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Huveneers C, Blount C, Bradshaw CJA, Butcher PA, Lincoln Smith MP, Macbeth WG, McPhee DP, Moltschaniwskyj N, Peddemors VM, Green M. Shifts in the incidence of shark bites and efficacy of beach-focussed mitigation in Australia. Mar Pollut Bull 2024; 198:115855. [PMID: 38043202 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Shark-human interactions are some of the most pervasive human-wildlife conflicts, and their frequencies are increasing globally. New South Wales (Australia) was the first to implement a broad-scale program of shark-bite mitigation in 1937 using shark nets, which expanded in the late 2010s to include non-lethal measures. Using 196 unprovoked shark-human interactions recorded in New South Wales since 1900, we show that bites shifted from being predominantly on swimmers to 79 % on surfers by the 1980s and increased 2-4-fold. We could not detect differences in the interaction rate at netted versus non-netted beaches since the 2000s, partly because of low incidence and high variance. Although shark-human interactions continued to occur at beaches with tagged-shark listening stations, there were no interactions while SMART drumlines and/or drones were deployed. Our effect-size analyses show that a small increase in the difference between mitigated and non-mitigated beaches could indicate reductions in shark-human interactions. Area-based protection alone is insufficient to reduce shark-human interactions, so we propose a new, globally transferable approach to minimise risk of shark bite more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Huveneers
- Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia.
| | - Craig Blount
- Stantec Australia Pty Ltd., St Leonards, New South Wales 1590, Australia
| | - Corey J A Bradshaw
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
| | - Paul A Butcher
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, National Marine Science Centre, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales 2450, Australia; Southern Cross University, National Marine Science Centre, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales 2450, Australia
| | - Marcus P Lincoln Smith
- Stantec Australia Pty Ltd., St Leonards, New South Wales 1590, Australia; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - William G Macbeth
- Stantec Australia Pty Ltd., St Leonards, New South Wales 1590, Australia
| | - Daryl P McPhee
- Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4229, Australia
| | - Natalie Moltschaniwskyj
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Nelson Bay, New South Wales 2315, Australia; School of Environmental Science, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - Victor M Peddemors
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales 2088, Australia
| | - Marcel Green
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales 2088, Australia
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Ogier EM, Smith DC, Breen S, Gardner C, Gaughan DJ, Gorfine HK, Hobday AJ, Moltschaniwskyj N, Murphy R, Saunders T, Steer M, Woodhams J. Initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian fisheries production, research organisations and assessment: shocks, responses and implications for decision support and resilience. Rev Fish Biol Fish 2023; 33:513-534. [PMID: 37122955 PMCID: PMC9977636 DOI: 10.1007/s11160-023-09760-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Australia's fisheries have experience in responding individually to specific shocks to stock levels (for example, marine heatwaves, floods) and markets (for example, global financial crisis, food safety access barriers). The COVID-19 pandemic was, however, novel in triggering a series of systemic shocks and disruptions to the activities and operating conditions for all Australia's commercial fisheries sectors including those of the research agencies that provide the information needed for their sustainable management. While these disruptions have a single root cause-the public health impacts and containment responses to the COVID-19 pandemic-their transmission and effects have been varied. We examine both the impacts on Australian fisheries triggered by measures introduced by governments both internationally and domestically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, and the countermeasures introduced to support continuity in fisheries and aquaculture production and supply chains. Impacts on fisheries production are identified by comparing annual and monthly catch data for Australia's commercial fisheries in 2020 with averages for the last 4-5 years. We combine this with a survey of the short-term disruption to and impacts on research organisations engaged in fisheries monitoring and assessment and the adaptive measures they deployed. The dominant impact identified was triggered by containment measures both within Australia and in export receiving countries which led to loss of export markets and domestic dine-in markets for live or fresh seafood. The most heavily impact fisheries included lobster and abalone (exported live) and specific finfishes (exported fresh or sold live domestically), which experienced short-term reductions in both production and price. At the same time, improved prices and demand for seafood sold into domestic retail channels were observed. The impacts observed were both a function of the disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the countermeasures and support programs introduced by various national and state-level governments across Australia to at least partly mitigate negative impacts on harvesting activities and supply chains. These included protecting fisheries activities from specific restrictive COVID-19 containment measures, pro-actively re-establishing freight links, supporting quota roll-overs, and introducing wage and businesses support packages. Fisheries research organisations were impacted to various degrees, largely determined by the extent to which their field monitoring activities were protected from specific restrictive COVID-19 containment measures by their state-level governments. Responses of these organisations included reducing fisheries dependent and independent data collection as required while developing strategies to continue to provide assessment services, including opportunistic innovations to harvest data from new data sources. Observed short run impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has emphasised both the vulnerability of fisheries dependent on export markets, live or fresh markets, and long supply chains and the resilience of fisheries research programs. We suggest that further and more comprehensive analysis over a longer time period of the long-run impacts of subsequent waves of variants, extended pandemic containment measures, autonomous and planned adaptive responses would be beneficial for the development of more effective counter measures for when the next major external shock affects Australian fisheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M. Ogier
