Valuable Fishery Research Articles

The global nutritional value of recreational inland fisheries.

The global nutritional value of recreational inland fisheries.

Protein hydrolysate and oil from fish waste reveal potential as dog food ingredients.

The increased fish consumption by the growing human population in the world translates into an increase in fish waste. The reintroduction of these fish by-products into food and feed chains presents economic benefits and contributes to counteracting their negative environmental impact. Under this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the dietary inclusion of fish hydrolysate and oil obtained from fish waste (experimental diet) in substitution of shrimp hydrolysate and salmon oil (control diet) mainly imported from third countries on palatability, apparent total tract digestibility, fecal characteristics and metabolites, blood fatty acid profile, flatulence, and coat quality of adult dogs. A two-bowl test was performed to evaluate palatability by the pairwise comparison between the two diets. A feeding trial was conducted according to a crossover design with two diets (control and experimental diets), six adult Beagle dogs per diet, and two periods of 6 weeks each. The replacement of shrimp hydrolysate and salmon oil with fish hydrolysate and oil did not affect the first diet approach and taste, as well as the intake ratio. Generally, the digestibility of dry matter, nutrients, and energy was not affected by diet, but the intake of digestible crude protein (CP) and ether extract was higher, respectively, with the control and the experimental diet. The higher intake of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid with the experimental diet was reflected in a higher content of these long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and the omega-3 index of red blood cells, but it did not affect coat quality. The significantly higher intake of digestible CP with the control diet might have contributed to the higher fecal ammonia-N and valerate concentrations. Daily fecal output and characteristics were similar between diets. Overall, results suggest that fish hydrolysate and oil from the agrifood industry might constitute sustainable functional ingredients for dog feeding while adding value for wild fisheries, aquaculture, and fish farming under a circular economy approach and reducing dependence on imports from third countries with a high carbon footprint.

Discretion rather than rules in multiple-species fisheries

This paper evaluates the bioeconomic performance of individual fishing quota (IFQ) regulations in multiple-species fisheries. In our model, a manager chooses the aggregate quotas under uncertainty over the true stock abundances of two jointly-harvested fish species. Fishers conduct harvest operations under full knowledge of the species-specific productivities of fishing gear. We derive the profit maximizing fishing mortality and economic rent outcomes implemented by fishers under various regulatory designs. We compare bioeconomic performance of an IFQ regulation with discretion over the mix of harvested species against an IFQ regulation that bans at-sea discarding. Both regulations eliminate discards. Discretion allows closer alignment between fisher implemented outcomes and those that maximize long term expected fishery value. Incorporating discretion into regulatory designs provides new prospects for improving fisheries management.

Rapid transformation in aquatic food value chains in three Nigerian states

IntroductionNigeria is Africa’s most populous country, third largest fish producer, and second largest aquaculture producer. There have been numerous studies of aquaculture and fisheries in Nigeria, but no study to date has analyzed aquaculture and capture fisheries value chains together, while giving equal weight to all value chain segments and systematically capturing information on temporal trends in value chain structure, conduct, and performance. This paper does so.MethodsWe conducted a structured, qualitative, rapid reconnaissance survey of 180 actors from eight segments of the aquatic food value chain in three Nigerian states with contrasting geographies, Ebonyi, Kebbi, and Oyo.ResultsResults particularly important for future research and policy are as follows. (1) Partial vertical integration is a common feature of the organization of firms in all value chain segments, as a risk reduction strategy to overcome market imperfections and frictions. Scarcity and high cost of imported intermediate inputs is stimulating local innovation and import substitution manufacturing of feeds and fabricated items. (2) Inter-sectoral spillovers from the poultry industry have hastened the development of fish value chains, while improvements in power supply have enabled the expansion of cold storage capacity, facilitating the geographical lengthening of frozen fish value chains. (3) Rapid technological and/or institutional change is occurring in all value chain segments, including those usually viewed as traditional, such as processing and fishing. Logistics services are becoming more specialized and sophisticated, and digital communications technologies including social media play an increasingly important role in value chain coordination and marketing. (4) Increasing opportunity costs of time drive demand for convenience foods such as smoked and fried fish, which require little further preparation and can be stored at room temperature. Demand for farmed catfish is linked to growing consumption of food away from home at bars and restaurants. (5) Significant opportunities exist to improve the performance of value chains in terms of gender equity, environmental impacts, and food safety.

