Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons^™

Neonicotinoid Bioaccumulation In Bluegill And Bullhead Within Lake Julia And Lake Zumwalde, Jake Stuber

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus, Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis, and Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus are unique in their stark differences. Bullhead are scaleless bottom feeders that can tolerate high pollution and low O₂ conditions. In contrast, Bluegill are scaled, aggressive nesters and are less tolerant of high pollutants or low-oxygen conditions. Among these pollutants include a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids (hereafter referred to as neonics). Neonics are a class of insecticides primarily used within agriculture and pest management. Due to the effectiveness, application has escalated on a global scale. They have been well documented by many toxicology assessments. …

Indigenizing Aquaculture: In Pursuit Of An Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture System For Enhanced Self-Sufficiency In Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand, Cali R. Trainor

Capstone Collection

This study assessed the feasibility of integrating two pre-existing aquaculture activities in Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand into an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system. The cultivation of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) presents an opportunity to improve the sustainability of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) farming by introducing alternative food sources for salmon, which can be used to produce fish feed locally, enhancing the self-sufficiency of the community and boosting the holistic efficiency of the system. Macroinvertebrates residing in giant kelp wrack were collected, identified, and quantified to determine if any of the Macrocystis-associated specimens could serve as …

Fisheries Science Update - Western Australian Shark Resource: 2024 Stock Assessment Outcomes, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

The Western Australian (WA) shark resource includes more than 100 species of sharks and rays.

Key shark species are sustainably harvested in two commercial shark fisheries that provide fresh, local, affordable seafood to the WA community.

The WA shark resource has been in recovery since the 1990s–2000s when stocks were found to be at risk.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) tracks stock status by undertaking periodic weight of evidence stock assessments of indicator species.

Gummy, whiskery, dusky whaler, and sandbar sharks, are the indicator species for the WA shark resource, and make up ~80% of the …

Fisheries Research Report No. 354: Recreational Fishing For Abalone In Western Australia In 2024/2025 - Estimates Of Participation, Effort And Catch, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Lachlan W. Strain

Fisheries Research Reports

The Western Australian Recreational Abalone Fishery (RAF) operates in shallow coastal waters as a hand collection fishery while wading or diving. Three species of abalone are allowed to be caught. Roe’s abalone (Haliotis roei) are generally collected while wading from the shore in accessible nearshore reef complexes along the West and South Coast Bioregions. Greenlip abalone (H. laevigata) and Brownlip abalone (H. conicopora) are collected while wading (including snorkelling and freediving) and diving (using compressed air) predominantly along the South Coast Bioregion.

Recreational fishing for the three abalone species is licensed and highly regulated, especially in the Western Zone (which …

Fisheries Research Report No. 361: 2024 Assessment Of The Status Of The Elasmobranch Resource Of Western Australia, Matias Braccini, Alex Hesp

Fisheries Research Reports

This document provides the 2024 risk-based weight of evidence stock assessment for the elasmobranch (sharks and rays) resource of Western Australia (WA). Gummy (Mustelus antarcticus), dusky (Carcharhinus obscurus), whiskery (Furgaleus macki), and sandbar (C. plumbeus) sharks are the most commonly captured species (~80% of the elasmobranch catch) and have been selected as indicator species for the status of the temperate elasmobranch ‘suite’. However, over 100 elasmobranch species have been caught in commercial and/or recreational fisheries in WA and, with the increasing number of elasmobranch species being listed in national and international protection lists, species-specific scientific advice on stock status at …

Transcriptional Profiles Reveal Physiological Mechanisms For Compensation During A Simulated Marine Heatwave In Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola Lalandi), Sharon E. Hook, Ryan J. Farr, Jenny Su, Alistair J. Hobday, Catherine Wingate, Lindsey Woolley, Luke Pilmer

