Inland capture fisheries

The reported annual yield from inland capture fisheries in 2008 was over 10 million tonnes, although real catches are probably considerably higher than this. Inland fisheries are extremely complex, and in many cases poorly understood. The numerous water bodies and small rivers are inhabited by a wide range of species and several types of fisher community with diversified livelihood strategies for whom inland fisheries are extremely important. Many drivers affect the fisheries, including internal fisheries management practices. There are also many drivers from outside the fishery that influence the state and functioning of the environment as well as the social and economic framework within which the fishery is pursued. The drivers affecting the various types of inland water, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and wetlands may differ, particularly with regard to ecosystem function. Many of these depend on land-use practices and demand for water which conflict with the sustainability of the fishery. Climate change is also exacerbating many of these factors. The future of inland fisheries varies between continents. In Asia and Africa the resources are very intensely exploited and there is probably little room for expansion; it is here that resources are most at risk. Inland fisheries are less heavily exploited in South and Central America, and in the North and South temperate zones inland fisheries are mostly oriented to recreation rather than food production.     

Environmental perturbation and the structure and functioning of a tropical aquatic ecosystem

In Tissawewa, a shallow, eutrophic reservoir in southeastern Sri Lanka, the effect of a major drought on the ecosystem was studied by monitoring the size-structured fish community and its resource base. Primary production was determined as well as the production and diets of ten taxa belonging to four trophic guilds (i.e. herbivorous/detritivorous, benthivorous, zooplanktivorous/insectivorous, piscivorous) that made up more than 98% of the total fish biomass. Two extreme states of the ecosystem were distinguished. Before the drought most primary production was generated byphytoplankton, suspended fine particulate detritus was an important food source and total fish density was high. After the drought the ecosystem was characterised by high macrophyte density, low concentration of suspended detritus and low total fish density. The availability and origin of detritus appeared to be the major factor influencing fish production in Tissawewa. The small pelagic herbivore/detritivore A. melettinus contributed the most biomass and production to the fish community before the drought. After the drought, however, biomass and production dropped considerably. In contrast, the production of the most important species in terms of fisheries yield, the exotic herbivorous/detritivorous tilapias, was hardly affected. Although the composition of their food, benthic detritus, had markedly changed. In Sri Lankan reservoirs a subsidiary fishery for pelagic minor cyprinids was suggested to increase the current yield which is based almost entirely on the exotic tilapia species. The perturbation observed in this study, however, showed that the production of pelagic species was affected particularly by the environmental changes. Exploitation of these species can, therefore, only be considered in combination with hydrological and other management measures that control the environmental conditions of the reservoirs. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Paradigm shifts in fish conservation: moving to the ecosystem services concept

Various factors constrain the existence and development of inland fishes and fisheries, such as pollution, habitat degradation, alien invasive species, local user conflicts, low social priority and inadequate research and funding. In many cases, however, degradation of the environment and loss of aquatic habitat are the predominant concerns for the conservation of freshwater aquatic biota. The need for concerted effort to prevent and reduce environmental degradation, as well as protection of freshwater fishes and fisheries as renewable common pool resources or entities in their own right, are the greatest challenges facing the conservation of fishes in inland waters. Unfortunately, traditional conservation practices such as regulation of exploitation, protected areas and habitat restoration have failed to arrest the alarming increase in number of threatened freshwater fish species worldwide. This paper examines the shifting paradigm of fisheries management from rule-based regulation, through fishery enhancement towards the ecosystem approach to fisheries, with reference to inland waters, and how the emerging concept of ecosystem services coupled with traditional fish conservation management practices, institutional restructuring and integrated management planning should provide a more sustainable thrust to formulation and promotion of fish conservation initiatives.     

