Abstract
AbstractWith the decline of many of the world’s fisheries, increased regulation, including marine protected areas (MPA), forms an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable resource use. Here, we present a novel “real-time” genetic monitoring programme used to protect the depleted Norwegian coastal cod stock (NCC) in an MPA during the spawning season, while a fishery targeted at the sustainable Northeast Arctic cod stock (NEAC) operates immediately outside. In the period 2009–2016, >6800 cod from the fishery were genotyped with the PanI locus that is discriminatory between these two stocks. The estimated fraction of NEAC increased during the study period until 2014; however, it did not exceed 70% for any sustained period. Therefore, the MPA remained closed for commercial harvest. Genetic analysis of eggs revealed a distinctly lower fraction of NEAC than in the catch from the adult stock, both immediately outside and within the MPA itself. We suggest that this discrepancy is likely to reflect differences in spawning areas used by NCC and NEAC. Estimated fractions of NEAC/NCC using PanI, otolith classification, and 39 single nucleotide polymorphisms were similar, thus validating the use of PanI to estimate NEAC/NCC composition.
Highlights
A universal challenge in the effective management of mixed-stock fisheries is to assure sufficient protection to the most vulnerable components of the fishery (Allendorf et al, 2008)
We present a novel “real-time” genetic monitoring programme used to protect the depleted Norwegian coastal cod stock (NCC) in an marine protected areas (MPA) during the spawning season, while a fishery targeted at the sustainable Northeast Arctic cod stock (NEAC) operates immediately outside
The estimated fraction of NEAC in Hessafjorden did not exceed the 70% threshold set by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries (NDF) to open the MPA to commercial fishing for any sustained period, and the MPA remained closed in all years
Summary
A universal challenge in the effective management of mixed-stock fisheries is to assure sufficient protection to the most vulnerable components of the fishery (Allendorf et al, 2008). A more demanding approach is to closely monitor the fishery and dynamically redirect the harvest to areas and seasons in a manner that optimizes the match between catch and quotas. This becomes a major challenge if the fishery includes two or more stocks of the same species that are morphologically similar or identical. While the use of DNA methods has revolutionized our understanding of population structure and VC International Council for the Exploration of the Sea 2017
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