Healthy assemblages of Isidella elongata unintentionally protected from trawling offshore of Asinara Island (northwestern Sardinia, NW Mediterranean Sea).

Deep-sea coral assemblages are marine biodiversity hot spots. Because of their life history traits, deep-sea corals are highly vulnerable to the impacts of human activities such as fishing. The critically endangered "bamboo coral" Isidella elongata is a key structuring species of deep muddy bottoms that is susceptible to habitat destruction, particularly from trawling. A shallow population of this species was recently discovered by a multibeam and ROV survey offshore of the Asinara Island marine protected area (MPA) (northwestern Sardinia, NW Mediterranean Sea). This vulnerable marine assemblage has been found under healthy conditions at depths ranging from 110 to 298 m. Isidella elongata occurs on a muddy seafloor locally characterised by boulders associated with black coral species (Parantipathes larix and Antipathes dichotoma). The lush colonies of I. elongata seem to be related to natural protection from bottom trawling activity; nevertheless, the presence of lost fishing artisanal nets has been observed in the study area. These structuring species are indicators of vulnerable marine ecosystems, and their conservation is essential for preserving marine biodiversity. Therefore, enlarging the perimeter of the Asinara Island MPA into its deeper western waters is suggested to ensure the protection of these valuable and vulnerable marine ecosystems.

Impact of increased fishing on long-term sequestration of carbon by cephalopods.

Fish and other metazoans play a major role in long-term sequestration of carbon in the oceans through the biological carbon pump1. Recent studies estimate that fish can release about 1,200 to 1,500 million metric tons of carbon per year (MtC year-1) in the oceans through feces production, respiration, and deadfalls, with mesopelagic fish playing a major role1,2. This carbon remains sequestered (stored) in the ocean for a period that largely depends on the depth at which it is released. Cephalopods (squid, octopus, and cuttlefish) have the potential to sequester carbon more effectively than fish because they grow on average five times faster than fish3,4 and they die after reproducing at an early age4,5 (usually 1-2 years), after which their carcasses sink rapidly to the sea floor6. Deadfall of carcasses is particularly important for long-term sequestration because it rapidly transports carbon to depths where residence times are longest1,6. We estimate that cephalopod carcasses transfer 11-22 MtC to the seafloor globally. While cephalopods represent less than 5% of global fisheries catch7, fishing extirpates about 0.36 MtC year-1 of cephalopod carbon that could otherwise have sunk to the seafloor, about half as much as that of fishing large fish8.

High resolution assessment of commercial fisheries activity along the US West Coast using Vessel Monitoring System data with a case study using California groundfish fisheries.

Commercial fisheries along the US West Coast are important components of local and regional economies. They use various fishing gear, target a high diversity of species, and are highly spatially heterogeneous, making it challenging to generate a synoptic picture of fisheries activity in the region. Still, understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of US West Coast fisheries is critical to meet the US legal mandate to manage fisheries sustainably and to better coordinate activities among a growing number of users of ocean space, including offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, shipping, and interactions with habitats and key non-fishery species such as seabirds and marine mammals. We analyzed vessel tracking data from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) from 2010 to 2017 to generate high-resolution spatio-temporal estimates of contemporary fishing effort across a wide range of commercial fisheries along the entire US West Coast. We identified over 247,000 fishing trips across the entire VMS data, covering over 25 different fisheries. We validated the spatial accuracy of our analyses using independent estimates of spatial groundfish fisheries effort generated through the NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Observer Program. Additionally, for commercial groundfish fisheries operating in federal waters in California, we combined the VMS data with landings and ex-vessel value data from California commercial fisheries landings receipts to generate highly resolved estimates of landings and ex-vessel value, matching over 38,000 fish tickets with VMS data that included 87% of the landings and 76% of the ex-vessel value for groundfish. We highlight fisheries-specific and spatially-resolved patterns of effort, landings, and ex-vessel value, a bimodal distribution of fishing effort with respect to depth, and variable and generally declining effort over eight years. The information generated by our study can help inform future sustainable spatial fisheries management and other activities in the marine environment including offshore renewable energy planning.

Future redistribution of fishery resources suggests biological and economic trade-offs according to the severity of the emission scenario.

