An interdisciplinary evaluation of fishery production systems off the state of Pará in North Brazil

The performance of 20 fishery production systems off the state of Pará in the northern region of Brazil was compared using the 'RAPFISH' methodology, with 57 identified attributes distributed among five evaluation fields: economics, sociology, ecology, technology and politics. The results indicated the existence of three large groups of fishery sectors: (i) industrial (red snapper with traps, the Laulao catfish, shrimp trawl) and semi-industrial (lobster) fisheries; (ii) large-scale artisanal fisheries (acoupa weakfish, red snapper with lines, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, coco sea catfish); and (iii) small-scale artisanal fisheries (shellfish, crab, estuarine longline, fish traps, etc.). While the industrial and large-scale artisanal systems demonstrated greater sustainability from an economic and social standpoint, small-scale fisheries appeared to be more ecologically sustainable. Based on the results, a reduction in industrial fishing efforts is recommended, along with the establishment of licensing quotas for fishing vessels, as well as an increased investment in research on proper guidance and management of the semi-industrial and large-scale artisanal fisheries sectors. For small-scale artisanal fisheries, economic incentives are suggested for the aggregate value of the products and to assist fishers in the development of an appropriate social organization. Finally, it is believed that a greater stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process would improve management actions for all modalities.     

The mangrove-based coastal and nearshore fisheries of Bangladesh: ecology,exploitation and management

The mangrove forest of Bangladesh, the largest continuous mangrove forest of the world, is one of the most important coastal features of the country. The existence of the mangrove has increased the values of other coastal and marine resources such as the coastal and marine fisheries by increasing productivity and supporting a wide biological diversity. The artisanal fishery, which is highly influenced by mangroves, has been contributing 85–95% of the total coastal and marine catch of Bangladesh. The mangrove also supports offshore and deep sea fisheries by playing a significant role as nursery ground for many deep sea fishes and shrimps including the giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) which is the major species of the industrial bottom trawl fishery of Bangladesh. The mangrove also contributes significantly in shrimp farming which has been the most significant export-oriented industry since the 1970s. However, the mangrove fisheries have been under intensive pressure from deleterious fishing activities and deliberate aquaculture development by destructing mangrove habitats. The impacts of mangrove have been reflected in the contribution of artisanal fishery catch that has been in a continuous decline since the 1980s. Shrimp farming has been the most destructive contributor to mangrove destruction with a corresponding loss of biological resources particularly the wild shrimp fishery. This paper reviews different aspects of the mangrove fisheries of Bangladesh and discusses the impacts of different fisheries. The paper identifies the importance of reviewing, amending and/or replacing the traditional management approaches by the new management techniques such as habitat restoration and stock enhancement in the natural environment; the paper also identifies the need for research findings in formulating and implementing new management approaches.     

Interdisciplinary assessment of the status quo of the marine fishery systems in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, using Rapfish

The aim of the present study was to carry out a comparative analysis of fishery systems in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil (western coast of South America, between 18 and 22°S) using the Rapfish method – a rapid, innovative assessment model of fishery sustainability consisting of a multivariate ordination analysis of ecological, technological, social and economic data. The fisheries were divided into 26 fishery systems according to type of fleet, gear, target resource, ecosystem and environmental characteristics. A series of variables categorized in numeric scales from one to five were determined for each system. The attributes were compared through multivariate techniques. The comparison between fisheries in the state reflect the characteristic small-scale fisheries of the region, with minimal state intervention in management. The analysis of the social dimension revealed that the correlations between systems were mainly associated to the degree of isolation of the communities. The analysis of the ecological dimension revealed a clear coast/open ocean gradient and urbanized centers/isolated locations gradient related to the degree of commitment to the environment with regard to anthropogenic impact and the availability of resources. The economic and technological dimensions were arranged by variations in product destination, cost of fishing gear and degree of technology employed. The management dimension exhibited little sensitivity to the multivariate method employed. Few systems stood apart due to the few existing management measures that differentiated them. The pattern of sustainability found in the kite diagrams displays a balance between the dimensions in the perspective of maximum approximation to the optimum sustainability index. Either overfished and better socio-economic conditions, or marginalized people with use a more more sound strategy of resource exploitation.     

