The COVID-19 pandemic has altered illegal fishing activities inside and outside a marine protected area

Quimbayo, Juan P.; Silva, Fernanda C.; Barreto, Camila R.; Pavone, Carla B.; Lefcheck, Jonathan S.; Leite, Kelen L.; Figueiroa, Apoena C.; Correia, Edineia C.; Flores, Augusto A. V.

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.030

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…This is in line with previous findings [59] regarding the impacts of COVID-19, such as struggles to access natural public spaces and changes in social participation mechanisms in relation to stewardship organizations working on coastal watersheds. The pandemic also increased (in the short term) the demand for providing ecosystem services, such as managing illegal fishing inside the MPA (See Figure 5), and decreased the supply of cultural services, such as tourism (See Figure 4 and Table 6), which is in line with the results of previous studies [60,61]. Nevertheless, stakeholders mentioned that certain fishing gear (e.g., fencing and small mesh size nets) was funded by shadow networks, which would indicate the diversification of criminal markets [62] and future trajectories of resource scarcity and territorial conflicts in the region [63].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

COVID-19 Impacts on Whale-Watching Collaboration Networks

et al. 2022

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Whale-watching tourism generates high-income seasonal livelihoods in coastal communities on the Mexican Pacific Coast; however, this sector is at risk from accelerated global changes. We evaluated the responses of a collaboration of tourism networks regarding the impacts COVID-19 using a longitudinal social network approach. We used a two-wave snowball method to identify potential interviewees and followed geographic and jurisdictional criteria using a face-to-face survey to map collaboration ties between 38 stakeholders involved in whale-watching tourism before and after the second wave of the pandemic. We also asked this group of stakeholders about their perceived impacts of COVID-19. We found slightly higher connectivity and centralization levels in the social networks after the pandemic. Loss of income and reservations, a decrease in both conservations and pollution, and an increase in the reduction in wildlife tourism were the main self-reported impacts. We also detected harmful pandemic legacies, such as whale-watching tours conducted using unregulated private boats. This research directly informs Mexico’s whale-watching tourism policy by showing the management and coordination challenges that stakeholders face in a post-pandemic context. While the social fabric of coastal communities has been resilient to the COVID-19 pandemic, we found indications that the governance of marine resources can easily unravel if rule of law is absent.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

COVID-19 Impacts on Whale-Watching Collaboration Networks

et al. 2022

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“…Finally, historical data also indicate that the fish density observed during the lockdown was unusual. During 2020, there was worldwide concern that the inability of reserve managers, nongovernmental organizations, and researchers to access marine reserves could lead to increased poaching risk (Corlett et al 2020;Quimbayo et al 2022). However, because Cabo Pulmo is a well-enforced marine protected area under strict control by the local community living within the reserve, poaching was likely infrequent before, during, and after the lockdown.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2020; Quimbayo et al . 2022). However, because Cabo Pulmo is a well‐enforced marine protected area under strict control by the local community living within the reserve, poaching was likely infrequent before, during, and after the lockdown.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecotourism impacts on reef fishes in a marine reserve during the COVID‐19 era

Olán-González

Reyes‐Bonilla

Arreola-Alarcón

et al. 2023

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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Marine reserves generally permit ecotourism within their boundaries as a source of income for local communities, but the impacts of ecotourism on wildlife are still poorly understood. The lockdown resulting from the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020 provided a unique opportunity to evaluate wildlife diversity in the absence of human activity. In a marine reserve in Mexico, we monitored fish assemblages before, during, and immediately after the lockdown to examine ecotourism impacts on fish assemblages. Our results show that fish density rose 2.5‐fold during the lockdown, suggesting that ecotourism activities alter fish behavior. We suggest that the presence of divers and noise pollution generated by recreational vessels are important disturbance factors. In the absence of human activity, however, some fish may be more bold (hide less often) or may return to the reserve after having retreated to more tranquil (deepwater) areas. We hope that our findings spur efforts to improve the health of marine reserves through the establishment of effective management strategies to mitigate ecotourism impacts.

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“…We also note that, globally, fisheries were affected by the pandemic. While some studies report a positive effect of lockdowns and movement restrictions on fish stocks and the regeneration of some sensitive aquatic ecosystems ( 56 ), reduced oversight and policing has also given rise to increased illegal fishing activities within and outside marine protected areas ( 57 ) including the Southern Ocean. In the CCAMLR area, the catch of krill makes up approximately 98% of the biomass of fish caught with almost all caught in CAMLR Convention Area 48.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How the COVID-19 pandemic signaled the demise of Antarctic exceptionalism

Liggett,

Frame,

Convey

et al. 2024

Sci. Adv.

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This paper explores how the COVID-19 pandemic affected science and tourism activities and their governance in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean. The pandemic reduced the ability of Antarctic Treaty Parties to make decisions on policy issues and placed a considerable burden on researchers. Tourism was effectively suspended during the 2020–2021 Antarctic season and heavily reduced in 2021–2022 but rebounded to record levels in 2022–2023. The pandemic stimulated reflection on practices to facilitate dialog, especially through online events. Opportunities arose to integrate innovations developed during the pandemic more permanently into Antarctic practices, in relation to open science, reducing operational greenhouse gas footprints and barriers of access to Antarctic research and facilitating data sharing. However, as well as the long-term impacts arising directly from the pandemic, an assemblage of major geopolitical drivers are also in play and, combined, these signal a considerable weakening of Antarctic exceptionalism in the early Anthropocene.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has altered illegal fishing activities inside and outside a marine protected area

Cited by 14 publications

References 10 publications

COVID-19 Impacts on Whale-Watching Collaboration Networks

COVID-19 Impacts on Whale-Watching Collaboration Networks

Ecotourism impacts on reef fishes in a marine reserve during the COVID‐19 era

How the COVID-19 pandemic signaled the demise of Antarctic exceptionalism

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