Abstract
The Zapatosa marsh (ciénaga de la Zapatosa) is located in the Department of Cesar in Colombia. In 2018, the muddy complex of Zapatosa was declared a Ramsar wetland, for this reason, it is necessary to develop management strategies for the marsh that allow not only the conservation of the ecosystem. The objective of this work is to use System Dynamics as an evaluation tool for three possible management scenarios of artisanal fishing in the Zapatosa marsh. A qualitative causal diagram and a quantitative Stock and Flow diagrams were designed to describe the dynamics of fish and fishermen populations in the marsh. The initial model setting and parametrization derived from values gathered from different sources of information. The calibration of the model was carried out with reference data on total catch of kilograms of fish and population data from the Department of Cesar. The data obtained through the “Aquaculture and artisanal fisheries survey of the Department of El Cesar” in 2018 were reproduced in the model and then compared with 3 alternative management scenarios. Scenario 1 included strictly applying of the fishing stopover for the species Prochilodus magdalenae and for catfish (Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum, Pimelodus blochii y Sorubim cuspicaudus). Scenario 2 considered to apply the same prohibitions, but with a payment to fishermen for the care of the swamp at the time of prohibition. In Scenario 3 the fishermen under fishing stop will receive an income of a legal Colombian minimum monthly salary and will be engaged in practices of ecosystem services. Results showed that in some scenarios the economic situation of the fishermen is unable to meet the monthly family expenses in different periods of the year. On the other hand, there is greater economic stability and fish populations when adopting Scenario 3, but it is difficult to achieve in the short or medium term. Scenario 2 shows little recoveries in fish populations and a higher money availability to the local community than in Scenario 3, in certain months, presenting the best short-term management option. The presented model encourages further simulation scenarios of the Zapatosa Marsh.
Highlights
System Dynamics in Fisheries and Fishing SystemsThe phenomenon of overfishing has been noticed in the Magdalena basin for several years and the area is characterized for evidences of overfishing
Fluvial fishing in Colombia has always been based on migratory species that in general includes among others bream, striped catfish and the endemic specie of Prochilodus magdalenae [2]
Grouping all the species considered as catfish (Pimelodus blochii, Sorubim cuspicaudus, Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum) account for a total of 18% of the catch and the other species complete a total of 40% of the catch in the marsh
Summary
System Dynamics in Fisheries and Fishing SystemsThe phenomenon of overfishing has been noticed in the Magdalena basin for several years and the area is characterized for evidences of overfishing. Fluvial fishing in Colombia has always been based on migratory species that in general includes among others bream, striped catfish and the endemic specie of Prochilodus magdalenae (named bocachico in the region) [2] These species go up the river and return to the marsh producing the phenomena of oscillating patterns of population dynamics which strongly affect fishing catch which are locally called periods of “high catch” (subienda), “low catch” (bajanza) and “mid catch” (mitaca) [1]. The main problem is that the fishing catch is not constant but is seasonal and incomes of these communities are variable throughout the year, especially depending on the climatic conditions in the marsh. In particular fishermen are obliged to sell the fish to marketer who lends them money, eliminating their possibilities of economic growth [6]
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