Couplerlib: a metadata-driven library for the integration of multiple models of higher and lower trophic level marine systems with inexact functional group matching

End-to-end modelling is a rapidly developing strategy for modelling in marine systems science and management. However, problems remain in the area of data matching and sub-model compatibility. A mechanism and novel interfacing system (Couplerlib) is presented whereby a physical–biogeochemical model (General Ocean Turbulence Model–European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model, GOTM–ERSEM) that predicts dynamics of the lower trophic level (LTL) organisms in marine ecosystems is coupled to a dynamic ecosystem model (Ecosim), which predicts food-web interactions among higher trophic level (HTL) organisms. Coupling is achieved by means of a bespoke interface, which handles the system incompatibilities between the models and a more generic Couplerlib library, which uses metadata descriptions in extensible mark-up language (XML) to marshal data between groups, paying attention to functional group mappings and compatibility of units between models. In addition, within Couplerlib, models can be coupled across networks by means of socket mechanisms. As a demonstration of this approach, a food-web model (Ecopath with Ecosim, EwE) and a physical–biogeochemical model (GOTM–ERSEM) representing the North Sea ecosystem were joined with Couplerlib. The output from GOTM–ERSEM varies between years, depending on oceanographic and meteorological conditions. Although inter-annual variability was clearly present, there was always the tendency for an annual cycle consisting of a peak of diatoms in spring, followed by (less nutritious) flagellates and dinoflagellates through the summer, resulting in an early summer peak in the mesozooplankton biomass. Pelagic productivity, predicted by the LTL model, was highly seasonal with little winter food for the higher trophic levels. The Ecosim model was originally based on the assumption of constant annual inputs of energy and, consequently, when coupled, pelagic species suffered population losses over the winter months. By contrast, benthic populations were more stable (although the benthic linkage modelled was purely at the detritus level, so this stability reflects the stability of the Ecosim model). The coupled model was used to examine long-term effects of environmental change, and showed the system to be nutrient limited and relatively unaffected by forecast climate change, especially in the benthos. The stability of an Ecosim formulation for large higher tropic level food webs is discussed and it is concluded that this kind of coupled model formulation is better for examining the effects of long-term environmental change than short-term perturbations

The impact of subsidies on the ecological sustainability and future profits from North Sea fisheries

Background: This study examines the impact of subsidies on the profitability and ecological stability of the North Sea fisheries over the past 20 years. It shows the negative impact that subsidies can have on both the biomass of important fish species and the possible profit from fisheries. The study includes subsidies in an ecosystem model of the North Sea and examines the possible effects of eliminating fishery subsidies.Methodology/Principal Findings: Hindcast analysis between 1991 and 2003 indicates that subsidies reduced the profitability of the fishery even though gross revenue might have been high for specific fisheries sectors. Simulations seeking to maximise the total revenue between 2004 and 2010 suggest that this can be achieved by increasing the effort of Nephrops trawlers, beam trawlers, and the pelagic trawl-and-seine fleet, while reducing the effort of demersal trawlers. Simulations show that ecological stability can be realised by reducing the effort of the beam trawlers, Nephrops trawlers, pelagic- and demersal trawl-and-seine fleets. This analysis also shows that when subsidies are included, effort will always be higher for all fleets, because it effectively reduces the cost of fishing.Conclusions/Significance: The study found that while removing subsidies might reduce the total catch and revenue, it increases the overall profitability of the fishery and the total biomass of commercially important species. For example, cod, haddock, herring and plaice biomass increased over the simulation when optimising for profit, and when optimising for ecological stability, the biomass for cod, plaice and sole also increased. When subsidies are eliminated, the study shows that rather than forcing those involved in the fishery into the red, fisheries become more profitable, despite a decrease in total revenue due to a loss of subsidies from the government

Estimates of Micro-, Nano-, and Picoplankton Contributions to Particle Export in the Northeast Pacific

The contributions of micro-, nano-, and picoplankton to particle export were estimated from measurements of size-fractionated particulate 234Th, organic carbon, and phytoplankton indicator pigments obtained during five cruises between 2010 and 2012 along Line P in the subarctic northeast Pacific Ocean. Sinking fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) and indicator pigments were calculated from 234Th–238U disequilibria and, during two cruises, measured by sediment trap at Ocean Station Papa. POC fluxes at 100 m ranged from 0.65–7.95 mmol m−2 d−1, similar in magnitude to previous results at Line P. Microplankton pigments dominate indicator pigment fluxes (averaging 69 ± 19% of total pigment flux), while nanoplankton pigments comprised the majority of pigment standing stocks (averaging 64 ± 23% of total pigment standing stock). Indicator pigment loss rates (the ratio of pigment export flux to pigment standing stock) point to preferential export of larger microplankton relative to smaller nano- and picoplankton. However, indicator pigments do not quantitatively trace particle export resulting from zooplankton grazing, which may be an important pathway for the export of small phytoplankton. These results have important implications for understanding the magnitude and mechanisms controlling the biological pump at Line P in particular, and more generally in oligotrophic gyres and high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions where small phytoplankton represent a major component of the autotrophic community

