The Future of Fisheries Science in North America


Book Description

Fisheries science in North America is changing in response to a changing climate, new technologies, an ecosystem approach to management and new thinking about the processes affecting stock and recruitment. Authors of the 34 chapters review the science in their particular fields and use their experience to develop informed opinions about the future. Everyone associated with fish, fisheries and fisheries management will find material that will stimulate their thinking about the future. Readers will be impressed with the potential for new discoveries, but disturbed by how much needs to be done in fisheries science if we are to sustain North American fisheries in our changing climate. Officials that manage or fund fisheries science will appreciate the urgency for the new information needed for the stewardship of fish populations and their ecosystems. Research organizations may want to keep some extra copies for a future look back into the thoughts of a wide range of fisheries professionals. Fisheries science has been full of surprises with some of the surprises having major economic impacts. It is important to minimize these impacts as the demand for seafood increases and the complexities of fisheries management increase.




Fisheries Acoustics


Book Description




Introductory Fisheries Analyses with R


Book Description

A How-To Guide for Conducting Common Fisheries-Related Analyses in R Introductory Fisheries Analyses with R provides detailed instructions on performing basic fisheries stock assessment analyses in the R environment. Accessible to practicing fisheries scientists as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students, the book demonstrates the flexibility and power of R, offers insight into the reproducibility of script-based analyses, and shows how the use of R leads to more efficient and productive work in fisheries science. The first three chapters present a minimal introduction to the R environment that builds a foundation for the fisheries-specific analyses in the remainder of the book. These chapters help you become familiar with R for basic fisheries analyses and graphics. Subsequent chapters focus on methods to analyze age comparisons, age-length keys, size structure, weight-length relationships, condition, abundance (from capture-recapture and depletion data), mortality rates, individual growth, and the stock-recruit relationship. The fundamental statistical methods of linear regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and nonlinear regression are demonstrated within the contexts of these common fisheries analyses. For each analysis, the author completely explains the R functions and provides sufficient background information so that you can confidently implement each method. Web Resource The author’s website at http://derekogle.com/IFAR/ includes the data files and R code for each chapter, enabling you to reproduce the results in the book as well as create your own scripts. The site also offers supplemental code for more advanced analyses and practice exercises for every chapter.




Edible Sea Urchins: Biology and Ecology


Book Description

Sea urchins are a major component of marine environments found throughout the world's oceans. A major model for research in developmental biology, they are also of major economic importance in many regions and interest in their management and aquaculture has increased greatly in recent years. This book provides a synthesis of biological and ecological characteristics of sea urchins that are of basic scientific interest and also essential for effective fisheries management and aquaculture. General chapters consider characteristics of sea urchins as a whole. In addition, specific chapters are devoted to the ecology of 17 species that are of major commercial interest and ecological importance. Features include: • A synthesis of what is known about the basic biological characteristics of the sea urchin, useful for the direction of future research. • Case histories of 17 species that illustrate their ecological role in a variety of environments. • With the catastrophic decline in fisheries resulting primarily from over-fishing, it is essential that the populations be managed effectively and that aquaculture be developed. This book provides knowledge of the biology and ecology of the commercially important sea urchins that will contribute to these goals. • The only book available in present literature devoted to sea urchins. With this new title experts provide a broad synthetic treatment and in depth analysis of the biology and ecology of sea urchins from around the world, designed to provide an understanding of the group and the basis for fisheries management and aquaculture.




Sustainable Fishery Systems


Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive attempt to adopt an 'integrated' interdisciplinary approach to the study of fisheries. Fisheries are discussed as holistic 'systems', with emphasis on their structure, operation and dynamics. The book's interdisciplinary approach is applied to an analysis of problems faced in pursuing 'sustainable fisheries', with emphasis on six dominant themes: sustainability, uncertainty, complexity, conflict, fishing rights and the nature of management. Within this discussion, several major directions in current fishery thinking are explored, notably the precautionary approach, the ecosystem approach, co-management, and robust management for resilient fisheries.




