Saving Seafood

N.C. Study: Warmer Water Linked to Higher Proportion of Male Flounder

April 30, 2019 — If southern flounder live in warmer water during a critical window of early development, a higher percentage become male – more than 90 percent in some cases – research from North Carolina State University found. Having a high proportion of adult males over the long term could threaten both wild populations and the valuable commercial fishing industry, which depends on larger female flounder.

Field research and lab experiments showed that a four-degree Celsius difference in average water temperature during juvenile development shifted the male-female ratio from about 50-50 to as much as 94-6, says Jamie Honeycutt, an NC State postdoctoral researcher and lead author of an article about the research in Scientific Reports. That difference is within the range of expected ocean temperature increases under climate change models.

Environmental factors such as water temperature influence sex determination in southern flounder, as well as in other fish and reptiles, Honeycutt explains. Flounder stick to shallow waters that serve as nurseries until after they become male or a female, hanging around estuaries until reaching maturity before returning to the ocean to spawn at about age 2.

“We think that southern flounder have a genetic sex-determining system similar to humans, who have two X chromosomes for a female and an X and a Y for a male. In flounder, if an individual is a genetic male, it is destined to be male,” Honeycutt says. “However, if a genetic female is exposed to temperature extremes, then it can develop as a functioning male.”

Read the full story at North Carolina State University

During abrupt warming, lobsters in acidic water have reduced heart function, fewer infection-fighting cells

April 25, 2019 — Ocean acidification and warming may be an unhealthy combination for lobsters, say University of Maine scientists.

The heart rates of lobsters (Homarus americanus) who lived 60 days in water with predicted end-century  pH levels became erratic significantly sooner during an abrupt warming event than those of lobsters in ocean water with current pH levels.

The findings could be “likened to putting people on a treadmill and finding that people exposed to  fell off the treadmill from exhaustion much sooner than those not exposed,” says Heather Hamlin, a reproductive endocrinologist and associate professor in the School of Marine Sciences.

The lobsters exposed to acidic ocean conditions also had fewer cells that fight infection in their hemolymph (similar to blood), says Amalia Harrington, a recent marine biology Ph.D. graduate.

So while lobsters in acidic  may look and act normal, they experience physiological challenges when exposed to multiple stressors, says Hamlin.

She and Harrington tested adolescent female lobsters transitioning to adulthood. Effects of environmental stressors during this stage could have major impacts on the population of the species, say the researchers, who believe this is the first such study of its kind.

“We’re really trying to get at the ‘hidden’  on this understudied but extremely important stage of the American lobster,” says Harrington.

“Most of the previous work exploring climate change impacts on American lobster has focused on early developmental stages (eggs and larvae). While this is helpful for understanding how environmental change might impact the number of baby lobsters that survive their time in the plankton and make it to the seafloor, it doesn’t really tell us what impact that will have on the population as a whole.”

Read the full story at PHYS.org

Ocean-Dwelling Species Are Disappearing Twice as Quickly as Land Animals

April 26, 2019 — Marine animals are twice as vulnerable to climate change-driven habitat loss as their land-dwelling counterparts, a new survey published in the journal Nature finds.

As Mark Kaufman reports for Mashable, the analysis—centered on around 400 cold-blooded species, including fish, mollusks, crustaceans and lizards—suggests marine creatures are ill-equipped to adapt to rising temperatures and, unlike land animals that can seek shelter in the shade or a burrow, largely unable to escape the heat.

“You don’t have anywhere to go,” Natalya Gallo, a marine ecologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography who was not involved in the study, tells Kaufman. “Maybe you can hide under a kelp leaf, but the entire water around you has warmed.”

Speaking with National Geographic’s Christina Nunez, lead author Malin Pinsky, an ecologist and evolutionary biologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey, further explains that ocean dwellers “live in an environment that, historically, hasn’t changed temperature all that much.”

Given that cold-blooded creatures rely on their surroundings to regulate body temperature, relatively stable marine ecosystems have actually made their inhabitants more susceptible to significant temperature changes. And while ocean temperatures are still much lower than those on land, as Anthony J. Richardson and David S. Schoeman point out in an accompanying Nature News and Views piece, marine heat waves, increased carbon dioxide pollution and other products of global warming are driving Earth’s oceans to higher temperatures than ever before.

