Towards an ecosystem approach to small island fisheries: A preliminary study of a balanced fishery in Kotania Bay (Seram Island, Indonesia)

Abstract

The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) is a holistic one as EAF considers all species as important elements within the eco-system. An EAF requires that community and ecosystem structure should be maintained by harvesting fish communities in proportion to their natural productivity, thereby sustaining the balance of species and sizes in a community. This article draws from research on the reef fish community and catch in Kotania Bay on Seram Island in Maluku, Indonesia, an area of approximately 6000 ha. Based on the trophic guild (ie the aggregation of species utilizing similar food resources) on the reef, the biomass of predator fish currently being captured now represents 40.4% of the total catch biomass. Members of the grouper family, the humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and trevally (Caranx melampygus) in particular, have become targeted for sale in fish markets. If these predators are selectively targeted and exploited, the overall reef fishery and the human populations that depend on it may become imperilled, given these species' significant roles in controlling those lower in the food chain. This study thereby emphasizes the need for balanced fisheries informed by the EAF model in small island fisheries management in order to sustain food security in such regions. ª 2014 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institution for Marine and Island Cultures,

Ecosystem modeling as a framework to convert a multi-disciplinary research approach into a useful model for the Araçá Bay (Brazil)

“…The Ecosystem Approach Management (EAF) assesses the ecological processes, species interactions and the integration of sustainable use with conservation in small marine ecosystems. Particularly, a key goal of the EAF is to unveil the drivers and consequences of fishing and other land activities in coastal areas upon individual species and habitats (Hutubessy et al, 2014).…”

Intense pressure on small and juvenile coral reef fishes threatens fishery production in Madagascar

“…An alternative strategy would be to regulate mosquito‐net trawling to balance fishery productivity and contribute to socioeconomic and food security (Short et al, 2018). From a socioeconomic point of view, small fish are crucial for subsistence of rural communities in less advanced countries, as a source of protein, micronutrients, and income (Hutubessy et al, 2014; Kolding et al, 2016). In Madagascar, small coral reef fish, marketed fresh or dried, provide low‐cost protein for vulnerable social groups as far away as the central highlands.…”

Short-term changes in demersal fish assemblages exploited by an artisanal set gill net fishery in the Caribbean Sea (Colombia)

“…Over the last decade, the ecosystem approach to fisheries has gained increasing relevance (Shannon et al 2010, Hutubessy et al 2014, Defeo 2015, Biedron and Knuth 2016, Ramírez-Monsalve et al 2016, FAO 2018. This concept is defined as "an extension of conventional fisheries management recognizing more explicitly the interdependence between human well-being and ecosystem health and the need to maintain ecosystems productivity for present and future generations" (García et al 2003).…”

“…This concept is defined as "an extension of conventional fisheries management recognizing more explicitly the interdependence between human well-being and ecosystem health and the need to maintain ecosystems productivity for present and future generations" (García et al 2003). In this context, fisheries I A lo largo de la última década ha cobrado mayor relevancia el enfoque ecosistémico de la pesca (Shannon et al 2010, Hutubessy et al 2014, Defeo 2015, Biedron y Knuth 2016, Ramírez-Monsalve et al 2016, FAO 2018, el cual es definido como "una extensión de la gestión pesquera convencional que se encarga de identificar explícitamente la interdependencia entre el bienestar humano y la salud de los ecosistemas, y la necesidad de mantener la productividad de los ecosistemas para las generaciones actuales y futuras" (García et al 2003).…”