered a good indicator of ecosystem health based on fish assemblages. The UPGMA, TWINSPAN and DECORANA analyses, successfully grouped and separated river reaches with rich or poor fish stocks. These analyses however, did not take into account the functional attributes of the fish communities and were not sufficient to explain the status of a fishery without support from other indices. The IBI assessed the ecological health of the middle and lower reaches of the study rivers more accurately than the other diversity indices, ABC method and multivariate analyses. The selected IBI metrics were able to evaluate many perturbations and disturbances as the metrics represented both structural and functional attributes of fish communities. The DMg, Dsm, H', ABC, UPGMA, TWINSPAN and DECORANA were designed to highlight a specific attribute and lost information during calculation but the IBI included a greater variety of information and produced an appropriate index. Spearman's rank correlation indicated the IBI outputs were more similar to diversity indices than other measures, as significant relationships were found between the IBI and DMg, the IBI and Dsm, and the IBI and H' at a = 0.01 level. Significant relationships were probably due to the use of fish density and abundance in the models. However, this did not mean that all diversity indices and the IBI were similar in measuring ecological conditions of a river, rather it was probably numerical similarity. No significant relationship was found between the IBI and ABC, as the ABC index was a ratio of abundance and biomass while the IBI used absolute values of biomass and abundance separately. All the diversity indices, ABC method and multivariate analyses mentioned reinforced the view that the IBI developed in this study was an appropriate index at evaluating ecological health of the middle and lower reaches of the study rivers. The IBI, however, failed to predict the quality of the fisheries in headwater streams because of the exclusion of salmonid species, minor species and general low species diversity found in these zones. Consequently, it was identified that reference conditions and metrics chosen for the middle and lower reaches of the study rivers were not appropriate to assess the ecological health of headwaters. The existing monitoring programmes of the Environment Agency (EA) for fishery data collection, were considered appropriate for calculating IBIs. Sampling strategies of the EA, i.e. daytime, electric fishing both in summer and winter periods irrespective of lunar cycle and breeding season were also considered acceptable to calculate the IBI. Further research was recommended to test the IBI on a wide range of rivers to assess whether the IBI is appropriate for assessing ecological health of middle and lower reaches of rivers in all regions of the UK. Separate IBIs for headwaters, still waters and estuaries were proposed as these zones / waterbodies have different fish communities. Investigation should be directed at developing a simplified IBI using other cost-effective data sources if suitable resources are not available. It is also recommended that the possibility of including the IBI in wider aquatic resource monitoring programmes (e.g. WFD) be investigated. It is also recommended that the possibility of using the IBI to detect change in the pre and post implementation periods of any management action or anthropogenic activity be investigated. Research is also needed to integrate the IBI with other bioassessment methods (e.g. Habitat index, Diatom index, Microinvertebrate index, Chemical index and GQA index). For more effective application and understanding, the IBI may be built into a GIS (Geographical Information System) environment. It is suggested that a suitable computer package be developed to simplify calculations of the IBI. The interpretation should however, be carried out by the fishery manager or scientist.

Lake Victoria contributes more than 60% of the total fish yield in each of the respective riparian countries, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Nile perch Lates niloticus contributed more than 60% to the total yield from the lake. Although accused of causing ecological instability of the ecosystem due to its predatory effects, the fishing industry became socially and economically dependable on the Nile perch. In the mid 1990s signs of overfishing were observed and concerns for the sustainability of the fishery were raised. To properly manage a fishery, knowledge of the factors that regulate the dynamics of the stock(s), their abundance and distribution is essential. Unfortunately data on the status of the Nile perch stocks are inadequate. This study was conducted on the Tanzanian part of Lake Victoria from 1997 to 2001 to address this problem. Reference is also made to the Kenyan and Ugandan national waters for comparison. Bottom trawl and catch assessment surveys were conducted to assess the status of the stocks. Abundance estimates and distribution patterns were determined. Current exploitation levels and practises were analysed and linked to growth and mortality, feeding and reproductive characteristics of the stock to determine status. Key environmental parameters were investigated and linked to the variations in the biological aspects and distribution patterns observed. There was an indication of reduced anoxic problems in the offshore deep waters and signs of improvement in the eutrophic state of the lake. Mean oxygen concentrations in the waters sampled varied from 8.02±0.73 mg L⁻¹ in the surface waters to 3.2±4.36 mg L⁻¹ in the bottom waters of 68 m deep, while Secchi disk readings at stations of 5-10 m depth ranged from 0.84±0.3 m in November to 1.9±1.02 m in August/September and in offshore waters of 50-6Om depth the readings were 3.08±0.62 m in February to 5.52±1.7 m in August/September. Distribution patterns of fish were highly aggregated but variable and were greatly influenced by seasonal patterns of oxygen and temperature, while reproduction and recruitment were related to rainfall patterns. Using the swept area method, biomass was estimated at 306,000 t for the Tanzanian waters and around 620,000 t for the whole lake, with a mean density of 9.87 t km⁻² and 10.56 t km⁻² respectively. Very high fishing mortality (1.55 yr⁻¹) and exploitation rates (0.84) were estimated using an L∞ of 218 em TL and a growth constant (K) of 0.16 estimated during the study. Excessively high fishing effort was observed in the 2000 frame survey while catch compositions reveal high dependence on juveniles for the Nile perch fishery. The size at first maturity was at 54.3 cm TL (1.6-yr.) and 76.7 em TL (2.5 yr.) for males and females respectively. About 83% of the catch survey data were below size at first maturity for males and 99% for females. Bottom trawl data (88% juveniles) suggested high recruitment in the stock. However the models indicated unsustainable exploitation of the fishery. A reduction of exploitation rate by 50% and increase of size at capture for optimum yield is recommended. The dominance of juveniles in the catch with the current yields (estimated at 138 323.85±6 229.14 t) higher than the sustainable yield (calculated at 108941.9 t yr⁻¹, using Cadima's formula) demands immediate management initiatives. Co-management is singled out as the most effective option for a functional system to implement control, monitoring and surveillance strategies within management process. With dynamic systems within the stocks, the environment as well as socioeconomic influences, and with continuous monitoring, adaptive and precautionary management strategies are recommended. Without reliable catch trend data it is difficult to confidently make predictions. The need to have a well-structured catch assessment survey system for reliable catch statistics is recommended. Priority areas to further research are also identified.

