Coherent Assessments of Europe’s Marine Fishes Show Regional Divergence and Megafauna Loss

Europe has a long tradition of exploiting marine fishes and is promoting marine economic activity through its Blue Growth strategy. This increase in anthropogenic pressure, along with climate change, threatens the biodiversity of fishes and food security. Here, we examine the conservation status of 1,020 species of European marine fishes and identify factors that contribute to their extinction risk. Large fish species (greater than 1.5 m total length) are most at risk; half of these are threatened with extinction, predominantly sharks, rays and sturgeons. This analysis was based on the latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) European regional Red List of marine fishes, which was coherent with assessments of the status of fish stocks carried out independently by fisheries management agencies: no species classified by IUCN as threatened were considered sustainable by these agencies. A remarkable geographic divergence in stock status was also evident: in northern Europe, most stocks were not overfished, whereas in the Mediterranean Sea, almost all stocks were overfished. As Europe proceeds with its sustainable Blue Growth agenda, two main issues stand out as needing priority actions in relation to its marine fishes: the conservation of marine fish megafauna and the sustainability of Mediterranean fish stocks

Habitat use by seahorses and pipefishes (family Syngnathidae) in Biscayne National Park, a marine protected area in southeastern Florida, USA.

Seahorses and their relatives, the pipefishes, (family Syngnathidae) are a group of charismatic marine fishes found in coastal habitats including estuaries, mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs. Knowledge of habitat use by species of conservation concern is important when evaluating the relative contribution of a marine protected area to recovery efforts. This study presents the results of underwater visual surveys of broadly-defined habitats (continuous Submerged Rooted Vegetation (SRV), discontinuous SRV, and reefs) conducted in Biscayne National Park (BNP), a 720 km² marine protected area in Florida, USA. Syngnathids were more likely to be found inside the sheltered waters of Biscayne Bay at sites characterized by fine sediment, reduced horizonal visibility, 30-70% seagrass cover (predominantly Thalassia testudinum) and lower % coverage of reef-associated benthic invertebrates (sponges, corals, gorgonians) and turf algae. The most abundant syngnathids in BNP were the Dwarf Seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae), the Gulf Pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli), and the Dusky Pipefish (S. floridae). Large seahorses (Hippocampus erectus and H. reidi) were poorly represented in my surveys. Syngnathid species assemblage varied by major habitat type, however only Syngnathus floridae was significantly more likely to be found in continuous SRV habitats. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) revealed that relative to habitats occupied by H. zosterae and S. scovelli, those occupied by S. floridae had higher % coverage Thalassia, and higher salinity. The analysis further revealed that habitats occupied by H. zosterae are associated with relatively deeper sediments, lower % coverage of sponges, and higher % cover drift algae compared to habitats used by S. scovelli. Sediment type emerged as the most important predictor of occurrence for H. zosterae, S. scovelli, and syngnathids generally and is an important parameter to consider for conservation and management of syngnathid habitat. It is likely that the sheltered waters of Biscayne Bay provide important habitat for syngnathids within BNP, but also that Biscayne Bay is exposed to greater environmental stressors resulting from its proximity to the mainland and the effects commercial bait-shrimp trawling. Implementation of the no-trawl-zone proposed in the 2014 Fisheries Management Plan for Biscayne National Park and improving water quality would benefit syngnathid habitat.Science, Faculty ofZoology, Department ofGraduat

Global conservation status of marine pufferfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae)

