Spring 2026

To maintain sustainable recreational fisheries, when we vacation, we must manage the area's carrying capacity to ensure there is good fishing for years to come. A study concerning this was recently published in Fisheries Management and Ecology. The study was conducted by Leopoldo Palomo of the Universidad Marista de Meridad, in Meridad, Mexico, and by Addiel U. Perez from the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust in Miami, Florida. The study investigated protecting fishing flats in Yucatan, Mexico, a popular fishing destination. The coastal economies of the Yucatan rely on ecotourism-centric fishermen to keep their economy running. Many of the fishermen in this area follow catch-and-release practices, which is helpful for sustainable fisheries practices as it results in far fewer fish kills. But in order to have a truly sustainable fishery, the number of boats in the area must be managed. The study aimed to estimate the boating capacity of the flats fishery, a Marine protected area around the Yucatan, as well as create a framework for other management practices to follow. 

This case study allowed researchers to engage with local fishermen about their fishing practices to gather information to build their estimates for what a sustainable boating limit would look like in this area. Multiple approaches were used to find sustainable limits for this fishery. They found that a range of 14 to 28 boats, distributed across the flats fishery, an area of about 1.7 square miles, could be sustainable. They noted that closer to the lower end of the range, around 14 boats would allow for more space and better fishing quality, with less competition from other boats. At the upper end of the range, around 28 boats in the flats fishery area, fishing quality would decrease due to other boats nearby. Staying closer to the lower estimated sustainable limit would be ideal for both the ecosystem and the recreational fishermen, as they would have better success on their fishing trips, making it more worthwhile to book fishing charters in that area. 

A case study like this is a great example of how using multiple types of information and multiple approaches can give the best insight into how we can sustainably fish in protected destinations. This allows more people over time to visit and experience these beautiful locations. This case study was also able to take into account the type of fishing experience you would have while out on the water, something that not many studies take into account. By doing this, management is able to take into account both the ecological perspective and the human experience that would be had. Additionally, being able to quantify what these regulations look like in the number of boats in the area allows for clear management to be put into place. By having good management of our fisheries, particularly in highly desirable destinations for recreational fishermen, we can better protect these areas for years to come. 

Palomo, L. and Perez, A.U. (2026), Estimation of Boating Carrying Capacity for Recreational Fishing as a Conservation Tool for Caribbean Flats Fishing and Other Fisheries. Fish Manag Ecol, 33: 105-118. https://doi.org/10.1111/fme.70011

Available: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1111%2Ffme.70011

Available:

All caught up? Entangled in power, politics, and plastics: the case of abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear in the Baltic Sea | Maritime Studies | Springer Nature Link 

Do you ever look out at the water when at the beach or at a coastline and wonder what is going on beneath the surface? Do you wonder about the relationship between humans and the coastal ecosystems? A recent study by Lucas P. Griffin and colleagues, published in Fisheries 2025 Vol. 50: “Habitat management and restoration as missing pieces in flats ecosystems conservation and the fishes and fisheries that they support”, asked these questions and more. The study outlines 10 guiding principles necessary to integrate habitat management and restoration to ensure the conservation of interconnected flat ecosystems. 

Flats are shallow intertidal ecosystems found in nearshore waters, often spanning from coastlines to open coastal water or occurring around isolated atolls. Flats support numerous living and non-living habitats. Coastal towns and cities are often built adjacent to these ecosystems because of the services they provide. These are known as ecosystem services and range from storm and flood protection, plants burying carbon from the atmosphere, and many more. 

Coastal cities also negatively impact these ecosystems. Over half of coastal flats are subject to moderate to high levels of human impacts that contribute to the loss of these habitats and can cause serious ecological and economic consequences. It is important to understand how flats habitats provide us with ecosystem services so we can better inform management decisions. 