Climate change is anticipated to have long-term and pervasive effects on marine ecosystems, with cascading consequences to many ocean-reliant sectors. For the marine fisheries sector, these impacts can be further influenced by future socio-economic and political factors. This raises the need for robust projections to capture the range of potential biological and economic risks and opportunities posed by climate change to marine fisheries. Here, we project future changes in the abundance of eight commercially important fish and crab species in the eastern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea under different CMIP6 Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) leading to contrasting future (2021-2100) scenarios of warming, sea ice concentration, and net primary production. Our results revealed contrasting patterns of abundance and distribution changes across species, time periods and climate scenarios, highlighting potential winners and losers under future climate change. In particular, the least changes in future species abundance and distribution were observed under SSP126. However, under the extreme scenario (SSP585), projected Pacific cod and snow crab abundances increased and decreased, respectively, with concurrent zonal and meridional future shifts in their centers of gravity. Importantly, projected changes in species abundance suggest that fishing at the same distance from the current major port in the Bering Sea (i.e., Dutch Harbor) could yield declining catches for highly valuable fisheries (e.g., Pacific cod and snow crab) under SSP585. This is driven by strong decreases in future catches of highly valuable species despite minimal declines in maximum catch potential, which are dominated by less valuable taxa. Hence, our findings show that projected changes in abundance and shifting distributions could have important biological and economic impacts on the productivity of commercial and subsistence fisheries in the eastern Bering and Chukchi seas, with potential implications for the effective management of transboundary resources.

Climate change impacts on small pelagic fish distribution in Northwest Africa: trends, shifts, and risk for food security.

Climate change is recognised to lead to spatial shifts in the distribution of small pelagic fish, likely by altering their environmental optima. Fish supply along the Northwest African coast is significant at both socio-economic and cultural levels. Evaluating the impacts of climatic change on small pelagic fish is a challenge and of serious concern in the context of shared stock management. Evaluating the impact of climate change on the distribution of small pelagic fish, a trend analysis was conducted using data from 2363 trawl samplings and 170,000 km of acoustics sea surveys. Strong warming is reported across the Southern Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), extending from Morocco to Senegal. Over 34 years, several trends emerged, with the southern CCLME experiencing increases in both wind speed and upwelling intensity, particularly where the coastal upwelling was already the strongest. Despite upwelling-induced cooling mechanisms, sea surface temperature (SST) increased in most areas, indicating the complex interplay of climatic-related stressors in shaping the marine ecosystem. Concomitant northward shifts in the distribution of small pelagic species were attributed to long-term warming trends in SST and a decrease in marine productivity in the south. The abundance of Sardinella aurita, the most abundant species along the coast, has increased in the subtropics and fallen in the intertropical region. Spatial shifts in biomass were observed for other exploited small pelagic species, similar to those recorded for surface isotherms. An intensification in upwelling intensity within the northern and central regions of the system is documented without a change in marine primary productivity. In contrast, upwelling intensity is stable in the southern region, while there is a decline in primary productivity. These environmental differences affected several small pelagic species across national boundaries. This adds a new threat to these recently overexploited fish stocks, making sustainable management more difficult. Such changes must motivate common regional policy considerations for food security and sovereignty in all West African countries sharing the same stocks.

Puzzling parrotfishes: Radiocarbon age validation and updated longevity estimates for western Atlantic species in support of sustainable fisheries management.

For management efforts to succeed in Caribbean fisheries, local fishers must support and be willing to comply with fishing regulations. This is more likely when fishers are included in a stock assessment process that utilizes robust scientific evidence, collected in collaboration with fishers, to evaluate the health of fish stocks. Caribbean parrotfishes are important contributors to coral reef ecosystem health while also contributing to local fisheries. Scientifically robust stock assessments require regional species-specific information on age-based key life history parameters, derived from fish age estimates. Evaluation of the accuracy of age estimation methods for fish species is a critical initial step in managing species for long-term sustainable harvest. The current study resulted from a collaborative research program between fish biologists and local fishers investigating age, growth, and reproductive biology of the seven parrotfish species landed in U.S. Caribbean fisheries; specifically, we validated age estimation for stoplight parrotfish Sparisoma viride and queen parrotfish Scarus vetula. This is the first study to directly validate age estimation for any parrotfish species through analysis of Δ14C from eye lens cores. Our age estimation validation results show that enumeration of opaque zones from thin sections of sagittal otoliths for a Sparisoma and a Scarus species provides accurate age estimates. The oldest stoplight parrotfish and queen parrotfish in the Δ14C age estimation validation series were 14 y and 16 y; while the oldest stoplight parrotfish and queen parrotfish we aged to-date using the Δ14C validated age estimation method were 20 y and 21 y, respectively. Fish longevity (maximum age attained/life span) is a key life history parameter used for estimation of natural mortality, survivorship, and lifetime reproductive output. Past reviews on parrotfishes from the Pacific and Atlantic concluded that most Caribbean/western Atlantic parrotfish species are relatively short-lived with estimated maximum ages ranging from 3-9 y. However, information from our collaborative research in the U.S. Caribbean combined with recently published age estimates for Brazilian parrotfish species indicate that many western Atlantic parrotfishes are relatively long-lived with several species attaining maximum ages in excess of 20 y.

