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Sustainable Management of Marine Resources

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 October 2020) | Viewed by 17621

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Kwang-Ming LIU

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Guest Editor

National Taiwan Ocean University Institute of Marine Affairs and Resource Management No.2, Peining Rd., Jhongjheng District, Keelung City 20224, Taiwan
Interests: marine resource management; population dynamics; biological statistics; fisheries biology

Special Issue Information

Marine bio-resources are renewable resources and can be utilized sustainably if appropriate management measures are taken. In recent years, some marine species have been reported to be collapsed. Many factors may cause the fluctuation or collapse of these resources—for example, biological factors such as competition and predator–prey relation; environmental factors such as climate change, El Niño, and La Niña; and anthropological factors such as overfishing, IUU fishing, etc. To ensure the food security from the ocean, it is therefore important to develop sustainable management strategies for marine resources. Sustainable management must consider various aspects, including population, ecosystem, social, and economic. Conventional fishery management focuses on single species and management decisions are mainly based on biological consideration (stock assessment). Some interdisciplinary studies have been done to pursue better management goals. However, there are still several issues which have not been well studied regarding the bycatch, ecosystem-based management, co-management between private and public sectors, community-based management, and spatial planning. Therefore, this Special Issue is open to studies on improving our knowledge regarding the sustainable management of marine resources. Any studies on innovative ideas or methodologies from various aspects or integrated study are welcomed. Studies on mitigating climate change, combating IUU fishing, reducing bycatch, implementing ecosystem-based management, and interdisciplinary research to achieve the goal of sustainable management are particularly welcomed.

Dr. Kwang-Ming LIU
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

sustainable management
ecosystem-based management
interdisciplinary study
bycatch
climate change
IUU
overfishing

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 3334 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Probability of an Unrecoverable Coral Community in Dongsha Atoll Marine National Park Due to Recurrent Disturbances

by Yu-Rong Cheng, Chi-Hsiang Chin, Ding-Fa Lin and Chao-Kang Wang

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9052; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219052 - 30 Oct 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2272

Abstract

In recent decades, coral reefs worldwide have been impacted annually by climate change and anthropogenic impacts. Marine parks are utilized to protect coral reef ecosystems and to ensure it is in sustainable use. In the present study, a 15-year change in coverage and composition of a hard coral community at Dongsha Atoll Marine National Park (DAMNP) was examined from 2005 to 2019. The reef has experienced several disturbances, including 11 typhoons and six coral bleaching events. A 34.39% decline in coral coverage had been recorded over the past 15 years in response to multiple and recurrent natural disturbances. The coral communities and functional ecology of the Dongsha Atoll changed during this period. The average dissimilarities in coral communities ranged from 55.38 to 59.02%. The dramatic decrease in the abundance of branching corals in addition to a slight increase in massive and encrusting corals suggest the habitat has simplified. The degraded coral reef communities represent a low resilience ecosystem, even though the DAMNP has been established. Without effective management, the coral reef ecosystem of the Dongsha Atoll may not persist due to repeated impacts from recurrent disturbances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Resources)

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29 pages, 1692 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Biological Reference Points for Conservation and Management of the Bigeye Thresher Shark, Alopias superciliosus, in the Northwest Pacific

by Wen-Pei Tsai, Kwang-Ming Liu and Yi-Jay Chang

Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8646; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208646 - 19 Oct 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2885

Abstract

Full stock assessment of sharks is usually hindered by a lack of long time-series catch and effort data. In these circumstances, demographic and per-recruit analyses may provide alternate approaches to describe population status because these methods can be applied to estimate biological reference points (BRPs) for shark stocks. However, the appropriate level of BRPs for sharks is difficult to determine, given the expected low reproductive rates. To determine which BRPs are most appropriate for the CITES-listed species—bigeye thresher shark, Alopias superciliosus, a stochastic demographic model with Monte Carlo simulations and per-recruit models were used to estimate BRPs in this study. The results indicated that conventional fishing mortality-based BRPs (F_BRPs) derived from per-recruit models may result in a clear population decline. Our analyses also demonstrated that the bigeye thresher population in the Northwest Pacific will stabilize only if demographic-based F_BRP is implemented. The F_BRP estimated based on the stochastic demographic model was 0.079–0.139 y⁻¹, which was equivalent to SPR = 50–70%. The findings strongly suggested that more conservative threshold F_BRPs should be implemented to ensure sustainable utilization of the bigeye thresher stock. The present study provides new and strategically important information on the population dynamics of the bigeye thresher in the Northwest Pacific, which can be used to help fishery managers to adopt more efficient management measures for this stock. It is also suggested that this approach can be applied to other shark species with limited catch and effort data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Resources)

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17 pages, 647 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Taboos/Norms and Modern Science, and Possible Integration for Sustainable Management of the Flyingfish Resource of Orchid Island, Taiwan

by Shui-Kai Chang

Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8621; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208621 - 18 Oct 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1982

Abstract

Coastal management without scientific data or modern techniques has been implemented successfully by many coastal communities, and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which is regarded as a culturally framed belief system, has played an important role in the successful cases. TEK of flyingfish culture in the Orchid Island was proved to have a theoretical basis and advantages in managing the flyingfish resource. However, modernization, introduction of modern techniques (motorized boats), development of tourism, and numerous other factors have caused TEK to change or disappear, and integration of TEK with the modern science of environmental management may be a solution to sustain the marine resource. TEK constitutes numerous taboos and norms (T&N). This study, for the first time, itemized the T&N of the flyingfish culture by category, with plausible motives explained by the respondents through in-depth interviews of tribespeople in 2014 and 2015, and identified the T&N with ecological conservation implications. The study also implemented a sampling scheme to provide the first records of fishery composition, flyingfish catch amount (about 260,000–280,000 fish per year), and the catch rate for the island. Finally, this study discussed three interrelated approaches for sustainable management of the flyingfish resource, including integration of TEK with science-based monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), and research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Resources)

