Fishes include some of the most threatened vertebrate species globally. As such, efforts to effectively conserve and manage fish populations and their habitats are vast. Here, we present conceptual tools from behavioural ecology to establish a framework for studies of fish conservation and management, connecting questions relevant to managers and practitioners with behavioural theories and methodologies. We apply predictions developed from a theory to diet choice, patch use, habitat selection, movement, and social behaviours. We present questions and issues in fisheries management and conservation for which theory, hypotheses, and methodologies would be both novel and complementary to current assessment strategies or conservation efficacy studies. In each case, theory approaches the ecological trade-offs associated with a given behavioural trait through the lens of adaptations and fitness implications—the foundational principles of behavioural ecology. We show key methodologies used to effectively apply behavioural theory to specific hypotheses relevant to a given management question. We then compile the conceptual and methodological approaches to assemble a toolkit through which fisheries managers may assess, for example, habitat selection behaviours via novel study designs and/or new ways of interpreting commonly collected data (e.g., distribution and abundance relative to habitat type). Finally, we propose training of aquatic and marine natural resource specialists and conservation agency fish biologists be complemented with behavioural ecology theories and methodologies.

中文翻译：

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鱼类管理和保护的行为生态学工具包

鱼类包括全球一些最受威胁的脊椎动物物种。因此，有效保护和管理鱼类种群及其栖息地的努力是巨大的。在这里，我们提出了行为生态学的概念工具，以建立鱼类保护和管理研究的框架，将与管理者和从业者相关的问题与行为理论和方法联系起来。我们将从理论发展而来的预测应用于饮食选择、补丁使用、栖息地选择、运动和社会行为。我们提出了渔业管理和保护方面的问题和问题，其理论、假设和方法既是新颖的，又是对当前评估策略或保护功效研究的补充。在每种情况下，理论通过适应和适应性影响的视角来处理与给定行为特征相关的生态权衡——行为生态学的基本原则。我们展示了用于有效地将行为理论应用于与给定管理问题相关的特定假设的关键方法。然后，我们汇编概念和方法论方法来组装一个工具包，渔业管理者可以通过该工具包评估，例如，通过新的研究设计和/或解释常见收集数据的新方法（例如，相对于栖息地类型的分布和丰度）栖息地选择行为. 最后，我们建议对水生和海洋自然资源专家和保护机构鱼类生物学家的培训辅以行为生态学理论和方法。