Failing Fish

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Failing Fish ----Advertisement---- ----Advertisement---- HOME Failing Fish NEWS COMMENTARY News: A sampling of creatures at serious risk of disappearing from our oceans and our dinner plates ARTS MOJOBLOG Illustrations by Jack Unruh RADIO CUSTOMER March/April 2006 Issue SERVICE DONATE STORE ABOUT US NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIBE ADVERTISE Bluefin Tuna Warm-blooded bluefins, which can weigh 1,500 punds, are one of the largest bony fish swimming the seas. The Atlantic bluefin population has fallen by more than 80 percent since the 1970s; Pacific stocks are also dwindling. Advanced Search Browse Back Issues http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/03/failing_fish.html (1 of 4)2/23/2006 1:30:09 PM Failing Fish Read the Current Issue BUY THIS ISSUE SUBSCRIBE NOW Blue Crab Since Chesapeake Bay harvests are half of what they were a decade ago, at least 70 percent of crabmeat CRAZY PRICE! products sold in the United States now contain foreign crabs. 1 year just $10 Click Here Sundays on Air America Radio THIS WEEK The roots of the Eastern Oyster conflict over the Ships in the Chesapeake Bay once had to steer around massive oyster reefs. Poor water quality, exotic Danish Mohammed parasites, and habitat destruction have reduced the Chesapeake oyster stock to 1 percent of its historic level. cartoons, Clinton's economic advisor on Bush's troubles, and Iraq war veterans running for office as Democrats..... Learn More... Blue Marlin Since longlines replaced harpoons in the early 1960s, the Atlantic blue marlin has been driven toward extinction. A quarter of all blue marlin snared by longlines are dead by the time they reach the boat. http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/03/failing_fish.html (2 of 4)2/23/2006 1:30:09 PM Failing Fish Learn about Atlantic Swordfish subscriber content Another victim of long-lining, swordfish can grow to 1,000 pounds. But by 1995, the average fish landed weighed only 90 pounds, and most were killed before they could spawn. Better management has led to something of a rebound. White Abalone Slow-moving bottom dwellers, abalone rely on proximity to spawn. As over-harvesting led to density losses, the abalone population declined by 99 percent. By 2004, only some 6,000 were thought to exist. Atlantic Halibut Taking 10 years to mature, halibut are vulnerable to overfishing. Even though restrictions have been in place for decades, the halibut population is still less than 10 percent of what it was in the 1950s. Atlantic Cod Until the 1950s, cod was among the most plentiful fish on the eastern seaboard, but overfishing following the collapse of the halibut fishery has caused stocks to dwindle by 90 percent. http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/03/failing_fish.html (3 of 4)2/23/2006 1:30:09 PM.

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Cod Fact Sheet
R FACT SHEET Cod (Gadus morhua) Image taken from (Cohen et al. 1990) Introduction Cod (Gadus morhua) is generally considered a demersal fish although its habitat may become pelagic under certain hydrographic conditions, when feeding or spawning. It is widely distributed throughout the north Atlantic and Arctic regions in a variety of habitats from shoreline to continental shelf, in depths to 600m (Cohen et al. 1990). The Irish Sea stock spawns at two main sites in the western and eastern Irish Sea during February to April (Armstrong et al. 2011). Historically the stock has been commercially important, however in the last decade a decline in SSB and reduced productivity of the stock have led to reduce landings. Reviewed distribution map for Gadus morhua (Atlantic cod), with modelled year 2100 native range map based on IPCC A2 emissions scenario. www.aquamaps.org, version of Aug. 2013. Web. Accessed 28 Jan. 2011 Life history overview Adults are usually found in deeper, colder waters. During the day they form schools and swim about 30-80 m above the bottom, dispersing at night to feed (Cohen et al. 1990; ICES 2005). They are omnivorous; feeding at dawn or dusk on invertebrates and fish, including their own young (Cohen et al. 1990). Adults migrate between spawning, feeding and overwintering areas, mostly within the boundaries of the respective stocks. Large migrations are rare occurrences, although there is evidence for limited seasonal migrations into neighbouring regions, most Irish Sea fish will stay within their management area (ICES 2012). Historical tagging studies indicated spawning site fidelity but with varying degrees of mixing of cod between the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and west of Scotland/north of Ireland (ICES 2015).