User perceptions on coastal resource state and management options in Curaçao

Public environmental awareness and support for management measures are key determinants of the scope for successful implementation of natural resource management. To assess user perceptions and opinions on resource state and potential management options for the coastal zone of Cura?ao, we queried 250 coastal resource users from around the island (sport divers, part-time artisanal fishermen and recreational boaters) using questionnaires. There is wide awareness of a long-term decline in coastal resource condition as measured by various indicators. Even among fishermen there was wide awareness of anthropogenic contributors to the decline, broad agreement of management measures required and a general willingness to contribute to management by means of annual license fees. Some of the more salient findings include the endorsement by fishermen of the current ban on spearfishing (81%), the regulation of the beach seine fishery for scad (77%), the introduction of fish reserves (72%), special protection for sea turtles (90%), conch (82%), and lobsters (72%), and notable support for gradual elimination of trap fisheries (45%). Also, both divers (65%) and boaters (92%) expressed the importance to them of an attractive coastline, with both groups expressing preference for natural (un-built) coastline (>74%) above other categories. Management based on the concept "user pays", as already implemented in the Netherlands Antilles on Saba and Bonaire, is well supported by the resource user public. A review of other main constraints such as finances and institutional capacity, shows that conditions are quite favorable for implementation of new legislation. Modem coral reef management is urgently needed in Cura?ao to safeguard a key natural resource and concerted action is called for on the part of government agencies, legislators and elected officials.     

Management strategies for sustainable invertebrate fisheries in coastal ecosystems of Galicia (NW Spain)

Artisanal coastal invertebrate fisheries in Galicia are socio-economically important and ecologically relevant. Their management, however, has been based on models of fish population dynamics appropriate for highly mobile demersal or pelagic resources and for industrial fisheries. These management systems focus on regulating fishing effort, but in coastal ecosystems activities that change or destruct key habitats may have a greater effect on population abundance than does fishing mortality. The Golfo Artabro was analysed as a representative example of a coastal ecosystem in Galicia, and the spider crab Maja squinado used as a model of an exploited coastal invertebrate, for which shallow coastal areas are key habitats for juvenile stages. The commercial legal gillnet fishery for the spider crab harvests adults during their reproductive migrations to deep waters and in their wintering habitats. Illegal fisheries operate in shallow waters. The annual rate of exploitation is >90%, and <10% of the primiparous females reproduce effectively at least once. A simple spatially-explicit cohort model was constructed to simulate the population dynamics of spider crab females. Yield- and egg-per-recruit analyses corresponding to different exploitation regimes were performed to compare management policies directed to control the fishing effort or to protect key habitats. It was found that the protection of juvenile habitats could allow increases in yield and reproductive effort higher than in the present system, with such protection based in the control of the fishing effort of the legal fishery. Additionally, there is an urgent need for alternative research and management strategies in artisanal coastal fisheries based on the implementation of a system of territorial use rights for fishers, the integration of the fishers into assessment and management processes, and the protection of key habitats (marine reserves) as a basic tool for the regulation of the fisheries.     

Fisheries bioeconomics: why is it so widely misunderstood?

Many fisheries management systems, even when based on apparently sound science, have failed to prevent severe overfishing. And even when successful in this sense, such systems have frequently resulted in a large degree of excess fishing capacity. The reason for these failures can often be found in a lack of consideration of the economic incentives affecting fishermen. Specifically, when forced to compete for a fixed total annual catch quota (TAC), fishermen are motivated to fish at high intensity, and to expand the fishing power of their vessels. Individual fishing quotas (IFQs) are being increasingly used as a method of altering economic incentives in a desirable way. IFQ systems, however, can also suffer severe shortcomings, unless substantial fees are extracted for the exclusive right to exploit a publicly owned resource. When combined with appropriate fees, or royalties, IFQs can indeed result in sustainable, profitable fisheries. There still remains the fundamental question of risk management, but this is also now beginning to be addressed. Thus there is now a strong hope for the future success of marine fisheries, at least within 200-mile coastal zones.     

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.     

