Generating Enhanced Fishery Rents by Internalizing Product Quality Characteristics

This paper demonstrates howadditional rents are generated in a fisherycharacterized by intraseasonal variation infish characteristics, including size,condition, and composition. Based on anexpanded conceptual model of the optimalharvest rule, fish characteristics affect preand post harvest production yields and outputprices. A dynamic empirical model, which uses asystem of quality characteristics and anhedonic equation, illustrates the complexrelationships and management choices associatedwith internalizing seafood qualitycharacteristics in a hake fishery. The modelretains the regulated open access managementsystem, but controls intertemporal andintersectoral quotas, production portfolios,and total allowable catch. Results demonstratethat including revenue-side effects frominternalizing fish quality can generatesignificantly greater rents and reduce therelative benefits of increased productionyields. If excluded, bioeconomic models canunderestimate the level of regulatory rentdissipation and overemphasize managementobjectives such as full utilization, whichcould misdirect processing decisions and resultin a suboptimal resource management plan.Implications for data collection,multidisciplinary analysis, and improvements inmarine resource management are discussed.     

Fish assemblages and stream hydraulics: consistent relations across spatial scales and regions

General relationships between organisms and their habitat, consistent across spatial scales and regions, suggest the existence of repeatable ecological processes and are useful for the management of stream networks. From published data, we defined four guilds of European fish species with contrasting preferences for microhabitat hydraulics within stream reaches. At the scale of stream reaches and across 139 French sites (590 460 fishes sampled), we analysed how fish guild proportions were related to reach hydraulics (proportion of pools vs. riffles %POOL; median discharge by unit width Q50/W). The strongest correlations were observed between two fish guilds and %POOL (p < 0.001, r² ≥ 0.41) and between one fish guild proportion and Q50/W (p < 0.001, r² = 0.10). These reach–scale relationships were consistent across six large French basins, and consistent with the analyses made at the microhabitat scale. Therefore, microhabitat preferences for hydraulics are strong enough to generate consistent reach‐scale community responses to hydraulics across regions, despite the influence of other filters such as temperature, nutrient levels or history. The distribution of basic geomorphic features (pools, riffles) in streams and their modification (by dams, weirs and dikes) can modify the proportion of fish guilds by up to 80%, probably contributing to the long‐term decline of riffle‐dwelling species in Europe. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of Contaminants on Toxicity of the Lampricides TFM and Bayer 73 to Three Species of Fish

Waters in the Great Lakes basin contain more than 400 contaminant chemicals that potentially affect fishery resources, commerce, and human inhabitants. We determined in the laboratory the effects of selected contaminants on the toxicity of the widely used lampricides TFM (3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol) and Bayer 73 (2′,5-dichloro-4′-nitrosalicylanilide) to three species of fish—rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), white sucker (Catostomus commersoni), and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). The fish were exposed to paired mixtures of lampricides and selected contaminants in standardized, acute static toxicity tests to determine the resulting type of response—less than additive, additive, or greater than additive (synergistic). As expected, the toxicities of combinations of lampricides with organic pesticides, metal, industrial or municipal pollutants, and tannic acid were mostly additive. However, the toxicity of a combination of TFM, Delnav, and malathion was synergistic, and extremely small quantities of each chemical became lethal when mixed. The concentration that produced 50% mortality was 1.64 mg/L for TFM alone but only 0.041 mg/L for TFM with the pesticides. Toxicities of the pesticides in the combination also increased commensurately. The triple combination of chemicals produced extraordinary synergism and effectively demonstrated the hazards that may result if certain chemical combinations occur in the aquatic environment. However, synergism is not the only kind of toxic action that produces hazards to aquatic organisms. All three types of toxic action are of concern because toxic units produced by contaminant chemicals add to the toxic units of applied management chemicals. Since the toxicity of the majority of chemical combinations is simply additive, this cumulative toxic action contributes more total units to aquatic environments than the extreme actions of less than additive and synergism. The toxicity of the lampricide TFM, as well as other management chemicals, is reinforced by the presence of any contaminant that contributes additional units of toxicity. Therefore, all types of cumulative toxic action should be of concern to people and agencies involved with protecting the environment.     

Diel Vertical Migration of Round Goby Larvae in the Great Lakes

One hypothesis for the transcontinental and intra-Great Lakes basin transfer of round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) has been that round gobies were pumped into the ballast water of ships. During June 2005 in Lake Erie, we obtained evidence of a vertical migration of round goby larvae, when we collected 167 round goby larvae in surface ichthyoplankton net tows at night and zero during day. These results complemented similar findings from the Muskegon River estuary of Lake Michigan during 2003 and 2004, documenting diel vertical migration for the first time in larval round gobies. We suggest vertical migration behavior may have allowed larval round gobies to be transported to and within the Great Lakes via ballast water and dispersed in the Great Lakes via advection of 6.5–8.5-mm long larvae at the surface. Based on our results, if ballast water was only taken on near the surface during daylight hours from May through September when larval round gobies were present, it would have mitigated the spread of round gobies throughout the Great Lakes.     

