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Biodiversity Conservation, Management and Sustainability for Fisheries in Protected Areas

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability, Biodiversity and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (12 December 2024) | Viewed by 4269

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: aquatic zoology; biodiversity

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Guest Editor
Department for Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: fisheries; fish parasitology; ecotoxicology; macroinvertebrates

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability is a hot topic in most fishery discussions around the world today. Scientists are determining how many fish can be caught safely without compromising the health of future stocks. To do this, they collect data on the size of the stock, when and where the species spawns and how many juvenile fish are likely to survive to adulthood. They also assess environmental factors that may affect the stock, such as predation by other species, climate change, allochthonous species, fish parasites, etc.

Various management measures can also be taken to protect stocks from overfishing, such as banning fishing during the spawning season and setting size limits to protect juvenile fish.

An important aspect of sustainable fishing is the adoption of precautionary measures, known as harvest control rules, which prescribe a reduction in catches when the population of a stock is declining. This is particularly important when stocks are shared by several countries and a joint effort is required to prevent overfishing.

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 provides an overview of the legal framework. The main objectives of this strategy are to create a larger, coherent EU-wide network of protected areas (30% legal protection, 10% strict protection) and to develop an EU nature recovery plan. This should include a list of the species and habitats in need of protection and a description of the measures to be taken (the types of measures, how many, and when and why they believe these will be sufficient to achieve non-deterioration by 2030).

Around the world, the closure of oceans, seas and rivers to certain activities or for certain periods of time is a tool that is often used for conservation and fishery management. These areas are commonly referred to as protected areas. In fishery management, protected areas are generally considered to be temporally and geographically defined areas that offer greater protection to natural resources than the rest of an area defined in the context of fishery management.

Prof. Dr. Vera P. Nikolić
Dr. Vesna Djikanović
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fisheries
  • management
  • protected area
  • threats
  • challenges
  • sustainability

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3172 KiB  
Article
A Study of Fish Community at the Obedska Bara Ramsar Site and Pathways to Sustainable Management
by Zlatko Nedić, Predrag Simonović, Vesna Đikanović, Raluca Nicolae, Dubravka Škraba Jurlina and Vera Nikolić
Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 749; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020749 - 18 Jan 2025
Viewed by 989
Abstract
The study was conducted on the Obedska Bara Ramsar site at two localities, Krstonošića okno and canal Vok, to provide insight into fish community status by analysing fish biomass, biodiversity, and changes after restoration measures. A total of 685 fish samples were examined [...] Read more.
The study was conducted on the Obedska Bara Ramsar site at two localities, Krstonošića okno and canal Vok, to provide insight into fish community status by analysing fish biomass, biodiversity, and changes after restoration measures. A total of 685 fish samples were examined across four periods, from 2011 to 2023. Biodiversity index, relative biomass, and non-native species were analysed to evaluate the restoration measures’ influence. All parameters showed a negative trend until the restoration works were implemented, after which they increased. This study also provides recommendations to improve the site considering the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030. Full article
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17 pages, 2965 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Fish Passage Efficiency: Lessons from UHE Porto Primavera’s Fish Ladder
by Sergio Makrakis, Francisco Javier Sanz-Ronda, Francisco Javier Bravo-Cordoba, Lucileine de Assumpção Hartmann, Wane Cristina Picanço Fortunato, Hudson Luiz Moret Borghezan, João Henrique Pinheiro Dias and Maristela Cavicchioli Makrakis
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10704; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310704 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1201
Abstract
Dams severely affect aquatic environments and block the longitudinal migration of fish. In order to mitigate the negative effects generated by these developments, fish passes, or fishways, are implemented in dams with the purpose of restoring river connectivity and allowing the movement of [...] Read more.
Dams severely affect aquatic environments and block the longitudinal migration of fish. In order to mitigate the negative effects generated by these developments, fish passes, or fishways, are implemented in dams with the purpose of restoring river connectivity and allowing the movement of migrants. Nevertheless, fishways in neotropical areas often face design and construction issues that can reduce their efficiency and selectively disadvantage species with limited swimming capabilities. This study analyzes how a fish ladder on the Paraná River influences the black armored catfish (Rhinelepis aspera), a benthic, long-distance migratory species important to commercial fisheries. A total of 200 individuals were PIT-tagged and monitored for four months. The results showed that although many fish successfully located the fishway, only a small portion (3.5%) managed to complete the ascent. The interaction between the hydraulic characteristics of the fishway and the fish condition factor played a significant role in ascent performance. Our findings underscore the importance of assessing fishway suitability for benthic neotropical species to support conservation efforts in the Upper Paraná River Basin. To improve passage rates for R. aspera, we recommend optimizing flow conditions by adjusting orifice and notch configurations, incorporating roughness elements, and modifying resting pool designs. These adaptations would reduce energy expenditure for ascending fish, enhancing fishway performance and contributing to the sustainability of migratory species in this region. Full article
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13 pages, 1716 KiB  
Article
Floodplains as a Suitable Habitat for Freshwater Fish: The Length–Weight Relationships and Condition Factors of Fish Inhabiting a Danube Floodplain in Croatia
by Nera Vuić, Ivana Turković Čakalić, Miran Koh, Viktorija Ergović, Barbara Vlaičević, Matej Šag, Vlatko Rožac and Dubravka Čerba
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7566; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177566 - 1 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1456
Abstract
When studying the well-being and fitness of ichthyofauna in a specific area, vital information comes from length–weight relationships (LWRs) and condition factor analyses and calculations. Data were collected from 2015 to 2019 in an area important for fish shelter, feeding, and spawning. Twenty [...] Read more.
When studying the well-being and fitness of ichthyofauna in a specific area, vital information comes from length–weight relationships (LWRs) and condition factor analyses and calculations. Data were collected from 2015 to 2019 in an area important for fish shelter, feeding, and spawning. Twenty four species belonging to 10 different families were identified from the total 16,895 of caught individuals, with the most abundant species being Blicca bjoerkna. The calculation of LWRs was possible for 19 species, (R2 = 0.7049–0.9998 (p < 0.05)), with the values of the mean coefficient b ranging from 2.6831 to 3.5747, indicating an overall positive allometric growth in the fish population. The results of Fulton’s and the relative condition factors showed that a total of eight species were in a relatively good condition, although the species in question varied between the two condition factors. Fulton’s condition factor showed the highest average value for Lepomis gibbosus (1.4956), while Cobitis elongatoides had the lowest (0.4739). Contrarily, the relative condition factor showed the highest average value for Silurus glanis (1.0524), and the lowest for Gymnocephalus cernua (1.0023). The lower values of calculated condition factors in some species could be attributed to sampling being conducted during the colder months of autumn and winter. Future studies should include seasonal sampling in order to achieve a better understanding how various abiotic factors impact the condition factors of these fish species. Nevertheless, this research provided valuable data on the status of the fish population in the floodplain and could be used as a guideline for designing future ichthyofauna studies in this area. Full article
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