The Spot Prawn Fishery The Spot Prawn Fishery - Basel Action ...

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The Commission of European Communities recently approached ICES to facilitate a better understanding of the precautionary principle in the context of setting annual catch quotas. According to ICES, reference points or thresholds are one of the centerpieces of precautionary management. These thresholds typically are used to identify a spawning biomass level below which the sustainability of the stock or species is placed at risk (Commission of European Communities 2000). Zhang (1999) explores the idea that managers can use two distinct types of precautionary reference points: a management or target reference point (TRP) and a conservation or limit reference point (LRP). The TRP indicates the exploitation target for management purposes; the LRP defines the biological limit of the stock or population in question. The paper describes a number of different empirical equations and fisheries assessment models that can be used to derive the reference points based on the characteristics of the species and the fishery. Once the reference points or thresholds are established, the fishery will need to be frequently monitored in order to “ensure that the exploitation pattern does not change” (Boutillier and Bond 1999b). Within the bounds of these safety margins or reference points is room for many different types of management strategies. Managers must define the environmental, economic, and sociocultural goals they are seeking to maximize; e.g., ecosystem health, sustainability, yield by weight, the economic value of catches, community stability, jobs, etc. Multi-annual decision-mak- Our marine economies are whollyowned subsidiaries of the marine environment.The services and products provided by the sea secure our dependence on it. Not only does the ecological state of the world’s oceans mandate a higher level of concern and a greater stewardship role, but we must also acknowledge the fact that we are not as removed from the ocean as we often assume. “We are, in a sense, soft vessels of seawater. Seventy percent of our bodies is water, the same percentage that covers Earth’s surface.We are wrapped around an ocean within.You can test this simply enough: Taste your tears” (Safina 1998, p. 434). “Recognizing our interrelationship does not imply notions of some unreal ocean utopia wherein all creatures swim at peace” (Safina 1998, p. 440). A sea ethic is not some new, naïve mythology. Rather, a sea ethic is a concept that will allow us to expand the concept of humanity and the richness of our human experience. Such a perspective frees the mind and opens doors: to a lifetime of boundless inquiry, to a wealth of enriching insights and reflection, to the chance to be more fully human, to the possibility of making a meaningful contribution.The only prerequi- The Spot Prawn Fishery: A Status Report ing regimes can then be established that outline the guidelines, criteria, and thresholds needed to sustainably manage a fishery. 1.2 Ensure the Adequacy of Environmental Information The history of fisheries management reads like a good novel: crisis, ruin, intrigue, noble aspirations, “good guys” and “bad guys,” fortunes won and lost. The numbers tell the same tale, both globally and in the US. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO 1997), nearly 70% of the world’s fish stocks are overfished, depleted, or fully exploited. In the US, almost 50% of the fisheries for which there are data are overfished or in decline. The crisis in fisheries management does not exist because of a lack of attempts to manage. In the US, the National Marine Fisheries Service, in its various organizational iterations, has been actively managing and regulating fishing since the 1800s. Collapses are directly attributable to a lack of ecological information, a resultant uncertainty in science, and a failure to manage with precaution due to these information limits. Scientific and management uncertainty stems from a number of sources: •dearth of information regarding the status of fish populations •numerous unknowns regarding ecological relationships and factors affecting population abundance and distribution, and the cumulative effect of these variables on the population or ecosystem •unpredictability surrounding the nature, inci- sites for taking this path are respectfulness and an extravagant desire for exploration— both impulses that build an elevated sense of vitality and purpose (Safina 1998, p. 440). Fostering a “sea ethic” in spot prawn management would require that the ecological footprint of the fishery be continually minimized.The destruction of critical marine habitat or high levels of avoidable bycatch cannot be justified in ecological or economic terms.These actions are potentially damaging to the spot prawn, to marine ecosystems, and to the fishing industries and communities that depend on them. 49
50 The Spot Prawn Fishery: A Status Report dence, and effect of environmental factors and ecological systems •natural fluctuations in a fish stock or population The lack of knowledge about spot prawns and their role in the marine ecosystem is a serious risk. Sufficient ecological information of adequate quality is the cornerstone of sustainable management. Without baseline data, it is difficult to determine how a fish population will be affected by human use, let alone managed in a way that will prevent overexploitation. Without the collection and effective use of information, important ecological and economic assets like the spot prawn fishery can not be managed sustainably. The costs will be borne by the environment, and by the industries and communities that depend on the fishery. There will always be gaps in our marine knowledge. The unknowns regarding spot prawns and their role in the ecosystem are unlikely to ever be fully resolved. Nevertheless, because the risk of localized or serial depletion is very real, the lack of scientific information should not be used as a reason to postpone proactive, preventive measures that will protect the species and prevent environmental degradation. Precautionary management should be the rule rather than the exception. Scientific and management information must be shared between managers and scientists throughout the spot prawn’s range. A spot prawn research strategy can then be developed in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders and provide clear direction and goals for data and information collection initiatives. A coordinated research strategy would ensure that resources are focused on the most critical information needs and data gaps. APEX believes that the following areas of research should be prioritized: •determination of spot prawn biology, life history, recruitment, and genetic structure •identification of critical habitats for both juvenile and adult life stages •understanding the relationships between spot prawns and other species in the ecosystem •estimation of the effects of parasite and disease on spot prawns •appraisal of the impact of environmental variability on spot prawns •assessment of the effect of spot prawn fishing on spot prawns, on other marine species, and on the ecosystem •evaluation of the range of factors that impact spot prawn success/sustainability, and the cumulative effect of these factors on the species; for example, mortality associated with other fisheries should be determined and integrated into spot prawn management Marine information is diverse and comprises both formal and informal data from scientific research, commercial activity, and local and traditional ecological knowledge. Given the extent and complexity of the spot prawn fishery, it is essential that efficient use be made of all sources of data available, and the knowledge used to formulate an integrated approach to spot prawn management that reflects the species’ biology and ecology. Additional research and information analysis could be supported in part by a cost-recovery system. This system would be developed in partnership with scientists, managers, and the users of the resource, and be based on an equitable formula for the collection of fees. For example, the amount that commercial fishers pay should reflect the total tonnage and value of their catch. 1.3 Reduce the Environmental Impacts of Fishing to the Lowest Possible Level THE PROBLEM WITH BYCATCH Determination of the environmental impacts of spot prawn fishing and of fishing on spot prawns is an essential prerequisite for sustainable management. It is important that the level of spot prawn incidental mortality in the fishery and in other fisheries is established, especially with regard to the bycatch and mortality of juvenile spot prawns. In addition, the incidental catch of at-risk species, like certain rockfish species, may speed up the rate of fisheries collapse and/or prevent the recovery of depleted species or stocks. As long as precise, per-species bycatch levels remain unquantifiable, reliable sustainable harvest levels cannot be established, and estimates of stock size and recruitment will be inaccurate (Glavin 1996). PROMOTING SELECTIVE GEAR — PHASING OUT TRAWLING The promotion of selective gear—gear that minimizes the waste of target species and minimizes the bycatch of non-target species—is an internationally recognized imperative for sustainable fisheries. The impact of trawling on the benthos and other critical marine habitats (algal beds, seagrass beds, and hard-bottom seafloor eco-
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