Table 6 - uploaded by Paul Dalzell
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Summary of catch rates (CPUE, catch per unit effort) and catch composition of spear-fishing on South Pacific reefs.
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Coastal fisheries in the South Pacific are reviewed, including descriptions of fisheries, catch composition, catch rates and fisheries biology studies conducted on target stocks. The most widely targeted coastal fish stocks are reef fishes and coastal pelagic fishes. The total coastal fisheries production from the region amounts to just over 100 00...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... rates from underwater spear fishing ranged from 0.08 to 9.6 kgman -1 h -1 , with average ranging from 0.4 to 8.5 kgman -1 h -1 . The principal targets for spear fishing are groupers, surgeonfishes, parrotfishes and snappers (Table 6). Tables 7 and 8 give details of catches by gill nets, drive-in nets and beach seining in the Pacific islands. ...
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Citations
... Surgeonfishes represent a major component of coral reef fisheries, where they can comprise up to 30-40% of coastal fishery harvests (Dalzell 1996;Dalzell et al. 1996;Rhodes et al. 2008;Houk et al. 2012;Taylor 2019). They are a prime target for fishers in the Indo-Pacific region and archaeological evidence demonstrates that they have been a key fishery resource for thousands of years in the tropical Pacific and elsewhere (Wing and Wing 2001;Amesbury and Hunter-Anderson 2003;Craig et al. 2008). ...
... parrotfishes or emperorfishes), not all species are considered valuable targets, whereby some are largely avoided. In fact, while numerous species are harvested, commonly only a few will dominate the overall surgeonfish harvest in a region (summarized in Dalzell et al. 1996). The two most economically important species in the Indo-Pacific are Naso unicornis and N. lituratus (Taylor 2019;Ford et al. 2016). ...
Surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) are diverse and common members of coral reef faunal assemblages and are important coastal fisheries resources throughout the tropics. Life-history research provides a foundation for understanding and predicting population dynamics and is therefore important to fisheries management. However, our understanding of surgeonfish biology stems primarily from high-latitude tropical regions where they exhibit multidecadal life spans. To derive an eco-evolutionary and biogeographic perspective on the biology of acanthurids, we derived age-based life-history information for a suite of species representing over 99% of the surgeonfish fishery in the Mariana Islands. Multivariate analysis failed to provide a powerful summary of trait variation among surgeonfishes, as body size is not positively correlated with longevity, growth trajectories and length of maturation varied widely among species, and mortality is not simply a function of size or growth. In fact, seven of twelve species studied exhibited unusual biphasic mortality pattern. Different modes of reproductive investment in species appear to carry a taxonomic signature and may influence the vulnerability of some species to overexploitation. Comparisons with previous studies demonstrated a strong thermal gradient in life span and body size across latitude. Ultimately, surgeonfishes display puzzling features whereby extended life spans are uncharacteristically coupled with higher-than-expected mortality rates as a result of biphasic mortality schedules at the population level. Trait relationships among species are not straightforward, posing challenges for designing effective management and for predicting population dynamics under global climate change.
... As is typical of most tropical Pacific countries and territories (e.g. Dalzell et al. 1996), catch methods varied, with various handline techniques the most common method, followed by spearfishing, including both daytime and nighttime spearfishing. Net fishing and trolling were found to be relatively uncommon (Fig. 1b). ...
While most fish spawning aggregations are targeted by fishers in Solomon Islands, very little is still known about spawning aggregation locations and the timing of aggregations for different species. We collected traditional ecological knowledge from 102 fishers residing around Munda, as well as the Roviana and Marovo Lagoons in Western Province to inform community-based management of fish spawning aggregations, and to provide recommendations for adapting current government regulations for the management of aggregating grouper species. Fishers identified 31 separate fishing locations and 26 possible aggregation areas, validating findings from earlier surveys while also highlighting new areas for verification and management. Collated traditional environmental knowledge, integrated with spawning information derived from past studies, pointed to regional variations in spawning times among individual species, specifically groupers, that lessens the effectiveness of the current nationwide seasonal ban and suggests that finer-scale management is warranted at the site level. man population growth and an expanding cash economy have, however, intensified FSA fishing, placing FSAs under increasing threat. Indeed, an expanding number of FSA-forming species are now listed among the IUCN Red List's higher threat categories. 4
... Fishing supports an array of livelihoods, which power village economies and supply the region with a diversity of nutritious aquatic foods. These aquatic foods account for the majority of animal-sourced protein consumed in the region (Dalzell et al., 1996 ;Charlton et al., 2016 ;Gillett, 2016 ;Farmery et al., 2020 ). The complex tenure and taboo institutions that preside over fishery resources have helped shape societies by managing relationships among social groups for centuries (Ruddle, 1988 ;Foale et al., 2011 ). ...