Overexploitation of many fish stocks underlines the need for more effort directed towards stock management so that the sustainability of resources is assured. To avert the tragic consequences of overfishing in coastal waters, a growing body of theoretical and empirical research provides evidence in support of cooperation among resource users to manage their commons. This study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to the emergence and evolution of collective action in fishermen's communities to manage their coastal fish resources in South Al-Batinah, Sultanate of Oman. The study emphasises the importance of a collective action approach to fish resource management with examples from three fishing towns.In order to understand why fishermen choose to participate (or not to participate) in local collective action to manage fish resources, the researcher focuses on six main sets of issues that influence fishermen's decisions: economic factors; awareness of resource exploitation problems; institutional rules in use; social identity, group size and heterogeneity among resource users. Social and demographic factors as well as vessel configuration were also considered.Data collection for the study was carried out using three methods: questionnaire, semi-structured interview and observations of fishermen's activities. Statistical reports and other research papers carried out in Oman were also reviewed. The study found that there is a management institution that governs the fishing activities of the fishermen in the study area. Fishermen in the area inherited an indigenous management institution, which was established hundreds of years ago. It was also found that fishermen were very aware of the resource exploitation problems. High awareness of the resource exploitation problems coupled with high interdependence among users might induce them to work collectively to mitigate harm to their long-term welfare.The results of testing a number of hypotheses indicated that among the reasons which may influence collective action, are high economic dependence on the fishery,individuals' social identity as fishermen, awareness of the resources exploitation problems, risk aversion and heterogeneity (differences in objectives and interests).The study findings indicated that individuals using common resources are faced by various "assurance" and "chicken" problems. In both the PD game and the Assurance game, the preferred outcome is mutual cooperation. Whereas the predicted outcome of the former is defection, the latter suggests the possibility that the preferred outcome (i.e., cooperation) will occur, because individuals' decisions in the commons are influenced by a complex set of factors, rather than strictly materialistic self-interest. The analysis presented in this study examined several of those factors for their influence on individual behaviour. The findings of this study strongly suggest that the presence of local management institutions to coordinate the fishermen's activities in the study area is the key factor in avoiding the worst outcome (universal defection). The game structure has been changed from a Prisoner's dilemma to a Privileged game or a game of Chicken where the benefits from cooperation are maximized. It is the role of the institutions to determine how the cost of providing the public goods might be shared among participants.

For data-limited fisheries, length-based mortality estimators are attractive as alternatives to age-structured models due to the simpler data requirements and ease of use of the former. This dissertation develops new extensions of mean length-based mortality estimators and applies them to federally-managed stocks in the southeastern U.S. and U.S. Caribbean. Chapter 1 presents a review of length-based methods from the literature. Common themes regarding the methodology, assumptions, and diagnostics in these length-based methods are discussed. In Chapter 2, a simulation study evaluates the performance of the length-converted catch curve (LCCC), Beverton-Holt equation (BHE), and Length Based-Spawner Potential Ratio (LB-SPR) over a range of scenarios. Although the LCCC and BHE are older methods than LB-SPR, the former outperformed LB-SPR in many scenarios in the simulation. Overall, it was found that the three length-based mortality estimators are less likely to perform well for low M/K stocks (M/K is the ratio of the natural mortality rate and the von Bertalanffy growth parameter; this ratio describes different life history strategies of exploited fish and invertebrate populations), while various decision rules for truncating the length data for the LCCC and BHE were less influential. In Chapter 3, a multi-stock model is developed for the non-equilibrium mean length-based mortality estimator and then applied to the deepwater snapper complex in Puerto Rico. The multispecies estimator evaluates synchrony in changes to the mean length of multiple species in a complex. Synchrony in mortality can reduce the number of estimated parameters and borrows information from more informative species to lesser sampled species in the model. In Chapter 4, a new method is developed to estimate mortality from both mean lengths and catch rates (MLCR), which is an extension of the mean length-only (ML) model. to do so, the corresponding behavior for the catch rate following step-wise changes in mortality is derived. Application of both models to Puerto Rico mutton snapper shows that the MLCR model can provide more information to support a more complex mortality history with the two data types compared to the ML model. In Chapter 5, a suite of mean length-based mortality estimators is applied to six stocks (four in the Gulf of Mexico and two in the U.S. Atlantic) recently assessed with age-structured models. There was general agreement in historical mortality trends between the age-structured models and the mean length-based methods, although there were some discrepancies which are discussed. All models also agreed on the overfishing status in the terminal year of the assessment of the six stocks considered here when the mortality rates were compared relative to reference points. This dissertation develops new length-based assessment methods which consider multiple sources of data. The review guides prospective users on potential choices for assessment with length-based methods. Issues and diagnostics associated with the methods are also discussed in the review and highlighted in the example applications.

