General equilibrium analysis shows that regulation based on caps on working hours per vessel affects the entry/exit margin (more low productivity vessels stay in the fishery), wages (a less productive fleet implies lower equilibrium wages) and aggregate employment allocated to the sector. Although the total number of vessels increases, in a general equilibrium setting, total employment in the fishery

Often the ecology of a commercially fished species and the behaviour of the fishers are inextricably linked. An understanding of both species ecology and fisher behaviour are therefore fundamental for effective fisheries management. In Europe, Rajidae are commercially fished species that are vulnerable to overfishing, have historically been grouped in landings data and declines have been reported to

‘Trap and transport’ (T&T) is employed to facilitate the seaward migration of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) past obstacles such as hydropower facilities. Hence, previous studies assessing its efficacy have focussed on disrupted fluvial systems. The transferability of findings from lotic to lentic systems is uncertain because many of the environmental cues that trigger eel migration in rivers are

Surveys to monitor changes in population size and geographic range of endangered species, are a critical component of recovery plans. The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) is classified as endangered in the US, although there is evidence that a lifeboat population exists in coastal Florida waters. Sawfish occupy shallow embayments and estuaries, and surveying these habitats is critical. Here we

We evaluated the population structure of M. nigricans within the Pacific Ocean using 17 microsatellite loci and 6204 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Evidence from both types of genetic markers supported the null hypothesis of a single genetic population throughout the Pacific Ocean. This study provides insight into the current stock structure of M. nigricans and discusses the implications for fisheries

Various, low-cost modifications to the anterior sections of penaeid trawls have been shown to realise significant improvements in species selectivity. This study expands the existing options by quantifying the importance of top-panel orientation relative to the bottom panel (dictated by relative headline and footrope lengths; termed ‘lead-ahead' or ‘lead’) on targeted and incidental catches in an Australian

Spatial autocorrelation is common in environmental factors, species distributions, and predator-prey interactions. Spatially autocorrelated distribution of prey and strong prey selectivity by predators may cause spatial autocorrelation of the fish diet shown as higher similarity among diets of fish caught nearby or in the same trip. We explore the importance of spatial autocorrelation analysis in understanding

Recreational fishers discard millions of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) annually in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM), resulting in significant foregone yield. We conducted simulation modeling to evaluate the potential for hook-size regulations to improve efficiency in the recreational red snapper fishery. First, we imposed a suite of candidate parameter sets, informed by recent empirical studies

Effective implementation of management interventions is often limited by uncertainty, particularly in small-scale and developing-world fisheries. An effective intervention must have a measurable benefit, and evaluation of this benefit requires an understanding of the historical and socio-ecological context in which the intervention takes place. This context or 'frame of reference' should include the

Western Australians are heavily engaged in recreational fishing activities with a participation rate of approximately 30%. An accurate estimation of the spatial distribution of recreational catch per unit effort (catch rates) is an integral component for monitoring fish population changes and to develop strategies for ecosystem-based marine management. Geostatistical techniques such as kriging can