... These results are consistent with regional estimates that also report that the majority of people participating in small-scale fisheries are engaged in subsistence activities (e.g. Virdin et al., 2023 ), and are unsurprising given that these easily accessible environments have historically provided the majority of aquatic foods caught by people for home consumption (Chapman, 1987 ;Dalzell et al., 1996 ;Charlton et al., 2016 ). The decadal snapshot provided by HIES data illustrates several common threads in how households engage in fishing, but also key differences in fishing practices among the surveyed PICTs. ...
... The importance of small-scale fishing to local economies and food and nutrition security for coastal communities throughout the region is well documented (e.g. Dalzell et al., 1996 ;Gillett and Lightfoot, 2001 ;Charlton et al., 2016 ;Farmery et al., 2020 ), and supports the prominent role aquatic food systems are propositioned to play to achieve several Sustainable Development Goals (see F AO , 2018 ). Impeding the ability to plan for how small-scale fisheries can help achieve these goals has been a lack of data describing them. ...
Small-scale fisheries are cornerstones of wealth, food, and tradition for people throughout the Pacific region. Yet, their governance is plagued by a lack of relevant data. Using data collected from household income and expenditure surveys carried out in 13 Pacific Island Countries and Territories over the last decade, we bring enhanced resolution to these fisheries by describing how households engage in small-scale fishing and accounting the income generated from these activities. We find most households do not actively participate in fishing, and most that do, fish only for subsistence. Over time, however, the rates at which households participate in fishing may be declining. Further, the total income generated through aquatic foods caught for subsistence is nearly double that of foods caught for sale, but on a per household basis fishing for commercial purposes is more lucrative. Differences point to important distinctions in how households engage with and generate income from commercial and subsistence fishing, including where activities are often conducted, and the types of aquatic foods targeted. These distinctions have implications for how livelihoods-focused policies and programmes can be developed to ensure aquatic food systems continue to support Pacific Island communities as the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals approaches.
... The involvement of women in the octopus fishery market chain is important, with their activities observed and documented across the focus PICTs at various levels, from capture fisheries to post-harvest processing and marketing (Biswas 2018; Barclay et al. 2021;Vunisea 2016;Dalzell et al. 1997;Weeratunge et al. 2011;Kronen et al. 2010). A study conducted across 11 provinces in Fiji in 2017 and 2018 revealed that 78% of women glean for invertebrate resources, including octopuses (locally known as kuita and sulua), across different habitats (Thomas et al. 2021) (Fig. 3). ...
... In the Solomon Islands, artisanal fishery landings occur at villages approximately proportional to population distribution. In rural areas, men fish on the reefs and offshore, while women and children fish in nearshore areas on reefs close to villages, and in lagoons and mangroves for octopuses and other benthic invertebrates (Dalzell et al. 1997;Weeratunge et al. 2011). ...
... There is a general lack of information on octopus subsistence capture fisheries in the Pacific Island region and this drives consistent underestimates of capture volumes and contribution to national fisheries statistics (Gillett 2009). Harvest information has always been challenging to quantify and in some PICTs, is Thomas et al. (2021), Tiraa-Passfield (1999), Sabetian and Foale (2006), Hickey (2006), Amos (2007), Veitayaki et al. (1995), Herdich and Armstrong (2008) and Dalzell et al. (1997) Net fishing (hand net primarily) ✓ Quinn and Kanalagi (1998), Thomas et al. (2021) and Gillett et al. (2014) Steel hook and handline ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Quinn and Kanalagi (1998), Thomas et al. (2021), Gillett et al. (2014), Hickey (2006), Herdich and Armstrong (2008) and Gontard and de Coudenhove (2013) Rotenone, cyanide,bleach, copper sulfate, Derris sp. root and other natural/artificial toxicants squirted into dens Thomas et al. (2021), Merlin (2002) and Veitayaki et al. (1995) Destruction of reef structure using crowbars, iron poles, axes etc ✓ ✓ ✓ Veitayaki et al. (1995) non-existent (Gillett 2009;Gillett et al. 2014;Gillett and Tauati 2018). ...