Interactive Marine Spatial Planning: Siting Tidal Energy Arrays around the Mull of Kintyre

The rapid development of the offshore renewable energy sector has led to an increased requirement for Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and, increasingly, this is carried out in the context of the ‘ecosystem approach’ (EA) to management. We demonstrate a novel method to facilitate implementation of the EA. Using a real-time interactive mapping device (touch-table) and stakeholder workshops we gathered data and facilitated negotiation of spatial trade-offs at a potential site for tidal renewable energy off the Mull of Kintyre (Scotland). Conflicts between the interests of tidal energy developers and commercial and recreational users of the area were identified, and use preferences and concerns of stakeholders were highlighted. Social, cultural and spatial issues associated with conversion of common pool to private resource were also revealed. The method identified important gaps in existing spatial data and helped to fill these through interactive user inputs. The workshops developed a degree of consensus between conflicting users on the best areas for potential development suggesting that this approach should be adopted during MSP

A general framework for combining ecosystem models

When making predictions about ecosystems, we often have available a number of different ecosystem models that attempt to represent their dynamics in a detailed mechanistic way. Each of these can be used as a simulator of large-scale experiments and make projections about the fate of ecosystems under different scenarios to support the development of appropriate management strategies. However, structural differences, systematic discrepancies and uncertainties lead to different models giving different predictions. This is further complicated by the fact that the models may not be run with the same functional groups, spatial structure or time scale. Rather than simply trying to select a “best” model, or taking some weighted average, it is important to exploit the strengths of each of the models, while learning from the differences between them. To achieve this, we construct a flexible statistical model of the relationships between a collection of mechanistic models and their biases, allowing for structural and parameter uncertainty and for different ways of representing reality. Using this statistical meta-model, we can combine prior beliefs, model estimates and direct observations using Bayesian methods and make coherent predictions of future outcomes under different scenarios with robust measures of uncertainty. In this study, we take a diverse ensemble of existing North Sea ecosystem models and demonstrate the utility of our framework by applying it to answer the question what would have happened to demersal fish if fishing was to stop

The Spanish Mediterranean Fishing Guilds (Cofradias): An Example of Collaborative Management with a Key Role in Sustainable Fisheries