Throughout the Pacific, many species of echinoderms and molluscs have cultural value and are harvested extensively in subsistence fisheries. Many of these species are sedentary and often associated with distinct reef-top habitats. Despite the significance of reef habitats and their fauna for fisheries and biodiversity etc, little information has been available on the distribution of habitats and their influence on the reef-top fauna in the Cook Islands. This thesis developed a novel approach to assess the status of the shallow-water reef-tops of Rarotonga, Cook Islands, to provide critical information to fisheries and conservation managers. The approach used remote sensing (aerial photography with ground truthing) to map the spatial arrangement and extent of the entire reef-top habitats accurately, and historical wind data and coastline shape to determine the windward and leeward sides of the island. The benthic habitat maps and degree of wind exposure were used to design and undertake a stratified sampling programme to assess the distribution and abundance of the epibenthic macroinvertebrate fauna of the reef-top. I quantified the distribution and abundance of the epibenthic macroinvertebrates and how they varied with habitat, assessed the effectiveness of a traditional ra�ui (marine protected area) for conserving stocks of Trochus niloticus and other invertebrates, and investigated the reproductive biology and impacts of traditional gonad harvesting on Holothuria leucospilota. There were four major habitat types (rubble/rock, sand/coral matrix, algal rim and sand) identified, the most extensive being rubble/rock (45%) and sand/coral matrix (35%). The degree of exposure to winds was found to correlate with the reef development and habitat distribution. The assemblage composition of each major habitat type differed significantly from every other habitat. The rubble/rock habitat had the greatest substratum heterogeneity and structural complexity, and the highest number of species and individuals. The overall abundance of the fauna was dominated by holothurians (68%) and echinoids (30%), while Trochus niloticus and Tridacna maxima accounted for the remaining 2% of the total invertebrate assemblage. Clear habitat partitioning was also found for adult and juvenile Trochus niloticus and Tridacna maxima. In the traditional fishery for Holothuria leucospilota, the mature gonads of males are harvested by making an incision in the body-wall of the animal, removing the gonads and then returning the animal to the reef to allow regeneration. Monthly collections of H. leucospilota were used to describe the reproductive biology of this species. Gametogenesis and spawning were synchronous between the sexes and spawning occurred annually during summer, when water temperature and photoperiod were at their highest. Although the incision in the body-wall and gonad removal had no impact on the survival of H.leucospilota in experimental cages, their body weight, and general sheltering and feeding behaviors were affected. Gonads took at least 41 days to start regenerating, suggesting a considerable delay in the spawning of fished individuals. In 1998, five Rarotongan communities re-introduced the traditional ra�ui system of resource management, prohibiting all fishing and gathering from their reefs. The performance of the Nikao ra�ui, which had been put in place to allow trochus stocks to increase, was investigated. Comparisons of macroinvertebrate assemblage composition and species density were made between three fishing treatments, i.e. fished areas adjacent to the ra�ui, within the ra�ui after two years of protection, and in the ra�ui after it had been lifted for three weeks to allow a commercial trochus harvest. Analysis of variance on the count data for the twelve most abundant species, and non-metric multi-dimensional scaling indicated that there were no differences in the microhabitat or the invertebrate assemblage composition between the three fishing treatments. However, there were significant differences between the rubble/rock and sand/coral matrix habitat types. The results on the effectiveness of the Nikao ra�ui are equivocal, due to the small sample size, and the variability between samples which was highlighted by the wide confidence intervals. This study highlights the importance of habitat to the macroinvertebrate fauna of the reef-top and the need for accurate habitat maps to increase the cost-effectiveness of future resource surveys, to provide information to management, and for the design of Marine Protected Areas. The mapping and survey methods must be reliable and repeatable in terms of the limitations of time, and the availability of expertise, funding and resources. The results provide important information for fisheries and conservation managers of Rarotonga and other Pacific Islands to better design rigorous sampling programmes for monitoring the status of reef-top resources, and for evaluating and planning Marine Protected Areas.

