Abstract
The Humboldt Current, one of the most productive waters in the world, flows along the Chilean coast with high primary production level. However, living marine resources in these waters are declining due to overexploitation and other anthropogenic and environmental factors. It has been reported that deploying artificial reefs in coastal waters can improve the production of benthic resources. To ensure the sustainability of coastal fisheries in northern Chile this study aims to investigate fishermen’s perceptions on deploying artificial reefs and propose future management measures using Caleta Pisagua as a case study. Interviews of artisanal fishermen regarding four aspects: fishermen profile, fishing activity, resources, and artificial reefs were conducted. Results showed that most fishermen favored the implementation of artificial reefs within the Areas of Management and Exploitation of Benthic Resources (AMERBs). In addition, deploying artificial reefs appears to be socio-economically necessary for the artisanal fishermen whose livelihood is being affected by the overexploitation of coastal fish and because hard substrates essential for benthic resources are in short supply within this administration area. It is recommended that criteria for the deployment of artificial reefs as well as specific management plans for main and secondary species should be developed.
Highlights
The Chilean fishery system comprises two sectors: 1.the industrial or large-scale fishery sector, and, 2. the artisanal or small-scale fishery sector
Fishermen Profile The age of the Caleta Pisagua artisanal fishermen ranged from 18 to over 60 years old; this age structure was biased (Chi-Square test, p < 0.05) as 30% of the fishermen were between ages of 50 and
The age of the Caleta Pisagua artisanal fishermen ranged from 18 to over 60 years old; this age structure was biased (Chi-Square test, p < 0.05) as 30% of the fishermen were between ages of 50 and 59, 26.7% were older than age 60, 23.3% were between ages 40 and 49, and only 13.3% were between ages 30 and 39 and 6.7% were between ages 18 and 29
Summary
The Chilean fishery system comprises two sectors: 1.the industrial or large-scale fishery sector, and, 2. the artisanal or small-scale fishery sector. The former includes fishing vessels larger than 18 m in length that by law must operate outside the first five nautical miles from the coast. The latter includes fishing vessels of up to 15 m in length that operate within five nautical miles of coastal waters. The latter includes various types of artisanal fishermen and some of them exploit marine resources for which they have annual quotas approved by the Under-Secretariat for Fisheries and Aquaculture; and others (the minority) with licenses to act on different marine resources [1]. Benthic fishery regulations include quotas by region and species, which are allocated among the groups included in the Artisanal Fisheries Register [2]
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