SMART: A Spatially Explicit Bio-Economic Model for Assessing and Managing Demersal Fisheries,with an Application to Italian Trawlers in the Strait of Sicily

Management of catches, effort and exploitation pattern are considered the most effective measures to control fishing mortality and ultimately ensure productivity and sustainability of fisheries. Despite the growing concerns about the spatial dimension of fisheries, the distribution of resources and fishing effort in space is seldom considered in assessment and management processes. Here we propose SMART (Spatial MAnagement of demersal Resources for Trawl fisheries), a tool for assessing bio-economic feedback in different management scenarios. SMART combines information from different tasks gathered within the European Data Collection Framework on fisheries and is composed of: 1) spatial models of fishing effort, environmental characteristics and distribution of demersal resources; 2) an Artificial Neural Network which captures the relationships among these aspects in a spatially explicit way and uses them to predict resources abundances; 3) a deterministic module which analyzes the size structure of catches and the associated revenues, according to different spatially-based management scenarios. SMART is applied to demersal fishery in the Strait of Sicily, one of the most productive fisheries of the Mediterranean Sea. Three of the main target species are used as proxies for the whole range exploited by trawlers. After training, SMART is used to evaluate different management scenarios, including spatial closures, using a simulation approach that mimics the recent exploitation patterns. Results evidence good model performance, with a noteworthy coherence and reliability of outputs for the different components. Among others, the main finding is that a partial improvement in resource conditions can be achieved by means of nursery closures, even if the overall fishing effort in the area remains stable. Accordingly, a series of strategically designed areas of trawling closures could significantly improve the resource conditions of demersal fisheries in the Strait of Sicily, also supporting sustainable economic returns for fishermen if not applied simultaneously for different species.     

基于渔获统计的太平洋岛国渔业资源开发利用现状评价

全面评价渔业资源开发利用状况能够为资源的合理利用提供依据,营养指标作为以生态系统为基础的渔业管理方法与模式在近年来广泛运用于渔业管理中,用于评估捕捞活动的影响。根据联合国粮农组织FAO提供的1950—2010年太平洋岛国的渔获生产统计数据,结合Fishbase提供的相关鱼种营养级(Trophic level,TL)以及Sea Around Us Project数据库提供的无脊椎动物营养级,探讨了1950—2010年澳大利亚、新西兰、基里巴斯和斐济等四国的渔获物平均营养级(Mean trophic level,MTL)的变化情况,以此判定各国海洋渔业资源可持续利用情况。结果表明:澳大利亚资源状况较好,尽管其MTL在1950—1984年以0.09/10a的速度下降,但通过剔除TL低于3.25的物种,从而排除生物量受环境影响而波动较大的植食动物、腐生生物和食浮游生物动物对MTL造成的影响,观察TL大于3.25渔获物平均营养级(~(3.25)Mean trophic level,~(3.25)MTL)的变化情况,其~(3.25)MTL在1950—2010年呈波动上升趋势,说明MTL的下降是由低营养级鱼种产量的增加所引起的。新西兰海洋渔业资源遭到了一定程度的破坏,尽管其MTL自20世纪70年代中期开始大幅上升,并在1990—2010年处于高水平上稳定波动,未出现明显的下降趋势;但在不统计TL低于3.25的物种情况下,其~(3.25)MTL经过1977—1980年的加速上升以及1981—1998年的缓慢上升,在1999—2010年稳定下降并趋于平衡。从基里巴斯和斐济整个海域的营养指标变化情况来看,两国渔业资源状况较好,但将基里巴斯和斐济渔业分为外海渔业和沿岸渔业两类时,伴随产量的持续上升,两国的外海渔业MTL均未出现明显的降低,资源处于加速开发状态;而两国的沿岸渔业MTL在近年来均出现下降,资源被过度捕捞。为促使渔业的可持续发展,各国需加强对资源的动态监测与评估,以掌握捕捞活动下资源的变化情况。     

A review on the present status and management of mangrove wetland habitat resources in Bangladesh with emphasis on mangrove fisheries and aquaculture

The mangrove forest of Bangladesh, the largest continuous mangrove bulk, is one of the most important features of the coastal area of the country. The existence of the mangrove has increased the values of other coastal and marine resources such as the coastal and marine fisheries by increasing productivity and supporting a wide biological diversity. The deltaic mangrove of Bangladesh is ecologically different from the other, mostly nondeltaic mangroves of the world and is unique also in its floral and faunal assemblage; therefore, a number of endangered plants and animals that are extinct from other parts of the world, are existing in Bangladesh mangrove. However, the mangrove has been under intensive pressure of exploitation for the last few decades which, in addition to direct clearance and conversion have placed the mangrove under extreme threat. Shrimp farming is the most destructive form of resource use the mangrove has been converted to, which contributed significantly to mangrove destruction with a corresponding loss of biological resources. Concerns have been raised among the ecologists, biologists, managers and policy makers since the early 1990s; deliberate destruction of mangrove and unplanned development of coastal aquaculture particularly shrimp aquaculture have been put under extreme criticism and the sustainability has been questioned. The present status of the mangrove resources including mangrove fisheries and aquaculture and management practices have been reviewed in this paper; impacts of different forms of human interventions and resource use have also been discussed. It is suggested that the management options and the policy aspects should be critically reviewed and amended accordingly; beneficiaries and stakeholders at all levels of resource exploitation must take part and contribute to conservation and management. An immediate need for mangrove conservation has been identified.     