Bangweulu Wetlands is a 6000 km² public-private-partnership conservation area in northeastern Zambia, lying on the south-eastern margins of the Bangweulu Swamps, Congo River system. The area is important for wildlife conservation, tourism and as a fishing ground for the local inhabitants. This study provides a baseline of the fish and fisheries of this area. The conservation area is situated on the transition zone between woodland, floodplain and swamp. A total of 42 fish species representing 12 taxonomic families were collected. The fish fauna of the area was characterised by a diversity of small cyprinids (14 species), cichlids (9 species), clariid catfishes (4 species) and mormyrids (4 species). Species such as Clarias gariepinus, C. ngamensis, Marcusenius macrolepidotus, Tilapia rendali, T. sparrmanii and several small Barbus species were shared with adjacent floodplain systems such as the upper Zambezi and Kafue rivers. Fishing was undertaken by fishing groups consisting of a fisherman and his family, or a group of men fishing together. Access to the fishing grounds was controlled by traditional fishing leaders, who collected tribute from fishermen. Fishing groups utilised fixed, distinct fishing areas determined by ancestry. The most important time for fishing was during the drawdown phase of the floodplains, from March until June. During the dry season fewer groups were engaged in fishing, with many having returned to farming activities. The main fishing methods of the floodplain fishery were basket traps and mosquito-mesh funnel nets set into earth fish barriers (fish weirs) constructed on the plains, various mesh sizes of gillnets, hook longlines and seine nets. The use of fish spears, drag baskets and piscicides was of lesser importance. Most fishing gears were constructed of a variety of natural and modern, manufactured materials. The fishery was multi-species and 23 fish species were recorded from in catch. The three most important species in the catches were C. gariepinus, T. rendalli and M. macrolepidotus. Together these contributed 67% by weight to the catch. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) for the different gears was 0.4 ± 0.3 kg.trap.night⁻¹ for basket traps, 2.7 ± 4.6 kg.net.night⁻¹ for funnel nets, 0.3 ± 0.5 kg.50 m net.night⁻¹ for gill nets, 3.5 ± 6.3 kg.100 hooks.night⁻¹ for longlines, 1.79 ± 1.11 kg.haul⁻¹ for mosquito-mesh seine nets and 6.87 ± 6.27 kg.haul⁻¹ for larger-mesh seine nets. The weight of average daily landings of fishing groups, using a variety of gears was 7.8 ± 7.4 kg. Fishermen were able to maintain the same catch rate between dry and wet seasons, with no significant differences (p < 0.05) in daily landings between seasons. Yield per fisherman for a seven month season, which required 2-3 relocations due to falling water level, was 1.64 t based on catch assessment, and 1.9 t from a socio-economic survey. A tentative yield per area estimate for the area was 2I7 kg.ha⁻¹ over the three month shallow-floodplain fishing season. Most fish landed in the fishery were processed into sundried or smoke-dried products. These were used for 1) home consumption, 2) trade with village farmers (from up to 70 km inland of the fishing grounds) in exchange for staple starch meal, and 3) sold to urban fish traders, reaching markets as distant as Lubumbashi in Democratic Republic of Congo. Fish traders toured fishing camps to buy fish, supporting auxiliary industries such as transport and accommodation services. The price for dried fish at source was 3.14 ± 1.34 USDlkg and the market price reported for the Zambian Copperbelt was 6.14 ± 2.54 USD/kg. Typical returns on investment in fish trading were estimated as 68-77%. The fishery was considered to be biologically and socially sustainable. By harvesting a seasonally transient assemblage of species with high productivity and biological turnover rates and with life histories adapted to high mortality, fishermen were able to maintain a stable and viable livelihood. Management recommendations for the area were that a fisheries management plan be developed that would seek to strengthen the traditional system of rights-allocation, address problems between fishing and tourism activities, and enhance communication between fisheries and conservation stakeholders. To do this it was recommended that: 1) conservation authorities recognise the importance of the fishery, 2) no changes to current effort levels and fishing methods were necessary, 3) points 1 and 2 above be used to improve communication and trust between conservation authorities and fishermen, 4) customary resource-access mechanisms be understood and strengthened so that local inhabitants' rights to the resource are protected, 5) fishermen help formulate and accept conservation and tourism rules, 6) tourists and guides be made aware of the function of the fishery, 7) a fisheries management forum of key community, government and conservation stakeholders be formed to shape and implement the fisheries management plan, 8) locally-adapted bylaws be created to legitimise crucial floodplain gears currently considered illegal (e.g. mosquito-net gears, fish weirs), 9) no intervention to formalise fish trading be made, and 10) a trained person with a fisheries background be hired oversee the implementation of the recommendations.

Fisheries managers have the potential to significantly improve reef fish management in the Gulf of Mexico through the use of ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management. Ecosystem-based approaches are needed to address the effects of fishing on trophodynamic interactions, to better account for ecosystem-scale processes in model projections, and to recognize the short and long-term biomass tradeoffs associated with making regulatory choices. My research was concentrated around three objectives: (1) characterizing the trophodynamic interactions between Gulf of Mexico fishes, in order to construct an invaluable tool (a Gulf of Mexico Atlantis model) to be used in ecological hypothesis testing and policy performance evaluation for years to come; (2) predicting ecological indicators for the Gulf of Mexico that both respond to fishing pressure and are robust to observational error, and; (3) evaluating the performance of an ecosystem-based policy options for managing reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico. To accomplish these objectives, a spatial, trophodynamic ecosystem model- Atlantis, was employed to represent the Gulf of Mexico marine ecosystem. To characterize trophic interactions between modeled species, I applied a maximum likelihood estimation procedure to produce Dirichlet probability distributions representing the likely contribution of prey species to predators’ diets. This provided mode values (the peak of the distribution) and associated error ranges, which describe the likely contribution of a prey item in a predator’s diet. The mode values were used to parameterize the availabilities (diet) matrix of the Gulf of Mexico Atlantis model. Investigating trophic interactions was useful for determining which species within the Atlantis model were data rich, and justified the emphasis on reef fish species and their prey items in subsequent analyses. Once parameterized and calibrated, I used the Atlantis model to project ecological indicators over a 50 year time horizon (2010-2060) under varying levels of fishing mortality. Principal component analysis was used to evaluate ecological indicator trajectories in multivariate space, to rank indicators according to how well they describe variability in ecosystem structure (termed ‘importance’), to reveal redundancies in the information conveyed, to quantify interannual noise and to determine how robust indicators are to observational error. Reef fish catch, Red snapper biomass, King mackerel biomass and Species richness indicators ranked the highest in terms of importance and robustness to error and in having low levels of interannual noise (i.e., requiring less frequent monitoring). I then used a management strategy evaluation (MSE) framework in Atlantis to evaluate some of these same indicators under an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management – using robust harvest control rules to manage reef fishes. I found that this ecosystem-based policy option was able to maintain higher reef fish biomass, catch and ecosystem-wide biodiversity under any given level of fishing mortality when compared to a status quo management approach. These results suggest that harvesting under the HCRs encourages an alternative ecosystem state with a more Pareto-efficient tradeoff frontier than the status-quo policy. A potentially reduced extinction risk for reef fish is plausible under this ecosystem-based policy option. This research provides a quantitative look at the fishery performance and ecological tradeoffs associated with various policy options. MSE methodology using ecosystem-based policy performance metrics is also demonstrated. Tool development and findings from this research should aid in the development of ecosystem-based policies for this region.

