Balancing biological and economic goals in commercial and recreational fisheries:Systems modelling of sea bass fisheries

The importance of social and economic factors, in addition to biological factors, in fisheries management is being increasingly recognised. However, exploration of trade-offs between biological, social, and economic factors under different sustainable catch limits for recreational and commercial fisheries is limited, especially in Europe. The European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is valuable and important for both commercial and recreational fisheries. Stocks have rapidly declined and management measures have been implemented, but trade-offs between social, biological, and economic factors have not been explicitly considered. In this study, a system dynamics model framework capturing biological and economic elements of the European sea bass fishery was developed and refined to incorporate a catch limit reflecting sustainable fishing with adjustable partition between recreational and commercial sectors, under low, medium, or high recruitment. Model outputs were used to explore the relative impact of different catch allocations on trade-offs between biological sustainability and economic impact when recruitment was limiting or not. Recruitment had a large impact on the fish population dynamics and the viability of the sectors. At high and moderate recruitment, management contributed to stock sustainability and sector economic impact, but recruitment is important in determining the balance between sectors

Social network analysis as a tool for marine spatial planning: Impacts of decommissioning on connectivity in the North Sea

Connectivity of marine populations and ecosystems is crucial to maintaining and enhancing their structure, distribution, persistence, resilience and productivity. Artificial hard substrate, such as that associated with oil and gas platforms, provides settlement opportunities for species adapted to hard substrates in areas of soft sediment. The contribution of artificial hard substrate and the consequences of its removal (e.g. through decommissioning) to marine connectivity is not clear, yet such information is vital to inform marine spatial planning and future policy decisions on the use and protection of marine resources. This study demonstrates the application of a social network analysis approach to quantify and describe the ecological connectivity, informed by particle tracking model outputs, of hard substrate marine communities in the North Sea. Through comparison of networks with and without artificial hard substrate, and based on hypothetical decommissioning scenarios, this study provides insight into the contribution of artificial hard substrate, and the consequence of decommissioning, to the structure and function of marine community connectivity. This study highlights that artificial hard substrate, despite providing only a small proportion of the total area of hard substrate, increases the geographic extent and connectivity of the hard substrate network, bridging gaps, thereby providing ‘stepping stones’ between otherwise disconnected areas of natural hard substrate. Compared to the baseline scenario, a decommissioning scenario with full removal of oil and gas platforms results in a nearly 60% reduction in connectivity. Such reduction in connectivity may have negative implications for species’ distribution, gene flow and resilience following disturbance or exploitation of marine hard substrate communities. Synthesis and applications. Social network analysis can provide valuable insight into connectivity between marine communities and enable the evaluation of impacts associated with changes to the marine environment. Providing standardized, transparent and robust outputs, such a tool is useful to facilitate understanding across different disciplines, including marine science, marine spatial planning and marine policy. Social network analysis therefore has great potential to address current knowledge gaps with respect to marine connectivity and crucially facilitate assessment of the impacts of changes in offshore substrate as part of the marine spatial planning process, thereby informing policy and marine management decisions

Pathogens co-transported with invasive non-native aquatic species: implications for risk analysis and legislation

Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) can co-transport externally and internally other organisms including viruses, bacteria and other eukaryotes (including metazoan parasites), collectively referred to as the symbiome. These symbiotic organisms include pathogens, a small minority of which are subject to surveillance and regulatory control, but most of which are currently unscrutinized and/or unknown. These putatively pathogenetic symbionts can potentially pose diverse risks to other species, with implications for increased epidemiological risk to agriculture and aquaculture, wildlife/ecosystems, and human health (zoonotic diseases). The risks and impacts arising from co-transported known pathogens and other symbionts of unknown pathogenic virulence, remain largely unexplored, unlegislated, and difficult to identify and quantify. Here, we propose a workflow using PubMed and Google Scholar to systematically search existing literature to determine any known and potential pathogens of aquatic INNS. This workflow acts as a prerequisite for assessing the nature and risk posed by co-transported pathogens of INNS; of which a better understanding is necessary to inform policy and INNS risk assessments. Addressing this evidence gap will be instrumental to devise an appropriate set of statutory responsibilities with respect to these symbionts, and to underpin new and more effective legislative processes relating to the disease screening and risk assessment of INNS