When Does this Fish Spawn? Fishermen’s Local Knowledge of Migration and Reproduction of Brazilian Coastal Fishes

Fishermen’s local knowledge of fishing resources may be an important source of information to improve artisanal tropical fisheries management, such as those found in Brazil, where most data on fish biology is lacking. We aim to study the local ecological knowledge that Brazilian coastal fishers have about reproductive aspects (season, places and migration) of 13 coastal fish species of commercial importance. We selected fishermen with more than 30 years of fishing practice and we interviewed a total of 67 fishermen: 29 from the southeastern coast, from the communities of Puruba, Almada, Picinguaba and Bertioga, and 38 from the northeastern coast, from the communities of Valença, Arembepe and Porto Sauípe. In the interviews, we used standardized questionnaires and showed photos of fish species. Our results indicate some general patterns in fishes’ reproduction according to fishermen knowledge: fish species spawn in open ocean, near reefs or in coastal rivers (estuaries); some fishes reproduce during the summer and others in winter, while some have more defined spawning months. The main fish migratory patterns mentioned by interviewees were: long migrations along the coast, usually in the South to North direction, short migrations among reefs, fishes that do not migrate, migrations between the shore and open ocean and migrations between the sea and coastal rivers. Fishermen’s knowledge differed among fish species: most fishermen did not know spawning places or seasons of large pelagic fishes, which raised concerns of their possible depletion. We compared such ethnoichthyological information with available scientific data, indicating promising insights about reproduction and migration of Brazilian coastal fishes. Data gathered from local fishermen may provide inexpensive and prompt information, potentially applicable to fisheries management. Our approach might be useful to several other small-scale fisheries, especially the tropical ones, where there is a high diversity of target species and a low biological and ecological knowledge about these species.     

Developments in fishery management in The Netherlands

Summary A number of developments in the Dutch inland fisheries during the last century are described. They indicate a structural change in the fishery as well as in the ecosystem. For the fishery management by sport fishermen a new set of criteria has to be developed along the existing one based on the commercial fisheries' point of view.     

Using a tier classification system to evaluate the quality of bycatch estimates from fisheries

Bycatch continues to be a challenge to sustainable fisheries management (The term “bycatch” in this paper covers discards and does not include retained incidental catch). Bycatch estimates can inform stock status determinations by improving understanding of fishing mortality, and help managers monitor the effectiveness of regulations. Assessments of the quality of bycatch estimation programs and procedures are necessary to evaluate the precision and limitations of their results over time. NOAA Fisheries experts used a “Tier Classification System” (TCS) to compare the quality of fish bycatch data and estimation methods for U.S. commercial fisheries in 2005 and 2015. The TCS included criteria related to data adequacy and analytical approaches. A comparison of U.S. fishery tier scores demonstrated that most fisheries were classified into higher tiers in 2015 compared to 2005 due to factors including improved sampling design. In addition, this comparison identified region-specific trends (e.g., mostly improvements occurred for Alaska fisheries with more mixed results for Greater Atlantic fisheries). The improvements in bycatch data quality and estimation methods in the United States are a result of financial investments in observer programs by NOAA Fisheries and industry partners, as well as effective conservation measures implemented by regional fishery management councils and NOAA Fisheries. The TCS was also used to assess bycatch data and estimation methods in all of Australia’s fishery jurisdictions for the decade 2010–19, illustrating the international applicability of the method. Overall, Australian state fisheries scored lower than federally managed fisheries in both the United States and Australia, reflecting the fact that the latter fisheries tend to be larger (and more valuable) than those in state jurisdictions, with a larger investment in observer programs. A comparison of tier scores and estimates of discards by fishery may provide a useful input for decision-making processes regarding allocation of resources to improve bycatch monitoring.