Octopuses present a difficult resource to manage because of their relatively short life spans, rapid growth rates, high natural mortality and seasonal fluctuations in abundance. With exploitation efforts increasing worldwide, particularly in the Pacific Island region, substantial knowledge gaps in their biology, exploitation and management remain. We conducted a literature review to summarise their species distribution, abundance, ecological attributes, utilization, importance and management within the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) of Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa. We found that 23 species of octopuses within 11 genera were recorded from these PICTs, belonging to the families Amphitretidae and Octopodidae. Overall, Tonga was the most speciose country with 11 occurrence records and Samoa recorded the least with just a single species. All other countries recorded between 2 and 8 taxa. The day octopus (Octopus cyanea) was recorded from all PICTs except Samoa. There are no specific national regulations on octopus fisheries within the PICTs and management is largely dependent on overarching national fisheries legislation. However, community-based management efforts can be an effective platform in sustaining octopus stocks. Octopuses also play an important role in the folklore and customs of many Pacific Islanders, and we provide a summary of these for the specific PICTs assessed. This review highlights areas for further research and development for the Pacific Island region and the urgent need to address specific knowledge gaps on octopus taxonomy, stock assessment and fishery management.
... He noted that "conventional fisheries research requires data collection over long time periods before it can generate significant answers, whereas management decisions are usually required immediately, and a trial-and-error approach, where errors are part of the learning process, would be more suitable in the Pacific islands context". Has the management of coastal fisheries in the Pacific Islands developed into an "amalgam of conventional approaches, including those where data are gathered according to sampling criteria to test hypotheses, and the less data-intensive approach advocated by Johannes" as predicted by Dalzell et al. (1996)? ...
... 3 . An immense amount of literature and knowledge has accumulated in the last few years and there has not been enough time to carry out the kind of comprehensive "Status of Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture" reviews that we did in 1995-96 (Dalzell et al. 1996) and 2008 (Adams et al. 2008), and which was followed up by SPC in 2013 (Anon 2013), so I'm afraid that this article will be full of generalisations and opinions. This is not a formal review, nor a programme planning aid. ...
... Of the 4 million people in PNG, only one-quarter of them lived on the coast. The total coastal population of the region was therefore estimated at approximately 3.25 million people, equivalent to the population of a medium-sized continental city, but spread over an area of 29 million km 2 of ocean (Dalzell et al. 1996) 8 Many Pacific Island nations had become notably "macrocephalic", with large proportions of their population congregating into one capital city or island, often with erosion of their marine custodial traditions and knowledge along the way. ...
A personal and very broad-brush retrospective on 30 years of change in Pacific Island coastal fisheries and artisanal aquaculture. Progress is assessed against several desirable directions that had been identified in the 1990s, paying particular attention to the role of the SPC Coastal Fisheries (and latterly Aquaculture) Programme.
... Throughout Melanesia, and the Indo-Pacific more broadly, MoP fisheries target pearl oysters (Pinctada spp.), greensnail (Turbo marmoratus), and trochus (Rochia nilotica) for their nacreous shells which are used in the manufacture of buttons, inlay, and various other products [31]. While exploitation of these taxa for subsistence has occurred for millennia [32][33][34], an escalation of fishing to supply international markets occurred over the last two centuries [23,31,35]. In the case of PNG, this escalation coincided with the introduction of administrative colonialism, which dutifully documented both the trade and relevant legislation from 1888, following the arrival of the first pearling fleets [36]. ...