Report of the JRC’s Descriptor 2 workshop in support to the review of the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU concerning MSFD criteria for assessing Good Environmental Status for NIS

The MSFD workshop on non-indigenous species (NIS, MSFD D2), held in Ispra JRC (10th-11th of September 2015) aimed to provide clear proposals and conclusions on some of the outstanding issues identified in the D2 review manual (May 2015 consultation version: D2 review manual: https://circabc.europa.eu/sd/a/cd4bbd6a-454a-40db-b805-52fb195d4e56/COMDEC_Review_D2_V6.pdf) in the broader context of support to the review of Commission Decision 2010/477/EU. This report is complementing the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU review manual (JRC96884) and presents the result of the scientific and technical review concluding phase 1 of the review of the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU in relation to Descriptor 2. The review has been carried out by the EC JRC together with experts nominated by EU Member States, and has considered contributions from the GES Working Group in accordance with the roadmap set out in the MSFD implementation strategy (agreed on at the 11th CIS MSCG meeting). The main issues addressed and tackled in this workshop’s report are: - Proposed changes in D2 assessment criteria; - Indicators and methodological standards; - GES threshold values and reference points; - Way forward.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Report of the JRC’s Descriptor 2 workshop in support to the review of the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU concerning MSFD criteria for assessing Good Environmental Status for NIS

The MSFD workshop on non-indigenous species (NIS, MSFD D2), held in Ispra JRC (10th-11th of September 2015) aimed to provide clear proposals and conclusions on some of the outstanding issues identified in the D2 review manual (May 2015 consultation version: D2 review manual: https://circabc.europa.eu/sd/a/cd4bbd6a-454a-40db-b805-52fb195d4e56/COMDEC_Review_D2_V6.pdf) in the broader context of support to the review of Commission Decision 2010/477/EU. This report is complementing the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU review manual (JRC96884) and presents the result of the scientific and technical review concluding phase 1 of the review of the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU in relation to Descriptor 2. The review has been carried out by the EC JRC together with experts nominated by EU Member States, and has considered contributions from the GES Working Group in accordance with the roadmap set out in the MSFD implementation strategy (agreed on at the 11th CIS MSCG meeting). The main issues addressed and tackled in this workshop’s report are: - Proposed changes in D2 assessment criteria; - Indicators and methodological standards; - GES threshold values and reference points; - Way forwar

Novel insights into the insect trancriptome response to a natural DNA virus

ArticleCopyright © 2015 McTaggart et al.; licensee BioMed Central.Background Little is known about invertebrate responses to DNA viruses. Here, we infect a commercially important pest moth species Plodia interpunctella with its naturally infecting DNA virus. We sequenced, assembled and annotated the complete transcriptome of the moth, and a partial transcriptome of the virus. We then tested for differential gene expression between moths that were exposed to the virus and controls. Results We found 51 genes that were differentially expressed in moths exposed to a DNA baculovirus compared to controls. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that cuticle proteins were significantly overrepresented in this group of genes. Interestingly, 6 of the 7 differentially expressed cuticle proteins were downregulated, suggesting that baculoviruses are able to manipulate its host’s response. In fact, an additional 29 of the 51 genes were also downregulated in exposed compared with control animals, including a gram-negative binding protein. In contrast, genes involved in transposable element movement were upregulated after infection. Conclusions We present the first experiment to measure genome-wide gene expression in an insect after infection with a natural DNA virus. Our results indicate that cuticle proteins might be key genes underpinning the response to DNA viruses. Furthermore, the large proportion of genes that were downregulated after viral exposure suggests that this virus is actively manipulating the insect immune response. Finally, it appears that transposable element activity might increase during viral invasion. Combined, these results provide much needed host candidate genes that respond to DNA viral invaders.NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility (NBAF

