Fishing Fleet Research Articles

A database of mapped global fishing activity 1950–2017

A new database on historical country-level fishing fleet capacity and effort is described, derived from a range of publicly available sources that were harmonized, converted to fishing effort, and mapped to 30-min spatial cells. The resulting data is comparable with widely used but more temporally-limited satellite-sourced Automatic Identification System (AIS) datasets for large vessels, while also documenting important smaller fleets and artisanal segments. It ranges from 1950 to 2017, and includes information on number of vessels, engine power, gross tonnage, and nominal effort, categorized by vessel length, gear type and targeted functional groups. The data can be aggregated to Large Marine Ecosystem, region and/or fishing country scales and provides a temporally and spatially explicit source for fishing effort and fleet capacity for studies aimed at understanding the implications of long-term changes in fishing activity in the global ocean.

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture of steelhead trout, blue mussel and sugar kelp from a floating ocean platform

Over the last several decades, the commercial fishing fleet in New England has been subjected to increasingly restrictive management measures established to rebuild declining stocks. This has limited fishing opportunities and significantly reduced the inshore small vessel fleet. To help support New Hampshire (NH) commercial fishermen, an extension program was developed by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and NH Sea Grant to train fishers on small-scale integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) growing steelhead trout, blue mussels, and sugar kelp together, with the goal of providing alternative income sources and increasing local food production without adding significant levels of nitrogen to the environment. A total of 416 kg of steelhead trout, 3072 kg of blue mussels, and 638 kg of sugar kelp were produced in this study. The steelhead trout released an estimated 25.1 kg of N into the environment, while the mussels and kelp together extracted an estimated 41.5 kg N for a net reduction of ∼16.4 kg N from the ecosystem. There was no observed negative impact on local water quality at any point during the trial. Overall, this program demonstrated a culture method that can positively impact the ecosystem, while providing the fishermen with a new skill set that they could adopt either part time or full time, to provide additional income.

Dynamics of a fishery with nonlinear harvesting: control, price variation, and MSY

In this paper, we construct and analyse a new fishing mathematical model, which describes the time evolution of a fish stock, which is harvested by a fishing fleet, described by its fishing effort. We consider that the price, which is given by the difference between supply and demand, is varying with respect to time. For the harvesting function, we use the Holling II function. On the other hand, we consider two different time scales: a fast one for the price variation and a slow one for fish stock and fishing effort variations. We use an "aggregation of variables" method to get the aggregated model that governs fish biomass and fishing effort in the slow time. By analyzing this reduced model, and under some conditions, we prove that three interesting equilibria can occur. Furthermore, we show how one can control the model to avoid the undesirable situations and to reach the stable equilibrium. Another interesting aspect given in this manuscript is the possibility of the implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). We show how that MPAs permits us to contribute significantly to the rehabilitation of depleted fish populations. This is achieved by disrupting the state of "Fish Extinction" equilibrium, and establishing a stable one.

IMPLICAÇÕES DOS ESPORÕES DE PEIXES NA SAÚDE DOS PESCADORES INDUSTRIAIS DE PIRAMUTABA NO ESTADO DO PARÁ, BRASIL

Industrial fishing for piramutaba (Brachyplatystoma vaillantii) at the mouth of the Amazon River, encompassing the coastal zone of northern Brazil, is an activity characterized by the intense presence of industrial fishing fleets and notable aquatic biodiversity. However, this activity faces significant challenges in the realm of occupational health and safety. The aim of this study was to identify the species of venomous fish present in piramutaba fishing and to assess the impact of these species on the health-disease processes of the fishermen. Through questionnaires, a high incidence of accidents related to fish spines was evidenced. The prominent presence of potentially dangerous species in the region's ichthyological diversity directly influences the frequency and severity of accidents. The educational profile of the fishermen, mostly with incomplete Acta of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Oliveira et al. (2024): ActaPesca 12(2): 110-120 DOI 10.46732/Actafish.2024.12.2.110-120 111 elementary education, highlights the urgent need for training programs adapted to the local reality. The need for the implementation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is evident, complemented by educational strategies aimed at accident prevention and understanding the risks associated with interaction with venomous fish. The research also underscores the importance of future studies that can evaluate the effectiveness of different training and awareness strategies for fishermen, aiming for a more comprehensive approach to occupational safety in fishing activities.