[Show full text]
Do Some Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Skip Spawning?
SCRS/2006/088 Col. Vol. Sci. Pap. ICCAT, 60(4): 1141-1153 (2007) DO SOME ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA SKIP SPAWNING? David H. Secor1 SUMMARY During the spawning season for Atlantic bluefin tuna, some adults occur outside known spawning centers, suggesting either unknown spawning regions, or fundamental errors in our current understanding of bluefin tuna reproductive schedules. Based upon recent scientific perspectives, skipped spawning (delayed maturation and non-annual spawning) is possibly prevalent in moderately long-lived marine species like bluefin tuna. In principle, skipped spawning represents a trade-off between current and future reproduction. By foregoing reproduction, an individual can incur survival and growth benefits that accrue in deferred reproduction. Across a range of species, skipped reproduction was positively correlated with longevity, but for non-sturgeon species, adults spawned at intervals at least once every two years. A range of types of skipped spawning (constant, younger, older, event skipping; and delays in first maturation) was modeled for the western Atlantic bluefin tuna population to test for their effects on the egg-production-per-recruit biological reference point (stipulated at 20% and 40%). With the exception of extreme delays in maturation, skipped spawning had relatively small effect in depressing fishing mortality (F) threshold values. This was particularly true in comparison to scenarios of a juvenile fishery (ages 4-7), which substantially depressed threshold F values. Indeed, recent F estimates for 1990-2002 western Atlantic bluefin tuna stock assessments were in excess of threshold F values when juvenile size classes were exploited. If western bluefin tuna are currently maturing at an older age than is currently assessed (i.e., 10 v.
[Show full text]
Fao Species Catalogue
FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Volume 5 FIR/S125 Vol. 5 FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE VOL. 5. BILLFISHES OF THE WORLD AN ANNOTATED AND ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF MARLINS, SAILFISHES, SPEARFISHES AND SWORDFISHES KNOWN TO DATE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Volume 5 FIR/S125 Vol.5 FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE VOL. 5 BILLFISHES OF THE WORLD An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Marlins, Sailfishes, Spearfishes and Swordfishes Known to date MarIins, prepared by Izumi Nakamura Fisheries Research Station Kyoto University Maizuru Kyoto 625, Japan Prepared with the support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome 1985 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory. city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. M-42 ISBN 92-5-102232-1 All rights reserved . No part of this publicatlon may be reproduced. stored in a retriewal system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwase, wthout the prior permission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction should be addressed to the Director, Publications Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.
[Show full text]
Our Nation's Fisheries Will Be a Lot Easier Once We've Used up Everything Except Jellyfish!
Mismanaging Our Nation’s Fisheriesa menu of what's missing Limited quantity: get ‘em while supplies last Ted Stevens Alaskan Surprise Due to years of overfishing, we probably won’t be serving up Pacific Ocean perch, Tanner crab, Greenland turbot or rougheye rockfish. They may be a little hard to swallow, but Senator Stevens and the North Pacific Council will be sure to offer last minute riders, father and son sweetheart deals, record-breaking quotas, industry-led research, conflicts of interest and anti-trust violations. Meanwhile, fur seals, sea lions and sea otters are going hungry and disappearing fast. Surprise! Pacific Rockfish: See No Fish, Eat No Fish Cowcod, Canary Rockfish and Bocaccio are just three examples of rockfish managed by the Pacific Council that are overfished. As for the exact number of West Coast groundfish that are overfished, who knows? Without surveys to tell them what’s going on, what are they managing exactly? Striped Bass: Thin Is In! This popular Atlantic rockfish is available in abundance. Unfortunately, many appear to be undernourished and suffering from lesions – a condition that may point to Omega Protein’s industrial fishery of menhaden, the striper’s favorite prey species. Actually, you may want to hold off on this one until ASMFC starts regulating menhaden. Can you believe there are still no catch limits? Red Snapper Bycatch Platter While we are unable to provide full-size red snapper, we offer this plate of twenty juvenile red snapper discarded as bycatch from a Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawler for your dining pleasure. Shrimpers take and throw away about half of all young red snappers along the Texas coast, so we’ll keep these little guys coming straight from the back of the boat to the back of your throat! Caribbean Reef Fish Grab Bag What’s for dinner from the Caribbean? Who knows? With coral reefs in their jurisdiction, you would expect the Caribbean Council to be pioneering the ecosystem-based management approach and implementing the precautionary principle approach.
