Fisheries Newsletter No 135 (May-August 2011)

Editorial

In countries such as Kiribati, where the fisheries sector is the main player in local and national economies — as well as the main source of food and protein — impacts on marine resources may have dramatic consequences for the local population. In her article, Vina Ram-Bidesi assesses the potential impact of a destructive fishing method called te ororo on coastal fisheries and community livelihoods in Kiribati. Te ororo is a method that involves gill nets in combination with sticks, metal rods and crow bars to scare or drive fish into nets — a small-scale fishing method that is, unfortunately, widely used in tropical reef fisheries. According to Vina: “The economic costs of destruction from te ororo fishing is estimated to be 5.0% of government revenue annually and approximately 3.5% of gross domestic product. The cumulative effects of this loss over time on the economy and people of Kiribati should be underscored for immediate action.”

In the second feature article, Michel Sharp presents a cost-benefit analysis of fish aggregating devices (FADs). Using data from Niue, he shows that FADs provide benefits to fishermen in the form of increased catch rates and reduced fuel consumption; but, more importantly, he concludes that the Niue government-led FAD programme is financially and economically profitable. Much has been written on FADs but very little on their financial and economic benefits to fishing communities and PICT economies. Michael’s report is a welcome addition to this series.

The magnificent picture of a camouflage grouper below was taken by Éric Clua a month before a massive spawning event that involved tens of thousands of fish of the same species. In their article, Yvonne Sadovy de Mitcheson and Éric explain that these spawning aggregations are “highly susceptible to overfishing if unmanaged, and can disappear within just a couple of years if overfished.” The importance of protecting spawning aggregations is now widely recognised, but it proves to be a very challenging task.

Aymeric Desurmont

Fisheries Information Officer