Ecological, environmental and socioeconomic aspects of the Lake Victoria's introduced Nile perch fishery in relation to the native fisheries and the species culture potential: lessons to learn

Inland fishery ecosystems in Africa are characterized by patterns of overexploitation, environmental degradation and exotic species introductions. Ecological complexity and diversity of aquatic habitats dictate that fishes in general are not evenly distributed in a water body. However, fisheries management regimes tend to ignore this basic principle, assume generalized conditions in a water body, and focus more on ‘desired’ objectives such as maximizing catch. The result is to disregard fish habitat boundaries and anthropogenic influences from the catchment that influence fish production. Overexploitation and environmental degradation disrupt sustainable socioeconomic benefits from the fisheries, create uncertainty among investors, but leave some managers calling for more information with the expectation that the fisheries will recover with time. Open access to the fisheries and full control of fishing effort remain challenges for managers. Exotic species introductions and fish farming can increase production, but such interventions require firm commitment to sound ecological principles and strict enforcement of recommended conservation and co‐management measures in capture fisheries. The general tendency to downplay fishing effort issues, other ecosystem values and functions or rely on temperate fisheries models until a new cycle of overexploitation emerges, characterizes many management patterns in inland fisheries. Aquaculture is not an option to challenges in capture fisheries management. Aquaculture should be developed to increase fish production but even this practice may have negative environmental impacts depending on practice and scale. Decades of information on Lake Victoria fisheries trends and aquaculture development did not stop the collapse of native fisheries. The successfully introduced Nile perch (Lates niloticus) has shown signs of overexploitation and aquaculture has again been considered as the option. By reviewing significant trends associated with Nile perch and its feasibility in aquaculture this paper uses Lake Victoria to illustrate ‘special interest management’ targeting selected species of fish rather than the fisheries.     

Lake Victoria fisheries: the Kenyan reality and environmental implications

Synopsis The introduction of the Nile perch into Lake Victoria has dramatically altered the fishery in that lake and contributed to the decline of the fishery for indigenous tilapias. One sector of the fishery in Lake Victoria has benefitted from the Nile perch introduction, although catches have declined in recent years. Inefficient enforcement of fisheries regulations has had a detrimental effect on indigenous species but may also have contributed to the recent decline in Nile perch catches. Fisheries development plans have tended to favour capital-intensive fisheries and to ignore small scale subsistence fisheries. A case study at Wichlum Beach on the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria has revealed the efficiency of traditional fishing and fish drying methods as well as the high ecological costs of the practice of kiln-drying Nile perch. Forty-five tons of firewood are used per month at Wichlum Beach alone for kiln-drying perch. The increased economic viability of the fishery has attracted professionals into the industry and resulted in the development of an export-oriented trade. The Yala Swamp adjacent to Lake Victoria has been extensively drained as part of a large land reclamation scheme and more draining is planned. Increased environmental awareness in Kenya, and Kenya's membership in the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, has resulted in a critical review of these plans.     