[Show full text]
Status of Billfish Resources and the Billfish Fisheries in the Western
SLC/FIAF/C1127 (En) FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular ISSN 2070-6065 STATUS OF BILLFISH RESOURCES AND BILLFISH FISHERIES IN THE WESTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC Source: ICCAT (2015) FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1127 SLC/FIAF/C1127 (En) STATUS OF BILLFISH RESOURCES AND BILLFISH FISHERIES IN THE WESTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC by Nelson Ehrhardt and Mark Fitchett School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami Miami, United States of America FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Bridgetown, Barbados, 2016 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. ISBN 978-92-5-109436-5 © FAO, 2016 FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate DFNQRZOHGJHPHQWRI)$2DVWKHVRXUFHDQGFRS\ULJKWKROGHULVJLYHQDQGWKDW)$2¶VHQGRUVHPHQWRI XVHUV¶YLHZVSURGXFWVRUVHUYLFHVLVQRWLPSOLHGLQDQ\ZD\ All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request or addressed to [email protected].
[Show full text]
The Decline of Atlantic Cod – a Case Study
The Decline of Atlantic Cod – A Case Study Author contact information Wynn W. Cudmore, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Northwest Center for Sustainable Resources Chemeketa Community College P.O. Box 14007 Salem, OR 97309 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 503-399-6514 Published 2009 DUE # 0757239 1 NCSR curriculum modules are designed as comprehensive instructions for students and supporting materials for faculty. The student instructions are designed to facilitate adaptation in a variety of settings. In addition to the instructional materials for students, the modules contain separate supporting information in the "Notes to Instructors" section, and when appropriate, PowerPoint slides. The modules also contain other sections which contain additional supporting information such as assessment strategies and suggested resources. The PowerPoint slides associated with this module are the property of the Northwest Center for Sustainable Resources (NCSR). Those containing text may be reproduced and used for any educational purpose. Slides with images may be reproduced and used without prior approval of NCSR only for educational purposes associated with this module. Prior approval must be obtained from NCSR for any other use of these images. Permission requests should be made to [email protected]. Acknowledgements We thank Bill Hastie of Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators (NAME), and Richard O’Hara of Chemeketa Community College for their thoughtful reviews. Their comments and suggestions greatly improved the quality of this module. We thank NCSR administrative assistant, Liz Traver, for the review, graphic design and layout of this module. 2 Table of Contents NCSR Marine Fisheries Series ....................................................................................................... 4 The Decline of Atlantic Cod – A Case Study ................................................................................
[Show full text]
Atlantic Cod (Gadus Morhua) Off Newfoundland and Labrador Determined from Genetic Variation
COSEWIC Assessment and Update Status Report on the Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua Newfoundland and Labrador population Laurentian North population Maritimes population Arctic population in Canada Newfoundland and Labrador population - Endangered Laurentian North population - Threatened Maritimes population - Special Concern Arctic population - Special Concern 2003 COSEWIC COSEPAC COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF COMITÉ SUR LA SITUATION ENDANGERED WILDLIFE DES ESPÈCES EN PÉRIL IN CANADA AU CANADA COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. This report may be cited as follows: COSEWIC 2003. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the Atlantic cod Gadus morhua in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xi + 76 pp. Production note: COSEWIC would like to acknowledge Jeffrey A. Hutchings for writing the update status report on the Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, prepared under contract with Environment Canada. For additional copies contact: COSEWIC Secretariat c/o Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Tel.: (819) 997-4991 / (819) 953-3215 Fax: (819) 994-3684 E-mail: COSEWIC/[email protected] http://www.cosewic.gc.ca Également disponible en français sous le titre Rapport du COSEPAC sur la situation de la morue franche (Gadus morhua) au Canada Cover illustration: Atlantic Cod — Line drawing of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua by H.L. Todd. Image reproduced with permission from the Smithsonian Institution, NMNH, Division of Fishes. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2003 Catalogue No.CW69-14/311-2003-IN ISBN 0-662-34309-3 Recycled paper COSEWIC Assessment Summary Assessment summary — May 2003 Common name Atlantic cod (Newfoundland and Labrador population) Scientific name Gadus morhua Status Endangered Reason for designation Cod in the inshore and offshore waters of Labrador and northeastern Newfoundland, including Grand Bank, having declined 97% since the early 1970s and more than 99% since the early 1960s, are now at historically low levels.
