Small‐scale fisheries in the southern Gulf of Mexico
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Small‐scale fisheries in the southern Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is considered one of the most productive areas of the world. In the south it contains a broad continental shelf known as the Campeche Bank. The coasts of Tabasco and western Campeche are very productive. This area sustains thriving small‐scale fisheries that represent high economical and social importance. The fisheries contain almost 90 species, the most important ones being the gafftopsail sea catfish (Bagre marinus) and the northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus). In addi‐ tion, these fisheries are characterized by the large numbers of sharks and rays (almost 20 species). Because of these characteristics these fisheries are a very interesting model for investigating the devel‐ opment of small‐scale fisheries and the dynamics of the species associated with it. Dr. Manuel Mendoza‐Carranza, of ECOSUR (El Colegio de la Frontera Sur) in Villahermosa, has been collecting data on these small‐scale fisheries since 2006. In 2013‐2014 he is in Wageningen in a collab‐ oration with the Aquaculture and Fisheries Group to further analyze these fisheries. This results in opportunities for MSc students with an interest in data analysis and fisheries. Three subjects for 4 – 6 month MSc thesis subjects are identified: 1. Seasonal variability of species assemblages in a tropical marine small‐scale fishery. Tropical small‐scale fisheries have a high economic and social importance. In these fisheries, species diversity is high. However, many data are problematic. They often lack resolution, grouping many spe‐ cies in few groups, which makes it difficult to follow the development of the fishery. During 2006 – 2013 logbooks were kept by fishermen, containing more detailed information about species catches, making it possible to estimate a more realistic interpretation of fishery trends. The objective of this re‐ search is to describe and to compare seasonal and temporal patterns in species composition in two type of small‐scale fisheries (bottom long‐line and vertical hook line) based on catch data. Database: Logbook Activities: Data checking, trend analysis, multivariate analysis
Small‐scale fisheries in the southern Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is considered one of the most productive areas of the world. In the south it containsa broad continental shelf known as the Campeche Bank. The coasts of Tabasco and western Campecheare very productive. This area sustains thriving small‐scale fisheries that represent high economicaland social importance. The fisheries contain almost 90 species, the most important ones being thegafftopsail sea catfish (Bagre marinus) and the northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus). In addition,these fisheries are characterized by the large numbers of sharks and rays (almost 20 species).Because of these characteristics these fisheries are a very interesting model for investigating the developmentof small‐scale fisheries and the dynamics of the species associated with it.
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SmallscalefisheriesinthesouthernGulfofMexico.TheGulfofMexicoisconsideredoneofthemostproductiveareasoftheworld.InthesouthitcontainsabroadcontinentalshelfknownastheCampecheBank.ThecoastsofTabascoandwesternCampecheare
very productive. This area sustains thriving smallscale fisheries
that represent high economicaland social importance. The fisheries
contain almost 90 species, the most important ones being
thegafftopsailseacatfish(Bagremarinus)andthenorthernredsnapper(Lutjanuscampechanus).Inaddition,
these fisheries are characterized by the large numbers of sharks
and rays (almost 20
species).Becauseofthesecharacteristicsthesefisheriesareaveryinterestingmodelforinvestigatingthedevelopmentofsmallscalefisheriesandthedynamicsofthespeciesassociatedwithit.
Dr.ManuelMendozaCarranza, of ECOSUR (El Colegio de la Frontera
Sur) in Villahermosa, has
beencollectingdataonthesesmallscalefisheriessince2006.In20132014heisinWageningeninacollaborationwith
the Aquaculture and Fisheries Group to further analyze these
fisheries. This results
inopportunitiesforMScstudentswithaninterestindataanalysisandfisheries.Threesubjectsfor46monthMScthesissubjectsareidentified:1.Seasonalvariabilityofspeciesassemblagesinatropicalmarinesmallscalefishery.Tropical
smallscale fisherieshaveahigheconomicandsocial importance. In these
fisheries,
speciesdiversityishigh.However,manydataareproblematic.Theyoftenlackresolution,groupingmanyspecies
in few groups,whichmakes it difficult to follow thedevelopment of
the fishery. During 2006 2013 logbookswerekeptby fishermen,
containingmoredetailed informationabout species
catches,makingitpossibletoestimateamorerealisticinterpretationoffisherytrends.Theobjectiveofthisresearchistodescribeandtocompareseasonalandtemporalpatternsinspeciescompositionintwotypeofsmallscalefisheries(bottomlonglineandverticalhookline)basedoncatchdata.Database:LogbookActivities:Datachecking,trendanalysis,multivariateanalysis
2.Temporalvariationinsharkspeciescatchesinatropicalsmallscalefishery.Elasmobranch(sharks,raysandskates)conservationandmanagementareaglobalconcern,sincetheyform
they aremost vulnerable foroverfishing and environmental
change.Mostly elasmobranchs aretaken incidentally as bycatch.
However, in some tropical fisheries with a high diversity of
species,sharksandrayscanbeanimportantcomponentofcatches.Howevertheirimportanceanddynamicsispoorlyunderstood.Theobjectiveofthisresearchistoanalyzethevariabilityinsharkspeciesabundance,basedonreportedcatchesforthecoastalsmallscalefisheriesofTabasco.Mexico.Database:BiologicaldatabaseandlogbooksActivities:Datachecking,trendanalysis,biologicaldataretrieval,multivariateanalysis3.CharacterizationandbehaviorofatropicalfisheryanditsrelationtospeciescompositionThefishthatarecaughtbyafisheryarerelatedtotechnologicalfactorssuchastypeandsizeofgear,typeofbait,butalsowithallocationfactorssuchasdepth.Intropicalsmallscalefisheriesthediversityof
fishinggears iscommon. Inthesmallscale fisheriesofTabasco,Mexico,
themostcommonfisherygearisthebottomlongline.Thisfisheryshowsvariationsinhooksizes,typesofbait,anddeploymentof
the gear. Theobjectiveof thisresearch is
toanalyzethepossiblerelationamongsometechnologicalissuesofthefleetwiththecatchcomposition.Database:fisherycharts(interviews)biologicaldatalogbooksandexperimentalselectivitydata.Activities:Datachecking,trendanalysis,biologicaldataretrieval,multivariateanalysisFormoreinformation:[email protected]