Ecology and fishery management of reservoirs in India

India has 19 370 small reservoirs with a total water surface area of 3 153 366 ha. At least 100 of them have been subjected to scientific studies. Habitat variables responsible for a reservoir's productivity can be summed up into climatic, morphometric and hydro-edaphic factors. The peninsular reservoirs are characterized by a narrow range of fluctuations in water and air temperature across seasons, a phenomenon which prevents the formation of thermal stratification. Many reservoirs in the upper peninsula show thermal stratification during summer. Wind-induced turbulence facilitates the return of nutrients to the trophogenic zone. Most reservoirs on the mountain slopes of Western Ghats, Himalayas and the other highlands are deeper, with steeper basin walls, compared to irrigation impoundments. Mean depth does not show any direct correlation with productivity, either at primary or fish level. A high shoreline development index gives a better indication of productivity. Plankton, benthos and periphyton pulses of Indian reservoirs coincide with the months of least level fluctuations. Oligotrophic tendencies shown by some reservoirs are mainly due to poor nutrient status and other chemical deficiencies. In most cases, poor water quality is accountable to poor catchment soil. Low levels of phosphate and nitrate are not indicative of low productivity due to quick recycling of these nutrients. Specific conductivity reflects the production propensities of reservoirs satisfactorily. Almost all productive reservoirs have a klinograde oxygen curve and a vertical stratification of chemical variables such as pH, carbon dioxide, total alkalinity and specific conductivity. High seasonal rainfall and discharge of water during monsoon result in high flushing rates, which do not favour colonization by macrophytic communities. Similarly, inadequate availability of suitable substrata retards the growth of periphyton. Plankton constitutes the major link in the trophic structure. A rich plankton community with well-marked succession is the hallmark of Indian reservoirs with blue-green algae as the major component. The main factors that retard the growth of benthos are a rocky bottom, frequent water level fluctuation and rapid deposition of silt and other suspended particles. Large reservoirs, on average, harbour 60 species of fishes, of which at least 40 contribute to the commercial fisheries. Fast-growing Indian major carps are the prominent commercial fishes. Dam construction has adversely affected populations of many other species such as Tenualosa ilisha, Torspp. and Cirrhinus spp. Formulae for estimating fish yield potential and stocking density are described. While culture-based fisheries have been successfully practiced in many small reservoirs, the management norm followed in medium and large reservoirs is primarily on capture fishery. In large and medium reservoirs, stocking was successful only when stocked fishes bred. Indian experience on species enhancement and introductions is described. Environmental enhancement of small reservoirs has been attempted in some reservoirs of Tamil Nadu. Modeling, using standard population parameters, such as the density-dependent growth, size dependent mortalityand weight–length relationshipis discussed. Two exotic fishes viz., Oreochromis mossambicus and Cyprinus carpio have been introduced into Indian reservoir with discouraging results. Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, after an accidental introduction, has performed well in Gobindsagar, a reservoir with a distinct cold water regime. Reservoir fisheries in India are well poised for development, provided scientific management norms are adopted.     

Changes in the fish community of the Kpong Headpond, lower Volta River, Ghana after 25 years of impoundment

The Kpong Headpond was the second created on the Volta River after Akosombo Dam, primarily as a source of hydroelectric power generation and potable water supply, and additionally, it has supported some fish production in Ghana since impoundment. The changes in fish community of the Kpong Headpond were studied to provide baseline information for strategies formulation to support the socio-economic development of the reservoir. The study identified changes in the fish community of the reservoir by comparing occurrence, composition, relative abundance and relative importance estimates of fish species, families and trophic groups, from available previous studies in the reservoir. From the collated information all fishes identified in the reservoir were categorised based on occurrence and importance as disappeared, appeared, permanent, declined or important, to show current status. The results indicated that the fish community has experienced a shift in the composition and relative abundance of important species, families and trophic groups in terms of number and weight, while remaining ecologically balanced. Representatives of the families Osteoglossidae, Centropomidae and Characidae have declined while representatives of the families Claroteidae, Cyprinidae and Cichlidae have increased. The aufwuch-detritus and herbivores declined while semi-pelagic omnivores increased resulting in a shift in dominance to benthic and semi pelagic omnivores. The appearance of five species and the disappearance of 25 others indicated a dynamic restructuring of the fish community in the reservoir, as expected. Enforcement of fishing regulations including the use of appropriate gear and fishing methods, fishery access control, promotion of culture-based fisheries and improvement in fisher education are recommended topics for sustainable fisheries in the reservoir.     