... In PNG, investigations were made to determine whether there were any other contributing factors to this decline [65] and, while not explicitly stated, a fishery-related policy event, which increased MoP export tariffs in 1958 from ca. 1-2 % to 15 % of assessed value, may have accentuated the economic pressure [40]. The impact of these shocks on the newly founded coastal co-operatives was well documented, the income from MoP fishing almost halved and many co-operatives were barely able to cover overhead expenses [35]. A failure of MoP production to rebound from these shocks for over a decade wreaked havoc for the co-operatives, causing hardship to their members [68]. ...
Local, regional, and global events have potential to disturb fisheries systems embedded within international trade networks. Events associated with sudden and unexpected disturbances, or shocks, in fisheries systems are of particular concern because of their potential to adversely impact the livelihoods and well-being of coastal communities. For these communities in the Pacific region, export-oriented mother-of-pearl (MoP) fisheries have been, and remain, of great economic importance with additional dietary benefits. A lack of information and understanding of events associated with shocks in MoP production and trade, however, limits the ability to predict reactions and to develop appropriate responses to future economic, environmental, or political change. We conducted an integrated assessment of historic MoP export data from 1888 until present (2020) for the largest producer in the Pacific region, Papua New Guinea, to detect shocks and identify associated events. Absence of a trend in the frequency or magnitude of detected shocks and the range of associated events identified suggest that shocks are intrinsic to MoP fisheries systems, and that shocks occur due to varied, often multiple synchronous, events. Critically, legislated policy changes to gear restrictions, licensing, ports of export, size limits, and spatial limits were never associated with shocks, while changes to permitted taxa and export tariffs were implicated in triggering, or contributing to, shocks in MoP exports. The historical assessment of shocks undertaken in this study may aid management agencies in identifying potential risks and appropriate responses to build resilience in MoP fisheries systems, and in artisanal fisheries systems more broadly.
... Monitoring of catch landings for most parts of the Philippines, including in some areas in Batanes, is done through the government's National Stock Assessment Program (Morales et al. 2016), but unreported portion of landed catch is not yet systematically recorded. This part of the catch, not recorded perhaps because they are not viewed to contribute directly to the economy in terms of measurable cash flow (Dalzell et al. 1996). Selorio et al. (2008) previously documented the discards of stationary lift net in Miagao, Iloilo are either consumed domestically or used as part of livestock feeds. ...
... Shark depredation is more prevalent in tropical zones than in subtropical or temperate zones (Sivasubramaniam 1964;IOTC 2007;Romanov et al. 2013) and is a persistent problem in the Mariana Islands (including Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands [CNMI]) in the western Pacific Ocean, but to date there has been no formal study of the phenomenon in this region. Trolling and bottom fishing are the two most popular small-boat fisheries in the Mariana Islands (Myers 1993;Dalzell et al. 1996;Ayers 2018). These fisheries are important to the local communities as a source of fresh food and basic income, and they play an integral part in the islands' traditional and modern cultures (Amesbury et al. 1986;Ayers 2018;Chan and Pan 2019). ...
Shark depredation is a worldwide yet not well understood problem that is responsible for economic losses in both commercial and recreational fisheries. We collaborated with fishers from the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific to identify depredating shark species via mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) barcoding of partially consumed fish from real‐world depredation events. Trained fishers collected swabs from 29 shark depredation events in a line fishery targeting snappers, emperors, and jacks. Results showed that an assemblage of coral reef‐ and shelf‐associated shark species was responsible for catch depredation in this fishery. The successful collection of transfer DNA from depredated fish by trained fishers and a 90% success rate in identifying the depredating shark species via mtDNA barcoding confirm that this approach is a practical tool for improving our understanding of depredation in a wide variety of fisheries. Although identifying the depredating shark species does not solve the problem of shark depredation in fisheries, it is a critical step in better understanding the phenomenon so that potential solutions can be identified.
... The identification of basic reproductive biology information (e.g., size at maturity) for each population of a coral reef fishery, where catches may contain up to 200 species whose abundance change seasonally (Dalzell et al. 1996), requires time and economic efforts that are often unattainable (Roberts and Polunin 1993;Johannes 1998). When size at maturity estimates are not available for local populations, researchers may use estimates generated at other locations. ...