Mackerel Fish (Rastrelliger Kanagurta) Management Strategy at Karangantu Port

The aim of this research is to understand the management strategy for Mackerel Fish (Rastrelliger Kanagurta) at Karangantu Harbor. The research method used by researchers is a quantitative research method. The sample selection in this research used the primary data sampling technique, using a purposive sampling technique. Because the aim of this research was mackerel, sampling was carried out randomly on the fishing fleet that caught mackerel and landed at PPN Karangantu. Meanwhile, the researcher's data analysis used Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE), Fox Model, Schaefer Model, Walter-Hilborn Model, Clarke Yoshimoto Pooley (CYP) Model, and Schnute Model, as well as analysis of management strategy preparation using qualitative descriptive analysis methods based on MSY values, JTB, and average annual production/catch at Karangantu Harbor. The results of the research show that the correlation coefficient (R2) at 20 days is 0.9537. The r value is close to 1 (one), indicating a close relationship between length growth and fish weight. The condition of the mackerel fishery in the waters of Serang Regency is experiencing a decline. For the management of mackerel, the size of the nets used to catch mackerel should be enlarged so that fewer fish are caught that are smaller than the size at which the gonads first mature.

Fishery-independent and -dependent movement data aid in defining the stock structure of a data-deficient billfish

The shortbill spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris) is a data-deficient billfish frequently encountered near the Main Hawaiian Islands where it is taken as non-target bycatch in commercial fisheries. The lack of information on the species’ movement and stock structure is a primary management concern given uncertainty in its population dynamics and the lack of a formal stock assessment. Here, we combine fishery-independent satellite telemetry with fishery-dependent conventional tagging to describe the movement ecology of shortbill spearfish in the central North Pacific and contextualize it with respect to stock structure and the management considerations implicit with that structure. We show that shortbill spearfish are highly migratory like other billfishes and large pelagics, exhibiting multiple scales of movement with general fidelity to the region of the Hawaiian Islands and surrounding high seas but no discernible seasonality to their movements. The species’ displacements from the island group into areas beyond national jurisdiction result in exposure to multiple distinct commercial fishing fleets, suggesting the need for multi-national cooperation in quantifying harvest. By comparing the limited sources of information on shortbill spearfish with the far more expansive knowledge base of other highly migratory fishes, we suggest a first-order division of stocks between the North and South Pacific. Continued interdisciplinary efforts are needed to confirm and further understand the proposed stock structure.

Hatchery capacity needed to support large‐scale Atlantic surfclam fishery enhancement

AbstractFishery enhancement methods are being explored globally to sustain commercial and recreational fisheries through improving the productivity and management of marine populations impacted by anthropogenic stressors. It is expected that access to important Atlantic surfclam fishing grounds will be limited or lost due to growing overlap with offshore wind energy development. This study explores the economic viability of large‐scale hatchery production to improve fishery access and potentially offset additional costs, reduced revenues and potential job losses associated with the displacement of the fishing fleet. Reports and primary literature were used to understand the growth and survival of Atlantic surfclams in hatchery and nursery settings to calculate the scale of hatchery efforts needed to support one million (1M) bushels of fishery‐sized clams (>120 mm). Data on labour, energy, construction and material inputs and costs for hatchery and nursery production were gathered by analysing available literature and information provided by hatchery managers, researchers and others knowledgeable about shellfish hatchery production. A techno‐economic cost model and Monte Carlo analyses were employed to explore average costs and their variability. This study suggests that 374M–2.1B Atlantic surfclams are needed at the end of the hatchery stage to produce 1M bushels of market‐sized product. Total production costs range from $3.7 to $15.1M, including $2.9–$13.3M in hatchery costs and $800K–$1.9M in nursery costs. Under current market conditions, where Atlantic surfclams regularly sell for $14–$17/bushel, this analysis suggests that hatchery production could be considered a viable fishery enhancement method that supports human access to the fishery, though several additional questions remain.