Marine invasive alien species in Europe: 9 years after the IAS Regulation

Biological invasions, resulting from human activities, exert substantial impacts on ecosystems worldwide. This review focuses on marine invasive alien species (IAS) in Europe, examining the current state, proposing strategies to address the problem, and offering recommendations for enhanced management. Effective management of biological invasions relies on accessible, accurate data to inform decision-making. Information systems such as the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN), Aquatic Non-Indigenous and Cryptogenic Species (AquaNIS), and World Register of Introduced Marine Species (WriMS) provide comprehensive databases on IAS, but their sustainability requires long-term maintenance, continuous updates, and support. Most countries lack specific monitoring programs for marine IAS, and standardization and improvement of monitoring methods are needed. Port monitoring plays a vital role in the early detection of new arrivals, and recent advancements in molecular techniques show promise for effective IAS monitoring. Risk screening tools are commonly employed to rank taxa based on their invasiveness potential in European regions, but variations in protocols can yield inconsistent results. European impact assessments highlight resource competition, novel habitat creation, and predation as primary mechanisms for negative impacts on biodiversity, while the creation of novel habitats represents a key mechanism for positive impacts. Preventing IAS introductions is critical, and measures such as ballast water treatment systems are implemented to reduce the likelihood of marine introductions. However, understanding introduction pathways remains uncertain for many IAS. Eradication and control efforts for marine IAS have limited success, emphasizing the need for enhanced biosecurity measures. Climate change, especially ocean warming, can intensify IAS impacts on native species and ecosystems. In climate change hotspots, some tropical aliens may, however, compensate for the loss of thermally sensitive natives with similar traits. Therefore, it is imperative to consider the interactions between climate change and IAS in developing effective management and conservation strategies. Enhancing IAS management in Europe entails i) securing adequate funding, ii) expanding the list of IAS of Union Concern to adequately cover marine invasions, iii) learning from countries with successful biosecurity practices, iv) sustaining information systems, v) improving monitoring and early warning systems with innovative technologies, vi) enhancing prediction models, vii) conducting integrated impact assessments and mapping cumulative IAS impacts, and vii) considering the potential benefits of IAS in ecosystem functioning and services

The Evolutionary Ecology of Antiviral Resistance in Insects

Infectious disease is ubiquitous and potentially devastating to individual hosts and populations as a whole. Understanding host resistance is therefore a key challenge. More specifically, understanding insect-virus interactions is crucial due to the role of insects as vectors of harmful human viruses, the potential role of insect viruses in the biological control of insect pest species and the impact which viruses have on beneficial insects such as the honey bee. Despite its importance, our understanding of resistance against viruses in insects and other invertebrates is less comprehensive than our understanding of resistance to bacterial and fungal parasites. In this thesis I investigate the resistance of the Lepidopteron host Plodia interpunctella to its natural viral parasite P. interpunctella Granulosis Virus (PiGV). I focus on two forms of antiviral resistance: (a) upregulation of an individual host’s (or their offspring’s) defences following previous exposure to a parasite, referred to as ‘immune priming’ and (b) host resistance following long term selection pressure from a parasite, referred to as ‘evolved resistance’. I examine these forms of resistance from an evolutionary and ecological perspective focusing on their associated costs and specificity. I find evidence for immune priming to virus for the first time in an insect but highlight that this form of resistance may carry costs and be context dependent in P. interpunctella. Using a mathematical modelling approach I also show that immune priming is likely to destabilise host populations. In addition, I show that antiviral resistance in P. interpunctella resulting from long term selection pressure with PiGV is non specific and localised in the gut. Furthermore, I find that resistance may be traded-off with developmental traits but that the detection of these trade-offs is dependent on the food quality on which P. interpunctella are raised

Within and transgenerational immune priming in an insect to a DNA virus

Invertebrates mount a sophisticated immune response with the potential to exhibit a form of immune memory through ‘priming’. Increased immune protection following early exposure to bacteria has been found both later in life (within generation priming) and in the next generation (transgeneration priming) in a number of invertebrates. However, it is unclear how general immune priming is and whether immune priming occurs in response to different parasites, including viruses. Here, using Plodia interpuctella (Lepidoptera) and its natural DNA virus, Plodia interpunctella granulosis virus, we find evidence for both within generation and transgeneration immune priming. Individuals previously exposed to low doses of virus, as well as the offspring of exposed individuals, are subsequently less susceptible to viral challenge. Relatively little is known about the mechanisms that underpin viral immunity but it is probable that the viral immune response is somewhat different to that of bacteria. We show that immune priming may, however, be a characteristic of both responses, mediated through different mechanisms, suggesting that immune memory may be a general phenomenon of insect immunity. This is important because immune priming may influence both host–parasite population and evolutionary dynamics