Fishing in New Mexico


Book Description

New Mexico is an angler's delight. It has more than a thousand miles of fishable creeks, streams, and rivers and almost a quarter-million surface acres of lakes and reservoirs. This book is a complete guide to fishing in all of these waters. Over two hundred public, private, and Indian reservation-fishing areas are covered. From the state's two best-known fishing areas--the San Juan river and Elephant Butte Reservoir--to all of the waters associated with the state's ten drainages, this book provides detailed information for each site on location, size, depth, shoreline description, fish species, suggested angling techniques, seasonal fishing reports, road access, camping and boating facilities, and handicapped accessibility. This book is sure to become indispensable to two types of anglers: beginners, young and old, who want to take up the sport, and veterans--including newcomers to the state--who seek up-to-date information on all species of coldwater and warm water sport fish in New Mexico.




Biology of Oysters


Book Description

Biology of Oysters offers scientific insights into the structure and function of oysters. Written by an expert in the field of shellfish research, this book presents more than 50 years of empirical research literature. It provides an understanding of the edible oysters, in order to equip students and researchers with the background needed to undertake further investigations on this model marine invertebrate. Presents empirical research findings in context with the relevant theory and its expression in computer models Includes information on studies of other bivalve species such as mussels and clams Offers a description of the whole organism to provide a frame of reference for further research Includes research developments in the phylogeny, physiology and ecology of oysters




Sturgeons and Paddlefish of North America


Book Description

Modern North American sturgeons and paddlefish are the result of 100 million years of evolution. Once an integral part of aboriginal culture, their numbers were decimated by overfishing and habitat destruction during the past two centuries. This book details the extensive science aimed at helping these remarkable species recover from the brink of extinction, and describes the historical, biological, and ecological importance of North American sturgeon and paddlefish. The text is enhanced by photographs and detailed line drawings. This comprehensive volume will be an invaluable resource for researchers, educators, and consultants, in academic and government settings, who work to further scientific understanding of these fishes. No other single compilation has documented current information in such detail.




Scallops: Biology, Ecology and Aquaculture


Book Description

Scallops are among the better known shellfish and are widely distributed throughout the world. They are of great economic importance, support both commercial fisheries and mariculture efforts and occupy a unique niche in the marine environment. Contributions from world leaders in scallop research and culture cover all facets of scallop biology including anatomy, taxonomy, physiology, ecology, larval biology and neurobiology. Chapters are also devoted to diseases and parasites, genetics, population dynamics and the adductor muscle, with extensive reference lists provided for each chapter. Since the publication of the first edition of Scallops: Biology, Ecology and Aquaculture in 1991, commercial interest in scallops has grown globally and this is reflected in the seventeen extensive chapters covering both fisheries and aquaculture for all species of scallops in all countries where they are fished or cultured. The Second Edition is the only comprehensive treatise on the biology of scallops and is the definitive reference source for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, mariculturists, managers and researchers. It is a valuable reference for anyone interested in staying abreast of the latest advances in scallops. * Offers over 30 detailed chapters on the developments and ecology of scallops* Provides chapters on various cultures of scallops in China, Japan, Scandinivia, Eastern North American, Europe, and Eastern North America* Includes details of their reproduction, nervous system and behavior, genetics, disease and parasites, and much more* Complete updated version of the first edition




Fish Population Dynamics, Monitoring, and Management


Book Description

This book explores how we can solve the urgent problem of optimizing the use of variable, uncertain but finite fisheries resources while maintaining sustainability from a marine-ecosystem conservation perspective. It offers readers a broad understanding of the current methods and theory for sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, and introduces recent findings and technological developments. The book is divided into three parts: Part I discusses fish stock dynamics, and illustrates how ecological processes affecting life cycles and biological interactions in marine environments lead to fish stock variability in space and time in major fish groups; small pelagic fish, demersal fish and large predatory fish. These insights shed light on the mechanisms underlying the variability in fish stocks and form the essential biological basis for fisheries management. Part II addresses the technologies and systems that monitor changes in fisheries resources and marine ecosystems using two approaches: fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data. It also describes acoustic surveys and biological sampling, as well as stock assessment methods. Part III examines management models for effectively assessing the natural variability in fisheries resources. The authors explore ways of determining the allowable catch in response to changes in stock abundance and how to incorporate ecological processes and monitoring procedures into management models. This book offers readers a broad understanding of sustainable exploitation as well as insights into fisheries management for the next generation.