Using a time-dynamic food web model to compare predation and fishing mortality in Pleuroncodes monodon (Galatheidae: Crustaceae) and other benthic and demersal resource species off central Chile

The stock biomass of the carrot prawn (Pleuroncodes monodon) in the south-central area of Chile (33º–39°S) has decreased progressively in the last 12 years. The depletion and lack of recovery of carrot prawn and other fish and crustacean stocks has been attributed mostly to fishing mortality (F). Predation can be also an important factor for the dynamics of marine species, especially those that are important prey in the ecosystem, like the carrot prawn and other demersal crustaceans. However, predation mortality (M2) has been less studied and quantified in Chile and elsewhere. Therefore, it is important to estimate and compare predation (M2) and fishing (F) mortality to understand their individual and combined effects on the dynamics of fishing stocks. In this study, we analyzed the biomass changes of carrot prawn and other components of the marine food web in south-central Chile from 1992 to 2018. For this, we built a food web model that was later fit to time series of observed biomass and catch data, using observed fishing mortality as forcing factor. We used the Ecopath with Ecosim software as modeling platform. This model provided M2 and F series for carrot prawn and other demersal crustaceans, which were compared to evaluate their relative contribution to total mortality (Z) from 1992 to 2018. The quantitative model considered 29 functional groups, from primary producers to top predators, and the following fishing fleets operating in the study area: artisanal and industrial purse seine fleets, artisanal and industrial hake trawling fleet and demersal prawn trawling fleet. The results indicated that M2 was the main component of Z in adults and juveniles carrot prawns, with Chilean hake as the main predator in both cases. M2 was responsible for 84 % and 86 % of Z of adults and juveniles of carrot prawns, respectively. M2 was also greater than F in yellow prawns (Cervimunida johni), whose main predator was big eye flounder (Hippoglossina macrops). In contrast, F was greater than M2 for the nylon shrimp (Heterocarpus reedi). We conclude that the stock dynamics of the carrot and yellow prawns has been strongly influenced in recent decades by the predation by Chilean hake on pre-recruits of carrot prawn as prey and bigeye flounder on yellow prawn as prey. We recommend that M2 should be considered both in evaluating the past dynamics of these stocks used to establish their status and in future projections used to establish biologically acceptable catch.

Spatiotemporal fishing effort simulations and restriction scenarios in Thermaikos Gulf, Greece (northeastern Mediterranean Sea)

Spatiotemporal simulation modeling is used in the context of ecosystem-based fisheries management to investigate different management options, including the size and allocation of marine protected and fisheries restricted areas. Here, we used ecospace to assess the effectiveness of existing and potential future spatiotemporal fishing restrictions in the heavily exploited Thermaikos Gulf, Greece for the years 2000–2025 (calibration period 2000–2016; projection period 2017–2025). ecospace combines temporal biomass and commercial catch data with spatial habitat and other environmental data, as well as species ecological preferences, feeding, and dispersal rates to depict changes in trophic interactions, biomasses, and commercial catches in time and space. ecospace simulations supported the empirical data demonstrating that fisheries restricted areas are effective tools for rebuilding the biomass of exploited stocks, with their size and location playing a significant role in the way that different organisms respond to protection. Nevertheless, our results suggested that in order to achieve the highest benefits of protection, fisheries restricted areas would need to be accompanied by a parallel reduction in total fishing effort, rather than a redistribution of fishing activities. Such redistribution would just move the pressure on the boundaries of protected areas, causing a local increase of commercial catches owing to the beneficial spillover effects of protection. One of the tested spatiotemporal restriction scenarios (MPA 5) suggests certain additional management measures on top of the existing restrictions for all four fishing fleets operating in the area. This scenario predicted a considerable increase in the biomass of key commercial and vulnerable species groups, including hake, flatfishes, anglerfish, sharks, and rays and skates, by the end of the simulation period in 2025.