Accurate interpretation of recent variability observed in fish populations, species compositions, distribution ranges or ecological indicators, depends on knowledge of their past dynamics and historical states. The onset of systematic fisheries data collection typically lagged decades or even centuries behind modern fishing exploits. As a consequence, pre-disturbed reference points and descriptions of subsequent change are rarely available. A remarkably detailed set of historical trawl survey data from South Africa provided such a rare opportunity. Government-funded exploration of the Agulhas Bank fishery potential resulted in meticulously-documented trawl survey data from 1897-1904, when prior human impacts on those resources were negligible. Although they used less effective technology, the information recorded and methods used were similar to modern surveys. This thesis investigated change in demersal fish fauna of the Agulhas Bank and documents comparisons between historical trawl surveys and modern re-enactments at the same locations. In comparing trawl survey catches over multiple decades or among different periods, unquantified changes in fishing power pose a key challenge. The shape, size, materials, mesh sizes and speed at which trawl nets are dragged, interact with the behaviour, size and shape of fish, influencing fishing performance. To accurately compare current catch rates with those of historical trawl surveys, the same trawl gear and methods were carefully replicated in repeat surveys at three sites. An investigation of literature and photographs of the original vessel and equipment were conducted to support the construction of a replica 'Granton' otter trawl net. The net was composed of Manila hemp with a headline length of 27 m (90 ft) and was attached to flat wooden trawl boards. The historical towing speed was estimated as 1.34 m s⁻¹ (2.6 knots). Three parts of the shallow Agulhas Bank that were surveyed 111 years prior, were re-surveyed in 2015. Species composition was contrasted between the historical and re-survey periods by way of unconstrained ordination, permutational multivariate analysis of variance and tests of the homogeneity of multivariate group dispersions. Taxa discerning between periods were identified with similarity percentage analyses. Changes of standardised catch between periods were tested for 27 taxa, using a non-parametric bootstrap approach. Proportions among size-classes, recorded for three taxa, were tested using Fisher's exact test. Results revealed a substantially transformed demersal catch assemblage, where the period effect explained almost half of the measured variance among samples. These changes included the disappearance or heavy depletion of kob (Argyrosomus spp., absent in re-surveys), panga (Pterogymnus laniarius; 2.4% of historical catch abundance) and east coast sole (Austroglossus pectoralis; 4.6% of historical catch abundance), which had jointly contributed 70-84% of historical catch composition. Average re-survey catches were largely made up of gurnards (Chelidonichthys spp.; 3 792% of historical abundance), horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus; 4 738% of historical abundance), spiny dogfish (Squalus spp.; 3 121% of historical abundance), hake (Merluccius capensis; 558% of historical abundance) and white sea catfish (Galeichthys feliceps; 13 863% of historical abundance). Analysis of available length information confirmed the expectation that fish sizes (specifically M. capensis and A. pectoralis) had declined. This implies that comparisons by weight would be more severe for declined abundances and less severe for those that increased, relative to contrasts of numerical abundance. Habitat preferences as well as geographic and depth distribution appeared to separate the taxa that increased from those that declined. These factors, together with reproductive and growth characteristics, as well as indirect trophic impacts, likely shaped the responses of demersal fauna to fishing and other human impacts during the 111 years between trawl surveys. An assessment of distribution changes of 44 common demersal taxa was undertaken. These analyses were restricted to the last 30 years of trawl survey data as the units and spatio-temporal resolution of prior data were incompatible. Standardised catches were used from annual spring and autumn south coast trawl surveys conducted by the government fisheries department. Geostatistical delta-generalised linear mixed models were used to predict species distribution functions, which were used to calculate annual estimates of latitude/longitude centres of gravity and effective areas occupied by each population. Average trends over the study period (1986-2016) were assessed using a Bayesian state-space model. Of nine species found to have a trend in average location, six moved westward or south-westward, while three moved eastward or north-eastward. Two species showed a trend of contracting spatial extent and one showed an expansion. Across the entire assemblage combined, there was a significant contraction in extent and a westward shift in average location. These assemblage-wide average trends are interpreted to be driven by climate forcing. Fishing impacts are expected to have contributed to the eastward movement in centre of gravity for kob, lesser sandshark (Rhinobatos annulatus) and white stumpnose (Rhabdosargus globiceps). Interpretation of these distribution shifts is hampered by a lack of knowledge on subsurface hydrographic trends on the Agulhas Bank, which is identified as a research priority. My research revealed substantial change in demersal fish communities on South Africa's Agulhas Bank and adds novel insight to the history underlying current states of demersal ecosystems. Valuable additions include a) documentation of the extent to which demersal assemblages have transformed during the last century at three representative inshore sites; b) estimates of current abundances relative to pre-disturbed baselines at those sites, which c) highlights drastic local depletion for certain taxa and d) reveals substantial abundance increases of certain species during the post-industrial fishing period; e) novel evidence of distribution trends in south coast demersal species; and f) identification of trends in the average distribution of the demersal fish assemblage, suspected to be climate-forced. Long-term comparisons, using minimally-disturbed baselines, revealed drastic transformation of the fish assemblage during a century of industrialisation, which points to trawling-induced alteration of benthic habitats and substantial changes in ecosystem structure. Besides the provision of novel historical context for current and future studies and decision-making, this work counters the erosive nature of shifting baselines in South Africa's marine environment.