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, Hobart, TAS Australia
| | - David C. Smith
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, Hobart, TAS Australia
| | - Sian Breen
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Caleb Gardner
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Daniel J. Gaughan
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, North Beach, WA Australia
| | - Harry K. Gorfine
- Fisheries Management and Science Branch, Victorian Fisheries Authority, Queenscliff, VIC Australia
| | - Alistair J. Hobday
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, Hobart, TAS Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Hobart, TAS Australia
| | | | - Ryan Murphy
- Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Canberra, ACT Australia
| | - Thor Saunders
- Department of Primary Industries, Sydney, NSW Australia
- Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade, Fisheries Division, Darwin, NT Australia
| | - Mike Steer
- Aquatic and Livestock Sciences Division, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - James Woodhams
- Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Canberra, ACT Australia
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McLuckie C, Moltschaniwskyj N, Gaston T, Taylor MD. Effects of reduced pH on an estuarine penaeid shrimp (Metapenaeus macleayi). Environ Pollut 2021; 268:115929. [PMID: 33162210 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Acid sulfate soils are a major problem in modified coastal floodplains and are thought to have substantial impacts on estuarine species. In New South Wales, Australia, acid sulfate soils occur in every estuary and are thought to impact important fisheries species, such as Eastern School Prawn (Metapenaeus macleayi). These fisheries have experienced declining productivity over the last ten years and increasing occurrence of catchment-derived stressors in estuaries contribute to this problem. We evaluated the effect of pH 4-7.5 on School Prawn survival at two salinities (27 and 14.5), pH 5, 6 and 7.5 on the predation escape response (PER) speed at two salinities (27 and 14.5), and pH 4 and 7.5 on respiration rates. While mortality appeared to be greater in the high salinity treatment, there was no significant relationship between proportional survival and pH for either salinity treatment. Respiration was significantly slower under acidic conditions and the average PER was almost twice as fast at pH 7.5 compared to pH 5 (p < 0.05), indicating prawns may fall prey to predation more easily in acidic conditions. These findings confirm the hypothesised impacts of acidic water on penaeid prawns. Given that the conditions simulated in these experiments reflect those encountered in estuaries, acidic runoff may be contributing to bottlenecks for estuarine species and impacting fisheries productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine McLuckie
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, 2308, Australia.
| | - Natalie Moltschaniwskyj
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, 2308, Australia; Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, New South Wales, 2315, Australia
| | - Troy Gaston
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, New South Wales, 2315, Australia
| | - Matthew D Taylor
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, 2308, Australia; Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, New South Wales, 2315, Australia
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McLuckie C, Moltschaniwskyj N, Gaston T, Dunstan RH, Crompton M, Butcherine P, Benkendorff K, Taylor MD. Lethal and sub-lethal effects of environmentally relevant levels of imidacloprid pesticide to Eastern School Prawn, Metapenaeus macleayi. Sci Total Environ 2020; 742:140449. [PMID: 32640399 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are frequently employed to enhance agricultural production. Neonicotinoid pesticides (including imidacloprid) are often used to control sucking insects but have been shown to impact aquatic crustaceans. Imidacloprid is highly water soluble and has been detected in estuaries where it has been applied in adjacent catchments. We examined the impact of environmentally relevant concentrations of imidacloprid on Eastern School Prawn (Metapenaeus macleayi), an important exploited crustacean in Australia. Prawns were held for 8 days in estuarine water containing 0-4 μg L-1 of imidacloprid to assess potential lethal and non-lethal impacts. There was a non-linear relationship between exposure concentration and tissue concentration, with tissue concentrations peaking at exposures of 1.4 μg L-1 (1.16 to 1.64 μg L-1, 90% C.I.). There was no evidence for direct mortality associated with imidacloprid exposure, but exposure did influence the organism metabolome which likely reflects alterations in metabolic homeostasis, such as changes in the fatty acid composition which indicate a shift in lipid homeostasis. There was a positive correlation between exposure concentration and moulting frequency. Shedding of the exoskeleton may represent a mechanism through which prawns can expel the contaminant from their bodies. These results indicate that prawns experience several different sub-lethal effects when exposed to these pesticides, which may have implications for the health of populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine McLuckie
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
| | - Natalie Moltschaniwskyj
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia; Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, New South Wales 2315, Australia
| | - Troy Gaston
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, New South Wales 2315, Australia
| | - R Hugh Dunstan
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - Marcus Crompton
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - Peter Butcherine
- National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, 2 Bay Drive, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales 2480, Australia
| | - Kirsten Benkendorff
- National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, 2 Bay Drive, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales 2480, Australia
| | - Matthew D Taylor
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia; Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, New South Wales 2315, Australia
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Harasti D, Davis TR, Jordan A, Erskine L, Moltschaniwskyj N. Illegal recreational fishing causes a decline in a fishery targeted species (Snapper: Chrysophrys auratus) within a remote no-take marine protected area. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209926. [PMID: 30620736 PMCID: PMC6324809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
