Regional Fisheries Management Research Articles

Vertebral chemistry distinguishes regional populations of Blacktip Sharks in the northern Gulf of Mexico

AbstractObjectiveUnderstanding the spatial connectivity of elasmobranch populations is critical for regional fisheries management. The Blacktip Shark Carcharhinus limbatus is abundant in coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and important in recreational and commercial fisheries. Based on genetic and tagging studies, GoM Blacktip Sharks are currently managed under separate quotas between the eastern and western GoM (divided at 88°W), but no studies have used vertebral chemistry to assess the population structure of adult Blacktip Sharks.MethodsWe compared vertebral elemental signatures (barium [Ba], magnesium [Mg], manganese [Mn], strontium [Sr], and zinc [Zn]) for the first year of life with last occupied habitats (vertebral edges) in Blacktip Sharks collected from the western (Texas and Louisiana) and eastern (Alabama and Florida) coastal waters of the northern GoM.ResultWe found significant regional differences in Ba, Mg, Mn, and Sr vertebral edge signatures, suggesting ecological separation of Blacktip Sharks. Significant correlation between first‐year and edge signatures suggested a high degree of residency between life stages. Cross‐validated discriminant function analyses yielded highest regional classification accuracies when Florida sharks were grouped separately west of 88°W (90%), demonstrating the unique elemental signatures of eastern versus western GoM Blacktip Sharks under current management delineations.ConclusionCombined, these findings demonstrate that trace element markers can distinguish regional populations of Blacktip Sharks and provide a complimentary approach in addition to genetics and physical tagging to support current stock management efforts.

Global habitat predictions to inform spatiotemporal fisheries management: Initial steps within the framework

Tuna Regional Fishery Management Organizations (tRFMOs) are increasingly interested in spatiotemporal management as a tool to reduce interaction rates with vulnerable species. We use blue shark (Prionace glauca) as a case study to demonstrate the critical first steps in the implementation process, highlighting how predictions of global habitat for vulnerable life stages can be transformed into a publicly-accessible spatial bycatch mitigation tool. By providing examples of possible management goals and an associated threshold to identify essential habitats, we show how these key areas can represent a relatively low percentage of oceanic area on a monthly basis (16–24% between 50°S and 60°N), yet can have relatively high potential protection efficiency (∼ 42%) for vulnerable stages if fishing effort is redistributed elsewhere. While spatiotemporal management has demonstrable potential for blue sharks to effectively mitigate fishing mortality on sensitive life stages, we identify inherent challenges and sequential steps that require careful consideration by tRFMOs as work proceeds. We also discuss how our single-species framework could be easily extended to a multispecies approach by assigning relative conservation risk before layering habitat model predictions in an integrated analysis. Such broader application of our approach could address the goals of tRFMOs related to reducing the ecosystem effects of fishing and pave the way for efficient fisheries co-management using an ecosystem-based approach.

Innovation in the quest for compatibility: Interplay of jurisdiction and allocation in the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation

This paper explores how the legal obligation that management measures for straddling stocks in the high seas and for areas under national jurisdiction must be ‘compatible’ is interpreted within the forum of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, by considering the example of the ongoing conflict over allocation of jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) managed by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO). To do so, the paper presents the innovative framework through which to realise compatibility set forth by the treaty instituting SPRFMO, the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean, together with the practice implementing these provisions as seen in the annual SPRFMO jack mackerel management measure. This measure has evolved as coastal States Chile and Ecuador have consented over time to apply the measure in the areas under their national jurisdiction, and as it has been used to urge coastal State Peru to ensure measures under its area of jurisdiction are compatible with those in the SPRFMO measure. Methodologically, the paper draws from a mix of doctrinal analysis of international treaties alongside document analysis of SPRFMO Commission meeting reports, management measures, and reports of the SPRFMO Review Panel, enriched through interviews with persons with experience of the workings of SPRFMO. Ultimately, the paper grapples with the challenges in interpreting and applying the legal obligation of compatibility within the political context of allocation decisions by a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation such as SPRFMO.