Calibration of commercial fisheries echo sounders using seabed backscatter for the estimation of fishery resources.

Acoustic methods are often used for fisheries resource surveys to investigate fish stocks in a wide area. Commercial fisheries echo sounders, which are installed on most small fishing vessels, are used to record a large amount of data during fishing trips. Therefore, it can be used to collect the basic information necessary for stock assessment for a wide area and frequently. To carry out the quantification for the fisheries echo sounder, we devised a simple method using the backscattering strength of the seabed to perform calibration periodically and easily. In this study, seabed secondary reflections were used instead of primary reflection because the fisheries echo sounders were not equipped with a time-varied gain (TVG) function, and the primary backscattering strength of the seabed was saturated. It was also necessary to use standard values of seabed backscattering strength averaged over a certain area for calibration to eliminate some of the effects of differences in seabed sediment and vessel motions. By using standard values of the seabed secondary reflections, the fisheries echo sounder was calibrated accurately. Our study can provide a reliable framework to calibrate commercial fisheries echo sounders, to improve the estimation and management of fishery resources.

Unlocking the potential of blockchain technology in enhancing the fisheries supply chain: an exploration of critical adoption barriers in China.

The application of blockchain technology holds significant potential for improving efficiency, resilience, and transparency within the Fisheries Supply Chain (FSC). This study addresses the critical barriers hindering the adoption of blockchain technology (BT) in the Chinese FSC, recognizing the unique challenges posed by its intricacies. Through a comprehensive literature review, fourteen Critical Barrier Factors (CBFs) were identified, and a grey Delphi method was employed to distill this set. Five pivotal CBFs emerged, including "Regulatory Compliance," "Cost of Implementation," and "Complex Supply Chain Network". A subsequent grey Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) analysis revealed the causal relationships among these factors, categorizing them into effect and cause groups. "Regulatory Compliance," "Cost of Implementation," and "Complex Supply Chain Network" were identified as primary influencing factors demanding attention for effective BT integration in the FSC. The findings serve as a valuable resource for FSC stakeholders, assisting in prioritizing efforts to address these barriers. The discerned causal relationships provide guidance for managers in optimizing resource allocation. Ultimately, this research advocates for the adoption of blockchain technology in the fisheries supply chain to enhance overall performance and operational efficiency.

Projected habitat preferences of commercial fish under different scenarios of climate change.

The challenges of commercial species with the threats of climate change make it necessary to predict the changes in the distributional shifts and habitat preferences of the species under possible future scenarios. We aim to demonstrate how future climatic changes will affect the habitat suitability of three species of commercial fish using the predictive technique MaxEnt. The dataset used to extract geographical records included OBIS (54%), GBIF (1%), and literature (45%). The output of the model indicated accurate projections of MaxEnt (AUC above 0.9). Temperature was the main descriptor responsible for the main effects on the distribution of commercial fish. With increasing RCP from 2.5 to 8.5, the species would prefer saltier, higher temperatures and deeper waters in the future. We observed different percentages of suitable habitats between species during RCPs showing distinct sensitivity of each fish in facing climate changes. Negative effects from climate change on the distribution patterns of commercial fish were predicted to lead to varying degrees of reduction and changes of suitable habitats and movement of species towards higher latitudes. The finding emphasizes to implement adaptive management measures to preserve the stocks of these commercial fish considering that the intensification of the effects of climate change on subtropical areas and overexploited species is predicted.

Environmental DNA as a tool to reconstruct catch composition for longline fisheries vessels.

Global wild-capture fisheries are a large and diverse sector requiring various tools for fisheries-dependant data collection and effective Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS). Here we present a novel protocol to collect eDNA from brine tanks onboard commercial longline vessels to reconstruct catch composition. We collected samples from nine vessels operating out of the Eastern Tuna Billfish Fishery, Australia, validating eDNA results with reliable catch data consisting of seven target and bycatch species. Environmental DNA was highly effective for detecting species retained on vessels without contamination or false positives. For four vessels, logbook data and eDNA were consistent with detections of all species. The remaining vessels detected all species except for rare catches of short-billed spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris). Similarities between rank abundance distributions of catch and eDNA reads were observed with logbook data mirrored when eDNA sequences were organised into rank order abundance. The method was effective at identifying highly abundant taxa retained in brine tanks- tuna (Thunnus spp.), swordfish (Xiphias gladius), marlin (Kajijia audax), and Atlantic Pomfret (Brama brama). Further research is required to validate how eDNA and other molecular monitoring tools can be scaled and applied to provide solutions for monitoring challenges in the fisheries sector.

