Assessing the Distribution and Sustainable Exploitation of Lophius litulon in Marine Areas Off Shandong, China

Zhaopeng Zhang,Weiwei Xian,Cui Liang,Yuanchao Wang,Shude Liu

doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.759591

Abstract

In recent years, the proportion and economic value of Lophius litulon (family Lophiidae) in the coastal fishery off Shandong Province, China has increased. In this study, we mapped the distribution of L. litulon abundance [catch per unit effort (CPUE)] and applied a generalized additive model (GAM) to explore the relationship between CPUE and environmental factors. Two data-limited methods (the BSM related to the CMSY method and the AMSY method) were used to evaluate the stock status and relevant fishery reference points of L. litulon. The results showed that the L. litulon stock was concentrated in the central Yellow Sea, at 34.0°–37.0° N and 121.0°–124.0° E, and the highest average CPUE of L. litulon in this area occurred in winter. The three most significant environmental factors affecting species abundance were bottom temperature, bottom salinity, and depth. L. litulon was most abundant when bottom temperature ranged from 5.8 to 10.6°C, depth was &gt; 18 m, and bottom salinity varied from 31.0 to 33.2‰. The BSM and AMSY models indicated that the L. litulon stock was unhealthy and had been overfished in recent years, as its biomass remained below the level that can support maximum sustainable yield. The relative exploitation ratios were also high. These results provide the basic data for improving sustainability of the exploitation of L. litulon in the Yellow and Bohai Seas.

Highlights

Marine fishery resources face a variety of threats globally, which has roused international concern (Ricard et al, 2012)
The marine fishery yield of Shandong Province mainly comes from the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, which provides more than 80% of the total catch, with the remainder mainly from the East China Sea
The L. litulon datasets used for the Bayesian Schaefer model (BSM) and abundance maximum sustainable yield (AMSY) models were derived from the fishing logs of offshore fishing vessels in Shandong Province from 2012 to 2019, which included fishing power, mode of operation, fishing area, operating time, catch species, and yield

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Marine fishery resources face a variety of threats globally, which has roused international concern (Ricard et al, 2012). This study illustrated the temporal and spatial distribution of L. litulon CPUE in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea based on the production statistics from fishing vessels in Shandong Province from 2012 to 2019 and bottom trawl survey data in Shandong Province from 2016 to 2017. We evaluated the stock status and related fishery reference points using BSM and AMSY methods, and analyzed the relationship between CPUE and marine environmental factors such as surface temperature, salinity, and depth. The results can inform the Maritime Shandong Strategy put forward by Shandong Province and help fisheries advance into the era of farming the sea, herding, and fishing These methods provide theoretical baseline information for the management and development of L. litulon resources in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea and promote the sustainable exploitation of marine fishery resources

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Method

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

ETHICS STATEMENT