Rediscovery of small-scale fisheries in the era of crises

This article analyses the role of small-scale fisheries in the era of crises that increase fisheries’ vulnerability. Crises may also trigger a reconsideration of the value of small-scale fisheries. Thus, our main research questions are twofold: 1) How do the recent crises directly affect small-scale fisheries? and 2) What are the opportunities for reinventing the societal and environmental benefits of small-scale fisheries? Answers to the research questions are based on a selection of interviews, email inquiry, research articles and reports in the context of Finnish small-scale fisheries. By focusing on these fisheries, operated in a Northern European welfare state, we study the potential that the new turbulent and uncertain circumstances could lead to acknowledgement of the multifunctional character of small-scale fisheries. The results show that climate change, Covid-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine have challenged the resilience of Finnish small-scale fishing livelihood, albeit moderately. The prospects for new policies triggered by these crises stem from acknowledgement of small-scale fisheries’ contribution to food security, environmental benefits and short supply chains. The best way to secure fish-based food security and sustainability during crises, is to keep the fishing sector and the production and distribution chains vital in normal conditions. We conclude that in a society like Finland the rediscovery of small-scale fisheries’ future necessitates wide societal and political discussion about the pros and cons of the livelihood, together with inclusive governance that recognizes the multifunctional roles of small-scale fisheries in the era of crises.

Co-designing transformative ocean sustainability narratives to address complex human-environmental challenges facing coastal fisherwomen: An evidence-based study

Marine fishing is paramount to the provision of sustainable coastal livelihood welfare; especially in the global South. To coastal women, marine fishing avails multiplier social-economic benefits; notably employment, food, and income. Sustaining the innumerable benefits of marine fishing is a conduit towards progressive fisherwomen empowerment and the attainment of transformative ocean sustainability targets. However, in most coastal regions, increasing evidence of human-environmental challenges is blanketing the ability of fisherwomen to benefit from marine fishing and, this is worsened by the perpetuation of social barriers to fisherwomen's inclusion in sustainable coastal fisheries value chains. In addition, there is limited research on how to co-design transformative actions to reduce these challenges partly due to the use of top-down approaches and frameworks that are largely complex and less inclusive. Our study aims to co-design transformative ocean sustainability narratives to address the complex human-environmental challenges by using local perspectives of coastal fisherwomen. We systematically reviewed 38 documents mainly focusing on marine fisherwomen in Kerala and used a micro-level community participatory approach; involving Focus Group Discussions with 43 fisherwomen in Alappad in Kerala, India. Review findings revealed that a combination of human-environmental challenges is still prevalent. However, in Alappad, three human-induced systemic barriers predominate: lack of support from people in their own Panchayat, seasonal jobs, and road problem. Through co-designing, fisherwomen in Alappad proposed a novel pathway involving ten steps. This revealed that coastal fisherwomen can identify key systemic challenges that hinder their empowerment and promotion of sustainable ocean practices. Using perspectives and narratives of local fisherwomen could be key in breaking systemic barriers to fisherwomen inclusion in not only fishing but also, in other coastal areas and/or sectors and thus could help in developing collaborative ocean sustainability and governance interventions.

Assessing the Technical and Economic Viability of Galvanizing Snow Crab (Chionoecetes opilio) Traps

Commercial harvesting of snow crabs (Chionoecetes opilio) began in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in 1967. Today, the fishery consists of 2188 active fishing licenses and has grown into the province’s most economically valuable fishery. Snow crabs are captured using conical traps consisting of a mild carbon steel frame, hard plastic entry funnel and a jacket of polyethylene netting. The frames of these traps corrode over time, which is expedited by being deployed in marine environments and stored on land near the ocean when not in use. As a result, there is interest within the community to increase the longevity of crab traps. One solution is to galvanize the steel frames prior to installing the funnel and netting. However, before harvesters transition to galvanized traps, two questions must be answered. Will the use of galvanized steel negatively impact catch rates? Will the life cycle of a crab trap be extended sufficiently to justify the additional cost of galvanizing? This study employed a generalized linear mixed model to evaluate the catch of legal-sized male crabs (CPUE) during the commercial fishery as a function of three trap frame treatments (old traditional, new traditional and new galvanized). We also assessed the economic viability of galvanizing trap frames by evaluating the life cycle cost (LCC) of traditional and galvanized traps to the harvester. The LCC was calculated over a range of inflation (0–6%) and discount (3–20%) rates. Our results found no significant difference in CPUE between new traps (traditional vs. galvanized) and concluded that except during instances of very high discount rates (12.9–19.9%), it is economically favourable to galvanize crab trap frames.