Impacts of bycatch from beach seining: a case study of a shrimp fishery in Brazil.

It is commonly assumed that beach seining (BS) is more sustainable than bottom trawling because it involves non-motorized operations and limited fishing power. However, no scientific evidence supports this assumption. To address this gap, we evaluated the impact of beach seining, taking a small-scale shrimp fishery in northeast Brazil. Data collected monthly from December 2016 to November 2017 and in literature, were assessed (BS 31,001 individuals, 119 species, 37 families, and 19 orders; BT 6,031 individuals, 58 species, 20 families, and 14 orders). Beach seining demonstrated a lower proportion of bycatch (BS 1:2.3; BT 1:3.2), higher total shrimp catch (BS 87.2 t; BT 65 t), and greater species diversity than bottom trawling catches (BS 119; BT 58). Other aspects were closer associated with bottom trawling, such as the composition of dominant families (Sciaenidae and Pristigasteridae), the proportion of rare species (BS 30%; BT 24%) juveniles (BS 11g; BT 13g), the risk of species extinction, and the composition of ecological guilds. Despite their social significance, both fishing gears showed similar ecological indicators and adverse effects. The findings establish that the ecological concerns related to the impact of bottom trawling are also applicable to beach seine.

Fishing profile and commercial landings of shark and batoids in a global elasmobranchs conservation hotspot.

This paper describes the fishing profile and the temporal variation in the commercial landings of elasmobranchs in a global hotspot for their conservation and investigates the variables that influenced the landings. Census data on commercial catches were obtained between April 2008 and October 2010 from nine landing sites in Bragança (Pará, northern Brazil). Five vessel types, four fishing gears, and eight fishing techniques engaged with elasmobranch capture were identified. A total of 2,357 landings were recorded, with a total production of 354 t. The highest yields were recorded in 2009, with sharks being harvested mostly by small and medium-sized vessels, and batoids, by small vessels and canoes. Drifting nets and longlines played a prominent role in elasmobranch fisheries. The results show that the landings were influenced by days at sea, which is common in tropical fisheries. The elasmobranch data series is discontinuous as statistics are absent for most fishing sites albeit imperative for proper management, as well as relevant for decision-makers focusing on their conservation.

Climate change: A pointer to increased small-scale fisher drowning deaths.

Drowning is an overlooked public health concern and drowning risk is dependent on environmental risk factors. The preponderance of drowning deaths occurs in low- and middle-income countries. Small-scale fishers face high occupational risk of drowning. Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of storms, thereby exacerbating fishers' risks and creating a need to examine the contribution of storms to fisher drowning deaths for the development of mitigation strategies. We examined this relationship between weather and fisher drowning deaths in Lake Victoria, which is Africa's largest lake, a site of high fishing pressure, and where climate change is predicted to increase thunderstorms. We conducted a verbal autopsy with people knowledgeable about recent fatal fisher drowning incidents to collect information about the deceased fishers and circumstances surrounding the incidents across 43 landing sites in the Kenyan shore of Lake Victoria. Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders also elucidated community perspectives on drowning risks. Fatal drownings were often attributed to bad weather (41.8%). Other risk factors, such as non-use of life jacket and navigation equipment, co-occurred with bad weather at high rates (69.5% and 67.8%, respectively) to jointly contribute to fatal drowning incidents. Such co-occurrence of risk factors indicates that actions across multiple risk factors can help mitigate the issue. Stakeholder analysis revealed a range of opportunities for improved communication of risks and action to mitigate risks across boat operators and manufacturers, as well as multiple levels of management. Across global small-scale fisheries, limited use of safety equipment and intensive fishing pressure may coincide with increases in extreme weather events, necessitating action to address current and mitigate future drowning risks to small-scale fishers.

Geolocated fish spawning habitats.

Fish spawning locations are a crucial input into fisheries management and conservation plans, and many stocks are especially sensitive to the environmental conditions within these localized zones. Globally collated data on spawning locations across many species has been unavailable, hindering global stock assessments and analyses of sustainable development and global environmental change. To address this, we created a geocoded fish spawning dataset using qualitative spawning information from FishBase and Science and Conservation of Fish Aggregations (SCRFA). We cleaned and geocoded the spawning locations of 1,045 marine fish species into 2,931 regions. Each spawning region is defined by one or more polygons, and most spawning regions are associated with spawning months. The resulting dataset covers oceans globally. This dataset will be useful to scientists studying marine fish population dynamics and their interactions with the physical environment on regional to large scales.

Real-world waste dispersion modelling for benthic integrated multi-trophic aquaculture.