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13 pages, 830 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability of the Artisanal Fishery in Northern Chile: A Case Study of Caleta Pisagua

by Carola Espinoza, Víctor A. Gallardo, Carlos Merino, Pedro Pizarro and Kwang-Ming Liu

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7290; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187290 - 5 Sep 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2091

Abstract

The Humboldt Current, one of the most productive waters in the world, flows along the Chilean coast with high primary production level. However, living marine resources in these waters are declining due to overexploitation and other anthropogenic and environmental factors. It has been reported that deploying artificial reefs in coastal waters can improve the production of benthic resources. To ensure the sustainability of coastal fisheries in northern Chile this study aims to investigate fishermen’s perceptions on deploying artificial reefs and propose future management measures using Caleta Pisagua as a case study. Interviews of artisanal fishermen regarding four aspects: fishermen profile, fishing activity, resources, and artificial reefs were conducted. Results showed that most fishermen favored the implementation of artificial reefs within the Areas of Management and Exploitation of Benthic Resources (AMERBs). In addition, deploying artificial reefs appears to be socio-economically necessary for the artisanal fishermen whose livelihood is being affected by the overexploitation of coastal fish and because hard substrates essential for benthic resources are in short supply within this administration area. It is recommended that criteria for the deployment of artificial reefs as well as specific management plans for main and secondary species should be developed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Resources)

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14 pages, 257 KiB

Open AccessArticle

International Soft Laws against IUU Fishing for Sustainable Marine Resources: Adoption of the Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance and Challenges for Taiwan

by Tsung-Han Tai, Shih-Ming Kao and Wan-Chun Ho

Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6013; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156013 - 27 Jul 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3203

Abstract

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has become a key issue of increasing concern in the world. Led by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), recent developments focused on the role of port states as the principal actor against IUU fishing. However, the FAO adopted the Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance (the Guidelines) in 2013, implying that the principal role against IUU fishing still corresponds to flag states. As one of the leading distant-water fishing nations, Taiwan has adopted many domestic regulations in accordance with these international instruments voluntarily, regardless of its statehood debate. Although the adoption of the Guidelines is “a real breakthrough” against IUU fishing, the instrument is “soft law” in nature, meaning the implementation of the Guidelines may depend on the political will of states, and the effectiveness and efficiency of the Guidelines are thus highly questionable. Furthermore, the consensus among states to adopt a legally binding agreement on flag state performance in the near future, akin to the development of the Port States Measures Agreement that successfully evolved from a “soft law” to a “hard law” basis, is not yet clear. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Resources)

17 pages, 4293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Movements and Habitat Use of Dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the East China Sea

by Shian-Jhong Lin, Wei-Chuan Chiang, Michael K. Musyl, Sheng-Ping Wang, Nan-Jay Su, Qi-Xuan Chang, Yuan-Shing Ho, Itsumi Nakamura, Chen-Te Tseng and Ryo Kawabe

Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5793; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145793 - 18 Jul 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2686

Abstract

To refine the regional and global stock and ecological assessments of dolphinfish in fisheries, it is necessary to have information on the species habitat use, fisheries interaction, migration corridors, and on changes in spatial-temporal patterns over their ontogeny. In order to inform management, pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) were deployed on dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the Northern East China Sea to get data on the movement patterns and habitat utilization of this species in this location. During October–November 2018, four dolphinfish (94–102 cm fork length) were captured by set-nets and PSAT tagged. Tagged dolphinfish retained PSATs for 5–31 days-at-liberty (total 69 days) and linear dispersion from deployment to pop-up locations ranged from 63 to 204 km. According to most probable tracks, tagged fish made primarily northward movements. Tagged fish reached depths of ~94 m and experienced ambient temperatures from 17.8 to 23 °C. Movements appeared to be limited by a 3 °C change relative to sea surface temperature (SST) and were confined to the mixed-layer. Diel diving patterns indicated dolphinfish spent >80% of daytime activity and 40% of nighttime activity near the surface, where variability in diving patterns was more pronounced. The vertical diving patterns showed pronounced changes during dawn and dusk, where dolphinfish mirrored the movements of diel migrating prey organisms. Our preliminary results provide vertical distribution patterns of dolphinfish in a location that supports important fisheries. This information will be useful for management to develop stock assessments which support the sustainable use of this species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Resources)

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14 pages, 245 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Public Perspective on Increasing the Numbers of an Endangered Species, Loggerhead Turtles in South Korea: A Contingent Valuation

by Ju-Hee Kim, Kyung-Ran Choi and Seung-Hoon Yoo

Sustainability 2020, 12(9), 3835; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093835 - 8 May 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1971

Abstract

The loggerhead turtle is one of the representative endangered marine species in South Korea. Thus, the country’s government is trying to push ahead with a project to increase the number of loggerhead turtles through the research and development of technology to hatch them artificially and release them into the wild. This article attempts to investigate the public perspective on the project using contingent valuation (CV). To this end, a CV survey of one thousand households across the country was implemented using in-person interviews. They were asked whether they were willing to pay a specified amount presented for carrying out the project. As many households reported zero willingness to pay, a spike model was employed to analyze the response data. It was found that the yearly public value ensuing from accomplishing the project was statistically significantly computed to be KRW 2360 (USD 1.99) per household. When the value was expanded nationwide, it reached KRW 44.72 billion (USD 37.74 million) per year. This public value could be compared with the cost of carrying out the project to determine if the project is socially beneficial. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Resources)

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