[Show full text]
Hypotheses for the Decline of Cod in the North Atlantic*
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Vol. 138: 293-308, 1996 Published July 25 Mar Ecol Prog Ser REVIEW Hypotheses for the decline of cod in the North Atlantic* Ransom A. ~yers'#**,Jeffrey A. ~utchings~,N. J. Barrowman' 'Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Science Branch, PO Box 5667, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada AlC 5x1 'Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 451 ABSTRACT We examine alternative hypotheses for the decllne of 20 cod Gadus morhua stocks in the North Atlantlc The year of the lowest observed biomass of spawners did not correspond to low juve- nile survival for the cohorts that should have contnbuted to the stock in that year However, fishing mortdl~tywas very high for the years preceding the collapse The collapse of the cod stocks was not caused by a lack of resilience at low population abundance because all spawners were able to produce many potential replacements at low population size We show that as populations collapsed, flshlng mortality increased untll the populations were reduced to very low levels We conclude that increased fishing mortality caused the population decl~nes,and often the collapses, of the cod stocks KEY WORDS Gadus morhua Cod North Atlantic Decline Stocks Tlme serles Spawners Recru~tment Catch Mortality Collapse Density-dependent mortality Fishlng INTRODUCTION a fishery. We have reformulated these questions as follows: During the last few years many of the world's cod (1)What was the extent and timing of the population Gadus morhua stocks have rapidly declined to the decline? point where fishing has been effectively eliminated.
[Show full text]
Abundance and Distribution of Atlantic Cod (Gadus Morhua)
145 National Marine Fisheries Service Fishery Bulletin First U.S. Commissioner established in 1881 of Fisheries and founder NOAA of Fishery Bulletin Abstract—Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) Abundance and distribution of Atlantic cod in southern New England (SNE) and along the mid-Atlantic coast have been (Gadus morhua) in a warming southern described as the world’s southernmost population of this species, but little New England is known of their population dynam- ics. Despite the expectation that SNE Joseph A. Langan (contact author)1 Atlantic cod are or will be negatively M. Conor McManus2 influenced by increasing water tem- 3 peratures due to climate change, fish- Douglas R. Zemeckis 1 eries that target Atlantic cod in this Jeremy S. Collie region have reported increased land- ings during the past 2 decades. The Email address for contact author: [email protected] work described here used ichthyoplank- ton and trawl survey data to investigate 1 Graduate School of Oceanography 3 Department of Agriculture and Natural spatial and temporal patterns of abun- University of Rhode Island Resources dance of Atlantic cod, and their potential Narragansett Bay Campus New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station links to environmental factors, across 215 South Ferry Road Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey multiple life stages in Rhode Island. Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882 1623 Whitesville Road The results identify waters of the state Toms River, New Jersey 08755 of Rhode Island as a settlement and 2 Division of Marine Fisheries nursery area for early stages of Atlantic Rhode Island Department of Environmental cod until water temperatures approach Management 15°C in late spring.
[Show full text]
Frequently Asked Questions
atlaFrequentlyntic white Asked mQuestionsarlin 2007 Status Review WHAT ARE ATLANTIC WHITE MARLIN? White marlin are billfish of the Family Istiophoridae, which includes striped, blue, and black marlin; several species of spearfish; and sailfish. White marlin inhabit the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. They generally eat other fish (e.g., jacks, mackerels, mahi-mahi), but will feed on squid and other prey items. White marlin grow quickly and can reach an age of at least 18 years, based on tag recapture data (SCRS, 2004). Adult white marlin can grow to over 9 feet (2.8 meters) and can weigh up to 184 lb (82 kg). WHY ARE ATLANTIC WHITE MARLIN IMPORTANT? Atlantic white marlin are apex predators that feed at the top of the food chain. Recreational fishers seek Atlantic blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish as highly-prized species in the United States, Venezuela, Bahamas, Brazil, and many countries in the Caribbean Sea and west coast of Africa. White marlin, along with other billfish and tunas, are managed internationally by member nations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). In the United States, Atlantic blue marlin, white marlin, and Atlantic sailfish can be landed only by recreational fishermen fishing from either private vessels or charterboats. WHAT IS A STATUS REVIEW? A status review is the process of evaluating the best available scientific and commercial information on the biological status of a species and the threats it is facing to support a decision whether or not to list a species under the ESA or to change its listing.
