Fish Conservation and Management

CONS 486

Instructor: Scott Hinch

TA: Steve Healy

Welcome to CONS 486!

• Introduction, key concepts• Course themes, objectives & goals• Course structure & requirements

– Seminar and written review assignments

• Contact information

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Introduction and Key Concepts

What’s all the fuss about fish?• Defining a fish: an aquatic animal with gills that

lacks limbs with digits• First appeared 530 MYA during Cambrian explosion• Incredible diversity

– 32K+ described species

• Fish are taxonomically diverse:– Includes class Agnatha (jawless)– Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous)– Osteichthyes (bony fish)

• Actinopterygii (rayed fins) & Sarcopterygii (lobed fins)

– Extinct classes (e.g., Placodermi)4

Class Agnatha: Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii)

J.P. Hastey UBCAtlantic hagfish

(Myxine glutinosa) 5

Class Agnatha: River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis)

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Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus)

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Chondrichthyes: Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

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Class Actinopterygii: Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

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Class Sarcopterygii: coelacanth (NOT extinct!)

10Smithsonian

Class Placodermi (now extinct)

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• Bony plated fish• One of the first jawed fish species

• In contrast to the agnathans• Note the heterocercal tail like sturgeon and sharks!

Of Fish and Fisheries…• What IS a fishery?• A romanticized view: “a fishery is the union of

aquatic organisms and humans” (Miller and Johnson 1989)

• Three components to a fishery:1. Aquatic resource itself (i.e, targeted organism)2. Aquatic environment (i.e., habitat)3. Humans that harvest resource OR change habitat

• Fisheries target more than just fish!– Molluscs (bivalves, snails); crustaceans (lobsters, crabs);

sea urchins; sponges; other inverts; not to mention bycatch 12

Commercial fisheries• Fish caught for sale

– Methods: nets, hook-and-line, traps, etc.

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Recreational fisheries• Fish caught for sport

– Methods: hook-and-line, spear, bow-and-arrow…

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Subsistence fisheries• Fish caught for food

– Methods: all of the above and more…

15Nat Geo

Fish production• Aquaculture: i.e., farming fish, crustaceans,

molluscs

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Fish production• Hatcheries/stocking: some to enhance stocks, some

to create fisheries

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1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 20000

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40

60

80

100M

illio

n to

nnes

World wild commercial fish harvest (adapted from fao.org)

MarineFreshwater

Estimated 47 billion individual fish landed annually in recreational fisheries (Cooke and Cowx 2004)

Half again (~48 million T) from aquaculture (fao.org)

Over 3 TRILLION individual fish per year from fisheries alone, excluding aquaculture!

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Conservation and Management

Definitions and philosophies

What is conservation science?• Conservation science: “addresses the biology of

species, communities, and ecosystems that are perturbed, either directly or indirectly, by human activities or other agents” (Soulé BioScience 1985)

– Goal to provide principles and tools for preserving biological diversity

• Integrative, multi-disciplinary field of study• Many sub-disciplines such as conservation genetics,

conservation physiology, restoration ecology, urban ecology

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What is fisheries management?

• Fisheries management: aims to maintain a “…sustainable fishery resource that provides for an economically viable and diverse industry” (DFO 2014)

– Management based on “credible, science-based, affordable and effective practices” (DFO 2014)

– Protection and conservation of resources are a key component of fisheries management

HOW?– Fisheries management involves ‘manipulating’ people-

fish interactions22

Conservation and management• “the manipulation of human interactions with living aquatic

resources in a manner that allows humans to gain some sustainable benefit from these resources” (Nielsen 1993)

• Can mean the manipulation of:1. Resources themselves (e.g., population enhancement or

stocking)2. Environments (e.g., restoration)3. Human behaviour (e.g., harvest regulations)

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Course Themes and Objectives

Course goals and overview

Major theme: Linking science to conservation & management

• Harvest regulations• Managing fisheries

& habitats

• Protecting populations & habitats

• Restoring populations & habitats

• Fisheries exploitation data

• Applied life history data

• Human dimensions: socio-economic data

• Physiology• Behaviour• Population ecology• Ecosystem ecology• Habitat data

(limnology, oceanography)

• Life historyBasic science Applied

science

ManagementConservation

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CONS 486!• The goal of this course is to provide an introduction

to fish conservation and management by:1. Examining principles of basic and applied fish biology,

including physiology, behaviour, and ecology; 2. Overviewing current issues, common tactics and

institutions involved in fish conservation & management;

3. Reviewing case studies that demonstrate conservation& management successes and failures

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Lecture schedule1. First part of course on fish biology/ecology2. Second part of course on fisheries management

and conservation3. Third part of course dedicated to case studies and

guest lectures– Kristi Miller (DFO Research Scientist) – Eric Parkinson (BC MoE Emeritus Scientist)

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4. Fourth part of course dedicated to student-ledseminars and facilitated discussion!

Course Requirements

Evaluation

• Seminar presentation: 20% • Written review: 20%*• Seminar participation: 20%• Final exam: 40% (during formal exam period)

*Note: late submissions are docked 10% per day

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Readings• Readings for lectures:

– On reserve in library, or see your TA for selected copies

1. Ross, M.R. 1997. Fisheries Conservation and Management. Prentice

2. Diana, J. 1995. Biology and Ecology of Fish. Cooper Publishing

• Others will be assigned during the term– Required readings of ALL seminar topic papers

• Please read carefully and prepare discussion points for seminars

– Additional optional readings on reserve or ask us! 30

Seminar and Written Review Discussion

Student-led seminars• In groups of 3: research a topic by focusing on a key scientific paper

– Seek out additional references (min 10) that support or refute the key paper

• Deliver a presentation to the class that:– Reviews the general topic, then summarizes the key paper’s

objectives and findings– Critical review of the paper– Facilitates a class discussion (i.e., generate a short list of relevant

questions to pose to the class; show references/citations)• 50 min total time allotted

– 30 minute presentation; ~15-20 minute questions • Active participation required by all!

- Participation grade assessed from this and attendance at seminars

• Seminars start Feb 17 – 1 seminar per hour of class 32

Written review• Essay should include:

1. A discussion & critical review of the general topic2. A summary of the key paper’s objectives and findings3. Cite 10-20+ relevant references from the peer-reviewed

scientific literature (the more, the better)• All statements of fact or others’ opinions must be referenced

• ~10-15 pgs total length, single-spaced, length doesn’t include tables/figures/references

• Each written review is to be handed in on the day of the oral seminar presentation on that topic– Written reviews must be developed independently!

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Seminar topic selection1. Topics already selected by you based on email sent

in December. 2. Group membership was suggested by those of you

that replied to the email, otherwise your TA made the groups.

3. No changes to groups or topics.

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• Course web site: http://faculty.forestry.ubc.ca/hinch/DD_CONS_486.html

• Instructor: Dr. Scott Hinch (Rm 3022 FSC; scott.hinch@ubc.ca)

• TA: Steve Healy (Rm 3219 FSC; shealy01@mail.ubc.ca)

• Please contact us by e-mail to arrange in-office meetings

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