Bioinformatic Analysis Strategy in Restriction Enzyme Selection for Indonesian Panulirus homarus Identification by PCR-RFLP

The spiny lobster (Panulirus homarus) is a valuable fishery commodity in Indonesia, particularly in its juvenile life form. However, identifying the early life forms of the spiny lobster can be challenging, as it exhibits similar morphological features compared to the juveniles of other Panilurid lobsters. Molecular-based identification, specifically DNA sequencing, is the best method for species identification, but it requires advanced instruments and is costly. An alternative method is proposed here, using the PCR-RFLP technique, which is low-cost, rapid, and has standard instrumentation requirements. The challenge with this method is selecting the appropriate restriction enzyme to determine the targeted species’ identity. This study proposes using the REfind (https://github.com/indriatmoko07/REfind), R package to select the best restriction enzyme for identifying P. homarus, applicable to other species. The bioinformatics workflow used in this study successfully identified BseSI or BmgI as the most suitable restriction enzymes among 739 restriction enzymes to differentiate P. homarus from other Panilurid species. This result was validated by employing a wet lab test using the BseSI enzyme and successfully validated the bioinformatics result. These findings may be useful for biologists in conducting various studies that require rapid, low-cost, and identification of specific species in the future.

Blue Economy dalam Upaya Pengentasan Kemiskinan Masyarakat Pesisir di Indonesia

The potential for utilization of the Indonesian maritime sector is very large, but it has not been utilized optimally. In efforts to develop the maritime sector, Indonesia faces the challenge of improving the economy in the maritime sector, but also has to maintain existing sustainability, which is stated in the blue economy concept. This research aims to determine the effect of the number of fishermen and the number of marine capture fishing vessels on poverty through the volume of capture fisheries production and the value of capture fisheries production in Indonesia. This research examines 34 provinces in Indonesia for the 2021 period using path analysis techniques. The results of the research show that the number of fishermen has a significant influence on the volume of capture fisheries production, the number of fishermen has no significant influence on the value of capture fisheries production, the number of capture fisheries vessels has a significant influence on the volume of capture fisheries production, the number of capture fisheries vessels has no significant influence on the value of capture fisheries production, the volume of capture fisheries production has a significant effect on the production value of capture fisheries, the production value of capture fisheries does not have a significant effect on gross regional domestic product, and the production value of capture fisheries does not have a significant effect on environmental quality in Indonesia.

Range-wide contrast in management outcomes for transboundary Northeast Pacific sablefish

Sablefish ( Anoplopoma fimbria) of the Northeast Pacific support a highly mobile, valuable fishery resource currently managed as three separate populations. Recent work has shown sablefish to be genetically mixed; have high movement rates; and have synchronous biomass trends, including recent declines. A management strategy evaluation was developed with stakeholders and scientists from three regions to investigate whether spatially structured management paradigms might result in better conservation and economic outcomes. The management strategy evaluation includes a transboundary operating model to represent spatial population dynamics including movement and a delay–difference estimation method with varying spatial complexities and potential stratifications, and harvest control rules. Mismatches in the spatial scale of management and the underlying biological units pose a crucial risk of localized depletion in the southern U.S. West Coast. This study presents one of the first transboundary, spatially-explicit management strategy evaluations conditioned to actual data. These results underscore the importance of spatial management strategy evaluation tools and implications when regional management is conducted in isolation. Future work should incorporate additional spatial hypotheses and investigate the drivers of recruitment patterns range-wide.