Fish in Reservoirs

In all reservoirs the fish fauna is recruited from their riverine antecedents. The nature of the riverine environment, created by its unstable hydrological regime, favours the evolution of generalist species. Of these species, only a few are preadapted to lacustrine conditions. When riverine fish communities are trapped in a reservoir, most of the fish stay close to the shore, the mouth of tributaries and in shallows. The pelagic and deep waters are poorly utilized and the yield of fish is below the natural productivity of these water bodies, especially in the case of deep and large reservoirs. This occurs unless the dammed river contains fish species from families which are preadapted for lacustrine conditions. A positive correlation between the percentage of pelagic fish and the total yield of fish in reservoirs indicates that the pelagial represents a vacant habitat, only seldom invaded by riverine species. This situation probably applies to the deep water of reservoirs too, although sufficient data to demonstrate this are not available. The littoral region of reservoirs is utilized by some generalists of euryoecious species derived from the indigenous riverine fauna which may be preadapted for lacustrine conditions. If such preadapted lacustrine species are not present, the introduction of lacustrine species or those preadapted for the lacustrine environment is desirable under certain circumstances. However, caution must be exercised in any introduction.     

Challenges in merging fisheries research and management: the Upper Mississippi River experience

The Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) is a geographically diverse basin extending 10° north temperate latitude that has produced fishes for humans for millennia. During European colonization through the present, the UMRS has been modified to meet multiple demands such as navigation and flood control. Invasive species, notably the common carp, have dominated fisheries in both positive and negative ways. Through time, environmental decline plus reduced economic incentives have degraded opportunities for fishery production. A renewed focus on fisheries in the UMRS may be dawning. Commercial harvest and corresponding economic value of native and non-native species along the river corridor fluctuates but appears to be increasing. Recreational use will depend on access and societal perceptions of the river. Interactions (e.g., disease and invasive species transmission) among fish assemblages within the UMRS, the Great Lakes, and other lakes and rivers are rising. Data collection for fisheries has varied in intensity and contiguousness through time, although resources for research and management may be growing. As fisheries production likely relies on the interconnectivity of fish populations and associated ecosystem processes among river reaches (e.g., between the pooled and unpooled UMRS), species-level processes such as genetics, life-history interactions, and migratory behavior need to be placed in the context of broad ecosystem- and landscape-scale restoration. Formal communication among a diverse group of researchers, managers, and public stakeholders crossing geographic and disciplinary boundaries is necessary through peer-reviewed publications, moderated interactions, and the embrace of emerging information technologies.     

SITUATIONS AND CONSERVATION STRATEGIES OF FISH RESOURCES IN THE YANGTZE RIVER BASIN北大核心CSCD

The Yangtze River basin harbors a high degree of fish diversity, with 378 fish species distributing in the mainstream and its attached waters, and 149 of these species are endemic to this river. Meanwhile, the Yangtze River is an important fishery ground in China, contributing more than 60% of the total catch of freshwater fishery. Therefore, the Yangtze River plays important roles in both biodiversity conservation and capture fisheries. However, due to the increasing human activities in the past decades, fish resources in the Yangtze River have declined sharply. Firstly, more and more species have been assessed as threatened and the endangerment categories of many species have been upgraded. Secondly, the population size of many iconic species, such as Acipenser sinensis, the four famous Chinese carps and Coreius guichenoti, have declined continuously. Thirdly, the miniaturization tendencies of major fishing targets have become more and more obvious. Last but not the least, the total fishery catch reduced significantly. Overfishing, water projects construction, enclosing-lake cultivation, water pollution and alien invasion were the main reasons contributing to these changes. In most situations, these factors interacted together, which imposed more damage to the fish resources and increased the difficulty of conservation. In order to protect the fish resources in the Yangtze River effectively, following conservation strategies are suggested: establishing specialized nature reserve, banning commercial fishing completely, implementing river ecological restoration, strengthening scientific research and establishing comprehensive regulation mechanism. © 2019, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.     