Puffers are biologically and ecologically fascinating fishes best known for their unique morphology and arsenal of defenses including inflation and bioaccumulation of deadly neurotoxins. These fishes are also commercially, culturally, and ecologically important in many regions. One-hundred-and-fifty-one species of marine puffers were assessed against the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Criteria at a 2011 workshop held in Xiamen, China. Here we present the first comprehensive review of puffer geographic and depth distribution, use and trade, and habitats and ecology and a summary of the global conservation status of marine puffers, determined by applying the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Criteria. The majority (77%) of puffers were assessed as Least Concern, 15% were Data Deficient, and 8% were threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable) or Near Threatened. Of the threatened species, the majority are limited-ranging habitat specialists which are primarily affected by habitat loss due to climate change and coastal development. However, one threatened puffer (Takifugu chinensis – CR) and four Near Threatened puffers, also in the genus Takifugu (which contains 24 species total), are wide-ranging habitat generalists which are commercially targeted in the international puffer trade. A disproportionate number of species of conservation concern are found along the coast of eastern Asia, from Japan to the South China Sea, with the highest concentration in the East China Sea. Better management of fishing and other conservation efforts are needed for commercially fished Takifugu species in this region. Taxonomic issues within the Tetraodontidae confound accurate reporting and produce a lack of resolution in species distributions. Resolution of taxonomy will enable more accurate assessment of the conservation status of many Data Deficient puffers

Structure elucidation, biosynthesis, total synthesis and antibacterial in-vivo efficacy of myxobacterial Corramycin

Herein, we describe the myxobacterial natural product Corramycin (1) isolated from Corallococcus coralloides (C. coralloides). Corramycin is a linear peptide containing an unprecedented (2R,3S) N-methyl-β-hydroxy histidine moiety and exhibiting anti-Gram-negative activity against Escherichia coli. Moreover, we describe the Corramycin biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) and propose a biosynthesis model involving a 12-modular non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)/polyketide synthase (PKS). Bioinformatic analysis of the BGC combined with the development of a total synthesis route allowed for the elucidation of the molecule’s absolute configuration. Furthermore, we show that the uptake of Corramycin in E. coli depends on two transporter systems, SbmA and YejABEF. Importantly, intravenous administration of 30 mg kg 1 of Corramycin in an E. coli mouse infection model resulted in significantly reduced colony forming units (CFU) and in 60 % survival of animals, with no toxic effects observed in vitro or in vivo. Corramycin is thus an intriguing innovative starting point to develop a potent antibacterial drug against hospital acquired infections

The status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (West and Central Africa)

International audienceThe status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (ECA), especially of coastal and pelagic fishes, is of concern owing to a number of threats including overharvesting, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change combined with inadequate policy responses, legislation, and enforcement. This study provides the first comprehensive documentation of the presence, status, and level of extinction risk, based on IUCN Red List assessment methodology, for more than 1800 marine species, including all taxonomically described marine vertebrates (marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, fishes); complete clades of selected marine invertebrates (sea cucumbers, cone snails, cephalopods, lobsters, reef-building corals); and marine plants (mangroves, seagrasses). Approximately 8% of all marine species assessed in the ECA are in threatened categories, while 4% are listed as Near Threatened, 73% are Least Concern, and 15% are Data Deficient. Fisheries and overharvesting are the biggest threats to living marine resources in the ECA, with 87% of threatened species across all taxonomic groups affected by both large- and small-scale targeted fisheries, excessive capture as by-catch, or unsustainable harvest. The results of this study will transform the current state of knowledge and increase capacity for regional stakeholders to identify and enact marine conservation and research priorities, as a number of species are identified as having high conservation and/or research priorities in the region. Through the process of marine species data collection and risk assessments conducted over the past 5 years, several key conservation actions and research needs are identified to enable more effective conservation of marine biodiversity in the ECA, including increased governance, multilateral collaboration, taxonomic training, and improved reporting of fisheries catch and effort

Red List of Marine Bony Fishes of the Eastern Central Atlantic.

International audienceThe Red List of Marine Bony Fishes of the Eastern Central Atlantic (ECA) is a review of the conservation status of all native marine bony fishes in ECA according to the global Categories and Criteria of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It identifies those species that are threatened with extinction at the global level and occur within the ECA region. This comprehensive assessment, which is the first of its kind in the ECA, aims to provide improved knowledge of species presence and extinction risk status for the purposes of guiding conservation actions and improved policies for these species both globally and regionally