Conservation of marine fish
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| Keywords |
Fisheries management
Properties > Biological properties > Vulnerability
Resilience (ecosystem)
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| Author keywords |
IUCN Red List; Area-based conservation; Marine protected areas; No-take zones; Ecosystem-based conservation |
| Authors | | Top |
- Batista, M.I.
- Erzini, K.
- Horta e Costa, B.
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| Abstract |
The overall idea until the 20th century was that the oceans and marine resources were inexhaustible. For centuries and until now, marine ecosystems have been increasingly threatened by human activities such as fisheries, mining, land-based pollution, etc. Efforts directed at marine conservation started in the second half of the 20th century only, initially focused mostly on charismatic species (e.g., marine mammals). Then, marine fish were accounted for, initially by efforts to recover overexploited stocks, using single-species approaches. Marine conservation recently evolved to ecosystem approaches, including marine protected areas (MPA), recognized worldwide as a key tool for marine conservation. In this chapter, we resume the main tools available for fish conservation, both focused on single-species and ecosystem approaches, namely, IUCN Red List categories and classifications based on resilience and vulnerability, fisheries management measures that contribute to fish conservation, and marine protected areas. Currently, there is a well-developed scientific knowledge, with guidance produced to support fish and ocean conservation. Several treaties, conventions, and legal frameworks are in place worldwide and several conservation instruments including MPA are designated. Conservation achievements are only tangible if effective measures, governance, and management policies are implemented, involving stakeholders and local community rights, with periodic assessments and reporting of conservation outcomes obtained overtime. |
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