Perspectives for implementing fisheries certification in developing countries

This paper discusses the future of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a market-based certification program, in developing countries and exposes the challenges and opportunities for fish producers. The MSC needs to attract the interest of more fishing enterprises from these regions to increase its global presence. Because most fisheries in developing countries cannot meet the MSC standards, or afford the certification process costs, it is suggested that there is a need for developing different levels within the MSC system and additional third-party assessing organizations. MSC certification may mean adoption of improvements in fisheries management and approving fishing regimes in developing countries. However, post-certification benefits may decrease as more fisheries become certified

Challenges for Implementing an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management

The ecosystem approach is being promoted as the foundation of solutions to the unsustainability of fisheries. However, because the ecosystem approach is broadly inclusive, the science for its implementation is often considered to be overly complex and difficult. When the science needed for an ecosystem approach to fisheries is perceived this way, science products cannot keep pace with fisheries critics, thus encouraging partisan political interference in fisheries management and proliferation of “faith-based solutions. In this paper we argue that one way to effectively counter politicization of fisheries decision-making is to ensure that new ecosystem-based approaches in fisheries are viewed only as an emergent property of innovation in science and policy. We organize our essay using three major themes to focus the discussion: empirical, jurisdictional, and societal challenges. We undertake at least partial answers to the following questions: (1) has conventional fisheries management really failed?; (2) can short-comings in conventional fisheries management be augmented with new tools, such as allocation of rights?; (3) is the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) equivalent to Ecosystem-Based Management?; and (4) is restoration of degraded ecosystems a necessary component of an EAF

Ecological commonalities among pelagic fishes: comparison of freshwater ciscoes and marine herring and sprat

Systematic comparisons of the ecology between functionally similar fish species from freshwater and marine aquatic systems are surprisingly rare. Here, we discuss commonalities and differences in evolutionary history, population genetics, reproduction and life history, ecological interactions, behavioural ecology and physiological ecology of temperate and Arctic freshwater coregonids (vendace and ciscoes, Coregonus spp.) and marine clupeids (herring, Clupea harengus, and sprat, Sprattus sprattus). We further elucidate potential effects of climate warming on these groups of fish based on the ecological features of coregonids and clupeids documented in the previous parts of the review. These freshwater and marine fishes share a surprisingly high number of similarities. Both groups are relatively short-lived, pelagic planktivorous fishes. The genetic differentiation of local populations is weak and seems to be in part correlated to an astonishing variability of spawning times. The discrete thermal window of each species influences habitat use, diel vertical migrations and supposedly also life history variations. Complex life cycles and preference for cool or cold water make all species vulnerable to the effects of global warming. It is suggested that future research on the functional interdependence between spawning time, life history characteristics, thermal windows and genetic differentiation may profit from a systematic comparison of the patterns found in either coregonids or clupeids

Oxygen: A Fundamental Property Regulating Pelagic Ecosystem Structure in the Coastal Southeastern Tropical Pacific

Background: In the southeastern tropical Pacific anchovy (Engraulis ringens) and sardine (Sardinops sagax) abundance have recently fluctuated on multidecadal scales and food and temperature have been proposed as the key parameters explaining these changes. However, ecological and paleoecological studies, and the fact that anchovies and sardines are favored differently in other regions, raise questions about the role of temperature. Here we investigate the role of oxygen in structuring fish populations in the Peruvian upwelling ecosystem that has evolved over anoxic conditions and is one of the world's most productive ecosystems in terms of forage fish. This study is particularly relevant given that the distribution of oxygen in the ocean is changing with uncertain consequences. Methodology/Principal Findings: A comprehensive data set is used to show how oxygen concentration and oxycline depth affect the abundance and distribution of pelagic fish. We show that the effects of oxygen on anchovy and sardine are opposite. Anchovy flourishes under relatively low oxygen conditions while sardine avoid periods/areas with low oxygen concentration and restricted habitat. Oxygen consumption, trophic structure and habitat compression play a fundamental role in fish dynamics in this important ecosystem. Conclusions/Significance: For the ocean off Peru we suggest that a key process, the need to breathe, has been neglected previously. Inclusion of this missing piece allows the development of a comprehensive conceptual model of pelagic fish populations and change in an ocean ecosystem impacted by low oxygen. Should current trends in oxygen in the ocean continue similar effects may be evident in other coastal upwelling ecosystems

Caso de estudio sobre el uso de bases de datos ambientales de baja resolución espacial, como una alternativa para inferir hábitat de desove.