To assess the threat posed by warming waters, Pinsky and her colleagues calculated “thermal safety margins” for 318 terrestrial and 88 marine animals. According to Motherboard’s Becky Ferreira, this measure represents the difference between a species’ upper heat tolerance and its body temperature at both full heat exposure and in “thermal refuge,” or cooled down sanctuaries ranging from shady forests to the depths of the ocean.

Read the full story at Smithsonian.com

Climate change’s deadliest effects are unfolding under the sea

April 26, 2019 — Think of the dangers climate change poses to animals, and you’ll likely picture skinny polar bears or cliff-diving walruses (collective sob). But it turns out that our overheating planet is actually wreaking the most havoc on creatures out of our sight: marine life.

Sea animals like crabs, lobster, and fish are dying off at twice the rate of land animals, according to a study published in Nature on Wednesday.

The researchers looked at more than 400 cold-blooded animals on land and sea, including lizards, dragonflies, lobsters, and mussels. They found that creatures that people rely on for food (fish, mollusks, shellfish) are among the most vulnerable, especially in the developing world, where many rely on them for a regular protein source.

Read the full story at Grist

NOAA: Scientists Monitor Coral Reef Ecosystems Throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago

April 22, 2019 — The following was published by NOAA Fisheries:

Our scientists and managers depend on research surveys to monitor the status and trends of the coral reef ecosystems across the Hawaiian Archipelago over time. Coral reefs around the globe, including Hawaiʻi, are threatened by climate change, disease, land-based sources of pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices.

During expeditions this spring and summer, teams of scientific divers from NOAA’s Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program will assess reef fish and corals in the context of changing environmental conditions. They will collect images of the ocean floor to create 3D models of the reefs. The abundance and distribution of reef fish and coral reef organisms are used to characterize the conditions and integrity of our coral reef ecosystems. Over time, we can see how they have changed—an important part of managing and conserving reef-associated life in the region.

This expedition marks the 20th anniversary of the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program’s inception in 2000, and will be conducted using the NOAA Ships Oscar Elton Sette and Rainier. We will add our research this season to collections from baseline monitoring surveys across the Pacific and in Hawaiʻi in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2016.

Study Locations

The Sette will survey the main Hawaiian Islands: Kauaʻi, Niʻihau, Maui, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Oʻahu, and the island of Hawaiʻi. The Rainier will survey portions of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands: French Frigate Shoals, Lisianski/Neva Shoals, Pearl, and Hermes Atoll, and Kure Atoll. At each site, the ships will deploy small boats to reach study areas, including locations along the leeward and windward exposures, near the channels between islands, and in forereefs, backreefs, and lagoons.

Of particular note, our researchers are fortunate to return to the protected island of Kahoʻolawe, where few people have access. Kahoʻolawe was once a bombing range for the U.S. Navy, and it is now an island reserve under the state of Hawaiʻi.

Following our initial visit in 2016, this expedition is the second time that our program will survey the reef systems of Kahoʻolawe. Those surveys found that the reefs in certain areas were in good condition, and roving predators such as jacks were abundant when compared with other sites around the main Hawaiian Islands.

Research Methods

As the threats to coral reefs and marine ecosystems grow, our researchers lean more heavily on digital imaging to increase our monitoring capabilities.

We create a mosaic (2D) and 3D model of an area using structure from motion, a photogrammetry technique (mapping using the distance between objects). It estimates 3D structures by aligning 100s to 1000s of overlapping images.

Combining seafloor images to create 3D models of large areas of reef tract is a process called “structure-from-motion” photogrammetry, which is a new effort for our program. During this mission, we will conduct structure-from-motion surveys across the archipelago to measure the density, surface area, partial mortality, and health of corals. Our team will conduct structure-from-motion surveys at fixed stations to assess the growth, mortality, and recruitment of individual coral colonies, which will provide valuable information on the resilience of coral reefs to local and global threats.

Scientists aboard the Sette and Rainier will measure water temperature, salinity, carbonate chemistry, and other physical characteristics of the coral reef environment with an assortment of oceanographic monitoring instruments. Researchers will assess the potential early effects of ocean acidification on coral reef growth with calcification accretion units and bioerosion monitoring units.