     

Stakeholder perceptions regarding the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Algarve artificial reefs

The artificial reef (AR) complex of the Algarve (Southern Portugal), deployed for the purpose of restoring and enhancing fisheries resources, is currently the largest structure of its kind in Europe, extending for over 43.5 km². Such a structure can be expected to have had both positive and negative impacts. To evaluate the overall perception of the effects of deployment, a survey of stakeholders’ opinions was undertaken based on a set of questions addressing various dimensions (environmental, social, and economic). The survey covered 44 key-stakeholder representatives distributed in six groups: commercial fishermen associations, anglers associations and clubs, diving schools and clubs, fisheries and environmental administrators, natural and social scientists, and local council representatives in the fisheries and/or environmental sectors. The opinions of stakeholders were measured using summated rating scales. The results obtained reflect the most important issues be impacted and the possibility of using them as indicators of relative success or failure. From a total of 12 factor-sets of impacts, the results showed that in general the environmentally related were the ones having had the most positive results. The overall perception of the environmental factor-sets specified as the ‘deployment area use’ revealed that the artificial reefs were an incentive to users and that the structures were perceived as a satisfactory tool to support the fishery and its management. In both cases divers were the strongest supporters. A closer look at the results presented in the form of an AMOEBA plot showed that there were other factor-sets perceived as impacting positively in other dimensions. Such examples are the factor-sets ‘opinion’ and ‘production and benefits’ lying respectively in the social and economic dimensions. The latter factor-set was even the only one having the support of five out of six stakeholder-types. As expected, in general different stakeholder-types take somewhat different positions and attitudes towards AR impacts: usually scientists are the most optimistic, whereas fishermen take the most sceptic view.     

Management implications of the biodiversity and socio-economic impacts of shrimp trawler by-catch in Bahía de Kino, Sonora, México

The shrimp fishery is the most economically important fishery in Mexico. The trawler-based portion of this fishery results in high rates of by-catch. This study quantifies and describes the biodiversity of by-catch associated with trawling in the Bahía de Kino region of Sonora, Mexico. Data were collected from 55 trawls, on six boats, over 14 nights, during November of 2003, 2004, 2006-2009. By-catch rates within trawl samples averaged 85.9% measured by weight. A total of 183 by-catch species were identified during the course of this study, including 97 species of bony fish from 43 families, 19 species of elasmobranchs from 12 families, 66 species of invertebrates from eight phyla, and one species of marine turtle; seven of the documented by-catch species are listed on the IUCN Red List, CITES, or the Mexican NOM-059-ECOL-2010; 35 species documented in the by-catch are also targeted by local artisanal fishers. Some of the species frequently captured as juveniles in the by-catch are economically important to small-scale fishers in the region, and are particularly sensitive to overexploitation due to their life histories. This study highlights the need for further research quantifying the impacts of high levels of by-catch upon small-scale fishing economies in the region and presents strong ecological and economic rationale for by-catch management within the shrimp fishery of the Gulf of California. Site-specific by-catch management plans should be piloted in the Bahía de Kino region to address the growing momentum in national and international fisheries policy regimes toward the reduction of by-catch in shrimp fisheries.     

Impact of Aquaculture on Commercial Fisheries: Fishermen’s Local Ecological Knowledge

The Bay of Fundy along the southwest coast of New Brunswick, Canada is one of the most densely stocked finfish aquaculture areas in the world. An inshore multi-species fishery that dates back to the earliest European settlement shares these waters, and has been the economic mainstay of coastal communities. These inshore fishermen are increasingly displaced by the expanding aquaculture industry. A recent study conducted among fishermen in Southwest New Brunswick recorded their observations about the environmental impact of finfish aquaculture and the consequences for their commercial fishery. Fishermen all reported significant environmental degradation around aquaculture sites. Within 2 years of an operation being established, fishermen reported that gravid female lobsters as well as herring avoid the area, scallop and sea urchin shells become brittle, scallop meat and sea urchin roe becomes discolored. The use of chemicals to control sea lice on farmed salmon has also caused lobster, crab and shrimp kills. These and other concerns suggest that more comprehensive and detailed studies are required to establish the environmental and economic interactions of aquaculture and the inshore fishery, as well as on the stocks on which that fishery rely. The study also points to the need for more effective use of fishermen’s knowledge in designing such studies.     