En este trabajo se prueba la factibilidad de utilizar datos ambientales de baja resolución y fácil obtención para inferir hábitat de desove de la sardina monterrey del Golfo de California, en el dominio de la temperatura. Se compararon resultados publicados, basados en mediciones de temperatura asociadas al muestreo biológico, con cálculos a partir de datos extraídos de una base pública. Los resultados muestran que existen similitudes importantes entre ambas estimaciones, a pesar de las grandes diferencias entre las dos fuentes de datos. Este resultado es relevante para algunas iniciativas en curso, donde se pretende incorporar información ambiental, de fácil acceso y oportuna, a sistemas de información para la pesquería de sardina del Golfo de California

ENSO influence on satellite-derived chlorophyll trends in the Gulf of California

ENSO impacts on the Gulf of California ecology remains a matter of controversy, because of contrasting field observations. In the present study, interannual variability is examined from fields of the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) surface chlorophyll (Chl-a) from September 1997, the start of data from the SeaWiFS, until December 2006. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and the spatial signature of the multivariate El Niño index (MEI), as revealed by a linear regression analysis (LRA), were used to quantify the degree of climate forcing (ENSO impacts) over the Gulf of California Chl-a. The spatial patterns of EOF1 (that explained 44% of the total variance) and the slopes and correlation coefficients (R) values resulted similar, suggesting that the effects of ENSO events in the gulf are not homogeneous, showing that eastern coast and the northern area were the most variable, affected and closely correlated with the MEI (r ≈ –0.5, P < 0.01), while at the Midriff Islands region and the western coast less variability and weaker correlation with the MEI were observed, explaining the apparent contradictions regarding the ecological ef­fects of ENSO in the Gulf of California. The EOF1 amplitude time series was significantly correlated to MEI (r = –0.69, P < 0.01) showing approximately one year lag between the 1999-2004 overall warming period onset, represented by the increase of MEI values and the decrease of the Gulf of California Chl-a interannual variability (2000-2004). ENSO conditions consisting of decreasing/increasing Chl-a patterns were observed along both coasts of the gulf, while opposite conditions were revealed in the surface sea temperature (SST) pattern, reflecting the strong physical-biological coupling during the El Niño-La Niña events.EL IMPACTO DE LOS EVENTOS EL NIÑO-OSCILACIÓN DEL SUR (ENSO, POR SUS SIGLAS EN INGLÉS) SOBRE LA ECOLOGÍA DEL GOLFO DE CALIFORNIA PRESENTA UN PANORAMA DE CONTROVERSIA DEBIDO A LAS OBSERVACIONES CONTRASTANTES DE CAMPO. EN ESTE ESTUDIO SE EXAMINA, A PARTIR DE IMÁGENES DE SATÉLITE DERIVADAS DEL SENSOR SEA-VIEWING WIDE FIELD-OF-VIEW SENSOR (SEAWIFS), LA VARIABILIDAD INTERANUAL DE LA CONCENTRACIÓN SUPERFICIAL DE CLOROFILA-A (CHL-A) EN EL GOLFO DURANTE EL PERIODO DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1997, CUANDO INICIARON LAS MEDICIONES DEL SEAWIFS, HASTA DICIEMBRE DE 2006. EL GRADO DE FORZAMIENTO CLIMÁTICO (IMPACTO DE ENSO) SOBRE LA CHL-A SE CUANTIFICÓ CON BASE EN EL ANÁLISIS DE FUNCIONES EMPÍRICAS ORTOGONALES (FEO) Y EN LA FIRMA ESPACIAL DEL ÍNDICE MULTIVARIADO DE EL NIÑO (MEI) REVELADA POR UN ANÁLISIS DE REGRESIÓN LINEAL SIMPLE. EL PATRÓN ESPACIAL DE LAS FEO1 (EXPLICANDO EL 44% DE LA VARIANZA TOTAL) Y LOS PATRONES ESPACIALES DE LOS VALORES DE PENDIENTES Y COEFICIENTES DE CORRELACIÓN (R) RESULTA­RON SIMILARES , SUGIRIENDO QUE LOS EFECTOS DE LOS EVENTOS ENSO EN EL GOLFO DE CALIFORNIA NO SON HOMOGÉNEOS, MOSTRANDO QUE LA COSTA ESTE Y LA ZONA NORTE FUERON LAS MÁS VARIABLES, AFECTADAS Y ALTAMENTE CORRELACIONADAS CON EL MEI (R ≈ –0.5, P < 0.01), MIENTRAS QUE LA REGIÓN DE LAS GRANDES ISLAS Y LA COSTA OESTE MOSTRARON MENOR VARIABILIDAD Y DÉBIL CORRELACIÓN CON EL MEI, EXPLICANDO LA APARENTE CONTRADICCIÓN RESPECTO A LOS EFECTOS DE ENSO SOBRE LA ECOLOGÍA DEL GOLFO. LA SERIE DE AMPLITUDES TEMPORALES DE LAS FEO1 FUE CORRELACIONADA SIGNIFI­CATIVAMENTE CON EL MEI (R = –0.69, P < 0.01) MOSTRANDO APROXIMADAMENTE UN AÑO DE DESFASE ENTRE EL INICIO DEL PERÍODO DE CALENTAMIENTO SOSTENIDO, REPRESENTADO POR EL INCREMENTO DE VALORES DEL MEI (1999-2004) Y EL DECAIMIENTO DE LA VARIABILIDAD INTERANUAL DE LA CHL-A EN EL GOLFO DE CALIFORNIA (2000-2004). LAS CONDICIONES ENSO OBSERVADAS A LO LARGO DE LAS COSTAS DEL GOLFO SON REPRESENTADAS POR UN PATRÓN DE DECREMENTO/INCREMENTO DE CHL-A , MIENTRAS QUE UN PATRÓN OPUESTO SE OBSERVÓ EN LA TEMPERATURA SUPERFICIAL DEL MAR (TSM), REFLEJANDO EL FUERTE ACOPLAMIENTO FÍSICO-BIOLÓGICO DURANTE LOS EVENTOS EL NIÑO-LA NIÑA