A School of Local Fish on the School Lunch Menu

School cafeterias in the Canary Islands use mainly seafood that is imported from far-away industrial fishing operations, even though there are several nearby fishing fleets. The nearby fleets fish for tuna the traditional way, catching them one by one off of mostly small-scale fishing boats, with the hook and line technique. These boats are eco-friendly, but they tend to export their tuna—several thousand tons each year—to mainland Spain or other countries. So, in 2018, we started a project to supply local tuna and other fish steaks to about a dozen Canary Islands school cafeterias, in an attempt to reduce fish exports and imports. This is good for the environment because it decreases the amount of fuel used to move food from place to place. We hope our work will not only help school kids to eat healthier, but also improve the eating habits and health of the entire local population.

Рыбохозяйственный комплекс России: нарративный анализ тенденций и стратегические задачи развития производства и потребления продукции

The role and importance of the fishing industry in the country᾿s economy and international trade and economic relations are outlined, the main problems of its development in modern conditions are considered. The main indicators and targets for the development of the Russian fishing industry are presented in accordance with the “Strategy for the development of the fisheries complex of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030”, the role of exports and the current mechanism for distributing quotas for fish products on the volume of its consumption and factors determining the formation of prices for various types of marine biological resources are analyzed. The dynamics of the number of fishing and fish farming enterprises as well as the catch of fish and the main types of biological resources and the production and consumption of fish products in the country for 2010-2022, including by its regions (by federal districts) and per capita are analyzed. The main indicators characterizing conditions, problems and prospects of the fishing fleet development, its deployment and financing of the construction of new vessels are analyzed. The ways of increasing the efficiency of the industry᾿s functioning based on the actualization of modern organizational, technical, innovative and economic mechanisms for the implementation of its goals, in particular by improving the mechanism of “investment quotas” and the creation of production and technological fish clusters, are proposed. A narrative approach which does not entirely fit into the fields of scientific knowledge has been used. Nevertheless its obvious interdisciplinarity makes it possible to use its tools quite successfully within the framework of the modern, interpretive direction in the development of economic sciences.

Economic Impact of High Fuel Prices on the EU Fishing Fleet

Energy prices increased sharply because of the military invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, heavily impacting global economies. In 2022, the EU fishing sector paid on average about EUR 0.93 per liter of fuel; at the peak of the crisis in June, it paid EUR 1.2 per liter, around three times the normal average price. High fuel prices jeopardize the viability of the fishing sector, which is largely fuel-intensive and particularly vulnerable to fuel price increases. The European Commission responded with emergency measures, adopting a Temporary Framework for State aid rules and activating the crisis mechanism foreseen under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). This communication aims to examine the economic impact of the high fuel prices and the financial support available to the EU fishing sector to assess the short-term and long-term sustainability of the EU fishing sector.

Modeling chronic oil pollution from ships

Stochastic simulations of virtual oil spills from ships were performed for the Adriatic Sea over 2017–2020, applying the European Marine Observation and Data Network vessel densities as a proxy for starting locations of operational spillage. The MEDSLIK-II oil spill model was run using high-resolution currents provided by the Copernicus Marine Service and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts winds. Chronic exposure to operational oil spills was reported in terms of hazard indices for five vessel groups: pleasure and passenger ships, cargo and service vessels, the fishing fleet, tankers, and other ships. The northernmost Adriatic expectedly showed the highest hazard values, including the areas of Trieste and Venice, where cargo and service ships were the dominant polluters. The Croatian coastal waters were more chronically polluted than the Italian coastal waters; the predominant contribution was from coastwise pleasure and passenger ships.