基于两阶段人工鱼群算法的U型渠道断面优化设计

渠道断面优化是控制农田水利工程成本的重要因素,已有的渠道断面优化研究以梯形渠道为主,对U型渠道研究较少。以优化U型渠道深度、圆弧半径和直线段外倾角为目标,建立以U型渠道过水断面面积最小为目标函数、满足设计流量要求的数学优化模型。根据U型渠道水力计算的复杂性,利用引入协调行为的两阶段人工鱼群算法,对渠道断面设计进行优化。优化结果满足边坡稳定等约束条件。将模型应用于连云港市赣榆区黑林镇土地整理项目,10条斗渠过水断面面积均减小,优化后占地面积共减少28.603 m~2,占原占地面积的5.0%。     

鱼类下行过坝的导鱼栅系统设计及试验研究

以龙开口水利枢纽为例,提出一种辅助鱼类下行过坝的导鱼栅系统方案。该方案首先结合大坝泄流建筑物的特点确定导鱼栅系统的布置位置,然后以鳙鱼为试验对象,用控制变量法并选择四种导鱼栅叶片角（15°、30°、45°、90°）和三种导鱼栅布置角（15°、30°、45°）在室内开展模型试验,以确定最优运行工况。研究结果表明,导鱼栅系统布置在该枢纽的灌溉引水口最佳。试验中,当布置角控制为30°时,四种叶片角下的鱼类通过率分别为53%、95%、59%和72%;当叶片角控制为30°时,三种布置角下的鱼类通过率分别为53%、95%和41%。因此,在导鱼栅叶片角和布置角同为30°时,导鱼栅系统辅助鱼类下行的效率最高,通过率为95%。研究成果可为我国类似导鱼栅系统设计提供参考。     

Streamflow alteration and habitat ramifications for a threatened fish species in the Central United States

In the Central United States, the Arkansas darter (Etheostoma cragini) is listed as a threatened fish species by the State of Kansas. Survival of the darter is threatened by loss of habitat caused by changing streamflow conditions, in particular flow depletion. Future management of darter populations and habitats requires an understanding of streamflow conditions and how those conditions may have changed over time in response to natural and anthropogenic factors. In Kansas, streamflow alteration was assessed at 9 U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in 6 priority basins with no pronounced long‐term trends in precipitation. The assessment was based on a comparison of observed (O) and predicted expected (E) reference conditions for 29 flow metrics. The O/E results indicated a likely or possible diminished flow condition in 2 basins; the primary cause of which is groundwater‐level declines resulting from groundwater pumping for irrigated agriculture. In these 2 basins, habitat characteristics adversely affected by flow depletion may include stream connectivity, pools, and water temperature. The other 4 basins were minimally affected, or unaffected, by flow depletion and therefore may provide the best opportunity for preservation of darter habitat. Through the O/E analysis, anthropogenic streamflow alteration was quantified and the results will enable better‐informed decisions pertaining to the future management of darters in Kansas.     

Factors Influencing Movements of Two Migratory Fishes within the Tailrace of a Large Neotropical Dam and their Implications for Hydropower Impacts

Fish attempting to move upstream through hydroelectric dams can be trapped and killed in turbines. Understanding fish movement patterns can provide useful insights for how to manage dam operations to minimize fish kill in turbines. We evaluated the movements of two migratory fish (Curimba—Prochilodus argenteus and Mandi—Pimelodus maculatus ) using acoustic telemetry in the tailrace of Três Marias Dam (São Francisco River, Brazil) from 31 October 2011 to 16 February 2012. The majority of tagged fish left the tailrace in less than one week; however, some individuals returned, performing several visits to the tailrace. Mandi remained longer in the tailrace than Curimba. The number of visits was influenced by diel period, turbine and spillway discharge. Although the diel period was the only important contributor to the visits performed by Curimba, the movements of Mandi were significantly influenced by three factors. We found that whereas Curimba was predominantly diurnal, Mandi showed nocturnal habits. Additionally, visits of Mandi were significantly greater during higher turbine and spillway discharge. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding fish movements in the Três Marias Dam tailrace and their potential implications for adapting hydroelectric operations to minimize fish kills. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Local‐scale Benefits of River Connectivity Restoration Planning Beyond Jurisdictional Boundaries

Conservation planning aims to optimize outcomes for select species or ecosystems by directing resources toward high‐return sites. The possibility that local benefits might be increased by directing resources beyond the focal area is rarely considered. We present a case study of restoring river connectivity for migratory fish of the Great Lakes Basin by removing dams and road crossings within municipal jurisdictions versus their broader watersheds. We found that greater river connectivity could often be achieved by considering both intra‐jurisdictional and extra‐jurisdictional barriers. Focusing on jurisdictional barriers alone generally forfeited <20% (median = 0%) of habitat gains for those who value solely habitat gains within the jurisdiction, but >75% (median = 100%) for planners who value larger‐scale habitat gains. Similarly, cost savings tended to be between ?50% and +50%, but in some cases were very negative. Our study underscores the local‐scale benefits of broadening restoration investments, especially for decision makers of the Great Lakes Basin and contributes to a discussion of appropriate and efficient scales of conservation planning. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.