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The COVID-19 pandemic has altered illegal fishing activities inside and outside a marine protected area.
Quimbayo, Juan P; Silva, Fernanda C; Barreto, Camila R; Pavone, Carla B; Lefcheck, Jonathan S; Leite, Kelen; Figueiroa, Apoena C; Correia, Edineia C; Flores, Augusto A V.
  • Quimbayo JP; Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, São Sebastião, SP 11612-109, Brazil; Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network and MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 20764, USA. Electronic address: quimbayo.j.p@gmail.com.
  • Silva FC; Lab. Macroecologia e Biogeografia Marinha, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-090, Brazil.
  • Barreto CR; Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, São Sebastião, SP 11612-109, Brazil.
  • Pavone CB; Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, São Sebastião, SP 11612-109, Brazil.
  • Lefcheck JS; Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network and MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 20764, USA.
  • Leite K; Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, São Sebastião, SP 11605-136, Brazil.
  • Figueiroa AC; Lab. Macroecologia e Biogeografia Marinha, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-090, Brazil.
  • Correia EC; Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, São Sebastião, SP 11605-136, Brazil.
  • Flores AAV; Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, São Sebastião, SP 11612-109, Brazil.
Curr Biol ; 32(14): R765-R766, 2022 07 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1956116
ABSTRACT
The global COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique opportunity to explore the consequences of illegal exploitation on wildlife communities, as it continues to have wide-reaching impacts on multiple sectors, including local and national economies, international trade, and conservation enforcement1. The ongoing reductions in monitoring and enforcement during the pandemic have allowed increased opportunities for illegal, unreported, and unregulated activities, particularly for small-scale fisheries2. Even before the pandemic, policymakers and fisheries managers intent on controlling illegal fishing activities established marine protected areas (MPAs) that restrict or prohibit fishing3. Unfortunately, non-compliance with MPAs is often the rule rather than the exception, and less than 10% of the world's MPAs have managed to effectively reduce infringement4. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these management challenges a recent review of MPAs worldwide has revealed a general decline in tourism revenue to operate park services during the pandemic, especially revenue needed for supporting personnel to monitor, patrol, and enforce restrictions2. Here, we compile infraction records of illegal fishing activities by both professional (commercial) and amateur (recreational) boats inside and outside of the Tupinambás Ecological Station and the Alcatrazes Wildlife Refuge (Figure 1A), notable for its high reef-fish biomass and diversity in the Southwestern Atlantic5. We show that illegal exploitation has shifted since the onset of the pandemic, targeting larger, higher-value species that contribute disproportionately to the structure and function of reef-fish communities in the region.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Conservation of Natural Resources / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study Limits: Animals / Humans Language: English Journal: Curr Biol Journal subject: Biology Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Conservation of Natural Resources / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study Limits: Animals / Humans Language: English Journal: Curr Biol Journal subject: Biology Year: 2022 Document Type: Article