Investigation of the energy efficiency of fishing vessels: Case study of the fishing fleet in the Adriatic Sea

The reduction of ship emissions is one of the most important and current research topics in maritime sciences. Different technical and operational measures as well as various business strategies are being investigated to reach future decarbonization goals. Fishing vessels generally do not belong to the categories of vessels covered by the regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), but their effect on humans and the environment is very important since fishing operations are mainly performed in coastal waters. Besides, fishing is considered an energy-intensive activity that produces vast amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most fishing vessels are equipped with aged, low-efficiency diesel engines resulting in relatively high CO2 indices. This paper investigates the environmental impact of purse seiners and trawlers in the Adriatic Sea, based on their technical and operational characteristics, and taking into account the attained benefit for society. The energy efficiency index is formulated as a tool to compare different fishing vessels from an environmental viewpoint. The technical properties of purse seiners and trawlers operating in the Adriatic Sea are analysed from the relevant databases, and, based on the recorded realistic operating profiles, their energy needs and resulting emissions are assessed. The results show that trawlers have higher emission indices than purse seiners, mainly due to rather high energy needs and lower amounts of landed fish. However, when the income is taken into account, the difference between the emission indices of trawlers and purse seiners is lower.

Spatial distribution and biological characteristics of the Okhotsk Sea Pollock in the winter-spring period

The data on the biology and fishing of pollock in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk collected during its monitoring on fishing vessels in the winter-spring period 2001–2021 are analyzed. Analysis of the dislocation of the fishing fleet makes it possible to trace the formation and distribution of pollock clusters. A significant amount of the collected material made it possible to characterize the dynamics of gonad maturation and the change in the size and age structure of individuals in commercial subzones. Pollock fishing usually began in the Kamchatka-Kuril subzone and partly in the North Okhotsk subzone in the area of the Swan Upland, with gradual development northward into Shelikhov Bay, Pritaui district and the North Okhotsk shelf. The basis of the catches was pollock at the age of 5–8 years at the pre-spawning stages of the development of sexual products. By-catch of juveniles varied from 0,5% (2009) to 63,5% (2018), averaging 23,5% in the North Okhotsk subzone, 34,8% in the West Kamchatka subzone and 15,5% in the Kamchatka-Kuril subzone.

Вклад мореходного института Дальрыбвтуза в рыбохозяйственное образование

The paper presents the results of the educational activities of the Dalrybvtuz Maritime Institute for the training of specialists for the fishing fleet for the period from 2017 to 2022. Information about the contingent of students, the release of specialists, as well as the implementation of the results of graduation projects is given. An increase in the contingent of students in the full-time department and a decrease in the correspondence department was noted. Over the same period of studying the defense of graduation projects with excellent and good, it almost doubled. The relative number of graduation projects recommended for implementation remains. Measures have been developed to develop and improve the efficiency of work, given in the development plan of the institute for 2022-2027, which defines the main directions of development.

Positioning System for Fishing Fleets’ Tracking and Assistance

The safety of people working at sea is a subject on which many studies have been carried out. One of the current improvements that has been implemented is the possibility of assigning medical support assistance vessels during specific periods of time, whilst undergoing certain activities or peak seasons in the industry such as fishing seasons. This article proposes an aid system that will support decision making when determining the positioning of such vessels at configurable time intervals, thus shortening the emergency response time. Real data from the vessels, such as coordinates, number of crew, type of fishing gear, etc., are used to carry this out. With the scope of testing the system out, real data from the Spanish fishing fleet in the Bay of Biscay and the medical support assistance vessels available to the Spanish State have been used throughout different seasons. The results obtained convey the “standby” positions for these vessels. The following study of this comparative positioning enables us to calculate the differences between the coordinates calculated by the system and the real positions specified throughout the fishing season. The study also reviews the possibility of improving the emergency response time that would be gained, by increasing the number of medical support assistance vessels for the same area, during the same period.