Fisheries Research Articles

Background

Changing ocean temperatures are already causing declines in populations of marine organisms. Predicting the capacity of organisms to adjust to the pressures posed by climate change is a topic of much current research effort, particularly for species we farm or harvest. To explore one measure of phenotypic plasticity, the physiological compensations in response to heat stress as might be experienced in a marine heatwave, we exposed Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi) to sublethal heat stress, and used the transcriptome in gill and muscle, benchmarked against heat shock proteins and oxidative stress indicators, to characterise the acute heat stress …

Modeling Wild Rice Bed Health: A Dual Metric Approach For Bed Strength And Invasive Impact, Seth Sisneros-Martinez

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Wild rice (mannoomin; Zizania palustris) is an aquatic grain that grows in slow-moving rivers and shallow bays throughout northern Minnesota. In Headquarters Bay on Leech Lake, wild rice has served as a cultural staple for Indigenous communities for centuries. However, its population has declined in recent years due to multiple environmental issues. One potential contributor is Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum; EWM), an invasive species that forms dense mats capable of outcompeting native aquatic vegetation, including wild rice. EWM was first recorded on the southern shoreline of Leech Lake in 2005 and has since become widespread. This study …

The Effect Of Zebra Mussels On Minnesota Fish Communities, Benjamin D. Strei

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha are an aquatic invasive species that has been spreading quickly throughout Minnesota water bodies since 1989. Zebra mussels are known to change certain morphological conditions in lakes such as turbidity, phytoplankton abundance, and aquatic invertebrate populations. However, studies showing impacts of the infestation of zebra mussels on the health of a fish community have been hard to prove due to a lack of repeated surveys and a suite of other confounding variables such as natural and seasonal variability, plant community, and lake morphometry. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine whether zebra mussels have …

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

An Economic And Production Analysis Of Seaweed Farms In California And The Pacific Northwest, Brian Donovan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Since the early 2010s, the seaweed aquaculture industry has steadily expanded in the United States, with states like Alaska, Maine, Hawaii, and Connecticut leading the way in the development of this emerging sector. However, information gaps remain concerning certain aspects of the domestic seaweed aquaculture industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the status of the seaweed aquaculture industry along the West Coast of the United States; specifically in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Seaweed farmers in these states were invited to voluntarily complete surveys asking important production, economic, and commercial questions regarding their operations. Data …

Informing Management Of American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The Carolinas: Evaluating Novel Fish Passage Approaches And Acoustic Tracking Methods, Margaret Gaither

All Theses

Acoustic telemetry is a valuable tool for fisheries scientists to study the movements and migratory behaviors of aquatic organisms. A critical assumption of this method is that tagged fish exhibit similar behaviors and survival rates as their untagged counterparts. To investigate this, we conducted a 12-week laboratory study on adult American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) using gastroesophageal insertion of acoustic transmitters. We implanted 80 fish with dummy transmitters and monitored tag retention and survival. Our analysis, employing a mixed effects Cox’s proportional hazards model, revealed no significant differences in survival between tagged and control fish, regardless of sex. Additionally, …

Genomic Population Structure Of Great Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrna Mokarran) Across The Indo-Pacific, Naomi L. Brunjes, Samuel M. Williams, Alexis L. Levengood, Matt K. Broadhurst, Vincent Raoult, Alastair V. Harry, Matias Braccini, Madeline E. Green, Julia L. Y. Spaet, Michael J. Travers, Bonnie J. Holmes

Fisheries Research Articles

Context

Currently, little information exists describing the population structure of great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran) in Australian waters. Aims

This study used single nucleotide polymorphisms to investigate fine-scale population structure in S. mokarran across the Indo-Pacific. Methods

DNA was extracted from 235 individuals across six Australian locations and a Red Sea outgroup. Population parameters were calculated and visualised to test structuring across locations. Key results

No fine-scale population structuring was observed for S. mokarran across the Indo-Pacific. However, population structuring occurred for all Australian locations when compared to the Red Sea outgroup. Conclusions

Findings suggest a single stock …

The Social And Economic Dimensions Of One Of The World’S Longest-Operating Shark Fisheries, Matias Braccini, Maddison Watt, Clinton Syers, Nick Blay, Matthew Navarro, Michael Burton

Fisheries Research Articles

Context

Social and economic information is limited for coastal commercial and recreational fisheries, particularly shark fisheries, which are perceived as unsustainable and as targeting sharks for fins.