An understanding of the population structure of commercially exploited species is essential for effective fisheries management. Fish stocks are typically identified based on the observation of differences in genetic and/or phenotypic characteristics between fish from discrete units. Recent deliberations on the management of the South African purse-seine sardine fishery recognises the likely existence of two stocks, one on the west and another on the south coasts, following studies that have documented spatial variability in several phenotypic characteristics of this species around South Africa. Those studies typically examined spatial variability in a single characteristic (e.g. gill raker morphology and meristics, body shape, otolith shape, vertebral count, parasite loads), but the application of multiple stock identification methods to the same individual fish has been recommended in order to maximize the likelihood of correctly inferring and identifying fish stocks. This study seeks to assess the population structure of South African sardine Sardinops sagax using a combination of stock identification methods including meristic, morphometric and parasite markers. Most of the sardine samples used in this study were obtained off the west and south coasts of South Africa during pelagic surveys conducted in 2013 and 2014 by Fisheries Branch of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, with some additional samples obtained from commercial fisheries. Fish caught from the west and south coasts are presumed to be part of the putative western and southern stocks respectively. The variables examined included body shape, gill arch length, gill raker spacing, number of gill rakers, otolith shape indices (otolith circularity and form factor), the number of vertebrae, and the abundance of a 'tetracotyle' type metacercarian parasite found in the eyes of sardine; these were first analysed individually and then collectively (excluding body shape data) in a multivariate analysis to test their effectiveness in discriminating between sardine from the putative western and southern sardine stocks. Analysis using geometric morphometrics revealed significant differences in body shape between sardine from the putative western and southern stocks. Results of GLM analyses indicated that gill arch length, the number of gill rakers, otolith form factor and circularity, and parasite abundance were effective univariate discriminators of sardine stocks. No significant difference in gill raker spacing and the number of vertebrae was found between individuals from the two stocks. A Stock Identification Index (SDI) of 0.75 derived from the univariate analyses, as well as results of the multivariate analysis of data provided strong evidence for the existence of two mixing stocks, therefore, supporting the two-stock hypothesis. The five multivariate classification models used in the study showed varying degree of allocation success. Overall classification accuracy ranged from a low 47% in the Linear Discriminant Analysis model to highs of 82% and 91% in the Classification Tree Analysis and Random Forest models, respectively. Both CTA and RF revealed the combination of variables with the strongest spatial discriminatory power to be the number of vertebrae and abundance of the 'tetracotyle' type metacercarian parasite. These results agree with those of previous studies and further support the inclusion of sardine population structure into management strategies for the purse-seine fishery for South African sardine. Given the importance of the 'tetracotyle' type metacercaria in the discrimination of South African western and southern sardine stocks, further studies were undertaken to identify and describe this parasite using light and scanning microscopy, as well as molecular tools. Such information will assist in the definitive identification of the first intermediate host of the parasite, presently hypothesized to be a sub-tidal gastropod occurring off the west coast only. Definitive identification of the first intermediate host (or hosts) will enable the full life cycle of this parasite to be determined and the parasite endemic area to be identified; a critical knowledge gap in application of the parasite biotag approach to stock discrimination using this 'tetracotyle' type metacercarian parasite. Metacercariae collected from fresh sardine sampled from a commercial landing in Gans Baai, South Africa, were manually excysted, relaxed in warm water, fixed in 70% ethanol and stained with haematoxylin for light microscopy. The metacercarial body is oval-shaped, measuring 762 - 967 x 512 - 677μm. It is divided by transverse folds into a forebody, midbody and hindbody. Diagnostic features include the unique, large excretory bladder lobes situated on the lateral sides of the body; two large pseudosuckers in the anterior part of the midbody; an acetabulum which is larger than the oral sucker; and a large lobulated holdfast organ in the posterior half of the midbody. These features are those of the metacercariae of the genus Cardiocephaloides, confirming the previous hypothesis regarding the genus of this digenean biotag. Analysis of partial 28S rDNA region sequence data showed that the metacercariae and the adult Cardiocephaloides found in the African penguin Spheniscus demersus are of the same species, likely C. physalis. This study is the first documentation of the morphological and molecular characterization of the stock-discriminating Cardiocephaloides metacercaria found in the eyes of Sardinops sagax in South Africa.

This thesis draws on David Harvey’s concept of “accumulation by dispossession” and an international political economy (IPE) approach centred on the institutional arrangements and power structures that privilege certain actors and values, in order to critique current capitalist practices of primitive accumulation by the global corporate extractive industry. The thesis examines how accumulation by dispossession by the global extractive industry is facilitated by the “free entry” or “free mining” principle. It does so by focusing on Canada as a leader in the global extractive industry and the spread of this country’s mining laws to other countries – in other words, the transnationalisation of norms in the global extractive industry – so as to maintain a consistent and familiar operating environment for Canadian extractive companies. The transnationalisation of norms is further promoted by key international institutions such as the World Bank, which is also the world’s largest development lender and also plays a key role in shaping the regulations that govern natural resource extraction. The thesis briefly investigates some Canadian examples of resource extraction projects, in order to demonstrate the weaknesses of Canadian mining laws, particularly the lack of protection of landowners’ rights under the free entry system and the subsequent need for “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC). The thesis also considers some of the challenges to the adoption and implementation of the right to FPIC. These challenges include embedded institutional structures like the free entry mining system, international political economy (IPE) as shaped by international institutions and powerful corporations, as well as concerns regarding ‘local’ power structures or the legitimacy of representatives of communities affected by extractive projects. The thesis concludes that in order for Canada to be truly recognized as a leader in the global extractive industry, it must establish legal norms domestically to ensure that Canadian mining companies and residents can be held accountable when there is evidence of environmental and/or human rights violations associated with the activities of Canadian mining companies abroad. The thesis also concludes that Canada needs to address underlying structural issues such as the free entry mining system and implement FPIC, in order to curb “accumulation by dispossession” by the extractive industry, both domestically and abroad.