Enhancement and conservation of inland fisheries resources in China

The inland aquatic ecosystem in China have been largely influenced by large-scale economic activities and over-exploitation of aquatic resources. Fisheries resource enhancement and conservation activities have been carried out throughout China. These activities include establishing artificial fish habitat and hatchery, releasing juvenile fish to rivers and lakes, forbidding illegal fishing, and setting up natural reserves. The purpose of these activities is to restore the quantity of inland fisheries resources, guarantee sustainable development of fisheries, maintain biological diversity and keep an ecological balance. These activities, conducted with a variety of methods, numerous species, extensive water areas and large scale programs have played an active role in fisheries resource enhancement and conservation. As a consequence the inland water environment has been improved; the biological diversity and fish catch increased, and the social, ecological and economic benefits have been significantly improved. However, problems such as inappropriate technology and nonstandard operations continue to affect fisheries resource enhancement, conservation and ecological stability. This paper reviews the history and practice of inland fisheries resource enhancement and conservation in China, analyzes the existing problems and deficiencies in the activities, and finally make some recommendations on technology and procedures to sustain inland fisheries resources.     

Climate change is projected to reduce carrying capacity and redistribute species richness in North Pacific pelagic marine ecosystems

Climate change is expected to impact all aspects of marine ecosystems, including fisheries. Here, we use output from a suite of 11 earth system models to examine projected changes in two ecosystem‐defining variables: temperature and food availability. In particular, we examine projected changes in epipelagic temperature and, as a proxy for food availability, zooplankton density. We find that under RCP8.5, a high business‐as‐usual greenhouse gas scenario, increasing temperatures may alter the spatial distribution of tuna and billfish species richness across the North Pacific basin. Furthermore, warmer waters and declining zooplankton densities may act together to lower carrying capacity for commercially valuable fish by 2–5% per decade over the 21st century. These changes have the potential to significantly impact the magnitude, composition, and distribution of commercial fish catch across the pelagic North Pacific. Such changes will in turn ultimately impact commercial fisheries’ economic value. Fishery managers should anticipate these climate impacts to ensure sustainable fishery yields and livelihoods.     

Fisheries in Semi-Arid Northeast Brazil with Special Reference to the Role of Tilapias

The reservoir fisheries in the semi-arid Northeast Brazil have been studied based on the data collected by the Department of Action Against Droughts and placed against the background of what is known of similar fisheries in the tropics elsewhere. Of about 60,000 reservoirs in the region, DNOCS controls about 100 reservoirs since 1970. Physical characteristics are provided together with total areas of the reservoirs. Unfortunately very little basic limnological data are available. In all 42 species of fish and crustaceans were introduced into these reservoirs of which only fourteen fish species and one shrimp were successful in establishing self-propagating populations, others being stocked on a regular basis. The recent stocking of Colossoma macropomum and Cyprinus carpio are however unsuccessful in reservoirs. The fish yield of DNOCS controlled reservoirs for 1950–1990 was 112 kg.ha⁻¹ (Davies, 1972; Gurgel and Oliveira, 1987). It amounts now to about 20,000 tons annually taking into account incomplete and scaled down reporting of catches. This indicates a total fish catch from 60,000 reservoirs in the Northeast of Brazil of very substantial size. The CPUE and catches of all species and that of Tilapia rendalli and Oreochromis niloticus are given together with a discussion of the fisheries and recommendations for management. The total CPUE varied from 18–1,100 kg.ha⁻¹. However, most fishermen are only part-timers. It appears likely that very substantial yields of fish are being harvested in Northeast Brazil but are under-reported. Management strategies now in operation in reservoir fisheries are still very pragmatic. With the accumulation of data and generalizations, more viable strategies could be devised.     

A dataset from bottom trawl survey around Taiwan

Bottom trawl fishery is one of the most important coastal fisheries in Taiwan both in production and economic values. However, its annual production started to decline due to overfishing since the 1980s. Its bycatch problem also damages the fishery resource seriously. Thus, the government banned the bottom fishery within 3 nautical miles along the shoreline in 1989. To evaluate the effectiveness of this policy, a four year survey was conducted from 2000-2003, in the waters around Taiwan and Penghu (Pescadore) Islands, one region each year respectively. All fish specimens collected from trawling were brought back to lab for identification, individual number count and body weight measurement. These raw data have been integrated and established in Taiwan Fish Database (http://fishdb.sinica.edu.tw). They have also been published through TaiBIF (http://taibif.tw), FishBase and GBIF (website see below). This dataset contains 631 fish species and 3,529 records, making it the most complete demersal fish fauna and their temporal and spatial distributional data on the soft marine habitat in Taiwan.     