There is little initiative for proper assessments of flats fisheries. It is crucial to restore and maintain the ecological integrity and biodiversity. This aligns with worldwide initiatives to transition to ecosystem-based management (EBM) approaches. This approach considers the human-ecological connections between these areas, prioritizes up-to-date science, and understands that these habitats are not confined to political borders. The ten guiding principles are as follows:

Embrace flats fishes as flagship and umbrella species. These are species that conservation practices designate as management surrogates to fill two roles. Flagship species can motivate the public to engage in conservation efforts, and umbrella species extend those benefits to many co-occurring species.

Flats fishes highlight the connectivity with other fragmented habitats. Some species, like Tarpon, will migrate thousands of miles through many habitats. Recognizing seascape connectivity, if these are disrupted, the role and effectiveness of singular habitats may be diminished. Considering this is a shift towards EBM approaches. 

Insert habitat protection and restoration into development and planning processes. Due to coastal developments' frequent proximity to flats habitats, it is necessary to incorporate marine spatial planning (MSP) to balance environmental protection and human development. MSP can designate areas for important ecological functions and human activities simultaneously. It is important to consider the connections between marine, terrestrial, and freshwater environments. 

Learn from habitat management and restoration in other realms. This guideline highlights the importance of adapting management strategies from other ecosystems that have had more informed and comprehensive management.

Engage in effective partnerships. It is important to engage with organizations at a local, state, national, and even international levels. These can be governmental, non-profit, non-governmental, or community organizations. It is crucial to engage these stakeholders at every stage of the management process, such as planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Build the evidence base. This guideline prioritizes building sufficient data on these habitats to effectively inform management. The article highlights specific goals for ensuring this.

Think and act at the systems level. Managers must consider the cause-and-effect relationships between species and ecosystems and how they form a complex system. Considering the habitat needs of flats species at a systems level, including natural predators and human impacts, creates more effective restoration that supports seascape complexity.

Embrace transdisciplinary perspectives. Any individual, no matter their background, is not capable of understanding all aspects of these environments. So it is important to create diverse study and management teams to ensure comprehensive management.

Emulate nature. To maintain these ecosystems for years to come, it is important to develop restoration efforts that work with nature. Managers must develop plans that use up-to-date science and prioritize using these areas' natural ability to maintain themselves and provide services to humans. 

Future-proof restoration is a guideline that recognizes future environmental changes and considers the impacts of climate change to ensure long-term ecosystem benefits. 

Although there is imperfect knowledge of these ecosystems and the species that inhabit them, it is crucial to guide informed management and restoration so they can continue to benefit humans for years to come.

This news piece reports on original research in:

Griffin, Lucas P., Andy J. Danylchuk, Grace A. Casselberry, Jacob W. Brownscombe, Jessica A. Robichaud, Morgan L. Piczak, Anne L. Haley, Danielle Morely, and Steven J. Cooke. “Habitat Management and Restoration as Missing Pieces in Flats Ecosystems Conservation and the Fishes and Fisheries That They Support.” Fisheries 50, no. 7 (2025): 287–300. Available: https://doi.org/10.1093/fshmag/vuae032 

In the last few decades, much of the world has started making efforts to move towards sustainable management of natural resources like our fisheries. This is largely due to impacts from overfishing and poor environmental practices. Consequently, a form of management that has developed is based around local communities, allowing people to have a sense of ownership in resources that are important to them and participate in the management of their resources. Having skin in the game is a great motivator for pushing sustainability, but this can sometimes be a double-edged sword.

Recently, Rafaella Lobo and colleagues published a paper in Marine Policy that reviews a 10-year project revolving around community-based natural resource management in Northern Mozambique. This project, led by the CARE-World Wildlife Fund Alliance, focused on the Primeiras e Segundas region, well known for its rich biodiversity and artisanal fisheries. The communities in this region of Mozambique have historically suffered from chronic, high levels of poverty and often do not have access to basic community services such as education, healthcare, and roads. Because of this, these communities are highly dependent on the sensitive natural resources around them for survival needs such as food, water, and shelter. 

