{"id":2447,"date":"2017-02-13T10:33:28","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T10:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ar16.iiasa.ac.at\/?p=2447"},"modified":"2017-05-11T15:47:00","modified_gmt":"2017-05-11T13:47:00","slug":"protecting-fisheries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ar16.iiasa.ac.at\/protecting-fisheries\/","title":{"rendered":"Protecting fisheries from evolutionary change"},"content":{"rendered":"
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title admin_label=”Protecting fisheries from evolutionary change” title=”on” meta=”off” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”on” featured_image=”on” featured_placement=”background” parallax_effect=”off” parallax_method=”on” text_orientation=”center” text_color=”dark” text_background=”on” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.73)” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_css_main_element=”padding-bottom: 10px;” custom_padding=”15%||3%|” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” background_color=”rgba(12,113,195,0.16)” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”TEASER” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
Evolutionary changes could lead to reduced fishery yields. In 2016 researchers from the IIASA Evolution and Ecology Program showed how alternative management practices could mitigate the problem in a key North Sea fishery.<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” custom_padding=”||0px|”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text admin_label=”BODY” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n North Sea plaice is the most commonly fished flatfish in Europe, with landings of around 120,000 metric tons per year. But if current trends continue, evolutionary changes will lead to a decreased catch of this important food source.<\/p>\n Previous research has shown that fishing can cause evolutionary changes in fish populations, with impacts such as earlier maturation or smaller size. This is because removing the largest fish from a population also removes them from the gene pool. Over a few generations, this can lead to smaller fish that mature at an earlier age, which translates into a smaller catch for fishers.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video admin_label=”Video” src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=i0irKvJYsFM” play_icon_color=”#edf000″ \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”BODY” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These impacts have already been observed in the plaice fishery. In addition to reducing the amount of fish available for catch, researchers surmise that such changes will be difficult or slow to revert and can make fish populations more vulnerable to collapse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Figure” src=”http:\/\/ar16.iiasa.ac.at\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/02\/Highlight3.jpg” title_text=”CLICK TO ENLARGE” show_in_lightbox=”on” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”right” sticky=”on” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n Fishing North Sea plaice causes it to evolve, changing how the fishery\u2019s yield develops. [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” custom_padding=”0px|||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”BODY” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Black continuous line: The current fishing practice causes long-term yield erosion.
\nBlack dashed line: Reducing the fishing pressure on all fish to one half still causes long-term yield erosion, albeit at a slower pace.
\nMagenta continuous line: Reducing the fishing pressure on large fish to one half stops the yield erosion.
\nMagenta dashed line: Reducing the fishing pressure on medium-sized fish to one half and on large fish to one quarter causes a long-term increase in yield.
\nYellow dotted line: The best yield increase is achieved by protecting small fish combined with reducing the fishing pressure on medium-sized fish to one quarter and on large fish to one eighth.<\/em><\/p>\n