Toward marine sustainability: Unveiling the effect of the fishery industry on blue carbon sequestration

AbstractThe fishing fleet of European Union (EU) nations gets billions in tax benefits each year, and the combustion of that fuel results in millions of tons of carbon emissions each year—and quantity of carbon dioxide equal to what Malta's entire fishing fleet emits each year. By considering the function of fishing output, fossil fuel usage, economic development, and population density (PD) from 1990 to 2022, this study examines the dynamic impact of the fishery sector on blue carbon in 27 European nations. The findings revealed a significant positive correlation and showed a significant positive association between fishing output as well as carbon sink decline at most quantiles by adopting an innovative methodology which is the method of moments quantile regression method which has a fixed factor. From the first to the ninth quantiles, fishery output greatly accelerates the decline of blue carbon storage, with a more substantial impact at the highest and a lesser influence at the lowest quantile. The findings also show that the EU14 developed countries experience a more meaningful, beneficial effect of fishing output on carbon sink deterioration than the EU13 developing nations. Economic development in EU14 created and EU13 developing nations were found to compress carbon sink degradation across all quantiles, supporting the growth theory for countries that produce fisheries. Fossil fuel usage was found to boost carbon sink degradation. In EU14 developed countries, the impact of PD was significantly negative from the first to the seventh quantiles. In contrast, in EU13 developing countries, this has a significant positive effect across all quantiles. With the help of diverse and green energy sources like the tide and wave energy, lawmakers can reduce the deterioration of blue carbon in the EU14 and EU13 nations.

Preferential aggregation areas of Seriola dumerili: Estimation of environmental influences and insights towards sustainable exploitation

A key aspect of the sustainable management of commercially important coastal pelagic fish stocks is the identification of the spatio-temporal dynamics of aggregation behaviour. An exemplary case species is the greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili. This top-predator is an important commercial resource exploited by recreational and commercial fisheries worldwide. Greater amberjack is known to form aggregations during important stages of its life-history, making it highly vulnerable to overfishing with potential consequences to its conservation. To improve the limited knowledge on the spatio-temporal aggregation areas of this important resource, this study combined fishing fleet dynamics (Vessel Monitoring System records), environmental and landing data into a species distribution model to predict such vulnerable events in space and time around the Balearic Islands. Our results indicated that S. dumerili aggregations were generally encountered in coastal areas at shallow depths (<100 m), low salinities, low chlorophyll concentrations, and weak meridional and zonal current velocities around the Balearic Islands. The preference for these environmental variables and processes is probably related to searching for an optimal scenario that maximises the success of larval development and survival of its offspring. Moreover, the distribution model suggested the possibility of a longer spawning period than previously predicted. This research demonstrates the use of a perceptive statistical tool that efficiently combines fisheries-dependent data and environmental data to highlight essential factors that influence the aggregation behaviour of S. dumerili and thus provides essential information for the conservation and sustainable exploitation not only of the greater amberjack, but also for other gregarious species highly-vulnerable to fishing by their aggregation behaviour.

Revisiting fuel tax concessions (FTCs): The economic implications of fuel subsidies for the commercial fishing fleet of the United Kingdom

Fuel forms a significant portion of the total expenditure for many commercial fishing vessels and in some cases, profitability can be dictated by fuel costs. In many nations, including the UK, these fuel costs are reduced by cost-reducing subsidies. There is evidence of growing support from various channels that public opinion is moving towards a reassessment of fuel subsidies. Analysis of the economics of the UK fishing fleet, using publicly available industry-supplied data, implies that the nominal annual value of fuel tax concessions for diesel is between £ 150–180 million per year (2009–2019). That support is largely provided to the most fuel-intensive fishing methods, such as mobile demersal trawls and dredges. Results show that, without the current fuel tax concession, several fleet segments would be deemed unprofitable. This paper outlines the current value of fuel tax concessions for fishing vessels and potential policy considerations for reform.