This paper aimed to examine factors contributing to unsuccessful community-based natural resource management. This was done through a series of household surveys and group discussions of different types. The household surveys conducted aimed to gather information about socio-economic information. In each community, four different types of discussions took place to gather information about the observed and perceived changes in human well-being, status of resources, governance, food security, and conservation outcomes. The information collected from these methods was then analyzed to determine whether or not communities succeeded in following research-backed guidelines for this management strategy. 

Three of the four communities in this project successfully formed a resilient resource-management system, even after funding and support were withdrawn. In these communities, local enforcement and strong ties between community members and governmental/regional entities were very important to the success of these systems. In the case of the unsuccessful management system, community members understood that conservation rules had long-term benefits, but in the face of hunger, the present harm was felt to be greater than the benefits of the conservation system put in place.

This displays a very important concept that is especially important when working with disadvantaged communities: In order to achieve long-term goals, people often need to feel secure in their livelihoods and survival first. If basic needs are not met, these end up being a community's primary goal. 

But why is this even important? Well, generalized management guidelines even in first-world countries often overlook localized communities that may not have their needs fully met, which consequently contributes to poor management practices. Examining points of failure in a management system is a very important aspect of fisheries management. As we move towards further implementation of sustainable management within our fisheries, community-based management is an essential tool that can help support not only the fisheries within a community, but also help to support communities in the long-run. 

Lobo, R., Skinner, A., Clark, M., Xavier, M., Epstein, G., Andrachuk, M., Sequeira, D., De Nardo, M., Fisher, B., & Mahajan, S. L. (2026). Catalyzing community-led conservation governance through integrated conservation and development in coastal Mozambique. Marine Policy, 189, 107089.

Avaliable: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2026.107089 

In the waters off the coast of Southern Luzon, in the Philippines, fishing is far more than a job, it is a way of life. However, newly published research shows that the very rules set in place to protect the marine ecosystems, and the livelihoods of people who rely on them, are having negative impacts on these coastal communities. A study published in 2025 by Carmela Therese T. Novilla and Michael Fabinyi in Maritime Studies, examines the intersection between two key fisheries that help to sustain local communities. The two fisheries involved in this study include the relationship between the coral reef fishery and the small pelagics fishery. The target small pelagics fishery focus is the dulong fishery which is the harvest of juvenile anchovies and sardines with fine mesh nets. Coral reefs are often protected through various marine conservation policies, while the small pelagic fisheries take place in open water nearby. These fisheries are a critical source of food and income for local communities of Southern Luzon. 

At first glance, these two systems might appear to be separate; however, the research concludes that they are deeply connected on biological, social, and economic levels. Local communities, and fishermen, rely on both of these fisheries. Their reliance on one fishery over the other is strongly influenced by the season, weather, and regulations for that time.  While the availability of two different fisheries can be beneficial at times, the separate governance currently seen between the two systems can create challenges for fishermen to sustain their livelihoods as it can create times when fishermen are unable to participate in either fishery and. One of the issues that fishermen face is that conservation policies, such as Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s), are designed to protect coral reefs by banning fishing in those designated zones. Although these restrictions can help relieve pressure on the ecosystem, and ultimately allow it to recover, they can also limit reef access to fishermen who rely on the resource for their livelihood, and as a source of food. During seasonal closures for the dulong fishery, which typically occur between December and March, fishermen may struggle to harvest a sufficient catch. This deep interconnection between coral reefs and the dulong fishery led researchers to suggest a co-management strategy involving both marine fisheries.

The overall conclusion of this research is that instead of treating fisheries and conservation as two separate issues, they must be integrated to be successful. The effective governance of these resources needs to account for fair access to the resource for all of the activities that help to support the livelihoods of people in these coastal communities. Although the current restriction and protection policies that are in place create a challenge for locals, the implementation of better and more inclusive policy can help to protect the ecosystem while also protecting the livelihood of the local people in Southern Luzon for generations to come. 

Source: 

Novilla, C.T.T., Fabinyi, M. Coral reefs and small pelagic fisheries: livelihood and governance interactions in Southern Luzon, Philippines. Maritime Studies 24, 26 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-025-00417-0 

Available: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40152-025-00417-0