三峡水库生态渔业发展策略与关键技术研究分析

针对三峡水库蓄水后水体资源丰富、水生态系统发育尚不完善、支流库湾藻类水华问题较严重、鱼类群落结构有待调控、水生生物资源未有效利用和转化的现状, 阐述了三峡水库生态渔业作为生态系统保护途径和绿色产业的必要性与重要性, 提出了三峡水库生态渔业发展的总体目标与基本原则, 认为三峡水库发展生态渔业应以生态安全保障和水质养护为首要任务, 严格控制外来物种的引种移植, 以土著鱼类自然繁殖保护和捕捞管理为主, 动态调控放流增殖的鱼类种类和数量为辅, 建立以鱼类群落合理配置和食物网结构优化为手段的水库生态系统调控技术体系, 促进高效的物质循环和能量流动, 实现环境保护和渔业增效的双赢。作者围绕渔业放流增殖、野生鱼类资源保护、捕捞管理、局部库区渔业调控、渔业生物控藻、社区渔业协调管理、生态渔业总体规划等方面, 分析了现阶段三峡水库生态渔业的重点研究任务与关键技术,同时建议加强相关生态学理论与方法研究、技术示范和成果应用, 为三峡水库以渔养水、渔-水和谐的综合管理提供决策依据。       

Sharing the water column: physiological mechanisms underlying species-specific habitat use in tunas

Tuna species support some of the world’s largest commercial and recreational fisheries. Their extensive migratory patterns expose them to multiple national and international fisheries and fishery management regimes. Several prized species have become the focus of global conservation efforts and there is a growing worldwide interest in establishing optimal strategies for sustainable tuna fisheries. Although this task has proven to be very challenging, it has taken on a new sense of urgency in the face of the potential effects of global climate change. A better understanding of the interactions between environmental conditions and tuna physiology and how they affect tuna behavior will offer population and stock assessment modelers and fisheries biologists a more mechanistic understanding of tuna distribution patterns and may help predict changes in both geographic and depth-related movement patterns. Indeed, physiological data comprise a growing component of multi-trait analysis approaches to species conservation. Our review aims to summarize what is known about differences among tuna species in distribution patterns, tolerances to environmental conditions, and physiological characteristics that correlate with the capacity to inhabit cooler (deeper, higher latitude) and even hypoxic waters. To achieve this goal, we discuss how these physiological traits are associated with habitat partitioning within the three-dimensional oceanic environment and with niche expansion into cooler and hypoxic waters. We also point out areas where additional research is needed to predict more accurately how future changes in oceanographic conditions will affect the distributions and movement patterns of tunas and their availability to fisheries.     

Income evaluation of small - scale fishers in two Brazilian urban reservoirs: Represa Billings (SP) and Lago Paranoá (DF).

The income of small-scale fisheries of two urban reservoirs in Brazil: Represa Billings (127 km2) located in the metropolitan region of S?o Paulo, the capital city of the state of S?o Paulo and Lago Paranoá (38 km2) located in Brasília (DF), the capital city of Brazil were calculated and compared. Both fisheries are mainly based on the alien Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (more than 80% of the total catch). Although these reservoirs are nearly 900 km apart, their native fish fauna belong to the Upper Paraná Province. The Represa Billings fishers have, on average, a daily profit of 15.8 R dollars (8.4 U dollars mostly employing gill nets) and Lago Paranoá fishers 46.6 R dollars (24.9 U dollars, mostly employing cast nets), which is a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). The profit of the fisheries is explained by the factor "reservoir" and covariate "days of fishing". Due to the increasing violence in the metropolitan region of S?o Paulo, the Represa Billings fishery is vanishing.     