Data-limited fisheries benefit from using life-history traits as biological indicators of targeted stocks. We used histology-based reproductive analyses to estimate size at maturity, per capita egg production, and the number and biomass of immature individuals in the catch for three common coral reef fishes in Fiji market surveys during 2010–2019. We studied Lutjanus gibbus (Forsskål, 1775), Parupeneus indicus (Shaw, 1803), and Chlorurus microrhinos (Bleeker, 1854), which represent three families: Lutjanidae, Mullidae, and Scaridae, respectively. Fork length comprising 50% mature individuals for females of L. gibbus was 22.7 cm, that of P. indicus was 25.9 cm, attaining 38.0 cm for C. microrhinos . Females were rare or absent in the largest size classes of all three species. Immature fish represented up to 50% by number and 41% by biomass of the catch in market surveys, with P. indicus having the greatest immature number (8%‒50%) and biomass (6%‒41%), followed by C. microrhinos (20%‒30% by count, 11%‒18% by biomass) and L. gibbus (9%‒28% by count, 5%‒14% by biomass). Individuals ≤ 30 cm for L. gibbus and P. indicus and ≤ 45 cm for C. microrhinos were responsible for ≥ 90% of egg production per spawning. Skewed size-specific sex ratios suggested that exploitation of the largest size classes had minimal effect on overall egg production. Decreased catches of immature fishes would increase the reproductive population sizes for these species.
... V. louti has been well recognized as ciguatoxic and has been implicated in CFP cases not only in Ryukyu Islands but also in other regions including Queensland, Australia [52], Marshall Islands [53], Cook Islands [54], Fiji in the Pacific [55], and Mauritius [56,57], and Réunion Islands in the Indian Ocean [58]. Despite this fact, V. louti is an important species in commercial fishery in the Maldives [59], Saudi Arabia [60], Egypt in the Indian Ocean [60], and Indonesia [61,62], American Samoa [63,64], Guam [65], Papua New Guinea [66], Northern Mariana Islands [64], Philippines [67], Okinawa, Japan [68,69], and other South Pacific islands [70]. Our previous study in Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands was located approximately at the same latitude as Okinawa and around 1000 km south of Tokyo. ...
Ingesting fish contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs) originating from epibenthic dinoflagellates causes ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP). CFP occurs mainly in the tropical and subtropical Indo–Pacific region and the Caribbean Sea. Furthermore, it occurs sporadically in Japan, especially in the Ryukyu Islands between Taiwan and Kyushu, Japan. Variola louti is the most frequently implicated fish with a suggested toxin profile, consisting of ciguatoxin-1B and two deoxy congeners. Therefore, using the liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we analyzed CTXs in the flesh of 154 individuals from various locations and detected CTXs in 99 specimens (64%). In 65 fish (43%), CTX levels exceeded the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance level (0.01 µg/kg). Furthermore, in four specimens (3%), the guideline level in Japan (>0.18 µg/kg) was met. Additionally, although the highest total CTX level was 0.376 µg/kg, the consumption of 180 g of this specimen was assumed to cause CFP. Moreover, only CTX1B, 52-epi-54-deoxyCTX1B, and 54-deoxyCTX1B were detected, with the relative contribution of the three CTX1B analogs to the total toxin content (35 ± 7.7 (SD)%, 27 ± 8.1%, and 38 ± 5.6%, respectively) being similar to those reported in this region in a decade ago. Subsequently, the consistency of the toxin profile in V. louti was confirmed using many specimens from a wide area. As observed, total CTX levels were correlated with fish sizes, including standard length (r = 0.503, p = 3.08 × 10−11), body weight (r = 0.503, p = 3.01 × 10−11), and estimated age (r = 0.439, p = 3.81 × 10−7) of the specimens. Besides, although no correlation was observed between condition factor (CF) and total CTX levels, a significance difference was observed (p = 0.039) between the groups of skinnier and fattier fish, separated by the median CF (3.04). Results also showed that the CF of four specimens with the highest CTX level (>0.18 µg/kg) ranged between 2.49 and 2.87, and they were skinnier than the average (3.03) and median of all specimens.