Aims

To characterise the social and economic dimensions of one of the world’s few long-standing sustainable shark fisheries.

Methods

We reviewed historic data and surveyed stakeholders to understand the economic and social dimensions of the shark fishery currently operating in Western Australia.

Key results

Since the fishery’s historic peak, there has been a substantial reduction in the number of operating vessels and ports due to management intervention. For the vessels that have remained, …

“It’S A No Brainer”: Ensuring Just Transitions In Iceland’S Fishing Industry, Olivia Bowers

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Iceland’s government intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, aiming to target various economic sectors and industries for increased renewable-energy usage. One of its most important plans revolves renewable-energy usage in the fishing industry, which accounts for almost 12% of the country’s GHG emissions. This study aims to understand the perspectives of different stakeholders concerning renewable energy in the fishing industry, using these opinions and existing literature to provide recommendations for a just, equitable, and achievable energy transition. Additionally, this study particularly focuses on the opinions of actors in Vestmannaeyjar, an island community of 4,300 with an especially vibrant, significant, …

The Influence Of Invasive Species On Fishers’ Satisfactions, Caroline M. Laplante

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Invasives species are prevalent and widespread in North America. Outdoor recreational activities, such as fishing, introduce a point in which humans may interact with invasive species and have to adapt their own behaviors. Bigheaded carp in the Missouri River below Gavin’s Point Dam are a group of invasive fish species that were thought to be negatively relating to recreational fishers’ satisfactions. Using a content analysis and an importance-grid, we conclude that invasive species do not strongly relate to recreational paddlefish fishers’ satisfactions. Paddlefish fishers represent a small sub-set of recreational fishers in Nebraska and South Dakota. The content analysis revealed …

Fisheries Science Update - Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource - November 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key points: 2023 stock assessment outcomes:

• The Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource (PDSR) spans from the North West Cape to 120ºE and comprises over 60 demersal scalefish species, including indicator species red emperor, rankin cod, and bluespotted emperor.
• The PDSR is accessed by recreational fishers, charter operators and three commercial fisheries: Pilbara Fish Trawl (Interim) Managed Fishery, Pilbara Trap Managed Fishery, and the Pilbara Line Fishery.
• The PDSR is a key ‘food bowl’ for Western Australia, supplying the local market with about 2,500 tonnes of demersal scalefish annually.
• The PDSR provides unique and valuable recreational fishing opportunities at locations such as …

Fisheries Science Update - Spanish Mackerel - November 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key Points: 2023 stock assessment:

• The statewide large pelagic finfish resource (SWLPR) is distributed throughout Western Australia (WA) and includes a range of tropical and temperate pelagic species.
• Spanish mackerel is an indicator species for the SWLPR.
• The latest stock assessment provides a ‘health check” on the status of WA Spanish mackerel statewide and in each management region.
• The 2023 stock assessment shows WA Spanish mackerel remains sustainable with some concerns in the Pilbara region.
• Current management measures are expected to maintain WA Spanish mackerel at an acceptable level outside the Pilbara region.
• The next Spanish Mackerel stock assessment is …

Fisheries Science Update - Western Australian Salmon Resource - September 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key points: 2023 stock assessment outcomes:

• The latest weight of evidence stock assessment for Western Australian salmon indicates the status of the stock is adequate and the risk to the stock is low. This means that there are no sustainability concerns for the stock.
• The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) tracks our aquatic resources by undertaking weight of evidence stock assessments on a regular basis.
• This science update follows on from the previous Western Australian salmon update in 2017.
• Detailed information on the latest stock assessment is available in Fisheries Research Report No. 336.

