Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) plays an important role in the North Sea benthic ecosystem and is by weight the most important commercial flatfish species in the North Sea demersal fishery. There is a high discarding of plaice in the active demersal fisheries in the North Sea. The change in fisheries management towards a more ecosystem based approach, together with a greater focus on sustainability, has caused a severe need for action. Subsequently, the European Commission is preparing regulations to reduce or even ban discards. The trawl fisheries are commercially the most important Danish fishery targeting plaice. Here we analyse discard data collected onboard Danish vessels in the period from 1998 to 2008. We describe the general patterns in these data by dividing them into three mesh size categories: 80–99mm, 100–119mm and ≥120mm to reflect implemented technical measures of relevance. We analyse the landed and discarded portions in these mesh size categories and link the discarding to the minimum landing size. We employed a GAM model to assess how discarding of plaice below the minimum landing size is connected to relevant factors that could be of relevance from a management perspective. We identified a statistical significant effect of mesh size category and area. We discuss the results in relation to potential mitigation measures to be implemented in future fisheries management strategies.

Professor Rögnvaldur Hannesson's influence on the development and history of fisheries economics is unquestionable. Also, he has strongly pointed out the potential gains from a more active use of fisheries economics in fisheries management. In light of this, one may ask if fisheries economists have spent too much time on fundamentals in fisheries economics at the expense of the development of applicable models for fisheries managers? Of course, this question is relevant only IF fisheries economics and fisheries economists have a role to play in fisheries management.JEL Codes: Q22, Q28, C61

Micropterus salmoides es un pez de importancia para la pesca deportiva en la mayoría de los embalses de México y del mundo, por lo que en el embalse Gustavo Díaz Ordaz se realizó un estudio sobre aspectos reproductivos entre agosto 2008 y marzo 2011. Se recolectaron 938 organismos, a los cuales se les midió la longitud (Lt cm), peso (Pt g), se determinó el sexo, índice gonadosomático, factor de condición, fecundidad y talla de primera madurez. La longitud y peso de los ejemplares recolectados varió de 15.9 a 63 cm (37.4±78.0) y de 57 a 4 431g (731.7±619.0), respectivamente. La relación peso total-longitud total se ajustó a un modelo tipo potencial, el crecimiento fue alométrico positivo, no se obtuvieron diferencias significativas entre machos y hembras (F=0.9955, p=0.3187). La proporción macho-hembra fue 1:0.83. Los desoves masivos inician en diciembre y finalizan en abril. La talla de primera reproducción fue de 33.7cm y la fecundidad promedio de 32 294±12 878.7 ovocitos/hembra. El índice gonadosomático se mantuvo bajo desde mayo hasta noviembre y alto entre enero y marzo. El factor de condición registró valores altos previos al desove y disminuyó al final del periodo reproductivo.

Exploiting variability in the managerial dimension, this paper presents firm management through firm and time effects in a production function that uses a three‐way fixed effect model and a unique panel dataset that tracks multiple managers for each firm from 1980–2007. We allow for time‐varying firm management through learning. The model is applied to the French purse‐seine fleet harvesting tuna in the Indian Ocean. We find that skippers' learning‐by‐doing as measured by experience and job tenure plays no significant role, meaning that managerial ability is time‐invariant.

The reproductive cycle of Galatea paradoxa which is the basis for an artisanal fishery in the Volta River estuary, Ghana, was studied using condition indices and histological methods from March 2008 to July 2009. The cycle is annual with a single spawning event between June and October. Gametogenesis starts in November progressing steadily to a peak in June-July when spawning begins until October when the animal is spent. The condition indices (shell-free wet weight/total wet weight, ash-free dry weight/shell weight and gonad wet weight/shell weight) showed a clear relationship with the gametogenic stage rising from a minimum at stage (I) start of gametogenesis, to their highest values at stages (IIIA) ripe and (IIIB) start of spawning before declining significantly to stage (IV) spent. It is suggested that condition index may prove a valuable technique in fishery management to recognise the reproductive stages of G. paradoxa as it is less expensive and time consuming than histological techniques in addition to being easier to teach to non-specialists. The data presented in this study provide information on the timing of spawning events for G. paradoxa, which is necessary for developing sustainable management strategies and selection of broodstock for aquaculture.

The biological benefits of marine reserves have garnered favor in the conservation community, but “no‐take” reserve implementation is complicated by the economic interests of fishery stakeholders. There are now a number of studies examining the conditions under which marine reserves can provide both economic and ecological benefits. A potentially important reality of fishing that these studies overlook is that fishing can damage the habitat of the target stock. Here, we construct an equilibrium bioeconomic model that incorporates this habitat damage and show that the designation of marine reserves, coupled with the implementation of a tax on fishing effort, becomes both biologically and economically favorable as habitat sensitivity increases. We also study the effects of varied degrees of spatial control on fisheries management. Together, our results provide further evidence for the potential monetary and biological value of spatial management, and the possibility of a mutually beneficial resolution to the fisherman–conservationist marine reserve designation dilemma.

This article delineates an evolutionary perspective of fishers-based watershed management from the viewpoint of sustainable fish production in lagoon fisheries. A case study of Lake Saroma, Japan is presented showcasing the innovative efforts of fishers on the wise use of fishery resources and mainstreaming environmental conservation at the watershed level. Innovative efforts include the introduction of cultured scallop allowance limits, fishers’ aforestation activities and multi-level collaborative partnership building. The study highlights a wider realization of lagoon fisheries management at multiple scales, where the role of the coordinator is key in sharing the concept of integrated lagoon fisheries management among relevant stakeholders. Based on the Lake Saroma experience, this article contributes to the development of nested collaborative partnerships among stakeholders toward fishers-based integrated lagoon fisheries management.

The Adaptive Collaborative Management of Fisheries Training workshop was held in Sekondi, Western Region of Ghana as part of the project “Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Initiative” locally referred to as “H n Mpoano”. The aim of the project is to support the government of Ghana achieve its development objective of poverty reduction, food security, sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation and contributes to its vision: Ghana’s coastal and marine ecosystems are sustainably managed to provide goods and services that generate long-term socioeconomic benefit to communities while sustaining biodiversity.

Se presentan los resultados del monitoreo realizado al área comprendida entre la Bahía de Nuevitas y Carabela (210 20`N--210 50`N y los 770 10 W—770 26`W), en la plataforma Norte de la Provincia de Camagüey. Esta localidad ha sido objeto de explotación por la EPI de Camagüey (EPICAM) desde el año 2000. A partir de los resultados del monitoreo y la abundancia poblacional encontrada, se propone ratificar un potencial de captura de 103 TM/año (peso entero), como suele reportarse en Cuba, que equivale a unas 7,6 TM de carne sin procesar eviscerada y sin manto, a desembarcar por la flota escamera local. Se excluye la zona comprendida entre el Faro de Maternillo y Cayo Sabinal, por declararse Reserva Ecológica, desde el 2009. Se proponen las medidas de manejo para el uso sostenible del recurso Strombus gigas en esta zona. | Camaguey, Cuba

Fisheries managers use buybacks to reduce fleet capacity, conserve fish stocks, and accomplish other goals. In 2009, Maryland and Virginia conducted auctions to buy back commercial fishing licenses. The auctions in both States had similar timing, objectives, and target populations. The divergent designs of the auctions, however, provide a case study with which to investigate effective buyback practices. We compare and contrast the market designs used by Maryland and Virginia, and describe how those differing designs influenced the respective outcomes.