Emerging asymmetric interactions between forage and predator fisheries impose management trade-offs

Authored by J E Houle, K H Andersen, K D Farnsworth, D G Reid

Date Published: 2013

DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12163

Sponsors: European Science Foundation

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

A size and trait-based marine community model was used to investigate interactions, with potential implications for yields, when a fishery targeting forage fish species (whose main adult diet is zooplankton) co-occurs with a fishery targeting larger-sized predator species. Predicted effects on the size structure of the fish community, growth and recruitment of fishes, and yield from the fisheries were used to identify management trade-offs among the different fisheries. Results showed that moderate fishing on forage fishes imposed only small effects on predator fisheries, whereas predator fisheries could enhance yield from forage fisheries under some circumstances.

Tags

Individual-based model Dynamics systems Ecosystem Indicators Cod gadus-morhua Marine size spectrum Trophic cascades Reference points Fish community