Fisheries Science Update - Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Resource - April 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key points: 2022 stock assessment outcomes:

• The Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Resource (GDSR) comprises more than 60 species inhabiting Gascoyne oceanic waters (excluding inner Shark Bay), with pink snapper and goldband snapper recognised as the two indicator species.
• Oceanic pink snapper is five years into a 20-year recovery plan following a 2017 stock assessment that showed the stock was at severe risk.
• The GDSR oceanic pink snapper recovery plan is based on limiting the annual total fishing mortality of oceanic pink snapper to 100 tonnes (all sectors combined) and providing targeted protection for key spawning aggregations.
• The Department of Primary Industries …

Nexus Between Animal Welfare, Environment, And Sustainable Development: Resource Document, Wellbeing International

Nexus – UNEP – Animal Welfare, Environment, Sustainable Development

This Resource Document has been developed to explore the Nexus (links) between Animal Welfare, the Environment, and Sustainable Development. The document includes relevant citations and reports addressing the topics encompassed by the Nexus. It will be maintained as a “living document” (subject to revision) in the WellBeing International Studies Repository. The original document and subsequent revisions will be kept in the Repository to provide a record of the changes.

Fisheries Science Update - Australian Herring - June 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

The latest weight of evidence stock assessment for Australian herring indicates that management arrangements introduced in 2015, combined with suitable environmental conditions, have led to the recovery of the resource.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) tracks our aquatic resources by undertaking weight of evidence stock assessments every three to five years.

DPIRD has undertaken four contemporary weight of evidence stock assessments of Australian herring since 2000.

The 2000 assessment (22 years ago) indicated the catch was sustainable. However, by 2013 the Australian herring stock status had become high risk and ‘unacceptable’, and new measures were introduced. …

Fisheries Science Update - Temperate Shark Fisheries - April 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Two fisheries make up Western Australia’s Temperate Shark Fisheries: the West Coast Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Fishery; and the Southern Demersal Gillnet and Demersal Longline Fishery. They are some of the longest standing sustainable target shark fisheries in Australia.

These fisheries contribute to the WA economy by supplying sustainable locally sourced seafood; employing up to 150 people per year; and have an estimated overall annual market value up to $20 million.

774 tonnes of sharks were landed in 2019-20, which is approximately 2.27 million meals. The majority of which goes straight to the WA community, and is commonly found …

Fisheries Science Update - Shark Depredation - April 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Recreational, charter and commercial fishers in Western Australia (WA) are reporting significant increases in shark depredation (bite-offs), particularly in the Gascoyne and Pilbara regions.

Shark depredation is an issue across Northern Australia, with similar reports in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Managing shark depredation is complex, and WA is leading the country in research to better inform our management decisions.

Recent research by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) has found that:

• a range of shark species are responsible for bite-offs, including blacktip, dusky, milk, pigeye, sandbar and tiger sharks;
• the probability of sharks taking fish is …

Fish And Invertebrate Use Of Restored Vs. Natural Oyster Reefs In A Shallow Temperate Latitude Estuary, Jonathan H. Grabowski, Christopher J. Baillie, Adam Baukus, Rachael Carlyle, F. Joel Fodrie, Rachel K. Gittman, A. Randall Hughes, David L. Kimbro, Juhyung Lee, Hunter S. Lenihan, Sean P. Powers, Kevin Sullivan

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Coastal marine habitats continue to be degraded, thereby compelling largescale restoration in many parts of the world. Whether restored habitats function similarly to natural habitats and fully recover lost ecosystem services is unclear. In estuaries, oyster reefs have been degraded by multiple anthropogenic activities including destructive fishing practices and reduced water quality, motivating restoration to maintain oyster fisheries and other ecosystem services, often at relatively high cost. We compared fish and invertebrate communities on recently restored (0–1 year post-restoration), older restored (3–4 years post-restoration), and natural oyster reefs to determine if and when restored reefs support functionally similar faunal communities. …