A new approach to combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing: analysis of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

Harmful subsidies awarded by states facilitate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which causes negative impacts on ocean ecosystems, seafood value chains, society, and global food security. The World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, adopted on June 17, 2022, aims to improve global fishery governance through trade measures and is regarded as a major step toward the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The objective of this study is to offer a better insight into the interpretation and future implementation of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Based on the status quo of international and regional fishery governance legal systems and management regimes in the regulation of IUU fishing, this study reviews the legislative process of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, analyzes five main controversial issues, and explores the conflicts of interests of different countries during the discussion. In the future, states should promote the transformation of the fisheries sector by reducing harmful subsidies for IUU fishing and enhancing cooperation among coastal states, flag states, port states and relevant RFMOs.

Recent Declining Trends in Pelagic Fish Catches in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka: Is Gill Oxygen Limitation Theory (GOLT) a Possible Explanation?

Recent trends in the pelagic fish landings of multi-day fishing fleets operated from Sri Lanka indicated significant declines in many fish species. Therefore, the present preliminary analysis investigates the perceptions of fishers on recent declining trends of pelagic fish landings from offshore areas of the Indian Ocean and further investigates whether the most common pelagic species landed in Sri Lanka conform to the gill oxygen limitation theory (GOLT) and to speculate GOLT as a possible explanation to such trends. According to the perceptions of 457 skippers of fishing vessels interviewed, such declines were possibly attributed to shifting of the areas of occurrence of pelagic fish species, making them less vulnerable to multi-day fishing vessels. As climate change and deoxygenation are major stressors affecting fish stocks, there is a challenging need for disentangling the impacts of these stressors from the effects of overfishing. The 18 most common pelagic fish species harvested from the Indian Ocean confirmed to the predictions from the GOLT, suggesting that shifting of these stocks could be due to deoxygenation which may have been triggered by increased sea surface and sub-surface temperatures. Therefore, fishery-independent surveys are needed to investigate the shifting of areas of occurrence of pelagic fishes in the Indian Ocean to understand their areas of occurrence the further investigate the relevance of GOLT for defining regional fisheries management plans.

Integration of spatial justice into navigating the combat on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in ocean and coastal areas

As a geographical dimension of justice, spatial justice is characterized by the interplay of social justice and heterogeneous spaces, including the ocean. Despite the generous contribution of ocean to humankind, concerns over aquatic spatial justice are disproportionately lacking. Among the core disruptors of ocean justice, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing imposes a major threat to global fisheries governance. The synthesis of spatial analysis and justice perspective can generate new insights to help understand and potentially address IUU fishing. To examine the spatial (in)justices concerning IUU fishing, we first propose a novel tripartite framework that envisions space as a form of opportunity, society and rights to externalize its socio-environmental implications. Then we integrate productive, distributive and consumptive justices to examine the spatial variations of IUU stakeholders along the fish value chain, and use stakeholder analysis to investigate spatial powers and conflicts regarding both a micro scale of fish communities, and a macro scale of states (coastal state, flag state, port state and market state) and supernational players (regional fisheries management organizations and marine protected areas). It is discovered that certain regions provide greater spatial benefits that stimulate IUU behaviors; IUU misconducts cause spatial differentiation and spatial deprivation that disrupt social orders in fish communities; space can empower stakeholders’ inclusive and proper engagement into the place-based management process against IUU fishing. Since the spatialized vision has been increasingly highlighted in marine fisheries management, it is suggested to intervene in the world ocean by leveraging spatial knowledge, managing spatial conflicts and facilitating spatial action, in order to promote spatial justice and better combat IUU fishing globally.

Evaluation of the full set of habitat suitability models for vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator taxa in the South Pacific high seas

AbstractIn the high seas, regional fishery management organisations are required to implement measures to prevent significant adverse impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). Our objectives were to develop habitat suitability models for use in the spatial management of bottom fisheries in the South Pacific and to evaluate these and existing models using independent data from high‐quality seafloor imagery. Presence‐only models for seven VME indictor taxa were developed to complement previous modelling. Evaluation of habitat suitability models using withheld data indicated high mean True Skill Statistic scores of 0.44–0.64. Most habitat suitability models performed adequately when assessed with independent data on taxon presence and absence but were poor surrogates for abundance. We therefore advocate caution when using presence‐only models for spatial management and call for more systematically collected data to develop abundance models.

