Abstract
Harvesting can have profound impacts on the ecology and evolution of marine populations. However, little is known about the strength and direction of fisheries‐induced selection acting on multiple traits in the wild. Here, we used acoustic telemetry to directly monitor individual behavior and fate in an intensively harvested species, the European lobster (Homarus gammarus, n = 100), in southern Norway. Overall, 24% of the tracked lobsters survived the two‐month harvest season within the study area. Our results indicated that local survival was not random with respect to phenotype. We found no clear support for fisheries‐induced selection acting directly on body size. However, lobsters with large crusher claws relative to their body size, typical of socially dominant individuals, appeared at higher risk of being captured in the conventional trap fishery. We also detected a fine‐scale spatial gradient in survival. After accounting for this gradient, individuals displaying larger home ranges were more likely to survive the harvest season. Finally, we found significant repeatabilities for lobster behavior on a monthly timescale, indicating that individual behavioral attributes tended to persist and may reflect personality. Our study therefore provides empirical support for the need to consider an evolutionary enlightened approach to fisheries management that considers the influence of harvest on multiple traits of target species.
Highlights
Human harvesting of marine wildlife dates back millennia and has had significant impacts on populations and ecosystems (Jackson et al, 2001; Limburg, Walther, Hong, Olson, & Storå, 2008; Myers & Worm, 2003)
Some pioneering studies on repeatability of behavior demonstrated that spatial ecology traits such as home range are repeatable in aquatic species like burbot (Lota lota; Harrison et al, 2015) and cod (Gadus morhua, Villegas‐Ríos, Reale, Freitas, Moland, & Olsen, 2017; Villegas‐Ríos, Réale, Freitas, Moland, & Olsen, 2018), and other studies revealed the repeatability of behavior in decapods based on laboratory assays (e.g., Gherardi, Aquiloni, & Tricarico, 2012)
The main movement metrics cumulative horizontal movement (DI), home‐ range size (HR), vertical position (DM, daily mean depth), and depth amplitude (DA, daily maximum depth − daily minimum depth) quan‐ tified for individuals surviving through October and November re‐ vealed significant adjusted repeatabilities, indicating that individual lobsters displayed consistent behaviors through time (Table S1)
Summary
Human harvesting of marine wildlife dates back millennia and has had significant impacts on populations and ecosystems (Jackson et al, 2001; Limburg, Walther, Hong, Olson, & Storå, 2008; Myers & Worm, 2003). Some pioneering studies on repeatability of behavior demonstrated that spatial ecology traits such as home range are repeatable in aquatic species like burbot (Lota lota; Harrison et al, 2015) and cod (Gadus morhua, Villegas‐Ríos, Reale, Freitas, Moland, & Olsen, 2017; Villegas‐Ríos, Réale, Freitas, Moland, & Olsen, 2018), and other studies revealed the repeatability of behavior in decapods based on laboratory assays (e.g., Gherardi, Aquiloni, & Tricarico, 2012) With this background, our last hypothesis is that spatial behavioral traits of lobster are repeatable, and selection on behavioral traits has the potential to fuel evolutionary changes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