Sustainable Fishery Value Chain (SFVC): Study Case in Tilapia Industry

This research is built on the concept of sustainable value chains, where a framework for sustainable value chain analysis emerges that covers not only economic aspects but also includes environmental and social impacts in a collaborative model of value chain management. It explores the dimensions on which value chain sustainability should focus. It illustrates how and why it is necessary to take a broader perspective in ensuring the internal economic sustainability of the chain in line with its external socio-environmental consequences. This research aims to analyze the sustainability of the tilapia processing value chain. This research uses the Multi-Dimensional Scaling analysis method supported by Rap-fish software. The Rapfish methodology is a flexible technique that rapidly assesses fisheries status by integrating ecological and human factors according to identified norms. The results of this research show that the sustainability of the tilapia processing value chain is considered entirely sustainable from economic, social, and environmental aspects, with a sufficient sustainability index of 74.40%. The sustainability of the value chain relies on four key actors: tilapia cultivators, collectors, processors, and distributors. The sustainable tilapia processing value chain strategy in North Sumatra can limit floating net cages by considering the environmental carrying capacity and supported by suitable policies and active stakeholder participation in community-based legal institutions. This research found this is a strong sustainability concept if implemented with better governance and policy management in the tilapia industry value chain.

Learning from positive deviants in fisheries

AbstractDespite progress in the management of assessed fish populations, many countries lag behind international commitments to restore overexploited stocks to healthy abundances. Here we use a mixed‐methods positive deviance approach, also known as ‘bright spot’ analysis, to understand what drives the successful governance of exploited species by learning from positive outliers, or ‘deviants’. We use Canada as a case study, identifying factors driving the abundance of 230 commercially exploited fish and invertebrate populations, of which only 28% were classified at healthy abundance in 2022. We first applied a generalized linear model to test how diverse socio‐ecological fishery attributes relate to stock health. We found healthier stocks are positively and significantly correlated with certain management regions, more selective gears, eco‐certification, and high fishery value. Counterintuitively, healthier stocks were also associated with high inherent fishing vulnerability and the absence of reference points. We then used fishery expert surveys and interviews to investigate the social and institutional characteristics of stocks healthier than expected, given their circumstances. We found that fisheries targeting these positive outliers have lower conflict among users, balanced stakeholder involvement in data collection and decision‐making, and improved accounting of mortality sources. Lessons from these positive deviants can be applied to improve underperforming management systems that are struggling to reverse overexploitation in Canada and elsewhere. More generally, we suggest that a positive deviance approach, already used in public health, could be a promising tool to learn about successful fisheries management interventions, and the diverse actors responsible for ensuring these interventions are successful.

An update on the biological parameters of the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, is one of the most valuable fishery resources in many coastal countries of the Mediterranean Sea and the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. In the Mediterranean Sea, several stocks are being overexploited, with ecological, economic, and social consequences. To perform an adequate stock assessment and provide guidance on maximum sustainable yield, reliable biological parameters of the species are required. Considering that biological parameters may change over time in overexploited populations, in the present study, we updated key biological parameters for the N. norvegicus stock of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea: size at which 50% (L50) of females were in reproductive condition, length–weight relationship, and individual size structure. Moreover, daily landings were combined with the spatial position of the vessels tracked by their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), to obtain information on the geographical distribution and time series of Landings Per Unit Effort (LPUE), as well as total landings from 2008 to 2021. Our results suggest overexploitation of the resource, revealing a severe reduction in size at 50% maturity, an earlier spawning and brooding period, and a clear decrease of LPUE over time.

Empirical study on factors influencing farmers' income in Zhaoqing City

A significant portion of farmers' income comes from the primary industry. Based on time series data from 1985 to 2020, this study empirically examines the relationship between farmers' real income in Zhaoqing City and the actual output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, and service industry using methods such as unit root test, cointegration analysis, elimination of multicollinearity, and elimination of serial correlation. The results show that: · Animal husbandry and fishery have no significant impact on farmers' real income in Zhaoqing City; · Agriculture, forestry, and the agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery service industry have a significant impact on farmers' real income in Zhaoqing City. Specifically, for every 100 million yuan increase in the output value of agriculture, farmers' per capita disposable income increases by an average of 0.0717%; for every 100 million yuan increase in the output value of forestry, farmers' per capita disposable income increases by an average of 0.1056%; for every 100 million yuan increase in the output value of the agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery service industry, farmers' per capita disposable income increases by an average of 0.0858%; · The impact has a significant positive effect with a lag of 3 years. Based on the research findings, some policy recommendations are provided.

