393
11 Management of Spawning Aggregations
management action is often desirable before the required information is available,
and needs to be precautionary. Precautionary measures must be strong and proactive. There is already enough evidence for the need to conserve aggregations and the
lack of more detailed information should not be used as an excuse for inaction. The
examples of aggregation management and outcomes in the Caribbean (Table 11.1 ),
demonstrate that the attempts made to mitigate overfi shing of aggregations and
aggregating fi sh have been less effective than anticipated because they were introduced too late and/or were not supported by good compliance or enforcement.
Largely for this reason, management has become multi-layered, and recovery seems
ever more remote as fi sheries decline. However, examples of positive outcomes of
management in the Caribbean show that aggregation recovery is possible.
The demise of spawning aggregations can occur very rapidly. Because recovery
may not occur at all, or only very slowly, it is essential that managers use all the
tools available to limit fi shing mortality in aggregations, and on aggregating species, to within sustainable levels. Legislation that can rapidly be brought into effect
once a new aggregation is found is particularly important as more aggregations are
described and enter the wider literature. An essential element in achieving appropriate management is political will. Political will needs to be bolstered with sound
information on aggregations and on aggregating species in general. The role of
NGOs to gather information, provide outreach, and lobby for improved regulations
or push for compliance with existing regulations is important for dealing with this
complex challenge. It cannot be overstated that a well-planned fi sher outreach and
monitoring programme to assess the impact of management is essential to both
evaluate the effects of management as well as to adapt to changes which may occur
in the biological system. Consideration must be given to fi nding alternative food
and income sources for those affected by management.
Ultimately, it is likely that aggregations will come to be considered as critically
important sources of fi sheries, and permanently closed to anything other than subsistence fi shing to safeguard and maximize the reproductive capacity of a range of
aggregating species.
Management effectiveness depends on knowledge of fi sh biology and spawning
behaviour, monitoring, enforcement capacity, and social acceptance. In the tropics
and sub-tropics, small-scale subsistence fi sheries on aggregations with no external
market pressures have and may continue to persist without management. However,
given human population growth, the advent of commercial fi shing, and increased
pressure on subsistence fi shers to generate cash, it is highly unlikely that aggregation
fi shing can be sustained under other circumstances. Moreover, there are far more
examples of management failure than managing spawning aggregations successfully once they are discovered.
Acknowledgements We would like to thank Janet Gibson, Graciela Garcia-Moliner, Newton
Eristhee, Rodolfo Claro, Michelle Meadows and Kim Iverson for assistance with Table 11.1 . Rodolfo
Claro and Richard Appeldoorn assisted with reviews of information. A Doherty Fellowship in the
Department of Marine and Environmental Systems, Florida Institute of Technology, supported the
work of Ken Lindeman. We also thank Jan Robinson, Seychelles Fishing Authority, for providing
review comments, and Vicki Nelson, Madam En-dash Editing and Proofreading, for chapter edits.
11 Management of Spawning Aggregations
management action is often desirable before the required information is available,
and needs to be precautionary. Precautionary measures must be strong and proactive. There is already enough evidence for the need to conserve aggregations and the
lack of more detailed information should not be used as an excuse for inaction. The
examples of aggregation management and outcomes in the Caribbean (Table 11.1 ),
demonstrate that the attempts made to mitigate overfi shing of aggregations and
aggregating fi sh have been less effective than anticipated because they were introduced too late and/or were not supported by good compliance or enforcement.
Largely for this reason, management has become multi-layered, and recovery seems
ever more remote as fi sheries decline. However, examples of positive outcomes of
management in the Caribbean show that aggregation recovery is possible.
The demise of spawning aggregations can occur very rapidly. Because recovery
may not occur at all, or only very slowly, it is essential that managers use all the
tools available to limit fi shing mortality in aggregations, and on aggregating species, to within sustainable levels. Legislation that can rapidly be brought into effect
once a new aggregation is found is particularly important as more aggregations are
described and enter the wider literature. An essential element in achieving appropriate management is political will. Political will needs to be bolstered with sound
information on aggregations and on aggregating species in general. The role of
NGOs to gather information, provide outreach, and lobby for improved regulations
or push for compliance with existing regulations is important for dealing with this
complex challenge. It cannot be overstated that a well-planned fi sher outreach and
monitoring programme to assess the impact of management is essential to both
evaluate the effects of management as well as to adapt to changes which may occur
in the biological system. Consideration must be given to fi nding alternative food
and income sources for those affected by management.
Ultimately, it is likely that aggregations will come to be considered as critically
important sources of fi sheries, and permanently closed to anything other than subsistence fi shing to safeguard and maximize the reproductive capacity of a range of
aggregating species.
Management effectiveness depends on knowledge of fi sh biology and spawning
behaviour, monitoring, enforcement capacity, and social acceptance. In the tropics
and sub-tropics, small-scale subsistence fi sheries on aggregations with no external
market pressures have and may continue to persist without management. However,
given human population growth, the advent of commercial fi shing, and increased
pressure on subsistence fi shers to generate cash, it is highly unlikely that aggregation
fi shing can be sustained under other circumstances. Moreover, there are far more
examples of management failure than managing spawning aggregations successfully once they are discovered.
Acknowledgements We would like to thank Janet Gibson, Graciela Garcia-Moliner, Newton
Eristhee, Rodolfo Claro, Michelle Meadows and Kim Iverson for assistance with Table 11.1 . Rodolfo
Claro and Richard Appeldoorn assisted with reviews of information. A Doherty Fellowship in the
Department of Marine and Environmental Systems, Florida Institute of Technology, supported the
work of Ken Lindeman. We also thank Jan Robinson, Seychelles Fishing Authority, for providing
review comments, and Vicki Nelson, Madam En-dash Editing and Proofreading, for chapter edits.