Non-management of Natural Resources: The Case of Inland Fisheries in the Mayan Zone,Quintana Roo,México

This study explores the management of inland fisheries on common lands (ejidos) within the Mayan Zone of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Qualitative survey data are used to examine whether there are (a) ongoing fishery conservation activities; (b) local caretakers of fishing sites; (c) restrictions on where fishing can take place; and (d) particular groups of individuals who lack the right to fish within the ejidos. Results indicate that in contrast to other local resources, fisheries in the ejidos have less defined use rights, being viewed as largely “open access”. In particular, most feel that outsiders can fish in an ejido if they abide by local rules (notably not damaging the local water bodies, asking consent to fish, and having a friend or relative in the community). However, there are within-community differences in views concerning management and conservation, with those more dependent on fishing being more likely to support exclusion of outsiders.     

Latitudinal shifts in the distribution of exploited fishes in Korean waters during the last 30 years: a consequence of climate change

Sea surface temperatures in Korean waters have increased by approximately 1 °C during the past 40 years, implying possible range shifts of marine fishes and invertebrates. We analyzed spatially explicit, commercial catch data for 12 major fish species collected from 1984 to 2010 in Korean waters to evaluate and project their range shifts based on climate-driven hydrographic changes simulated by a general circulation model under a climate change scenario. There were significant relationships between the mean latitude of the catch distribution and water temperature for seven of the 12 species examined. Our circulation model projected that temperature stratification in the Korea Strait will disappear by 2030, and our empirical relationships predicted that the ranges of five of the fish species examined will shift poleward by 19–71 km from the 2000s to the 2030s. Compared with studies of demersal fishes in the western North Atlantic and the North Sea, our estimated speeds of shift in mean latitude of fishes were, on average, slower by factors of 2.3 and 5.7, respectively. This suggests that the pattern of range shift of marine species can vary regionally, depending on oceanographic and geomorphologic conditions. International cooperative research among fisheries scientists from countries throughout the region, especially Japan and China, is required to more reliably and comprehensively assess and project the range shifts of fish species. This will provide a scientific basis for the development of fishery policies and their adaptation to climate change in the western North Pacific.     

Effects of sampling seasons and locations on fish environmental DNA metabarcoding in dam reservoirs

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has seen rapid development in the last decade, as a novel biodiversity monitoring method. Previous studies have evaluated optimal strategies, at several experimental steps of eDNA metabarcoding, for the simultaneous detection of fish species. However, optimal sampling strategies, especially the season and the location of water sampling, have not been evaluated thoroughly. To identify optimal sampling seasons and locations, we performed sampling monthly or at two‐monthly intervals throughout the year in three dam reservoirs. Water samples were collected from 15 and nine locations in the Miharu and Okawa dam reservoirs in Fukushima Prefecture, respectively, and five locations in the Sugo dam reservoir in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. One liter of water was filtered with glass‐fiber filters, and eDNA was extracted. By performing MiFish metabarcoding, we successfully detected a total of 21, 24, and 22 fish species in Miharu, Okawa, and Sugo reservoirs, respectively. From these results, the eDNA metabarcoding method had a similar level of performance compared to conventional long‐term data. Furthermore, it was found to be effective in evaluating entire fish communities. The number of species detected by eDNA survey peaked in May in Miharu and Okawa reservoirs, and in March and June in Sugo reservoir, which corresponds with the breeding seasons of many of fish species inhabiting the reservoirs. In addition, the number of detected species was significantly higher in shore, compared to offshore samples in the Miharu reservoir, and a similar tendency was found in the other two reservoirs. Based on these results, we can conclude that the efficiency of species detection by eDNA metabarcoding could be maximized by collecting water from shore locations during the breeding seasons of the inhabiting fish. These results will contribute in the determination of sampling seasons and locations for fish fauna survey via eDNA metabarcoding, in the future.