Fisheries‐induced Evolution

Abstract

Increased mortality from fishing is expected to favor faster life histories, realized through earlier maturation, increased reproductive investment, and reduced postmaturation growth. There is also direct and indirect selection on behavioral traits. Molecular genetic methods have so far contributed minimally to understanding such fisheries-induced evolution (FIE), but a large body of literature studying evolution using phenotypic methods has suggested that FIE in life-history traits, in particular maturation traits, is commonplace in exploited fish populations. Although no phenotypic study in the wild can individually provide conclusive evidence for FIE, the observed common pattern suggests a common explanation, strengthening the case for FIE. This interpretation is supported by theoretical and experimental studies. Evidence for FIE of behavioral traits is limited from the wild, but strong from experimental studies. We suggest that such evolution is also common, but has so far been overlooked.

Adaptive phenotypic response to climate enabled by epigenetics in a K-strategy species, the fish Leucoraja ocellata (Rajidae)

“…We believe that the co-observation of smaller body size, regulation in the expression of genes involved in dealing with poorer oxygen metabolism, and those that regulate growth are a direct reflection of a phenotypic response in winter skate to adapt to the warmer waters of the Northumberland Strait. Although fisheries-induced evolution is also known to reduce body size in fishes [61,62], numerous lines of evidence suggest that this has not been the driver in the adaptive evolution of winter skate body size (see [25] for details), and so supports our observations of epigenetic effects on adaptation to different climates.…”

Fast and behavior-selective exploitation of a marine fish targeted by anglers

“…Our work is one of the first assessments of the largely overlooked behavioral dimension of fish vulnerability to fishing gear directly measured in the wild10. Two of our findings are of particular importance.…”

“…There is now substantial evidence in the context of commercial fisheries that intensive and/or size-selective harvesting selects for fast life-histories1011. Less evidence for fisheries-induced evolution (FIE) in recreational fisheries exist, but models12, observational studies1314, and experiments15 have all demonstrated that fishing with hooks and lures can also generate similarly strong selection gradients than those observed in commercial fisheries.…”

“…Although the economic consequences of FIE for fisheries may be not be severe when fisheries are managed sustainably17, the evolutionary consequences of recreational fishing will reduce the recovery ability of exploited stocks and the attractiveness of local fisheries to anglers and business18. Identifying the traits that render fish vulnerable to harvest are therefore of importance for ensuring sustainable exploitation10.…”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Mitigating fisheries‐induced evolution in lacustrine brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) in southern Quebec, Canada

“…Although the demographic impacts of fishing on fish population dynamics are relatively well studied (e.g., Getz and Haight 1989; Jennings 2004), we are only beginning to appreciate the evolutionary consequences of intensive fishing, which arise when fishing mortality imposes strong selective pressures on the harvested fish populations (e.g., Law 2000; Olsen et al 2004; Jørgensen et al 2007; Kuparinen and Merilä 2007; Allendorf et al 2008; Fenberg and Roy 2008; Heino and Dieckmann 2008; Heino and Dieckmann in press., and Hutchings and Fraser 2008). In particular, the size-selective removal of fish is likely to result in evolutionary changes in important life-history traits, such as the size at maturation, when such traits are heritable (e.g., Reznick and Endler 1982).…”