689
20.5.6 In Search of Best Options for Fishery Management
of Wester Atlantic Estuaries
The ideal approach for fisheries management in Western Atlantic estuaries would be
to compile data originated from ecological and biological research, robust data for
landing stats and the social profile of the fishery community for model estuarine
regions in order to build proper rules of co-management (Castello et al. 2009;
Schafer and Reis 2008; Gasalla et al. 2010). Ecological and biological research are
necessary as references for the functioning of estuarine habitats for biological species and communities; how they are distributed according to seasonal patterns on
the estuarine ecocline (heterogeneous gradients) and which impacts are causing
changes to the environment (Barletta et al. 2016; Ferreira et al. 2016) (for more
information see Barletta et al. 2017 in this book).
The scientific literature on estuarine ecology is gaining more quality in the last
decades, but it still needs to be based on better designed sampling and statistical
treatments. Many studies assess annual or interannual patterns in biological communities based on expensive and detailed scientific surveys that cannot extend for
many years (Blaber 2000; Lotze et al. 2006; Elliott and Quintino 2007; Costa and
Barletta 2016; Blaber and Barletta 2016; Reis et al. 2016). Despite financial concerns, these studies are indeed able to detect that biological species, including fishing resources and their prey, may either naturally or driven by human intervention
vary in abundance, size and biomass among years (Berasategui et al. 2004; Lorenzo
et al. 2011). In some periods, there may be wondrous spawning success, as well as
little or no reproduction/recruitment. Long-term climatic changes, as well as episodic events and catastrophes, also alter the productive capacity of estuaries.
Therefore, changes in fishery resources abundance over decades and centuries may
not be apparent without long-term data sets (Garcia et al. 2003; Ríos-Pulgarín et al.
2016). Droughts, usually much less visible at estuaries than at most of the river
basins, are also an important issue, since the period of no rainfall implies that estuarine biota, nutrients and pollutants loads will not be flushed out of estuaries to
coastal marine ecosystems and beyond (Lima et al. 2014; Costa and Barletta 2016).
The Scientific literature on ecology and uses of estuaries is increasing in quality,
including regions of the Globe once deprived of such privilege as South America
and Africa (Blaber 2000; Lotze et al. 2006; Elliott and Quintino 2007; Costa and
Barletta 2016; Blaber and Barletta 2016; Reis et al. 2016). But, to compile relevant
information relating ecological issues and fishery landings remains a challenge for
Western Atlantic fishery management because the literature still needs to make this
final leap of closing the links between subjects; be communicated to management
technicians and the public directly interested in the data. There is a long gap between
the references generated by the scientific community and the implementation of
fishery management plans.
The task is further impaired when the lack of historical fish landings data is taken
into consideration. At this time, it is not possible to draw a clear picture of fisheries
interference with estuarine functioning based on the existing information regarding
20 How Can Accurate Landing Stats Help in Designing Better Fisheries…
20.5.6 In Search of Best Options for Fishery Management
of Wester Atlantic Estuaries
The ideal approach for fisheries management in Western Atlantic estuaries would be
to compile data originated from ecological and biological research, robust data for
landing stats and the social profile of the fishery community for model estuarine
regions in order to build proper rules of co-management (Castello et al. 2009;
Schafer and Reis 2008; Gasalla et al. 2010). Ecological and biological research are
necessary as references for the functioning of estuarine habitats for biological species and communities; how they are distributed according to seasonal patterns on
the estuarine ecocline (heterogeneous gradients) and which impacts are causing
changes to the environment (Barletta et al. 2016; Ferreira et al. 2016) (for more
information see Barletta et al. 2017 in this book).
The scientific literature on estuarine ecology is gaining more quality in the last
decades, but it still needs to be based on better designed sampling and statistical
treatments. Many studies assess annual or interannual patterns in biological communities based on expensive and detailed scientific surveys that cannot extend for
many years (Blaber 2000; Lotze et al. 2006; Elliott and Quintino 2007; Costa and
Barletta 2016; Blaber and Barletta 2016; Reis et al. 2016). Despite financial concerns, these studies are indeed able to detect that biological species, including fishing resources and their prey, may either naturally or driven by human intervention
vary in abundance, size and biomass among years (Berasategui et al. 2004; Lorenzo
et al. 2011). In some periods, there may be wondrous spawning success, as well as
little or no reproduction/recruitment. Long-term climatic changes, as well as episodic events and catastrophes, also alter the productive capacity of estuaries.
Therefore, changes in fishery resources abundance over decades and centuries may
not be apparent without long-term data sets (Garcia et al. 2003; Ríos-Pulgarín et al.
2016). Droughts, usually much less visible at estuaries than at most of the river
basins, are also an important issue, since the period of no rainfall implies that estuarine biota, nutrients and pollutants loads will not be flushed out of estuaries to
coastal marine ecosystems and beyond (Lima et al. 2014; Costa and Barletta 2016).
The Scientific literature on ecology and uses of estuaries is increasing in quality,
including regions of the Globe once deprived of such privilege as South America
and Africa (Blaber 2000; Lotze et al. 2006; Elliott and Quintino 2007; Costa and
Barletta 2016; Blaber and Barletta 2016; Reis et al. 2016). But, to compile relevant
information relating ecological issues and fishery landings remains a challenge for
Western Atlantic fishery management because the literature still needs to make this
final leap of closing the links between subjects; be communicated to management
technicians and the public directly interested in the data. There is a long gap between
the references generated by the scientific community and the implementation of
fishery management plans.
The task is further impaired when the lack of historical fish landings data is taken
into consideration. At this time, it is not possible to draw a clear picture of fisheries
interference with estuarine functioning based on the existing information regarding
20 How Can Accurate Landing Stats Help in Designing Better Fisheries…