Frameless-Finding And Refining A Sampling Frame For Surveying Recreational Fisheries: Lessons From Estimating Swedish Harvest Of Western Baltic Cod, Hege Sande, Nuno Prista, Annica De Groote, Michele Casini, Cynthia Jones, Andreas Sundelöf

OES Faculty Publications

To achieve sustainable fisheries, advice to management should be based on reliable science and unbiased data. Attaining quality data (i.e. precise and unbiased) on recreational fishing can be challenging, particularly when prior knowledge of the sector is limited and a proper sample frame of recreational fishers or vessels does not exist. In this study, a registry of access points was constructed for the Swedish south–west coast and used as a spatial sample frame in determining both effort and catches of the private boat fishery. Sampling dates, times for sampling, and access points visited were selected using probabilistic methods, ensuring unbiased …

Fisheries Science Update - West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource - October 2021, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

The West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (WCDSR) is halfway into a 20-year recovery plan following a period of overfishing in the 1990s and 2000s.

This latest assessment provides an important “health check” on the recovery status.

The recovery plan is based on maintaining recreational (including charter) and commercial sector’s total fishing mortality below catch limits and protecting key spawning aggregations to recover the WCDSR by 2030.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) tracks recovery progress by undertaking weight of evidence stock assessments of WCDSR indicator species dhufish and pink snapper every 3-5 years.

The latest science shows …

Resource Assessment Report Abrolhos Islands And Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery Resource, Mervi Kangas, A Chandrapavan, Anne Wilkins, E. A. Fisher, S. Evans

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

This document provides a cumulative description and assessment of the Abrolhos Islands and Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery (AIMWTMF) and all of the fishing activities (i.e. fisheries / fishing sectors) affecting this resource in Western Australia (WA). This resource comprises of a single species of scallop, Ylistrum balloti which occurs in inshore waters to around 40 m depth at the Abrolhos Islands. This species is captured exclusively by demersal otter trawl gear in the West Coast Bioregion.

Soil Response Of Helicopter Liming In The Monongahela National Forest, Jarrett Douglas Fowler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Soils in the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) are acidic due to sandstone parent material, acid deposition, uptake of base cations by vegetation, and release of organic acids by organic matter (OM) decomposition. Increases in soil acidity have caused declines in forest health and changed species composition and nutrient status. Liming can neutralize soil acidity, but no large-scale liming projects have been done on acid forest soils in the USA. In anticipation of acquiring funding for a proposed liming project in the MNF, in 2007 and 2009 10 sites were selected to sample and analyze soils before lime was applied. In …

Cascading Effects: Insights From The U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network, Christie A. Bahlai, Clarisse Hart, Maria T. Kavanaugh, Jeffrey D. White, Roger W. Ruess, Todd J. Brinkman, Hugh W. Ducklow, David R. Foster, William R. Fraser, Hélène Genet, Peter M. Groffman, Stephen K. Hamilton, Jill F. Johnstone, Knut Kielland, Douglas A. Landis, Michelle C. Mack, Orlando Sarnelle, Jonathan R. Thompson

Advanced Science Research Center

Ecosystems across the United States are changing in complex and unpredictable ways and analysis of these changes requires coordinated, long-term research. This paper is a product of a synthesis effort of the U.S. National Science Foundation funded Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network addressing the LTER core research area of “populations and communities.” This analysis revealed that each LTER site had at least one compelling “story” about what their site would look like in 50–100 yr. As the stories were prepared, themes emerged, and the stories were group into papers along five themes: state change, connectivity, resilience, time lags, and cascading …

Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Shark Bay Invertebrate Fisheries, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, Department) in Western Australia (WA) uses an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach that considers all relevant ecological as well as social, economic and governance issues to deliver community outcomes (Fletcher et al. 2010; 2012). Ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are undertaken periodically to assess the impacts of fisheries on all the different components of the aquatic environments in which they operate.