Harvest Benefits: Marine Reserves or Traditional Fishery Management Tools

摘要

Increased harvest from fish stocks is often included among the many benefits attributable to marine reserves. Examination of the most targeted finfish stocks from the coasts of the United States finds that this is rarely the case. This is because thestocks are highly mobile or are not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring. Traditional fishery management tools such as seasonal closures, quotas, and bag limits are proving effective in management of most marine stocks and are preferred over marine reserves for purposes of maintaining or increasing finfish yield. Highly migratory stocks may receive temporary benefit as they pass through a reserve, but this is analogous to traditional methods. Overfished sedentary reef species from the U.S. SouthAtlantic and the Gulf of Mexico may receive limited benefits from a reserve; but in many instances, recently enacted catch quotas are enhancing stock recovery. For some of the severely stressed rockfishes off the Pacific Coast, stocks are so depleted that complete harvest moratoria are likely necessary for their recovery, and reserves would have to be of unrealistic size to substantially benefit these stocks. Reserves created for the benefit of very few species would negatively impact harvest of sympatric forms whose stocks are healthy. Marine reserves serve many other beneficial purposes in the marine environment.