Policy pathways to reduce disproportionate burdens in tuna fisheries

AbstractThe United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement requires states to recognise the special requirements of developing countries and to ensure that conservation and management measures do not place a disproportionate burden on developing countries. The aim of this article is to assess what policy arrangements are required to reduce the identified disproportionate burden. We developed a policy pathway that would allow members of tuna regional fisheries management organisations (tRFMOs) to strengthen their efforts to meet their duty to share conservation burdens more equitably. This pathway consists of policy options that were developed by using policy analysis, which is an innovative approach that provides actionable outcomes that can be used by tRFMO member states. Despite the global attention to reducing disproportionate conservation burdens, developing states are still suffering. The results of this article provide novel and timely policy options that have the potential to reduce the conservation burden carried by developing states.

Exploring the Intricate Connections between the Influence of Fishing on Marine Biodiversity and Their Delivery of Ecological Services Driven by Different Management Frameworks

The goal of this project is to assess the state of marine biodiversity in the Natura 2000 marine network in Spain and analyze the impact of fishing policies on it. The study focuses on three marine demarcations in Spain: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and the Strait of Gibraltar and Alborán Sea. The research uses the DPSIR (Drivers of Change-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) framework, a multi-criteria analysis approach to understand the relationships between biodiversity loss, fishing, marine ecosystem integrity, and the provision of ecosystem services. Our results revealed a significant decline in biodiversity since 1985 in the four marine areas studied; this loss was more pronounced in the Gulf of Cadiz (in Andalusia) and less intense in the northern regions of Spain (Galicia and Asturias). This trend aligns with the global degradation of marine ecosystems and loss of biodiversity caused by human activities. The main drivers behind this decline are economic factors promoting industrial fishing and overexploitation. However, there has been a reduction in the industrial fishing fleet since the 2000s, supported by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund for transitioning toward sustainable fishing methods. Despite the increase in regulations and the establishment of marine protected areas, these measures have not been effective enough to stop the loss of marine biodiversity. The results highlight the importance of combining administrative measures such as creating marine protected areas and implementing fisheries management regulations with the preservation of cultural services provided by these ecosystems. Successful governance models that involve collaboration between fishermen and decision-makers have been observed in northern Galicia and the Gulf of Cádiz.

The challenge of assessing the effects of drifting fish aggregating devices on the behaviour and biology of tropical tuna

AbstractFishers have intensively used drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs) over the last three decades to facilitate their catch of tropical tunas. DFADs increase purse‐seine efficiency, potentially increasing tuna fishing mortality. They could also have impacts on tuna natural mortality and reproductive potential, and assessing the consequences of their presence at sea on tuna populations is a challenge. The use of DFADs results in a major increase in the number of floating objects, which are spatially heterogeneous at sea. To date, no converging scientific results exist regarding the effects of DFADs on the large‐scale movements and behaviour of tuna, mainly due to the difficulty of disentangling the respective roles of DFADs and environmental factors. Some biological indices show that tuna condition is lower when associated to a floating object than in a free‐swimming school. However, it is not clear whether this is the cause or the consequence of the association nor if it has long‐term effects on individuals' fitness. Further scientific progress requires (i) the collection of time series of indicators to monitor habitat change, individual behaviour, individual fitness, and population dynamics and (ii) experimental studies to identify the underlying behavioural and biological processes involved in associative behaviour. The extent of the modification of the surface habitat by the massive deployment of DFADs and the current uncertainty of the possible long‐term consequences on the individual fitness and dynamics of tuna populations argue for the need for increased awareness of this issue by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations regulating tuna fishing.

