1.4 – Effects of socio-ecological complexity on dynamics of harvested fish stocks
The productivity of fisheries worldwide has declined as humans fished “down the food chain”. Great Lakes commercial and sport fishing industries continue to fish top-predators, despite challenges imposed by ecosystem change and multi-jurisdictional governance of resources. Among stakeholders, it is often unclear if and how managers balance ecological risk to stocks against economic risk to producers, packers and their broader communities. In light of widespread fisheries collapses, regulatory bodies might impose quotas more conservative than necessary to protect stocks, thereby putting fisheries at risk.
Our research seeks to address whether and how differences in the changes experienced by harvested fish species are influenced by changes made in society and ecological structure through examining a range of real and modeled freshwater capture fisheries.
We anticipate that the results of our research will provide a better understanding of the relative importance of different factors as they affect the risk of over-exploitation of harvested fish stocks. This information will continue to inform industry stakeholders' input to emerging structured decision-making forums for quota setting in the Great Lakes.
Project Leader Contact Information
Thomas D. Nudds
University of Guelph
[email protected]
Project Team
- Allan Debertin - University of Guelph, PhD candidate
- Beren Robinson - University of Guelph
- Brian Locke - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
- Daniel Duplisea - Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institut Maurice-Lamontagne
- David Gislason - University of Guelph, PhD candidate
- Erin Dunlop - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
- Fan Zhang - University of Guelph, PhD candidate
- Gavin Christie - Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences
- John Dettmers - Great Lakes Fishery Commission
- John Fryxell - University of Guelph
- Katrine Turgeon - University of Guelph, PhD candidate
- Kevin McCann - University of Guelph
- Kevin Reid - University of Guelph, PhD candidate and Ontario Commercial Fisheries Association
- Marten Koops - Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Great Lakes Labratory for Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences
- Peter Meisenheimer - Ontario Commercial Fisheries Association
- Robert McLaughlin - University of Guelph and Great Lakes Fishery Commission
- Yingming Zhao - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources