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Assessing fishing impacts in a tropical reservoir through an ecosystem modeling approach

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Abstract

Ecological models are useful for evaluating fishery management scenarios, as they allow researchers to investigate alternative fishing effort, as well as varying environmental and trophic interaction scenarios. Through an ecosystem modeling approach (Ecopath with Ecosim), we addressed the possible impacts of small-scale fisheries on the structure and functioning of a tropical ecosystem (Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil). We found that fishing effects and predator–prey interactions were the main drivers explaining catch trends in the Itaipu Reservoir fisheries. The mean trophic level of catch did not change throughout the analyzed time period and no losses in secondary production from exploitation (L index) were observed, indicating that Itaipu fisheries are sustainable regarding ecosystem effects. The negative impacts of introduced species on native species seem to be greater than the fishing impacts. Fishing simulations from the ecosystem Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) reduced the biomass of some important species in the local fishery. Regarding management advice, our results indicate that fishing efforts should not be increased for curimba (Prochilodus lineatus), pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans), and jaú (Zungaro jahu). Additionally, participative management methods are important measures for local fisheries. Finally, additional research is needed to investigate how fishery management can promote the use of multispecific methods (e.g., gillnets) to control introduced species.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is part of the Ph.D. thesis of JSP under the supervision of CMV at University of Maringá (UEM-Brazil) with scholarship supported by Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) to JSP CAPES also supported MC (Proc. PVE A063/2013, Ed.71/2013). Thank you also to NUPÉLIA (UEM) for collecting the fishery landing dataset.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PPG Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Av. Colombo 5790, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil

    Juliana Strieder Philippsen & Carolina V. Minte-Vera

  2. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    Carolina V. Minte-Vera

  3. Institut de Ciencies del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain

    Marta Coll

  4. Ecopath International Initiative Research Association, Barcelona, Spain

    Marta Coll

  5. Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil

    Ronaldo Angelini

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  1. Juliana Strieder Philippsen
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  2. Carolina V. Minte-Vera
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  3. Marta Coll
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  4. Ronaldo Angelini
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Correspondence to Juliana Strieder Philippsen.

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Philippsen, J.S., Minte-Vera, C.V., Coll, M. et al. Assessing fishing impacts in a tropical reservoir through an ecosystem modeling approach. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 29, 125–146 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-018-9539-9

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