Fish Conservation and Managementfaculty.forestry.ubc.ca/hinch/486/2019/0 Course Introduction...

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Fish Conservation and Management CONS 486 Instructor: Scott Hinch TAs: David Moulton & Steve Johnston

Transcript of Fish Conservation and Managementfaculty.forestry.ubc.ca/hinch/486/2019/0 Course Introduction...

Fish Conservation and Management

CONS 486

Instructor: Scott Hinch

TAs: David Moulton & Steve Johnston

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 (e.g. classes)– class Agnatha (primitive, jawless, cartilaginous)– class Chondrichthyes (primitive, jawed, cartilaginous)– class Osteichthyes (bony fish)

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

– class Placodermi (extinct, bony plated fish)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: lung fish (Neoceratodus forsteri)

Class Sarcopterygii: coelacanth (NOT extinct!)

11Smithsonian

Class Placodermi (now extinct)

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• Bony plated fish (cartilage internal skeletal structure)• 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 13

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…

16Nat 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 interactions23

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: 25% • Written review: 25%*• Seminar participation: 20%• Final exam: 30%

*Note: late submissions are docked 10% per day

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Readings• Readings for lectures:

– Copies provided (and on reserve)

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! 31

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 (which the paper focuses on), 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 March 1 – 1 seminar per hour of class 33

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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Topic selection1. Oral topics and group membership will be selected

today by you.2. Written review topics will be assigned by

instructors. 3. No changes to groups or topics after today.

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

• Instructor: Dr. Scott Hinch (Rm 3022 FSC; [email protected])

• TAs: David Moulton (Rm 3604 FSC; [email protected])Steve Johnston (Rm 3219 FSC; [email protected])

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

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