Consumption of Post-Larval Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) by Dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus): New Ecological Insights into Both Species in the Tyrrhenian Sea

Knowledge of post-larval swordfish (Xiphias gladius) ecology in the world’s oceans is incomplete as they are rarely found in ichthyoplankton samplings or commercial catches and individuals are difficult to observe in the marine ecosystem. Analyses of stomach contents of apex predators can provide otherwise unobtainable ecological insights. Two well-preserved bills of post-larval swordfish were identified among the partially digested stomach contents of an adult male dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) caught in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea. The lower jaw to fork lengths of the two predated swordfish were estimated at, respectively, 18 and 22 cm, corresponding to 81- and 99-day-old swordfish hatched in the 2022 spawning season. This analysis and recent information on the reproductive dynamics of swordfish in the same area reported in the literature shed light not only on the early stages of swordfish growth but also on dolphinfish ecology in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The two species share the same habitat and are both caught with commercial pelagic surface longlines. Environmental shifts associated with climate change could unpredictably modify the reproduction dynamics, growth, recruitment and distribution of both species. This knowledge is important for the sustainable management of regional fisheries.

Fisheries observers: An overlooked vulnerability for crime and corruption within the global fishing industry

Human fishery observers play an important role in monitoring fish stocks, providing scientific data upon which management organizations set applicable fishing limits and quotas to maintain sustainable populations. At-sea observers, however, sometimes sustain harassment from crews that object to being monitored, and at least one observer has disappeared or died under suspicious circumstances while underway every year since 2009. This exploratory paper examines inherent vulnerabilities within the monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) framework that nations and regional fisheries management organizations (RFMO) have adopted to support sustainable fish stocks. As rational actors, perpetrators of observer harassment, assault, and murder likely do so to manipulate observers’ monitoring role in the MCS framework to conceal illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other criminal activities. Qualitative analysis of reporting on observer harassment and suspicious disappearances over the past 15 years indicates the following institutional, situational, jurisdictional, and physical conditions appear to contribute to observer safety issues—privatization of fishery observer programs, crime convergence on fishing vessels, conflicting maritime jurisdictional considerations, and harsh conditions endemic to the remote maritime environment. While recorded suspicious observer deaths are too few to draw general conclusions, most occurrences befell observers working for tuna RFMOs in the Pacific Ocean, and a disproportionate number of deaths were observers from Kiribati and Papua New Guinea. Alternative surveillance approaches such as Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) produce limited results without human observers. Future policies that could contribute to observer safety include applying lessons learned from international efforts to address maritime transnational organized crime and providing observers personal communications and safety equipment to directly connect with search and rescue entities if under duress.

The MSC approach for developing harvest strategies and harvest control rules for Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs)

Well-designed and robust harvest strategies are a key governance tool to achieve long term sustainability of target stocks. In some fisheries, however, such as those governed by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), the development and adoption of harvest strategies can be challenging. Seafood eco-labelling programs, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), can be one way of incentivising fisheries to advocate for the adoption of harvest strategies and harvest control rules (HCRs). Here we illustrate the process through which the MSC Fisheries Standard was recently revised to guide the development and implementation of harvest strategies tested using management strategy evaluation, with particular focus on RFMOs. We identify three case studies that highlight the challenge of harvest strategy and HCR adoption: Indian Ocean skipjack tuna fisheries, Western and Central Pacific Ocean tuna fisheries, and North-East Atlantic mackerel fisheries. We discuss the problem statement that highlighted the challenges present when applying the previous MSC Fisheries Standard to stocks managed by RFMOs, and how the revised requirements within the MSC Fisheries Standard aim to overcome those challenges. These revised requirements provide an operational framework within the MSC Fisheries Standard for how RFMO-managed fisheries can implement ‘state-of-the-art' harvest strategies through management strategy evaluation. When applied by MSC certified fisheries, the new requirements are expected to contribute to delivering positive change with respect to implementing robust harvest strategies and HCRs across RFMOs, particularly in cases where there is a strong interest in the market benefits of certification.

Bycatch in drift gillnet fisheries: A sink for Indian Ocean cetaceans

AbstractIn 1992, the UN banned the use of large‐scale pelagic driftnets on the high seas (UNGA Resolution 46/215). Three decades later, however, drift gillnets remain one of the primary fishing gears in the Indian Ocean, accounting for approximately 30% of tuna catches in this ocean. Recent estimates indicate that several million small cetaceans have been killed in Indian Ocean gillnets over the past few decades. National agencies and the regional fisheries management organization charged with managing tuna fisheries, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, have yet to effectively document the bycatch of small cetaceans in these fisheries. Here, we review current information on cetacean bycatch in Indian Ocean drift gillnets and propose potential solutions to this important conservation issue.