[Show full text]
Analysis of Big Game Fishing Catches of Blue Marlin (Makaira Nigricans) in the Madeira Archipelago (Eastern Atlantic) and Factors That Affect Its Presence
sustainability Article Analysis of Big Game Fishing Catches of Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) in the Madeira Archipelago (Eastern Atlantic) and Factors that Affect Its Presence Roi Martinez-Escauriaza 1,* , Pablo Pita 2,3, Maria Lídia Ferreira de Gouveia 4, Nuno Manuel Abreu Gouveia 5, Eduardo Teixeira 6, Mafalda de Freitas 1,4,7,8 and Margarida Hermida 1,8 1 Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI), Edifício Madeira Tecnopolo, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal; [email protected] 2 Campus Do Mar, International Campus of Excellence, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; [email protected] 3 Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain 4 Direção Regional do Mar, Direção de Serviços de Monitorização, Estudos e Investigação do Mar (DRM/DSEIMar), 9004-562 Funchal, Portugal; [email protected] 5 Direção Regional de Pescas, Direção de Serviços de Inspeção e Controlo, Edifício da Sociedade Metropolitana de Câmara de Lobos, 9300-138 Câmara de Lobos, Portugal; [email protected] 6 Big Game Club of Portugal in Madeira, 9000-171 Funchal, Portugal; [email protected] 7 Estação de Biologia Marinha do Funchal, Cais do Carvão, 9000-003 Funchal, Portugal 8 MARE–Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI), Edifício Madeira Tecnopolo, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal; Citation: Martinez-Escauriaza, R.; [email protected] Pita, P.; de Gouveia, M.L.F.; Gouveia, * Correspondence: [email protected] N.M.A.; Teixeira, E.; de Freitas, M.; Hermida, M.
[Show full text]
Atlantic Billfish Fishery Management Plan Amendment
Atlantic Billfish Fishery Management Plan Amendment Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose and Need 1-3 1.1.1 History of Management 1-3 1.1.2 The HMS Process 1-5 1.1.3 Issues/Problems for Resolution 1-7 1.1.4 Domestic Considerations 1-10 1.1.5 International Considerations 1-12 1.1.6 Objectives 1-14 1.2 Conservation and Management Measures 1-16 1.3 Management Units 1-18 1.4 Scientific Data and Research Needs 1-20 1.5 Development of Fishery Resources 1-23 1.6 Total Allowable Level of Foreign Fishing 1-27 Relationship to International Agreements, Applicable Laws, and Other Fishery 1.7 1-28 Management Plans 1.7.1 ICCAT and its Relationship to ATCA and the Magnuson-Stevens Act 1-28 1.7.2 The United Nations Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and HMS 1-29 1.7.3 Other Fishery Management Plans 1-30 1.7.4 Relationship of the FMP Amendment to Existing HMS Management 1-31 1.7.5 Paperwork Reduction Act 1-31 1.7.6 Coastal Zone Management 1-32 1.7.7 Endangered Species Act 1-32 1.7.8 Marine Mammal Protection Act 1-32 1.7.9 Federalism 1-33 1.7.10 Executive Order 12866 (E.O. 12866) 1-33 1.7.11 Executive Order 12962 (E.O. 12962) 1-33 1.7.12 Applicable State Laws and Policies 1-33 1.8 What's in the Atlantic Billfish FMP Amendment? 1-35 Relationship of the Atlantic Billfish FMP Amendment to Magnuson-Stevens Act 1.9 1-36 Requirements 1.10 List of Preparers 1-41 1.11 List of Agencies and Organizations Consulted 1-42 References for Chapter 1 1-43 1.1 Purpose and Need This integrated document contains all the elements of the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Amendment, including a revised Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS), Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA), and Social Impact Assessment (SIA)/Fishery Impact Statement (FIS).
[Show full text]