633
The benefits provided by fishing activities are difficult to measure and quantify.
They are especially measured as wholesale or retail value more easily calculated for
commercial fisheries because the products are usually sold, generating figures that
can be converted, compiled and compared across time and space (Lackey 2005).
However, measures of catch in weight, number, length, and socioeconomic value,
can only partially be accessed to help estimating the benefits provided to fishers and
their families, communities and to society. These may also reflect and represent
quali-quantitatively the importance of anthropogenic interventions (including fishing) at a given location and associations with cultural aspects (King 2007; Barletta
and Costa 2009; Guebert-Bartholo et al. 2011; Barletta et al. 2016).
The worldwide fishery crisis, lead to questioning of the simplistic paradigms
about its management objectives, especially since the year 2000, due to the rise of a
wider and integrated understanding of marine systems. Since realising that fisheries
collapse is not exclusively caused by overexploitation of living resources, but also
results from changes in climate and the marine environment, the aim now is to
implement the ecological and social sustainability of fisheries proposed by the Code
of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (FAO 1995; Charles 2001; Berkes 2009; Eide
2009; Barletta and Saint-Paul 2010; Saint-Paul and Barletta 2010). The document
highlights the need to assess and manage fisheries through an integrated focus on
biological, technological, economic, social and political aspects. It is acknowledged
since the 1970s (Kesteven 1973; Csirke 1984), but consistent suggestions exist
since the end of 1980s, and practical strength has been achieved only during in this
century (Berkes et al. 2001; Castilla and Defeo 2005; Berkes 2009; Blaber and
Barletta 2016; Costa and Barletta 2016).
Ecological issues dealt with in treaties, laws, and government policies are now
more substantially guiding fisheries management (de Mitcheson 2009) at different
spatial scales. The United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS
1982) and The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD 1992) obligates signatory
nations to preserve their biological diversity and protect species at risk of extinction
to the maximum extent possible. Whenever these legal instruments provide constraints on the scope, type and intensity of the permitted fishing in order to maintain
ecological services, they are able to diminish changes to the environment and consequently their damages to aquatic resources.
According to FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries, “any marine
geographical area that is afforded greater protection than the surrounding waters for
biodiversity conservation or fisheries management purposes will be considered a
Marine Protected Area (MPA)” (FAO 2011). Especial attention has been given to
coastal ecosystems as estuaries, wetlands, coral reefs, seagrass beds and other
spawning and nursery areas (e.g. coastal lagoons, flooded forests). The United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Agenda 21; Chapter 17;
pp. 167–195) urged coastal states to maintain biological diversity and productivity
of marine species and habitats under national jurisdiction (UNCED 1992).
According to Agenda 21, these states are responsible for the identification of marine
ecosystems with high levels of biodiversity and productivity and other critical areas,
20 How Can Accurate Landing Stats Help in Designing Better Fisheries…
The benefits provided by fishing activities are difficult to measure and quantify.
They are especially measured as wholesale or retail value more easily calculated for
commercial fisheries because the products are usually sold, generating figures that
can be converted, compiled and compared across time and space (Lackey 2005).
However, measures of catch in weight, number, length, and socioeconomic value,
can only partially be accessed to help estimating the benefits provided to fishers and
their families, communities and to society. These may also reflect and represent
quali-quantitatively the importance of anthropogenic interventions (including fishing) at a given location and associations with cultural aspects (King 2007; Barletta
and Costa 2009; Guebert-Bartholo et al. 2011; Barletta et al. 2016).
The worldwide fishery crisis, lead to questioning of the simplistic paradigms
about its management objectives, especially since the year 2000, due to the rise of a
wider and integrated understanding of marine systems. Since realising that fisheries
collapse is not exclusively caused by overexploitation of living resources, but also
results from changes in climate and the marine environment, the aim now is to
implement the ecological and social sustainability of fisheries proposed by the Code
of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (FAO 1995; Charles 2001; Berkes 2009; Eide
2009; Barletta and Saint-Paul 2010; Saint-Paul and Barletta 2010). The document
highlights the need to assess and manage fisheries through an integrated focus on
biological, technological, economic, social and political aspects. It is acknowledged
since the 1970s (Kesteven 1973; Csirke 1984), but consistent suggestions exist
since the end of 1980s, and practical strength has been achieved only during in this
century (Berkes et al. 2001; Castilla and Defeo 2005; Berkes 2009; Blaber and
Barletta 2016; Costa and Barletta 2016).
Ecological issues dealt with in treaties, laws, and government policies are now
more substantially guiding fisheries management (de Mitcheson 2009) at different
spatial scales. The United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS
1982) and The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD 1992) obligates signatory
nations to preserve their biological diversity and protect species at risk of extinction
to the maximum extent possible. Whenever these legal instruments provide constraints on the scope, type and intensity of the permitted fishing in order to maintain
ecological services, they are able to diminish changes to the environment and consequently their damages to aquatic resources.
According to FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries, “any marine
geographical area that is afforded greater protection than the surrounding waters for
biodiversity conservation or fisheries management purposes will be considered a
Marine Protected Area (MPA)” (FAO 2011). Especial attention has been given to
coastal ecosystems as estuaries, wetlands, coral reefs, seagrass beds and other
spawning and nursery areas (e.g. coastal lagoons, flooded forests). The United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Agenda 21; Chapter 17;
pp. 167–195) urged coastal states to maintain biological diversity and productivity
of marine species and habitats under national jurisdiction (UNCED 1992).
According to Agenda 21, these states are responsible for the identification of marine
ecosystems with high levels of biodiversity and productivity and other critical areas,
20 How Can Accurate Landing Stats Help in Designing Better Fisheries…