Status and Conservation Effort of Distance Waters Fisheries in Indonesia

Distant waters fisheries in Indonesia are an important fisheries sector which accounts for foreign exchange from the export of tuna and the tuna like commodities. Lack of private investment and government support led to the development of these fisheries is not as fast as coastal fisheries. In recent years, the government has provided significant support for the development of offshore fisheries, such as implementation of a policy of aid 1000 units of larger fishing vessels 30 GT to fishermen to operate in Indonesia EEZ waters, and provided some policies that support the fisheries including Indonesia’s participation in regional fisheries management organizations (RFMO). This will support better conditions for business activities of the fisheries. By becoming a member of RFMO, Indonesia plays an active role in achieving global sustainable fisheries management. Nevertheless, some important issues and problems in particular tuna fisheries is a challenge that must be solved. This paper reviews the status of distant waters fisheries in Indonesia and conservation efforts as well as the management of fish resources

The implementation of ACAP Best Practice Advice to mitigate seabird bycatch in fisheries: Issues and options

The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) is a multilateral agreement which strives to conserve albatrosses and petrels by coordinating international activities to mitigate threats to their populations. One of the major threats that seabirds face is fisheries-induced mortality, or bycatch. In recognition of the serious nature of this problem, ACAP established a Seabird Bycatch Working Group (SBWG) to advise on actions that will assist in the mitigation and reduction of seabird interactions with fisheries. The SBWG regularly examines the range of measures available that can minimise bycatch and has developed “best practice advice” (BPA), a suite of tools and methods for trawl and longline fisheries. This BPA has been widely promoted by ACAP Parties and others within jurisdictions and at Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) and CCAMLR other over the last 10 years. To assess the levels of implementation of ACAP’s BPA for industrial fisheries we employed both a qualitative and semi-quantitative multiple method research design that comprised content analysis of documents and meeting reports from ACAP meetings, a review of current seabird conservation measures of all tRFMOs that had members which were also ACAP parties, and by conducting a survey that asked 13 questions in relation to the uptake and adoption of ACAP BPA. We confined our analysis to pelagic longline and trawl fisheries within the jurisdictions of both ACAP parties and non-parties. Our research identified a number of key gaps in the uptake of the BPA guidelines in these fisheries. Complete uptake of BPA was poor by ACAP Parties both within their jurisdictions, and in high seas fisheries managed through RFMOs. For Parties, the level of uptake was difficult to assess accurately because reporting to the Agreement has thus far been inadequate for this purpose. Uptake of BPA in high seas fisheries by non-parties and RFMos was also poor and unlikely to improve while ACAP Parties are unable to demonstrate commitment to their use in all national fisheries. The study findings provided advice and recommendations on addressing impediments to uptake that could lead to improved management of seabird bycatch in commercial fisheries.

Seasonal potential fishing zone model in the regional fisheries management of Indonesia (WPP-RI) 716 based on remote sensing satellite data

The variability of atmosphere-ocean interactions highly influences the distribution of fishing zones in the surrounding Indonesia Through Flow (ITF) channel, such as the WPP-716 region. Therefore, the seasonal determination of the fishing zone is crucial in this zone as one of the regional fisheries managements in Indonesia. This study aims to create a potential fishing zone (PFZ) model in the Regional Fisheries Management of Indonesia (WPP-RI) 716 based on the remote sensing satellite data. This study used the daily SST data extracted from the Suomi-National Polar-Orbiting Partnership-Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (SNPP-VIIRS) image Level 2 from 2018 to 2019. A Single Image Edge Detection (SIED) method is applied to determine the PFZ points. Supporting data, such as sea current patterns, chlorophyll-a, fish-catching zones and Catch per Unit of Effort (CpUE), are also considered to bolster this study's findings. The models were validated and compared with the results established by central authority fish catch data. Of particular concern, the highest detection of PFZ is observed during the second transitional season, reaching 1835 points scattered all over the study area. The frequently detected PFZ is identified in northern Sulawesi and Sangihe Islands, where the circular eddy current observed during the second transitional season, ranging from 0.6 to 0.8 m/s, indicating upwelling (high productivity) events proven by the variability of surface temperature and chlorophyll-a and aligned with the high value of CpUE (ranging from 20 to 28 ​kg/GT/day). The developed model is expected to be a basis for further decision-making regarding fishery resources management in the study area.