Habitat partitioning and vulnerability of sharks in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Sharks present a critical conservation challenge, but little is known about their spatial distribution and vulnerability, particularly in complex seascapes such as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP). We review (1) the distribution of shark species among the primary habitats of the GBRMP (coral reefs, inshore/shelf, pelagic and deep-water habitats) (2) the relative exploitation of each species by fisheries, and (3) how current catch rates interact with their vulnerability and trophic index. Excluding rays and chimaeras, we identify a total of 82 shark species in the GBRMP. We find that shark research in the GBRMP has yielded little quantitative information on most species. Reef sharks are largely site-fidelic, but can move large distances and some regularly use non-reef habitats. Inshore and shelf sharks use coastal habitats either exclusively or during specific times in their life cycle (e.g. as nurseries). Virtually nothing is known about the distribution and habitat use of the GBRMP’s pelagic and deep-water sharks. At least 46 species (53.5 %) are caught in one or more fisheries, but stock assessments are lacking for most. At least 17 of the sharks caught are considered highly vulnerable to exploitation. We argue that users of shark resources should be responsible for demonstrating that a fishery is sustainable before exploitation is allowed to commence or continue. This fundamental change in management principle will safeguard against stock collapses that have characterised many shark fisheries.     

Current and future sustainability of island coral reef fisheries

Overexploitation is one of the principal threats to coral reef diversity, structure, function, and resilience [1, 2]. Although it is generally held that coral reef fisheries are unsustainable [3-5], little is known of the overall scale of exploitation or which reefs are overfished [6]. Here, on the basis of ecological footprints and a review of exploitation status [7, 8], we report widespread unsustainability of island coral reef fisheries. Over half (55%) of the 49 island countries considered are exploiting their coral reef fisheries in an unsustainable way. We estimate that total landings of coral reef fisheries are currently 64% higher than can be sustained. Consequently, the area of coral reef appropriated by fisheries exceeds the available effective area by approximately 75,000 km(2), or 3.7 times the area of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, and an extra 196,000 km(2) of coral reef may be required by 2050 to support the anticipated growth in human populations. The large overall imbalance between current and sustainable catches implies that management methods to reduce social and economic dependence on reef fisheries are essential to prevent the collapse of coral reef ecosystems while sustaining the well-being of burgeoning coastal populations.     

Roles of experimental marine ecology in coastal management and conservation

The paper reviews the main findings of rocky shore and subtidal nearshore experimental marine ecology (EME) in cold and temperate marine ecosystems during the past four decades. It analyzes the role of EME in coastal management and conservation. The historical development of strategies for managing single or multispecies fisheries are reviewed. The published results show over-exploitation and depletion of more than 60% of the fish stocks and a lack of connection between the management of fisheries and results derived from experimental marine ecology. This is mainly due to: (a) the different temporal and spatial scale at which most marine ecologists and fishery managers operate; (b) the lack of long-term fishery monitoring and adaptive techniques for management; and (c) limitations in the design of experiments on fisheries. Large-scale oceanic perturbations, due to combinations of excessive resource exploitation and environmental variability coupled with present trends in management approaches are discussed. Modern approaches and tools for management of fisheries, such as Adaptive Management (AM), Territorial User Rights in Fisheries (TURFs), Individual Transferrable Quotas and Non-Transferrable Quotas (ITQs, INTQs) are discussed in the context of small-scale fisheries and EME. Published views on limits of applied ecological research with regards to management of fisheries are discussed. Linkages between EME, marine conservation and the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and experimental exclusions of humans are highlighted. Results derived from MPAs, such as: (a) species or community trophic cascades, and (b) the role of key-stone species and species interaction strengths, are discussed. It is concluded that the role of EME in conservation has been greater than has been the case in management of fisheries. The potential to link EME, conservation and the management of fisheries is exemplified through the proposed establishment in Chile of a connected network of Scientific Reserves, MPAs and TURFs sites. The final conclusion is that to cross-fertilize EME, conservation and management, there are three main challenges: (1) to end the traditional view of approaching the management of fisheries and marine conservation as contradictory/antagonizing issues; (2) to improve communications between experimental marine ecology and the management of fisheries through the implementation of experimentation and adaptive management; (3) to improve linkages between marine conservation, the management of fisheries and social sciences.