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Science.
Many of the world's abalone fisheries have collapsed and in the past 25 years global abalone production has almost halved. Australia now produces 55% of the world's wild abalone and its abalone fisheries are close to, or above, their limits for sustainable yield. Although recruitment over-fishing has generally been singled out as the principal cause of collapse, other factors related to changes in environmental patterns and ecosystem dynamics are also implicated. It is in this context that the central question of this thesis about the sustainability of Victorian abalone populations is posed. The answer to this question would be obvious with the hindsight that follows a collapse, but for a predominantly healthy fishery this is a different proposition. This thesis presents one of the few comprehensive frameworks for abalone resources assessment and sustainable management worldwide. The key elements in the overall governance of the fishery are explored through a compilation of formally published papers and publicly available assessment documents. Topics for these works range from fishery independent abundance surveys, through fishery assessment modelling, biological performance indicators and management strategies to reporting outcomes for ecological sustainability objectives under state and federal legislation. This is done in a mostly quantitative framework that incorporates explicit linkages between assessment and management decision-making processes. Our assessments indicate that the Victorian blacklip resource has been largely sustainable during the past 40 years. The management history of the fishery suggests that this owes much to prudent introduction of a broad range of input and output controls at the behest of industry. However, recent instances of localised depletion, a large but unquantified illegal catch and model predictions of declining mature biomass suggest that there is no room for complacency. In contrast to blacklip, greenlip abalone resources are in need of restorative action and the future existence of a commercial greenlip fishery in Victoria is problematic. It is vitally important that we continue to refine our management, attempt to understand its limitations, address the difficult ecological issues and avail ourselves of emerging technologies that enable greater efficiency and precision in the scale of assessment and management. Finally, having an effective assessment and management framework is insufficient on its own to demonstrate the sustainability of Victorian abalone resources. To properly satisfy legislation for resource sustainability there is a need to document and report the outcomes against specific assessment criteria audited by an independent body on a regular basis. Continued approval to export Victorian abalone overseas is contingent on meeting this requirement.

The growing recognition of the importance of Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) for the achievement of global fisheries sustainability has led to a steady increase in the research on these fisheries, particularly in the fields of institutional analysis and governance. this emphasis understands environmental management institutions as mediators of the relations between society and the ecological or biophysical system and therefore as major factors in determining the prospects for sustainability. The unsustainable state in which many of the worlds SSF are found has therefore led researchers to conclude that a transformation is needed to systems of governance that can improve their viability. Adaptive governance (AG) is an emergent form of environmental governance. It features prominently in the research on SSF governance and is considered a viable alternative to coordinate resource management regimes in the face of the complexity and uncertainty associated with rapid environmental change. Much of the current management practice is, however, concerned with balancing the value derived from fishing with the long-term sustainability of populations. To this end, it measures human impacts on populations of fishing resources by estimating fishing rate and population abundance. these quantities are then used to determine trends in biomass and to assess stock status relative to reference points. this requires a population model, with data on fishery removals and relative abundance. This thesis investigates these concepts and issues using a case study from Chile. the new "Management Plans for Benthic Resources" (MPBR) policy, created by the Chilean government in 2013 for the management of the many small-scale coastal benthic fisheries that target shellfish along the countries extensive coastline. The first half of this thesis examines the recent changes in Chilean coastal benthic fisheries governance arrangements from the perspective of AG and polycentrism Chapter 2 investigates AG and polycentric governance theory viability of delivering sustainable coastal benthic fisheries. Chapter 3 shows that insight can be gained by understanding coastal benthic fisheries governance dynamics as learning processes. It is concluded that AG and polycentrism can contribute coherence to ecosystem-based fisheries management by structuring the different policies around its concepts and principles. However, these theories seem over optimistic about power asymmetries, casting doubt on their ability to deliver on sustainability goals. Understanding the governance dynamics in coastal benthic fisheries as a learning process, highlighted the importance of informal networks and made it plain that the direction of institutional change has been towards more flexible regulations, increasingly allowing for context specific adaptations In Chapters 4 and 5, the problem of model uncertainty in fish stock assessment is explored by using two alternative population model structures to assess the status of two bivalve stocks managed under the MPBR policy, the clam Ameghinomya antiqua and the razor shell Ensis macha targeted in the small-scale diving fishery of the Los Lagos Region in Southern Chile. Chapter 4, introduces the fishery system, its management framework and the data available to estimate the fishing rate and population abundance and develops the assessments for these two bivalve populations using an integrated catch-at-age model (ASM) and an integrated catch-at-size model (SSM). Chapter 5 explores the problem of model uncertainty in these stock assessments using simulation and investigates how well can management quantities of these two bivalve stocks be estimated. It was shown that the use of a valid alternative population model can have a significant impact on our conclusions about the status of the resource. However, the extent of the impact of the use of different model structures can be difficult to discern from data conflict arising from model misspecification. The performance of the ASM and SSM was conditioned on data quality and the estimation model structure and settings. Otherwise, the SSM exhibited the same or better performance than the ASM. Estimation ability differed among quantities of interest to management. Pre-exploitation biomass and the fishing mortality at which spawning biomass per recruit is reduced to 40% of its unfished level exhibited less bias and higher precision. This variation should be routinely presented to managers together with the usual measures of within model variation to convey a more accurate representation of uncertainty.

Masters Research - Master of Science
This thesis investigates the livelihoods of fishermen in the villages in Cijulang, West Java, Indonesia. The research used community based coastal resource management and participatory coastal resource assessment to provide an indepth look at three small fishing communities. It addresses the perceived low income and standard of living of small-scale fishers in Indonesia and, by doing so, informs on the validity of these problems, factors that may be causing these problems, and possible fisheries management interventions that may be considered to improve the situation of fishers in one area of Indonesia. The thesis presents the results of research conducted in the three fishing villages in 2004 and 2005, the economic and social impact of an 85% fuel price rise and its relationship to fishing gear ownership and use. The thesis looks at the assumption that fishermen are the ‘poorest of the poor’, discusses the large disparity between the incomes of fishers from both an inter- and intra- village perspective, and highlights that ownership and use of different types of fishing gears has a strong impact on the earning power of small-scale fishermen. The thesis also investigates the impact of the environment on fishing frequency and challenges the assumption that research conducted in one part of Indonesia is valid for other areas. It does this through describing the concepts of an ‘angry ocean’ and ‘calm sea’, how these impact on fishing frequency, and the need to take meteorological and oceanic conditions into consideration when assessing managerial interventions and programs for small-scale fisheries in Indonesia.