Individual and fleetwide bycatch thresholds in regional fisheries management frameworks

Individual and fleetwide bycatch thresholds in regional fisheries management frameworks

Towards a scientific community consensus on designating Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems from imagery.

Management of deep-sea fisheries in areas beyond national jurisdiction by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations/Arrangements (RFMO/As) requires identification of areas with Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs). Currently, fisheries data, including trawl and longline bycatch data, are used by many RFMO/As to inform the identification of VMEs. However, the collection of such data creates impacts and there is a need to collect non-invasive data for VME identification and monitoring purposes. Imagery data from scientific surveys satisfies this requirement, but there currently is no established framework for identifying VMEs from images. Thus, the goal of this study was to bring together a large international team to determine current VME assessment protocols and establish preliminary global consensus guidelines for identifying VMEs from images. An initial assessment showed a lack of consistency among RFMO/A regions regarding what is considered a VME indicator taxon, and hence variability in how VMEs might be defined. In certain cases, experts agreed that a VME could be identified from a single image, most often in areas of scleractinian reefs, dense octocoral gardens, multiple VME species' co-occurrence, and chemosynthetic ecosystems. A decision flow chart is presented that gives practical interpretation of the FAO criteria for single images. To further evaluate steps of the flow chart related to density, data were compiled to assess whether scientists perceived similar density thresholds across regions. The range of observed densities and the density values considered to be VMEs varied considerably by taxon, but in many cases, there was a statistical difference in what experts considered to be a VME compared to images not considered a VME. Further work is required to develop an areal extent index, to include a measure of confidence, and to increase our understanding of what levels of density and diversity correspond to key ecosystem functions for VME indicator taxa. Based on our results, the following recommendations are made: 1. There is a need to establish a global consensus on which taxa are VME indicators. 2. RFMO/As should consider adopting guidelines that use imagery surveys as an alternative (or complement) to using bycatch and trawl surveys for designating VMEs. 3. Imagery surveys should also be included in Impact Assessments. And 4. All industries that impact the seafloor, not just fisheries, should use imagery surveys to detect and identify VMEs.

Artisanal fisher knowledge on the impacts of destructive and illegal practices on the Southern Coast of Bahia, Brazil

Destructive fishing practices (DFP) and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) activities result in significant marine ecosystem effects, such as habitat destruction, biomass reduction, bycatch, and waste of resources. They also generate socioeconomic impacts on artisanal fisher coastal populations. Both DFP and IUU are linked to fisheries management system failures and the impossibility of marine surveillance. In this context, from an Ethnoecological approach, the aim of this study was to analyze the local ecological knowledge of fishers from Ilhéus (Bahia), Northeastern Brazil, regarding DFP and IUU fisheries. A total of 59 interviewees pointed to decreased resource catches in recent years, citing increasing fishing efforts and certain types of gear as the main reasons. They also claim that local fishers and fishers from other Brazilian regions have been using banned equipment, such as compressors and lobster nets. In turn, although permitted by law, shrimp trawling and gillnet fishing were reported as being excessively applied and identified as destructive fisheries. Surprisingly, longline fishing was one of the most reported as responsible for excessive catches and for causing decreases in Common dolphinfish catches. This study reinforces the importance of including the knowledge of local fishers and their participation to contribute to fisheries management and resource conservation. In this context, some recommendations are highlighted to reduce the impacts of harmful practices and improve regional fisheries management, summarized as: (i) policy improvement; (ii) fishing monitoring; (iii) incentives; and (iv) enforcement.