No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishes
The focus of conservation attention over the past few decades has been on marine-protected areas (MPAs) providing protection for heavily exploited marine fish species. Although some estuaries are included in most large MPAs, specific attention on the protection needs of fish species in estuaries has...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1648 |
| _version_ | 1818550880386940928 |
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| author | Alan K. Whitfield Colin G. Attwood Paul D. Cowley Stephen J. Lamberth Bruce Q. Mann |
| author_facet | Alan K. Whitfield Colin G. Attwood Paul D. Cowley Stephen J. Lamberth Bruce Q. Mann |
| author_sort | Alan K. Whitfield |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The focus of conservation attention over the past few decades has been on marine-protected areas (MPAs) providing protection for heavily exploited marine fish species. Although some estuaries are included in most large MPAs, specific attention on the protection needs of fish species in estuaries has been lacking. Furthermore, many of the estuaries located within conservation areas are open to angling activities and this has been exacerbated by the proliferation of illegal gillnet fishing in many systems during recent decades. Three fish species, the dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus, white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus and spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii – are used as examples of estuary-dependent taxa whose populations have been decimated by fishing over-exploitation, as well as habitat degradation caused by various human activities. By having complete protection for vulnerable fish species in certain estuaries, the potential benefits of increased catches for both subsistence and recreational anglers along the entire South African coastline could be substantial. If such protection is not offered to these species, then the downward spiral in fish catches will continue, to the ultimate detriment of both the people who currently use these protein resources for food security and those who are part of the economically important recreational fishing industry.
Conservation implications: Based on collapsing populations of targeted fishery species in estuaries, there is an urgent need to implement no-take estuarine-protected areas in each of the biogeographic regions along the South African coast. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:52:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fdc548f4482b4304aa13cba6fcc78bc0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0075-6458 2071-0771 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:52:26Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-fdc548f4482b4304aa13cba6fcc78bc02022-12-22T00:30:09ZengAOSISKoedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science0075-64582071-07712020-11-01621e1e710.4102/koedoe.v62i1.16481245No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishesAlan K. Whitfield0Colin G. Attwood1Paul D. Cowley2Stephen J. Lamberth3Bruce Q. Mann4South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, MakhandaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Cape Town, RondeboschSouth African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, MakhandaDepartment of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Cape TownOceanographic Research Institute, DurbanThe focus of conservation attention over the past few decades has been on marine-protected areas (MPAs) providing protection for heavily exploited marine fish species. Although some estuaries are included in most large MPAs, specific attention on the protection needs of fish species in estuaries has been lacking. Furthermore, many of the estuaries located within conservation areas are open to angling activities and this has been exacerbated by the proliferation of illegal gillnet fishing in many systems during recent decades. Three fish species, the dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus, white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus and spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii – are used as examples of estuary-dependent taxa whose populations have been decimated by fishing over-exploitation, as well as habitat degradation caused by various human activities. By having complete protection for vulnerable fish species in certain estuaries, the potential benefits of increased catches for both subsistence and recreational anglers along the entire South African coastline could be substantial. If such protection is not offered to these species, then the downward spiral in fish catches will continue, to the ultimate detriment of both the people who currently use these protein resources for food security and those who are part of the economically important recreational fishing industry. Conservation implications: Based on collapsing populations of targeted fishery species in estuaries, there is an urgent need to implement no-take estuarine-protected areas in each of the biogeographic regions along the South African coast.https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1648estuarine fishesthreatened speciesprotected areasconservationfisheries managementenvironmental management |
| spellingShingle | Alan K. Whitfield Colin G. Attwood Paul D. Cowley Stephen J. Lamberth Bruce Q. Mann No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishes Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science estuarine fishes threatened species protected areas conservation fisheries management environmental management |
| title | No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishes |
| title_full | No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishes |
| title_fullStr | No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishes |
| title_full_unstemmed | No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishes |
| title_short | No-take estuarine-protected areas: The missing armour for the conservation of fishes |
| title_sort | no take estuarine protected areas the missing armour for the conservation of fishes |
| topic | estuarine fishes threatened species protected areas conservation fisheries management environmental management |
| url | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1648 |
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