Artisanal Fishery

A pen culture system of the mud crab, Scylla serrata was introduced in Mtwapa mangrove creek with the aim of finding an alternative source of income and food for the local communities, who practice artisanal fishery in the creek. Other objectives were to motivate the interaction between scientists and the community through technology transfer, and to collect scientific data necessary for maintenance and management of the culture system. Pen construction took place from October 2000 - January 2001. The pen was located in the intertidal area and measured 800 m2. It was constructed and fenced using uzio (fish trap) material made of mangrove poles and wood. Stocking of the pen with seed crabs occurred from February- May 2001. Local sources was used to obtain a total of 1697 crab seeds which were measured (carapace length and width), weighed and sexed before stocking. The crabs were fed with trash fish obtained from a local fish processing plant. Feeding was conducted once daily, prefera...

This presentation summarizes,the findings from eight African countries where case studies of co-managementarrangements,in artisanal fisheries have been undertaken during the period 1996-97. The countries concerned are Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In most of the cases co-management represents a new approach to fisheries management. In some cases, it has only been applied within

Marine megafauna (elasmobranchs, marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds) are important ecologically and economically because many species often occupy upper trophic levels as adults and are essential for marine-based tourism in many areas of the world. This group of species is also heavily impacted by fishing because most have late sexual maturity, longevity, and low reproductive output, which affects their ability to recover from depletion. In Galapagos, marine megafauna species are protected from fishing throughout the marine reserve and are the main attraction for marine-based tourism, helping generate millions of dollars in revenue annually. Despite their importance in the archipelago, these species are being caught as bycatch in the multiple artisanal longlining projects that have been carried out since the implementation of the reserve in 1998. Longlining was originally proposed as a way of redirecting fishing effort from the severely depleted coastal-demersal species to pelagic fish such as yellowfin tuna and swordfish. Although all these projects have resulted in high bycatch of megafauna, longline fishing projects have continued without independent scientific studies to evaluate their impact, largely due to poor objective definition, data collection, and enforcement. To fill in this knowledge gap, we analyzed data of the fifth experimental longline fishing project undertaken in 2012-2013 to describe the fishery, identify variables affecting the composition and quantity of bycatch, and suggest mitigation strategies. This experimental project had twelve vessels, which deployed 42,007 hooks catching 4893 individuals of 33 species, mostly yellowfin tuna and swordfish. Of those, 16 species were protected megafauna, particularly blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) and oceanic manta (Mobula birostris). These species were regularly captured during the two seasons and in the three bioregions that occur in the archipelago, suggesting little potential to mitigate their catch. As an alternative, we identified 14 hotspots where yellowfin tuna and swordfish could be harvested in large numbers sustainably through more selective fishing techniques such as pole fishing, a method that is also more economical for artisanal fishers. In an archipelago where the main economic activity is marine wildlife tourism, the implementation of an extractive and unselective activity such as pelagic longing fishing should be avoided to ensure the sustainability of the Galapagos marine ecosystem and its booming tourism industry.

The Gould Octopus, Octopus mimus Gould, 1852 is widely distributed along the Peruvian coast and is target of an important artisanal fishery. The size-weight relationship in Ilo and Callao shows an allometric growth for both sexes. The females reach a spawning size at 14,3 cm of mantle length. That size was used to estimate a minimum weight of catch of

Although the Brazilian sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon lalandii (Muller and Henle, 1839), is an inshore species widely distributed in the Western Atlantic from Panama to Uruguay, there is little available information on its biology. During a long-term study of small coastal sharks caught by gill net fisheries in southeastern Brazil (PROJETO CAÇÃO), 3643 specimens of R. lalandii were examined, comprising 61.3% of the total sharks, and including all sizes classes, from 30 to 78.5 cm TL, and weights from 100 to 2950 g. The length–weight relationships were not significantly different between sexes. Overall sex ratio favoured the males slightly at the rate of 1.3:1. Sex ratios, however, did differ significantly between season and size classes. This species occurred in this area all year long. Three seasonal size-class occurrence patterns were recognized: (1) between October and March, the juveniles were more frequent; (2) from April to July, adults were most common; and (3) from August to September, neonates were most numerically abundant. Such patterns were associated with reproductive tactics that may reduce intra-specific and inter-specific competition with hammerhead shark neonates (Sphyrna lewini), probably result in reduced natural mortality of the offspring during their first few months.

