Dynamic valuation of the provisioning services of marine fisheries ecosystem based on BeiDou VMS data: A case study of TACs project for Acetes chinensis in the Yellow Sea

Abstract

The refined management of the total allowable catch system (TACs) project is a form of marine fishery spatial planning (MFSP). With the decline of global fishery resources, exploring the dynamic valuation of marine fisheries ecosystem provisioning services (MFEPS) in the TACs project and its application has been of great significance to the scientific formulation of MFSP and the sustainable development of marine resources. In this study, we take the TACs project for Northern mauxia shrimp (Acetes chinensis) in Haizhou Bay of the Yellow Sea from 2020 to 2022 as a case study. First, we constructed a driver–behavior–pressure–state–impact–response (DBPSIR) framework to explain the relationship between fishing activities and MFEPS. We then used BeiDou vessel monitoring system data, sampled catches, and fishing logs to extract the fishing effort and major catch species of each netting during the TACs project period. The values of catches, cost of bycatch resource restoration, and profit per unit of effort (PPUE) of each netting were calculated to dynamically assess the MFEPS value at different stages of the fishing period in this sea area. The fishing effort of the vessels showed an evident multi-core aggregation distribution pattern. The catch compositions were different at different fishing stages, but A. chinensis was the dominant species at all times. The area of high PPUE distribution was different from that of fishing effort, mainly distributed in 119°46′–119°55′E, 34°38′–34°42′N and 120°08′–120°15′E, 34°41′–34°45′N. The high values of PPUE in the early stage of the fishing period were significantly larger than those in the middle and late stages, and the return on effort gradually decreased. Therefore, it is reasonable to move the permitted fishing time forward. The reasonableness of the permitted fishing area setting in 2021–2022 was significantly higher than in 2020. In addition, fishers can be guided to increase their fishing efforts in waters with high PPUE values during the corresponding fishing stage. These results provide a scientific basis for the refined management of the TACs project in the context of fishing moratoriums. Future studies on the valuation of MFEPS should pay more attention to long-term dynamic ecosystem monitoring. It is necessary to regulate fishing behavior by combining measures such as the scientific formulation of fishing quotas and bycatch rates. Furthermore, elastic control of the MFSP could be improved to protect and utilize marine biological resources more reasonably.