Masters Research - Master of Science
This thesis investigates the livelihoods of fishermen in the villages in Cijulang, West Java, Indonesia. The research used community based coastal resource management and participatory coastal resource assessment to provide an indepth look at three small fishing communities. It addresses the perceived low income and standard of living of small-scale fishers in Indonesia and, by doing so, informs on the validity of these problems, factors that may be causing these problems, and possible fisheries management interventions that may be considered to improve the situation of fishers in one area of Indonesia. The thesis presents the results of research conducted in the three fishing villages in 2004 and 2005, the economic and social impact of an 85% fuel price rise and its relationship to fishing gear ownership and use. The thesis looks at the assumption that fishermen are the ‘poorest of the poor’, discusses the large disparity between the incomes of fishers from both an inter- and intra- village perspective, and highlights that ownership and use of different types of fishing gears has a strong impact on the earning power of small-scale fishermen. The thesis also investigates the impact of the environment on fishing frequency and challenges the assumption that research conducted in one part of Indonesia is valid for other areas. It does this through describing the concepts of an ‘angry ocean’ and ‘calm sea’, how these impact on fishing frequency, and the need to take meteorological and oceanic conditions into consideration when assessing managerial interventions and programs for small-scale fisheries in Indonesia.

Oregon's ocean waters are a potential source of wind, wave, and tidal energy; of interest to renewable energy entrepreneurs and to the U.S. government as it seeks to bolster energy security. In order to install technology to capture this energy, however, it may be necessary to mitigate conflict with existing ocean space users. The objective of this research was to construct a conflict analysis model in a GIS to answer the following research questions: (1) Within the study area off the coast of Oregon, where are stakeholders currently using ocean space and how many uses overlap? (2) To what extent might existing ocean space use present potential for conflict with renewable energy development? (3) How do various types of uncertainty affect analysis results? (4) What are the implications of these findings for ecosystem based management of the ocean? All available spatial information on ocean space usage by commercial fishing, commercial non-fishing, recreational, Native American, and scientific communities was gathered. Stakeholder outreach with these communities was used to vet the collected data and allow each to contribute knowledge not previously available through GIS data clearinghouses maintained by government or interest groups. The resulting data were used as inputs to a conflict visualization model written in Python and imported to an ArcGIS tool. Results showed extensive coverage and overlap of existing ocean space uses; specifically that 99.7% of the 1-nm² grid cells of the study area are occupied by at least 6 different categories of ocean space use. The six uses with the greatest coverage were: Fishing – Trolling, Habitat, Military, Fishing - Closure Areas, Protected, and Marine Transportation - Low Intensity. An uncertainty analysis was also completed to illustrate the margin for error and therefore the necessity of appropriate stakeholder outreach during the renewable energy siting process, as opposed to relying only on a GIS. Ranking of each category by its potential for conflict with renewable energy development demonstrated which areas of the ocean may be particularly contentious. Because rankings are subjective, a tool was created to allow users to input their own rankings. For the purpose of this report, default rankings were assigned to each as justified by the literature. Results under these assumptions showed that space use and potential for conflict were highest between the coast and approximately 30 nm at sea. This is likely because certain space use is limited by depth (e.g., recreational use); there is increased shipping density as vessels approach and depart major ports; and increased fuel costs associated with traveling further from shore. Two potential applications of model results were demonstrated. First, comparison with existing wave energy permit sites highlighted relative potential for conflict among the sites and the input data detailed the specific uses present. Second, comparison with areas determined most suitable for development by the wave energy industry illustrated that areas of high suitability often also had high rankings for potential for conflict. It appeared that the factors that determined development suitability were often the same factors that drew current ocean space users to those locations. Current support at the state, regional and federal level under the National Ocean Policy for the use of marine spatial planning as a tool to implement ecosystem based management of the oceans requires that tools such as the one developed in this research are used, to ensure that all components of the marine ecosystem are considered prior to implementation of a management plan. The addition of renewable energy to the current social landscape of the ocean will reduce the resource base for many categories of ocean space use. Model results demonstrated that mitigation of conflict between development and existing space use is not merely a best practice supported by current policy, but a necessity. Results presented a visualization of the social landscape of the ocean that could help managers determine which stakeholders to engage during the initial stage of choosing a site for development.
Graduation date: 2012

Self governance has proved to be a suitable instrument for the management of a common pool resource like fisheries. Under self governance, individuals organize themselves for the use of a resource, to deal with problems derived from the free access: overexploitation and low profit levels. Although there is a large amount of research devoted to investigate the common pool resources and self governance, there are two areas that represent a gap in the current research. One, what are the main variables related to likely self governance adoption? Two, how is the potential for self governance related to the economic efficiency of the resource users? Unlike most of previous research that involves ex-post analysis, this is an ex-ante assessment of the potential for self governance for management of a common pool resource: a small-scale fishery located in Mexico. This research hypothesizes a positive relationship between fisher's technical efficiency and the likely adoption of self governance for the management of the fishery. Taking a set of theoretical conditions, this research assesses the fishers' perception on the adoption of self governance. Further, a stochastic frontier analysis is applied to estimate the technical efficiency of each fisher. Finally, a relationship between the potential for self governance with technical efficiency, revenue, and other variables such as education and fisher experience is explored. The results show no significant effect of technical efficiency and revenue on the potential for self governance, as well a weak positive effect of fisher experience on the likelihood for self governance adoption. The findings of this research may be useful to improve the efficiency of the fishing activity and encourage the adoption of self governance in the study site. The method proposed in this research is based on attitudes of the fishers, and it represents a step toward understanding apriori whether self governance would be implementable or not. Thus, as an ex-ante assessment, it is hoped to help predicting individual's behavior to deal with the overexploitation and low income levels derived from the use of a common pool resource.