Análisis de la flota sardinera-anchovetera del noroeste de México

Se hace un análisis de la flota sardinera-anchovetera del Noroeste de México, con especial énfasis en su eficiencia operativa de pesca. Dicho análisis comprende aspectos relacionados con las características de las embarcaciones; así mismo, se determina la eficiencia operativa de la flota por dos vías; una estimando los poderes relativos de pesca con ayuda del la CPUE y por el otro lado se evalúa la capacidad de bodega utilizada por los barcos en términos de porcentaje. Se hace también una proyección del potencial de pesca por parte de la flota y se relaciona la movilidad de dicha flota con su eficiencia. El estudio concluye que la dimensión de la flota actual no debe incrementarse, que barcos "chicos" y "grandes" operan diferencialmente de acuerdo al recurso sobre el cual estén actuando (sardina o anchoveta), que la categoría de barcos más eficientes operativamente hablando son los de 101 - 150 toneladas de capacidad de bodega y que es necesario un adecuado manejo de la flota en su conjunto (movilidad de la flota) para incrementar los volúmenes de captura sin necesidad de que la flota sufra un incremento en su número, procurando con ello evitar sobre capitalización en la fase extractiva en particular y de la pesquería en lo general

La aridez en el noreste de México. Un análisis de su variabilidad espacial y temporal

The aridity conditions in the northwest Mexican region formed by the states located around the Gulf of California are studied. The Annual Arid Cover Index (AACI) is defined as the fraction of the studied are with Martonne aridity index values less or equal to 5. The AACI is used to describe variations in the extension and localization of the extremely arid zones during the 1950-1990 period. The results show a tendency of the extension of the arid zone to reduce: 30% in 41 years.  A statistically significant explained variance of 32% between the AACI and the sea surface temperature (SST) of the California Current zone was obtained. correlation between the southern oscillation and the pacific north america indexes show as smaller variance: 17 and 3 % respectively. The multiple regression model gives a total coefficient of determination of 42 %. The variations in the geographical localization of the extrmely arid zones show aht the Altar Desert and the meridional zone of the Baja California Peninsula have the more persistent arid conditions in the studied region.EN EL PRESENTE TRABAJO SE ESTUDIAN LAS CONDICIONES DE ARIDEZ DE LA REGIÓN DEL NOROESTE MEXICANO FORMADA POR LOS CUATRO ESTADOS QUE RODEAN EL GOLFO DE CALIFORNIA Y SE DEFINE EL ÍNDICE DE COBERTURA ÁRIDA ANUAL (ICAA) COMO LA FRACCIÓN DEL ÁREA CON VALORES DEL ÍNDICE DE MARTONNE MENORES O IGUALES A 5. EL ICAA ES UTILIZADO PARA DESCRIBIR LAS VARIACIONES DE LA EXTENSION Y LOCALIZACIÓN DE LAS ZONAS DE ARIDEZ EXTERNA, DURANTE EL PERIODO DE ESTUDIO (1950-1990). LOS RESULTADOS MUESTRAN UNA TENDENCIA A LA REDUCCIÓN DE LA CUBIERTA ÁRIDA DEL 30% EN LOS 41 AÑOS ANALIZADOS. SE LOGRO ENCONTRAR UNA CORRELACIÓN ESTADÍSTICAMENTE SIGNIFICATIVA ENTRE EL ICAA Y LA TEMPERATURA SUPERFICIAL DEL MAR (TSM) EN EL ÁREA DE LA CORRIENTE DE CALIFORNIA, QUE EXPLICA EL 32% DE SU VARIABILIDAD. LAS CORRELACIONES DEL ICAA CON EL ÍNDICE DE OSCILACIÓN DEL SUR Y CON EL ÍNDICE DEL PACIFICO DE NORTEAMÉRICA, CONTRIBUYERON EN MENOR GRADO EN LA EXPLICACIÓN DEL FENÓMENO: 17 Y 3%, RESPECTIVAMENTE. AGRUPANDO ESTOS FACTORES EN UN MODELO DE REGRESIÓN MÚLTIPLE, HAY UNA EXPLICACIÓN TOTAL DEL 42% DE LA VARIABILIDAD EXPLICADA. EN EL ANÁLISIS ESPACIAL DE LAS ZONAS ÁRIDAS EXTREMAS SE ENCONTRÓ QUE EN LA ZONA QUE ABARCA EL DESIERTO DE ALTAR Y LA PORCIÓN MERIDIONAL DE LA PENÍNSULA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA, LAS CONDICIONES DE ARIDEZ SON MAS PERSISTENTES QUE EN EL RESTO DE LA REGIÓN ESTUDIADA