This story was originally posted by NOAA Fisheries

California Considers Sport Crab Fishery for Action Relating to Whale Entanglement

April 19, 2019 — The California Fish and Game Commission is proactively working to avoid further whale entanglements — and further lawsuits.

On Wednesday the Commission approved the Marine Resources Committee to take up the issue of recreational crab fishing, and possibly other fixed gear fisheries, and its potential to entangle whales. The commercial fleet early on questioned why other fisheries, particularly sport fisheries, were not subject to the same scrutiny as the commercial sector.

The commercial season closed earlier this week, on April 15, as part of a settlement agreement between the Center for Biological Diversity, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, which intervened on the case.

CDFW Director Charlton “Chuck” Bonham said during the introduction that, despite a lot of the rhetoric, the increase in whale entanglements in 2015 and 2016 were examples of the real-life impacts of climate change. While the commercial crab season was delayed for months due to elevated levels of domoic acid, whales also ventured closer to shore in search of prey species. Both of those events were linked to warmer ocean waters.

Bonham said during the progression of the lawsuit, the department concluded the judge was likely to rule against the state. Had that happened, the court could have become a “special master” of the crab fishery, he said, and that inserting a federal judge in the management of the fishery wouldn’t make it any easier.

Thus, the state proceeded with settlement discussions between all three parties and began working with NOAA to establish a habitat conservation plan for the whales and get an incidental take permit for the fishery. The process could take up to two years. In the meantime, for some areas, particularly south of Mendocino County, the commercial fishery is scheduled to close on April 1.

The state also is accelerating its rulemaking activities relative to gear, furthering its gear retrieval program, restricting buoy and line configurations and furthering support for the Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group, Bonham said.

However, there’s also an equity issue, he said.

“It’s time to think about a refined approach to how we manage fixed gear in the water,” noting that recreational crab fishing could have similar issues with whale entanglements as the commercial crabbers have had.

PCFFA Executive Director supported the director’s comments.

“You can’t overstate the impact,” Oppenheim said of the effect on commercial fishermen and processors. “[It was] a seismic shock to our industry.”

The confidential nature of the settlement discussions did not allow any of the parties to discuss potential solutions with the broader fleet, leaving many crabbers frustrated when the agreement was finally disclosed. The fleet had less than a month to remove their gear from the water.

Oppenheim described the past few months as the worst period of his professional career, but it pales in comparison to the livelihoods of his members, he said. Many fishermen are losing the spring fishery on which they depend. Others had to delay their fishing seasons due to elevated levels of domoic acid, so the early closure only made things worse.

Now, recreational fishermen and other fixed gear fishermen may face the same quandary. Entanglements in other fisheries could have an impact on the settlement agreement.

Sport fishermen noted there are vast differences between commercial and sport crabbing gear and sport fishermen should not be subject to the same settlement agreement.

It’s manifestly unfair to apply that settlement on parties who had no representation to the discussion, said George Osborne, a lobbyist for the Coastside Fishing Club. Osborn said the club insists that any management measures on recreational crabbers be proportionate to the degree that anglers may be contributing to the whale and turtle entanglements.

Commission President Eric Sklar said the commission and managers recognize the differences between the fisheries.

The Marine Resources Committee will continue the discussion when it meets on July 11.

This article was republished with permission from SeafoodNews.com

REMINDER: April 23 Webinar on Fishery Allocation Under Climate Change

April 19, 2019 — The following was released by the Lenfest Ocean Program:

How should harvest of valuable fish stocks be allocated as populations shift due to climate change? What lessons can be learned from the management practices in other regions and nations to inform allocation strategies for shifting stocks along the U.S. Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coasts? On Tuesday, April 23, at 2:00 PM Eastern time/11:00 AM Pacific time the Lenfest Ocean Program will host a webinar featuring Dr. Andrew Pershing, Dr. Lisa Kerr, Mr. Jonathan Labaree, and Dr. Kanae Tokunaga, all of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, to discuss their project characterizing different fishery allocation systems from around the world and their potential for application in the U.S. Download the fact sheet to learn more about this project.

