Can periodically-harvested closures provide benefits to small-scale multi-species fisheries? This is the question the researchers, Cohen and Alexander sought to test in the Solomon Islands. They found that 6 of 8 finfish species harvested from closures were larger (11.5% average difference in weight) than fish from continuously-fished reefs. Catch rates were significantly higher for gleaning invertebrates, but not for fish, or line and spear fishing. Catch rates declined after the first week of harvest for gleaning and line fishing. This information is important because while there may be some short-term benefits to fishers, the sustainability of this management approach will depend on the frequency and levels of fishing during harvests of closed areas. And it appears that periodically-harvested closures may be better suited to short-lived, sedentary or sessile organisms. No evidence of benefits of closures to the management of multi-species fin-fisheries was found in this study. But this type of management, which is common in the Indo-Pacific, may meet the needs of temporary increases in productivity for social (celebratory feasts) and economic reasons. Having a diversity of fisheries management strategies is recommended for areas with periodically-harvested closures.
Author: Cohen, P.J. and T.J. Alexander
Year: 2013
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PLoS ONE 8(9): e73383. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073383