ROLE OF WOMEN IN FISHERIES SECTOR IN INDIA

The pivotal role of the women in the fisheries sector, highlight their multifaceted contribution to various stages of the industry. It delves in to the socio-economic impact of womens involvement, emphasizing their role in sustainable Practices, community development, and the challenges they face. Need for gender-inclusive polices to empower women in Fisheries and enhance the overall resilience and success of the sector. Additionally, it addresses challenges faced by women in the fisheries industry, such as limited access to recourses and gender- based decimation. By emphasizing the need for gender-inclusive Policies and empowering initiatives and sustainable future for women in the Indian fisheries sector. By employing a Qualitative and Quantitative research Approach, research examines the involvement of women across various segments of the fishery value chain, including harvesting, processing, and marketing. It investigates the socio-economic factors influencing women’s participation, the impact of their involvement on household livelihoods, and the existing policy frameworks supporting or hindering their empowerment. The findings aim to inform strategies for fostering gender-inclusive policies and initiatives to enhances the overall sustainability and resilience of the Indian fisheries sector. KEYWORDS: Empowerment, Gender equality, Livelihoods, sustainable fisheries, community development.

Predicting restoration and aquaculture potential of eastern oysters through an eco-physiological mechanistic model

A simple, non-negotiable truth of ensuring success in the restoration of ecological engineers (EE) and the functions they support is the need for the focal species to survive, grow and reproduce. Using mechanistic modeling, such as a dynamic energy budget (DEB), to map an EE's fundamental niche supports restoration and management predictive of EE resilience under current and future conditions. One EE, the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, provides critical estuarine habitat and supports a valuable fishery across the northern Gulf of Mexico. Recent declines in oyster populations in this region from anthropogenic activities and extreme events have led to significant efforts to restore wild, self-sustaining broodstock reefs, and develop off-bottom aquaculture. To explore potential outcomes for oyster restoration and aquaculture development, we used an individual bioenergetic model based on DEB theory to derive an aquaculture index, based on survival and time to market size, and a restoration index, based on survival and reproductive output. The model was run across six major Texas and Louisiana estuaries under current (2014–2020) and future (2041–2050) projected environmental conditions. Aquaculture scores using daily averaged current conditions reproduce an observed gradient of oyster growth success increasing from the upper estuary to lower estuary (Texas) or offshore areas (Louisiana), with lower variation occurring in Texas estuaries. Restoration scores under daily averaged current conditions showed similar trends with more variability than the aquaculture index due to spawning potential, which is important for reef sustainability. In general, Louisiana estuaries showed higher growth rates and reproduction than Texas estuaries, but due to the higher variability and more frequent extremes in salinity and temperature, Louisiana estuaries were more likely to experience mortal conditions in any given year, as compared to Texas estuaries. Comparison between current and future conditions indicated that oyster aquaculture and restoration potential in presently occupied areas might decrease in the future; however, the spatial resolution of currently available climate model outputs within coastal and estuarine areas limits planning information. Addressing this gap represents a necessary improvement to better evaluate the physiological response of EE to future conditions, especially since most aquaculture and restoration developments are likely to occur close to the coastline. Finally, this work demonstrates the potential of mechanistic modeling to inform future planning under environmental conditions not currently within the realized niche of EE.

An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Farmers' Income Increase and Primary Industry in Zhanjiang City

This article briefly introduces the 25 themes of the "No. 1 Document" of the CPC Central Committee. Based on the data of farmers' income, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, and agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery service in Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province from 1978 to 2021, this paper conducted an empirical study on the relationship between the primary industry and farmers' income in Zhanjiang City. In the empirical analysis, first of all, the stationarity test of the data was carried out, the EG co-integration modeling was carried out, the stepwise regression method was used to eliminate multicollinearity, and the generalized difference method was used to eliminate sequence correlation, and the optimized model was obtained. The results show that the total output value of agriculture and fishery has no significant effect on the increase of farmers' income in Zhanjiang City. Forestry, animal husbandry, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery services have a significant impact on farmers' income. The total output value of forestry, animal husbandry and agriculture and the service industry of forestry, animal husbandry and fishery increased by 1%, and the income of farmers increased by 0.429%, 0.240% and 0.619%, respectively. The impact of agriculture and fishery on per capita disposable income in Zhanjiang rural areas is lagging, with a maximum lag of 9 years. Accordingly, the corresponding policy suggestions are put forward.

Infection of Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) by the parasite Hematodinium sp.: insights from 30 years of field observations.