Nineteen species of cetaceans (families Balaenopteridae, Kogiidae, Physeteridae, Ziphiidae and Delphinidae) occur in the Costa Rican Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Based on data recorded from the EEZ by the Southwest Fisheries Service Center, Cascadia Research Collective, and CIMAR between 1979-2001, we mapped the distribution of 18 cetacean species. Our results suggest that the majority of the cetacean species use primarily oceanic waters, particularly those species within the families Balaenopteridae, Kogiidae. Physeteridae and Ziphiidae. Members of the family Delphinidae showed a wide variety of distribution patterns: seven species are widespread throughout the EEZ, four appear to be exclusively pelagic, and two are primarily coastal. Overall, three cetacean species appear to have populations concentrated in coastal waters: Stenella attenuata graffmani. Tursiops truncatus, and Megaptera novaeangliae. These three may be more susceptible to human activities due to the overl...

We analysed fisheries trends in the northern region of the Gulf of California, within the Biosphere Reserve of the Upper Gulf of California and Colorado Delta River and the Vaquita Refuge Area, and suggest measures to protect the vaquita, Phocoena sinus. We compiled and analysed catch reports of artisanal fishermen in the three fishing communities of the Upper Gulf of California (San Felipe in the State of Baja California, and Golfo de Santa Clara and Puerto Peñasco in the State of Sonora) from 1995 to 2007. This information was categorised with respect to geographic information systems, and all fishing sites within two marine protected areas in the region were identified. In addition, from a survey based on direct interviews with artisanal fishermen in each of the three ports, we identified that 23% of fishermen will continue fishing despite on-going fishing buy-out programmes in the region. We suggest several specific courses of action to decrease the fishing impact on this critically endangered cetacean. However, given the critical situation of this critically endangered species, it is very uncertain whether enforcing a no-take zone within the biosphere reserve and the Vaquita Refuge Area, or even a wider fishing moratorium, will be enough to save this endangered species from extinction.

Some authors have studied and described different aspects of the reproductive cycle of Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) trunculus, but most data are quite ancient and fragmented, lacking information in important respects on the reproductive cycle of this species. Based on several individual and collective spawns deposited in laboratory aquaria, this study provides additional and more detailed information on the spawning behaviour and egg-laying pattern, description of the general morphology and dimensions of the spawns, egg capsules, eggs, embryos and early post-metamorphic juveniles, as well as the first data available on the growth rate of T. trunculus hatchlings and juveniles (until 4 months old). Females deposited an average of 118 ± 89 tongue-shaped egg capsules per individual spawn, measuring on average 5.5 mm length x 4.7 mm width x 2.6 mm thickness. These egg capsules contained 723 ± 66 eggs with an average diameter of 240 ± 8 μm. T. trunculus is a direct developer species (metamorphosed hatchlings) with an incubation period of approximately 1 month. At hatching, individuals measured 1.64 ± 0.22 mm shell length and presented a growth rate of 2.5 mm/month at the end of 4 months. The breeding habits, embryonic development, hatchling and juvenile growth rates are discussed in terms of their implications for the management of the artisanal fishery for T. trunculus in the Ria Formosa lagoon and the assessment of the potential of this muricid species for molluscan aquaculture.

The Oaxaca coast in Mexico has a narrow continental shelf and it reaches depths greater than 500 meters near the coast; furthermore it consists of bays and sheltered areas, where high food availability is found. Each week, from March 2001 to December 2005, the unloading areas of artisanal fisheries between the bays of Huatulco and Puerto Escondido in the Oaxaca coast were visited. Data on fishing gear and zones, as well as the species composition of the captures were taken. In the zone, three fishery units operated: shark, pelagic and demersal. All three capture sharks in a direct or incidental way. At the studied region, 419 organisms of S. lewini were registered; from August to September newborn individuals (43.9%, 44 to 64 cm of total length), young of the year (9.3% 65-75 cm Tl) and juveniles (30.3%, 75 to 168 cm Tl) were observed; pregnant females were registered in March, May and June with a fecundity ranging from 18 to 24 embryos (35 to 45 cm Tl). With respect to C. falciform...