[EN] The management of Spanish coastal fisheries is based on a mixed model where the centralised action of the government is combined with the self-organisation of fishers in cofradias (guilds). These institutions have economic and political functions, intermediating between the State and the fishing sector and mediating in the conflicts that may occur. They also have welfare and mutualist tasks. This original and traditional co-management model is part of the social capital of traditional Spanish fishing. The aim of this article is to explore the possibilities of these Spanish fishers' organisations in order to improve the legitimacy of the fishery system and the sustainability of fisheries. Our hypothesis is that updating and adapting some aspects of the cofradias model could produce efficient forms of collaborative management and lead to improvements in the sustainability of fisheries. To validate this hypothesis the study analysed 69 face-to-face interviews in 21 Spanish-Mediterranean guilds. The analysis focused on three core aspects: the control of fishing resources; the integration of fishing knowledge in the management system; and, finally, the guilds contribution to the legitimacy of the system in the eyes of the fishers.This work was supported by National Plan for Scientific and Technological Research and Innovation (Spanish Economy and Competitiveness Ministry). Research Project CSO2016-76135-P. There is no conflict of interest declared in this article.Herrera-Racionero, P.; Lizcano, E.; Miret Pastor, LG.; Mascarell, Y. (2019). The Spanish Mediterranean Fishing Guilds (Cofradias): An Example of Collaborative Management with a Key Role in Sustainable Fisheries. Fisheries. 44(4):172-182. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10224S172182444Alegret J. L.1999.Gestión comunitaria cogestión y mercado. La evolución histórica de la gestión de la pesca en el Mediterráneo español. Pages109–124inG.Allut andJ.Pascual editors. Antropología de la pesca/Santiago de Compostela: Asociación Galega de Antropoloxía.La pesca a la Mediterrània 2016 Universidad de Alicante Alicante J. L Alegret J. L. Sánchez Lizaso Les confraries de pescadors a Espanya 47 54Andalusian Decree 86/2004 of March 2 2004 about Fishers Guilds and their Institutions. Available:https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/boja/2004/52/3Ariza, E., Pons, F., & Breton, F. (2016). Is «socio-ecological culture» really being taken into account to manage conflicts in the coastal zone? Inputs from Spanish Mediterranean beaches. Ocean & Coastal Management, 134, 183-193. doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2016.10.006Catalan Law 22/2002 of July 12 2002 of Fishers Guilds. «DOGC» n. 3684. Available:https://www.boe.es/buscar/pdf/2002/BOE-A-2002-15890-consolidado.pdfCochrane, K. L., & Garcia, S. M. (Eds.). (2009). 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Available:http://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201203/20120322ATT41696/20120322ATT41696EN.pdf(May 2017).Frangoudes, K., Marugán-Pintos, B., & Pascual-Fernández, J. J. (2008). From open access to co-governance and conservation: The case of women shellfish collectors in Galicia (Spain). Marine Policy, 32(2), 223-232. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2007.09.007Herrera-Racionero, P., Lizcano-Fernández, E., & Miret-Pastor, L. (2015). «Us» and «them». Fishermen from Gandía and the loss of institutional legitimacy. Marine Policy, 54, 130-136. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2014.12.018Jentoft, S. (2000). Legitimacy and disappointment in fisheries management. Marine Policy, 24(2), 141-148. doi:10.1016/s0308-597x(99)00025-1Kosamu, I. B. M. (2015). Conditions for sustainability of small-scale fisheries in developing countries. Fisheries Research, 161, 365-373. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2014.09.002Law 2/2007 of March 12 2007 of Marine Fishery and Aquaculture of Murcia region. Available inhttps://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2008/07/21/pdfs/A31793-31815.pdf(November 2018)Long, R. D., Charles, A., & Stephenson, R. L. (2015). Key principles of marine ecosystem-based management. Marine Policy, 57, 53-60. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2015.01.013Mackinson, S., Wilson, D. C., Galiay, P., & Deas, B. (2011). Engaging stakeholders in fisheries and marine research. Marine Policy, 35(1), 18-24. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2010.07.003MAGRAMA (Ministry of Agriculture Food and Environment).2015.Estadísticas pesqueras: Pesca marítima. Availablehttp://www.magrama.gob.es/es/estadistica/temas/estadisticas-pesqueras/pesca-maritima/(July 2017)Martínez-Novo, R., Lizcano, E., Herrera-Racionero, P., & Miret-Pastor, L. (2016). Innovation or ‘Inventions’? The conflict between latent assumptions in marine aquaculture and local fishery. Public Understanding of Science, 27(2), 214-228. doi:10.1177/0963662516651358Noy, C. (2008). Sampling Knowledge: The Hermeneutics of Snowball Sampling in Qualitative Research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 11(4), 327-344. doi:10.1080/13645570701401305Ostrom, E. (2009). A General Framework for Analyzing Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems. Science, 325(5939), 419-422. doi:10.1126/science.1172133Pita, P., Fernández-Vidal, D., García-Galdo, J., & Muíño, R. (2016). The use of the traditional ecological knowledge of fishermen, cost-effective tools and participatory models in artisanal fisheries: Towards the co-management of common octopus in Galicia (NW Spain). Fisheries Research, 178, 4-12. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2015.07.021Producer organisations are officially recognised bodies set up by fishery or aquaculture producers. They play an essential role in running the European Common Fisheries Policy.State Marine Fishery Law: Law 3/2001 of March 26 2001. BOE (State Official Gazette) number 75. Available:https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2001-600

Tuna Longline Fishing around West and Central Pacific Seamounts

BACKGROUND: Seamounts have been identified as aggregating locations for pelagic biodiversity including tuna; however the topography and prevailing oceanography differ between seamounts and not all are important for tuna. Although a relatively common feature in oceanic ecosystems, little information is available that identifies those that are biologically important. Improved knowledge offers opportunities for unique management of these areas, which may advance the sustainable management of oceanic resources. In this study, we evaluate the existence of an association between seamounts and tuna longline fisheries at the ocean basin scale, identify significant seamounts for tuna in the western and central Pacific Ocean, and quantify the seamount contribution to the tuna longline catch. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We use data collected for the Western and Central Pacific Ocean for bigeye, yellowfin, and albacore tuna at the ocean basin scale. GLMs were applied to a coupled dataset of longline fisheries catch and effort, and seamount location information. The analyses show that seamounts may be associated with an annual longline combined catch of 35 thousand tonnes, with higher catch apparent for yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore tuna on 17%, 14%, and 14% of seamounts respectively. In contrast 14%, 18%, and 20% of seamounts had significantly lower catches for yellowfin, bigeye and albacore tuna respectively. Studying catch data in relation to seamount positions presents several challenges such as bias in location of seamounts, or lack of spatial resolution of fisheries data. Whilst we recognize these limitations the criteria used for detecting significant seamounts were conservative and the error in identification is likely to be low albeit unknown. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Seamounts throughout the study area were found to either enhance or reduce tuna catch. This indicates that management of seamounts is important Pacific-wide, but management approaches must take account of local conditions. Management of tuna and biodiversity resources in the region would benefit from considering such effects

