In this study, the length-weight relationships (LWRs) and length-length relationships (LLRs) of 16 marine fish species-important component of fishery production models-were estimated. The specimens were collected monthly from commercial gillnet fisheries from November 6, 2018 to October 30, 2019 in Vietnamese waters. In total, 7,426 individuals had their total length (TL), fork length (FL) and total body weight (W) measured. LWRs were calculated using the logarithmic transformation of the linear regression equation logW = loga + b*logTL, while LLRs were determined using a linear regression model: TL = a + b*FL. In addition, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for the model parameters. The results showed that all regression parameters were highly significant (p < 0.001), with coefficients of determinations (R 2 ) > 0.9412 for all species. The a (intercept) values ranged from 0.0025 to 0.4, and the b (slope) values ranged from 2.53 to 3.28. TL and FL were highly correlated (p < 0.001 and R 2 > 0.9422 for all parameters), and a and b ranged from -9.12 to 15.85 and 0.87 to 1.45, respectively. The results provide the key morphology parameters, which are beneficial for fishery researchers and managers in stock assessment, administration and conservation.

The imperative to include stakeholders and rightsholders in fisheries management over the past 30 years has led to many changes in management regimes around the world, a key one being a move toward collaboration and co-management. This is reflected, for example, in Canada, where the newly revised Fisheries Act (2019, c.14, s.3) incorporates this imperative in part by citing “community knowledge” as a component in decision making for fisheries management. However, the lack of a formal definition makes it unclear what exactly is meant by “community” and when and how community knowledge can play a role in management. To investigate what community contributions to fisheries management can entail, and who these communities might include, we conducted a scoping literature review using the Scopus database to synthesize common outcomes from research on community involvement in fisheries management toward the goals of ecological, social, economic, and institutional sustainability. Enablers and barriers for successful collaborative initiatives were identified, covering conceptual, logistical, and communication-related factors. Key recommendations were compiled from a range of case studies to map a path toward full-spectrum sustainability for fisheries. From these principles and practices, we ultimately identified major considerations for the Canadian context, including the need to (1) clarify the distinction between fishing communities and the fishing industry; (2) strengthen social networks and communication channels to facilitate collective action; (3) track and transparently share successes and failures in collaborative efforts and outcomes; and (4) more explicitly consider community well-being as a fisheries management objective. From our synthesis, there are lessons to be learned for fisheries (social) scientists and managers working to enhance evidence-based fisheries management, whether within Canada or in other collaborative management settings globally.

Abstract Climate change is causing persistent, widespread, and significant impacts on marine ecosystems which are predicted to interact and intensify. Overfishing and associated habitat degradation have put many fish populations and marine ecosystems at risk and is making the ocean more vulnerable to climate change and less capable of buffering against its effects. In this Perspective, we review how overfishing is disrupting the important role of marine vertebrates in the ocean carbon cycle, causing disturbance and damage to the carbon-rich seabed, and contributing to rising greenhouse gas emissions through fuel use. We discuss how implementing good fisheries management can reduce or remove many of the impacts associated with overfishing, including fish stock collapse, destruction of seabed habitats, provision of harmful subsidies and accompanying socio-economic impacts. Managing overfishing is one of the most effective strategies in protecting ocean carbon stores and can make an important contribution to climate mitigation and adaptation.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of global and domestic seafood markets. We examined the main impacts and responses of the small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector, and found that mitigation and preparedness strategies should be prioritised to boost resilience in SSF. We provide five policy options and considerations: (1) improving access to insurance and financial services; (2) strengthening local and regional markets and supporting infrastructure; (3) recognising fisheries as an essential service; (4) integrating disaster risk management into fisheries management systems; and (5) investing in Indigenous and locally-led fisheries management. Response and recovery measures need to explicitly build strategies to maintain or boost inclusion and equity in SSF.

Marine recreational fishing (MRF) is a socially and economically relevant fishing activity in Europe, but its impacts on ecosystems and the economy remain poorly understood, and management is limited. This paper evaluates the current European fisheries governance, particularly the Common Fisheries Policy, in addressing MRF issues. Our evaluation highlights the lack of explicit recognition of MRF in European Union legislation, where recreational fisheries are not or insufficiently managed within a commercial fisheries-oriented policy framework. We recommend policy reform that explicitly recognizes recreational fisheries as a distinct fisheries sector with its own interests, values and objectives, and dynamics that differ from those typical in commercial fisheries. On the operational level, we recommend involving key organizations representing MRF interests in advisory groups dealing with marine fisheries, nature conservation, and marine spatial use, and encourage sustainable fishing practices among all types of fisheries. To achieve this, there is a need for better and more comprehensive data collection, stakeholder engagement, and outreach to support effective MRF governance and management. By addressing these issues, Europe can maximize the benefits of MRF, while ensuring the sustainability of fisheries.

