Artificial recruitment in coastal zone management

Abstract

Coastal zones are home to the bulk of the population for coastal states, and account for a considerable share of a country’s economic activities, being highly valued by society for the non-marketable goods and services they provide. The coastal zone supports unique and especially fragile ecosystems that tend to have high biological productivity, being areas of great environmental and aesthetic value. The reproduction and nursery grounds of many fish and shellfish species of economic value are in the coastal zones, and a significant proportion of the catch of these species comes from this area. Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is a process for the management of the coast using an integrated approach, regarding all aspects of the coastal zone, including geographical and political boundaries, in an attempt to achieve sustainability. A modern method of sustainable management of fisheries resources, contributing to the recovery of fish stocks, is the creation of marine protected areas (MPA). Artificial reefs are a form of an MPA and have been proposed as a potential tool for the restoration of marine habitats. The objectives of creating an artificial reef include the creation of a refuge for aquatic organisms, helping to maintain and/or increase biodiversity, enhance fish production through the protection of juvenile stages from predators and fishing gear. Three principal tactics are available to fishery managers to replenish depleted stocks and manage fishery yields. Namely the regulation of fishing effort, the restoration and/or protection of degraded nursery and spawning habitats, and the increase in recruitment through propagation and release (stock enhancement) in specifically selected areas. The first two methods are the basis for the current approach for managing marine fisheries worldwide. The potential of the third method did not demonstrate evidence of increased yield in the past. However faced with declining stocks and an expanding world population, managers worldwide are looking at marine enhancement with renewed interest. Declining marine populations in combination with global increasing demand, have highlighted an interest in marine fish enhancement. Technological advances in fish tagging and marine finfish culture have provided a basis for successful hatchery-based marine enhancement. However a responsible approach is imperative to developing, evaluating and managing marine stock enhancement programs. Given the worldwide decline in fisheries catch rates, bold new initiatives are needed to revitalize fisheries. It is imperative to preserve existing stocks and work to restore and increase the harvest levels of these stocks using a combination marine stock enhancement programs, artificial reefs, habitat protection and fish effort regulation. The coastal zone is a difficult area to manage due to temporal issues (current, tides and seasons) and the overlapping of physical geography and hydrography (inshore, shoreline, offshore), of jurisdictions, legal mandates and the remits of government agencies and the often competing needs of stakeholders. Management must embrace a holistic viewpoint of the functions that makeup the complex and dynamic nature of interactions in the coastal environment. An optimal balance between environmental protection and the development of economic and social sectors is paramount. © 2016 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.