Wasp-Waist Interactions in the North Sea Ecosystem

Background In a “wasp-waist” ecosystem, an intermediate trophic level is expected to control the abundance of predators through a bottom-up interaction and the abundance of prey through a top-down interaction. Previous studies suggest that the North Sea is mainly governed by bottom-up interactions driven by climate perturbations. However, few studies have investigated the importance of the intermediate trophic level occupied by small pelagic fishes. Methodology/Principal Findings We investigated the numeric interactions among 10 species of seabirds, two species of pelagic fish and four groups of zooplankton in the North Sea using decadal-scale databases. Linear models were used to relate the time series of zooplankton and seabirds to the time series of pelagic fish. Seabirds were positively related to herring (Clupea harengus), suggesting a bottom-up interaction. Two groups of zooplankton; Calanus helgolandicus and krill were negatively related to sprat (Sprattus sprattus) and herring respectively, suggesting top-down interactions. In addition, we found positive relationships among the zooplankton groups. Para/pseudocalanus was positively related to C. helgolandicus and C. finmarchicus was positively related to krill. Conclusion/Significance Our results indicate that herring was important in regulating the abundance of seabirds through a bottom-up interaction and that herring and sprat were important in regulating zooplankton through top-down interactions. We suggest that the positive relationships among zooplankton groups were due to selective foraging and switching in the two clupeid fishes. Our results suggest that “wasp-waist” interactions might be more important in the North Sea than previously anticipated. Fluctuations in the populations of pelagic fish due to harvesting and depletion of their predators might accordingly have profound consequences for ecosystem dynamics through trophic cascades

Coding Early Naturalists' Accounts into Long-Term Fish Community Changes in the Adriatic Sea (1800–2000)

The understanding of fish communities' changes over the past centuries has important implications for conservation policy and marine resource management. However, reconstructing these changes is difficult because information on marine communities before the second half of the 20th century is, in most cases, anecdotal and merely qualitative. Therefore, historical qualitative records and modern quantitative data are not directly comparable, and their integration for long-term analyses is not straightforward. We developed a methodology that allows the coding of qualitative information provided by early naturalists into semi-quantitative information through an intercalibration with landing proportions. This approach allowed us to reconstruct and quantitatively analyze a 200-year-long time series of fish community structure indicators in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea). Our analysis provides evidence of long-term changes in fish community structure, including the decline of Chondrichthyes, large-sized and late-maturing species. This work highlights the importance of broadening the time-frame through which we look at marine ecosystem changes and provides a methodology to exploit, in a quantitative framework, historical qualitative sources. To the purpose, naturalists' eyewitness accounts proved to be useful for extending the analysis on fish community back in the past, well before the onset of field-based monitoring programs

End-to-end foodweb control of fish production on Georges Bank

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Oxford University Press for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 66 (2009): 2223-2232, doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsp180.The ecosystem approach to management requires the productivity of individual fish stocks to be considered in the context of the entire ecosystem. In this paper, we derive an annual end-to-end budget for the Georges Bank ecosystem, based on data from the GLOBEC program and fisheries surveys for the years 1993-2002. We use this budget as the basis to construct scenarios that describe the consequences of various alterations in the Georges Bank trophic web: reduced nutrient input, increased benthic production, removal of carnivorous plankton such as jellyfish, and changes in species dominance within fish guilds. We calculate potential yields of cod and haddock for the different scenarios, and compare the results with historic catches and estimates of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) from recent stock assessments. The MSYs of cod and haddock can be met if the fish community is restructured to make them the dominant species in their respective diet-defined guilds. A return to the balance of fish species present in the first half of the 20th century would depend on an increase in the fraction of primary production going to the benthos rather than to plankton. Estimates of energy flux through the Georges Bank trophic web indicate that rebuilding the principal groundfish species to their MSY levels requires restructuring of the fish community and repartitioning of energy within the food web.We acknowledge NOAA-CICOR award NA17RJ1233 (J.H. Steele) and NSF award OCE0217399 (D.J. Gifford and J.S. Collie)