<<  <  >  >>

 

DRIVERS

CHANGE

OF

FI SHIN G

Conservation Objective

Achieve region-wide sustainable levels of fishing in the MAR, thus supporting traditional livelihoods and

avoiding the ecological consequences of overfishing. Maintain or improve the biological integrity and

economic viability of commercially valuable marine resources by increasing the population abundances

of commercial species, improving and restoring habitats, increasing the effectiveness and enforcement

of fishing regulations, and implementing effective eco-certification schemes.

Threats

Unsustainable fishing practices such as overharvesting, illegal fishing and destructive fishing practices

are serious threats in the MAR. At greatest risk are fisheries-targeted species such as grouper, conch, and

lobster. The condition and recovery of highly degraded reef habitats are also affected by unsustainable

fishing practices. Management actions to reduce these threats need to consider the existing status

of commercial species, availability and connectivity of intact habitats, and management regulations

(e.g., seasonal closures, size and weight restrictions, and fishing methods). High food demand, lack

of coordinated regional management, and lack of effective certification programs also hinder the

sustainable management of fisheries resources.

Management Actions

· Eliminate illegal fishing and destructive fishing practices in the region.

· Implement coordinated, standardized regional assessments of commercial fish species, conch

and lobster. Surveys should include species abundance, size, habitat use, reproduction and

dispersal, catch per unit effort (CPUE) and management effectiveness.

· Implement harmonized management of shared fisheries resources.

· Promote the development of certification (or eco-labeling) programs for the major fisheries in the

region to provide sustainable seafood.

· Locate and protect important conch mating grounds.

· Implement and enforce conch and lobster size, season and gear restrictions.

· Establish baseline and target values for commercial fish population densities and spiny lobster

abundances; establish estimates of maximum sustainable yields.

· Identify spawning aggregations in lesser-known but potentially significant areas.

· Maintain the viability of fish spawning aggregations through coordinated protection strategies.

· Limit total volume of harvest (local and export including the allocation of spatial concessions

and fishing rights) so as not to exceed estimated maximum sustainable yields established for the

most significant commercial species.

recruitment and herbivory have likely been altered

Many scientists consider overfishing to be one of the

as well due to overfishing. The longstanding and

primary causes of coral reef ecosystem decline in the

dramatic loss of megavertebrates (e.g., sea turtles

MAR. The problem with overfishing is simple: humans

and manatees from fishing and poaching) has resulted

are overly successful as an apex predator and are now

in significantly reduced grazing on and productivity of

fishing at all levels of the food web.

seagrasses, reduced predation on sponges, loss of

As a result of overfishing, fish populations have suffered

production of adjacent ecosystems, and alteration

a decline in population abundance (particularly of the

of the structure of food webs. Overall, unsustainable

larger/older individuals), reduced species diversity,

fishing practices also result in the disruption of

loss of key functional groups and local extinctions

energy flows and the natural interactions that confer

of species. Key coral reef processes such as coral

resilience to the reef ecosystem.

100