Click here to register

Webinar Instructions:

  • Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2019
  • Time: 2:00 PM Eastern time/11:00 AM Pacific time

For remote access:

  • Please fill out the registration form before the event is scheduled to begin.
  • Event number: 791 597 316
  • Event password: StockShifts2019

For teleconference audio after you join the webinar, either:

  1. Select “Call Using Computer”
  2. Select “Call me” and provide your phone number
  3. Call the number below and enter the access code:
    1. In the U.S. and Canada, dial 1-855-214-7745.
    2. For additional global call in numbers click here.
  4. Enter conference code 396 957 5461
  5. After dialing the conference code:
    1. Be sure to enter the Attendee ID that will appear on your screen.
    2. You will not be prompted to do so

Pace of Bering Sea Changes Startles Scientists

April 15, 2019 — The Yupik Eskimo village of Kotlik on Alaska’s northwest coast relies on a cold, hard blanket of sea ice to protect homes from vicious winter Bering Sea storms.

Frigid north winds blow down from the Arctic Ocean, freeze saltwater and push sea ice south. The ice normally prevents waves from forming and locks onto beaches, walling off villages. But not this year.

In February, southwest winds brought warm air and turned thin sea ice into “snow cone ice” that melted or blew off. When a storm pounded Norton Sound, water on Feb. 12 surged up the Yukon River and into Kotlik, flooding low-lying homes. Lifelong resident Philomena Keyes, 37, awoke to knee-deep water outside her house.

“This is the first I experienced in my life, a flood that happened in the winter, in February,” Keyes said in a phone interview.

Read the full story at NBC Los Angeles

Oregon lawmakers propose bill providing millions in funding for climate change research

April 15, 2019 — Oregon state lawmakers are proposing a bill which would provide nearly USD 2 million (EUR 1.7 million) to study and respond to the effects of rising ocean temperatures, low oxygen levels, and ocean acidification, according to a report in the Statesman Journal last week.

Thirty percent of man-made carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, which causes the water to become more acidic, the report said. The change in ocean pH levels has made it difficult for animals like crabs, oysters, and shrimp to make their shells, which could be a blow to the state’s shellfish industry.

Senate Bill 260 would provide USD 1.9 million (EUR 1.68 million) from the state’s general fund to respond to the problems caused by climate change.

If the bill passes, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife would receive USD 470,000 (EUR 415,799) to map and assess estuaries – most existing research on acidification and hypoxia (low oxygen levels) has been done offshore.

Oregon State University would receive USD 370,000 (EUR 327,347) to conduct projects concerning shellfish breeding and ocean sampling and monitoring.

The Oregon Ocean Science Trust would receive the lion’s share of the funding, USD 1.06 million (EUR 937,727), which would be used for seven different projects, including modeling of aquatic vegetation, acidification and hypoxia monitoring, and a communications plan.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Managing recreational fisheries alongside commercial fisheries

April 15, 2019 — The following is an excerpt from an article published by Sustainable Fisheries UW:

Arlinghaus et al. 2019, an article in last week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, outlined a 5-step plan for integrating recreational fishing into commercial fishery management. In the paper, scientists called for reforms on both the commercial and recreational side to produce better overall sustainability.

Recognizing recreational fishers

I write a lot about fisheries as food. Essentially, the entire point of commercial fisheries is to provide food; but with the massive scale of industrial harvest, it’s easy to forget that fish provide other benefits (like leisure and recreation) that have important economic and social outcomes. Recreational fishing provides jobs and income for tens of thousands of people and enjoyment for millions. Around 10% of people in developed nations fish for pleasure, amounting to over 200 million people worldwide.

Recreational vs commercial fishing

Recreational fishers outnumber commercial fishers 5 to 1, yet commercial fishing brings in 8x the amount of fish. Naturally, this disparity creates resentment between the two sides and conflict is not unusual, e.g. Atlantic striped bass. Arlinghaus et al. 2019 proposes a 5-point framework for integrating recreational fishing into commercial management that will hopefully lead to conflict resolution and improved sustainability.

“Even countries with strong governance for fisheries fail to integrate angling into their fisheries and conservation management system effectively. We are convinced that fisheries management and conservation measures would be more effective if the interests of anglers were given equal consideration to those of commercial fishers and other stakeholders,” stated the lead author of the study, Robert Arlinghaus, explaining his expectations of the reform process.

Read the full story at Sustainable Fisheries UW