Abstract Poor and unreliable knowledge of the status of freshwater fisheries limits their inclusion in governance processes, thereby impeding effective management measures. This threatens the livelihoods of people, particularly in developing countries. Improved knowledge is required to draw the attention of policymakers and stimulate effective management measures to accelerate the sustainability of the freshwater fisheries. In line with this requirement, this paper provides the state of knowledge of the aquatic ecosystem and fisheries of the Lake Edward system, East Africa, focusing on lakes Edward, George and the Kazinga channel. The state of knowledge was accomplished by reviewing existing data and information on aspects of primary productivity and water quality, invertebrates, fish fauna, fish life history and ecology, and fisheries. The waterbodies have been monitored since the 1930s, albeit sporadically, providing data on all the above aspects but with substantial temporal gaps. Adequate and updated data and information exist on the water quality status of the water bodies, extant aquatic taxa (including fishes) and fish catches but with uncertainties in the latter. Data and information gaps exist on the abundance of biotic communities, fish life history, quantitative trophic ecology and fisheries management reference points. The aggregated data and information can directly support decisions for fisheries management. We recommend regular monitoring to fill the data and information gaps, more comprehensive stock assessments and the development of aquatic ecosystem models.

In this study, conducted in Yumurtalık Bay (Adana/Turkey) between October 2020 and February 2021, 40 commercial fishing operations were monitored. During the fieldwork, the length and weight of the species caught by commercial fishers were measured, and the number of deployed set lines and the lost set lines were recorded for each operation. The results showed that, aside from European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), only six species were caught, with bycatch species constituting 4.64% by weight. Of the 859 seabass individuals caught, only 88 were found to be below the minimum legal catch size (25 cm) specified in Turkish fisheries regulations. These findings suggest that the method demonstrates species and size selectivity, indicating an environmentally friendly fishing approach. A total of 4791 set lines were deployed during the monitored operations, of which 198 lines (4.13%) were lost. The total number of set lines lost by the entire fleet in a single season was estimated to be approximately 2800 lines. While the reasons for gear loss typically include gear conflicts, adverse weather conditions, operational errors, maritime traffic, and vandalism, this study did not specifically identify the causes of gear loss. However, inferences were made regarding possible causes based on previous studies.

We evaluated the feasibility of classifying ommastrephid and loliginid squid species by statolith shape analysis into fisheries management units or stocks. Statoliths of Illex coindetii (Verany, 1839) and Loligo forbesii (Steenstrup, 1856) were studied from multiple areas of the North East Atlantic and Northern Mediterranean Sea during 2021–2022. I. coindetii and L. forbesii individuals were categorized into multiple stocks across the areas studied. Stocks migrating between fishing areas as well as multiple stocks in the same area, as identified for L. forbesii in this study, need to be considered for sustainable fisheries management. | This project was funded by the Begabtenförderungswerk Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst e.V. Open-access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The MEDITS surveys are co-funded by the European Union through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) within the National Programme of collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector and support for scientific advice regarding the Common Fisheries Policy. | Peer reviewed

Marine recreational fishing (MRF) is a socially and economically relevant fishing activity in Europe, but its impacts on ecosystems and the economy remain poorly understood, and management is limited. This paper evaluates the current European fisheries governance, particularly the Common Fishery Policy, in addressing MRF issues. Our evaluation highlights the lack of explicit recognition of MRF in European Union legislation, where recreational fisheries are not or insufficiently managed within a commercial fisheries-oriented policy framework. We recommend policy reform that explicitly recognizes recreational fisheries as a distinct fisheries sector with own interests, values and objectives, and dynamics that differ from those typical in commercial fisheries. On the operational level, we recommend involving key organizations representing MRF interests in advisory groups dealing with marine fisheries, nature conservation, and marine spatial use, and encourage sustainable fishing practices among all types of fisheries. To achieve this, there is a need for better and more comprehensive data collection, stakeholder engagement, and outreach to support effective MRF governance and management. By addressing these issues, Europe can maximize the benefits of MRF, while ensuring the sustainability of fisheries.

Market-based approaches to seafood sustainability have gained popularity in the last decade. Market-based tools, such as certification and ratings systems, enable seafood companies along supply chains to engage in sustainability initiatives while reducing business risks. Yet, these approaches are predominantly utilized in Global North markets and often evaluate performance against standards that build upon resource-intensive, mainstream fisheries management models. These management models have yielded successful outcomes in industrial fisheries, mainly in the Global North, where science, management, and compliance authorities are well-resourced. In contrast, artisanal and small-scale fisheries in the Global South have seen limited success in applying mainstream management approaches. Co-management approaches based on secure tenure rights, which emphasize effective partnerships between management authorities and resource users with specific rights over the resources, have shown better outcomes in these contexts. Despite this, market-based tools have largely overlooked co-management principles and tenure rights in their standards. To address this gap, this paper introduces two step-wise evaluative methods designed for the ratings system FishSource, aiming to score whether fishers enjoy secure tenure rights and effectively participate in decision making. The proposed methods use available secondary data to evaluate these crucial aspects of well-managed and equitable small-scale fisheries, while aligning with international policy instruments like the Food and Agriculture Organization Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.