The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, is an important representative of the benthos and also supports valuable fisheries across Europe. Nephrops are susceptible to infection by Hematodinium sp., an endoparasitic dinoflagellate that causes morbidity and mortality. From an epizootiological perspective, the Clyde Sea Area (CSA; west of Scotland) is the best-studied Hematodinium-Nephrops pathosystem, with historical data available between 1988 and 2008. We have revisited this pathosystem by curating and updating prevalence values, differentiating host traits associated with disease exposure and progression, and comparing Hematodinium sp. disease dynamics in the CSA to other locations and to other decapod hosts (Cancer pagurus, Carcinus maenas). Prevalence from a 2018/2019 survey (involving 1739 lobsters) revealed Hematodinium sp. still mounts a synchronized patent infection in the CSA; hence this pathogen can be considered as enzootic in this location. We highlight for the first time that Nephrops size is associated with high severity infection, while females are more exposed to Hematodinium sp. More generally, regardless of the host (Norway lobster, brown and shore crabs) or the geographical area (Ireland, Wales, Scotland), Hematodinium sp. patent infections peak in spring/summer and reach their nadir during autumn. We contend that Hematodinium must be considered one of the most important pathogens of decapod crustaceans in temperate waters.

Seafood in Uruguay: knowledge, attitudes and practices of professional chefs in a country with its back to the sea

Despite having valuable fisheries resources, including diversity, Uruguay shows a deficient level of seafood consumption, although it is highly recommended for the human diet. However, many of the country's fishery resources may be exploited unsustainably. The recent increase in gastronomic activity makes professional chefs key actors who could influence the consumption of seafood products sustainably. In this context, this paper aimed to analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of a focus group in the gastronomic sector, assessing their potential as promoters of changes in eating habits towards seafood products. Results showed that the knowledge of seafood products was generally very low. The topics that showed the best responses were those related to management, such as institutions and tools. The least known aspects refer to fishing seasons ("Zafras") and the origin of the products (wild or aquaculture). Respondents showed a positive attitude toward the need to encourage seafood consumption in the country following sustainability criteria. Seafood products were well represented on specialized restaurant menus. Certain practices are recurrent to highlight these products in the offer, such as suggesting "catch of the day" or varying species according to availability. Regarding the purchase of seafood products, practices show the importance of seasonal supply, their sustainability and the personal preferences of the chefs. The importance of direct purchases from small-scale fishermen stands out. It is concluded that acquiring greater knowledge by professionals could improve the food practices they develop.

Stakeholders' knowledge of threatened freshwater fishes and their involvement in fishery value chains in order to assist conservation in developing countries

IntroductionImproved conservation of exploited freshwater biodiversity is an increasing priority globally, but in developing countries there is often little insight of stakeholder attitudes within the value chains through which exploited species are passed, upon which to make informed management decisions.MethodsWe determined knowledge concerning threatened freshwater fishes in Bangladesh by key stakeholder groups (fishermen, faria agents, commission agents, retailers and consumers; n = 485 respondents) and their participation level in the threatened fish value chain. We also determined factors affecting local ecological knowledge and participation in the value chain.Results and discussionThe highest mean number of threatened fish species (4.8 ± 3.5% of species) was identified by the fishermen group, whereas consumers identified fewest (0.5 ± 1.1% of species). All respondent groups participated in the threatened fish value chain and their participation varied across respondent groups. 45.3% of the total number of threatened fish species appeared in the value chain. Participation level was highest for commission agents, involved in the trade of 21.5 ± 4.2% of threatened fish species, and lowest for consumers (7.4 ± 6.5% of threatened species). For fishermen, the principal component “experience-income-age” and the interaction between education and financial loan factors affected fishers' participation in the threatened fish value chain positively whereas, this was negatively affected by their knowledge level of threatened fishes. This study reveals the poor knowledge of stakeholder groups regarding threatened fishes, but establishes their active participation in the value chain of these species in Bangladesh. With limited resources for conservation of threatened species in many developing countries, it is very risky to implement commonly used in-situ conservation methods (e.g., habitat quality improvement) without fuller buy-in from the stakeholders.ConclusionsWe recommend specific protection laws for threatened fishes and awareness building campaigns for stakeholder groups to ensure minimum impact to threatened fish species. As overharvesting is a major cause of threatened fish species decline, such training programmes should be designed for fishers in developing regions. Education programmes on threats to ecosystems and biodiversity should be prioritized in schools and fishing communities. In addition, regular monitoring for protected species at harvesting sites and fishing markets should be ensured.