One role of Marine Protected Areas is to protect biodiversity; however, illegal fishing activity can reduce the effectiveness of protection. Quantifying illegal fishing effort within no-take MPAs is difficult and the impacts of illegal fishing on biodiversity are poorly understood. To provide an assessment of illegal fishing activity, a surveillance camera was deployed at the Seal Rocks no-take area within the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park from April 2017-March 2018. To assess impacts of illegal fishing activity in the no-take area, Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVs) were used to quantify abundance and size of snapper Chrysophrys auratus from 2011-2017. BRUVs were also deployed at two nearby fished locations and two other no-take areas to allow comparison. Over 12 months of camera surveillance, a total of 108 recreational vessels were observed illegally fishing within the no-take area (avg 9.0 ± 0.9 per month). The greatest number of vessels detected in a single month was 14 and the longest a vessel was observed fishing was ~ 6 hours. From 2011-2017, the abundance of C. auratus within the Seal Rocks no-take area significantly declined by 55%, whilst the abundance within the other fished areas and no-take areas did not significantly decline over the same period. Lengths of C. auratus in the Seal Rocks no-take area were significantly smaller in 2017 compared to 2013 which was driven by a decline in the number of legal sized fish over 30 cm. Based on mean number of illegal fishers per vessel recorded in the no-take area, and an allowable bag limit of 10 C. auratus per person, it is possible that more than 2,000 C. auratus are removed annually from this no-take area. There is a strong likelihood that illegal recreational fishing is causing a reduction on a fishery targeted species within a no-take MPA and measures need to be implemented to reduce the ongoing illegal fishing pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Harasti
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Tom R. Davis
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia
| | - Alan Jordan
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia
| | - Luke Erskine
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia
| | - Natalie Moltschaniwskyj
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia
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Taylor MD, Fry B, Becker A, Moltschaniwskyj N. Recruitment and connectivity influence the role of seagrass as a penaeid nursery habitat in a wave dominated estuary. Sci Total Environ 2017; 584-585:622-630. [PMID: 28131456 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Estuaries provide a diverse mosaic of habitats which support both juveniles and adults of exploited species. In particular, estuaries play an important role in the early life history of many penaeid prawn species. This study used a combination of stable isotope ecology and quantitative sampling to examine recruitment and the nursery function of seagrass habitats for Eastern King Prawn (Penaeus [Melicertus] plebejus), and the processes that contributed to this nursery role. Stable isotopes were used to assign prawns joining the adult stock to putative nursery habitat areas within the estuary. Emigrating prawns originated from only 11 of the 20 sites surveyed. Of these, 8 sites were designated as Effective Juvenile Habitat (EJH), and 5 sites designated as Nursery Habitat (NH). The contribution of individuals from different nursery areas to the adult stock was related to both the abundance of prawns within an area and the distance to the mouth of the estuary, and with the exception of 1 site all EJH and NH were located in the northern section of the estuary. Quantitative sampling in this area indicated that prawns were present at an average density of 165±11 per 100m2, and density formed non-linear relationships with the distance to the mouth of the estuary, seagrass cover and temperature. Prawn size also formed non-linear relationships with prawn density and seagrass cover. Spatial patterns in abundance were consistent with wind-driven recruitment patterns, which in turn affected the nursery role of particular areas within the system. These findings have implications for targeted fishery restoration efforts for both Eastern King Prawn and other ocean spawned species in wave dominated estuaries where circulation is primarily wind-driven.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Taylor
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Taylors Beach Rd, Taylors Beach, New South Wales, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Brian Fry
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alistair Becker
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Taylors Beach Rd, Taylors Beach, New South Wales, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Moltschaniwskyj
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Taylors Beach Rd, Taylors Beach, New South Wales, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
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Hughes TP, Rodrigues MJ, Bellwood DR, Ceccarelli D, Hoegh-Guldberg O, McCook L, Moltschaniwskyj N, Pratchett MS, Steneck RS, Willis B. Phase shifts, herbivory, and the resilience of coral reefs to climate change. Curr Biol 2007; 17:360-5. [PMID: 17291763 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2006.12.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 516] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2006] [Revised: 12/18/2006] [Accepted: 12/18/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Many coral reefs worldwide have undergone phase shifts to alternate, degraded assemblages because of the combined effects of over-fishing, declining water quality, and the direct and indirect impacts of climate change. Here, we experimentally manipulated the density of large herbivorous fishes to test their influence on the resilience of coral assemblages in the aftermath of regional-scale bleaching in 1998, the largest coral mortality event recorded to date. The experiment was undertaken on the Great Barrier Reef, within a no-fishing reserve where coral abundances and diversity had been sharply reduced by bleaching. In control areas, where fishes were abundant, algal abundance remained low, whereas coral cover almost doubled (to 20%) over a 3 year period, primarily because of recruitment of species that had been locally extirpated by bleaching. In contrast, exclusion of large herbivorous fishes caused a dramatic explosion of macroalgae, which suppressed the fecundity, recruitment, and survival of corals. Consequently, management of fish stocks is a key component in preventing phase shifts and managing reef resilience. Importantly, local stewardship of fishing effort is a tractable goal for conservation of reefs, and this local action can also provide some insurance against larger-scale disturbances such as mass bleaching, which are impractical to manage directly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terence P Hughes
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia.
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