In real-world situations, marine fish farms accommodate multiple fish species and cohorts within the farm, leading to diverse farm layouts influenced by cage dimensions, configurations, and intricate arrangements. These cage management practices are essential to meet production demands, however, farm-level complexities can impact model predictions of waste deposition and benthic impact near fish cages. This is of particular importance when the cages are used for integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) with benthic feeders, where this waste not only affects environmental conditions but also provides a potential food source. The Cage Aquaculture Particulate Output and Transport (CAPOT) model incorporated multiple species, cohorts, and cage arrangements to estimate waste distribution from a commercial fish farm in the Mediterranean between October 2018 and July 2019. This spreadsheet model estimated dispersion for individual fish cages using a grid resolution of 5 m x 5 m. The study categorized discrete production periods for each fish cage every month, aligning with intermittent changes in biomass and food inputs due to different cage management practices throughout production. This approach facilitated the use of detailed input data and enhanced model representativeness by considering variations in cage biomass, food types, settling velocities, and configurations. Model outputs, represented in contour plots, indicated higher deposition directly below fish cages that varied monthly throughout fish production cycles. Deposition footprints reflected changes in cage biomass, food inputs, and farm-level practices reflecting this real-world scenario where aquaculture does not follow a production continuum. Moreover, cohort dynamics and cage movements associated with the cage management practices of the fish farm influenced the quantity and fate of wastes distributed around fish cages, revealing variability in deposition footprints. Clearly, these findings have important implications for the design of benthic IMTA systems, with species such as sea cucumber and polychaetes. Variability in waste deposition creates challenges in identifying where the benthic organisms should be placed to allow optimal uptake of waste to meet their food requirements and increase survivability. Evidently, models have an important role to play and this study emphasizes the need for representative input data to describe actual food inputs, cage biomass changes, and management practices for more representative farm-scale modelling and essentially to improve particulate waste management. To effectively mitigate benthic impacts through IMTA, models must quantify and resolve particulate waste distribution and impact around fish farms to maintain a balanced system with net removal of wastes. Resolving farm-level complexities provides vital information about the variability of food availability and quality for extractive organisms that helps improve recycling of organic wastes in integrated systems, demanding a more representative modelling approach.

Local trade, spatial occurrence and conservation of hypostomus soniae (siluriformes, loricariidae), an ornamental fish endemic to the tapajos river, Brazil.

Hypostomus soniae is a small sized armored catfish endemic to the Tapajos River basin and ranked as one of the most exploited ornamental fish in the Santarem export marketplace. This study aims to evaluate distributional patterns of Hypostomus soniae and contribute to the species conservation in the face of development of the ornamental fish trade in the Amazon region. We compiled data associated with geographic coordinates in public repositories, supplemented with original field records. We compared our data to published records in the literature and museum collections to check for accuracy. To investigate the fishery and commercialization of H. soniae, we conducted interviews with ornamental fish stakeholders from the local trade. We also made direct observations in the fishing sites and export facilities in Santarem. A cluster analysis of the geolocation data was carried out to explore the spatial distribution patterns. The volume of captures and exportation of H. soniae decreased during the period 2020-2023. The occurrence of H. soniae was associated with annual rainfall ranging from 2,000 mm to 2,500 mm and concentrated in two municipalities of the State of Mato Grosso and two of the Para State. The species distribution area has been threatened, unfortunately, by fishermen who do not respect the laws that support artisanal fishing in the Amazon.

Ingestion of fishing gear and Anisakis sp. infection in a beached Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) in the Jeju Island, Republic of Korea: findings from post-mortem computed tomography and necropsy.

BACKGROUND: Human fishing activities have significantly affect environmental concern for marine ecosystems, conservation of marine mammals, and human health. Coastal cetaceans are highly vulnerable to ingestion of fishing gear, bycatching, or entanglement, all of which can be fatal for these animals. In particular, certain coastal dolphins and porpoises are heavily impacted by fishing gear such as angling gear or stownet, as their food often overlap with the target fish species of human fisheries. CASE PRESENTATION: This study presents a case of an Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) beached on the coast of Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, with ingestion of fishing gear and severe Anisakis infection. Although this species inhabits waters ranging from the Persian Gulf to Taiwan, several stranded carcasses have been reported on Jeju Island in recent years. Post-mortem computed tomography revealed a bundle of four fishing hooks in the forestomach, along with nylon lines and steel lines with connectors, which were assumed to be angling gear for Jeju hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus). Further necroscopic investigation revealed that the forestomach contained a large number of Anisakis spp. (Nematoda: Anisakidae). Histological examination revealed a thickened forestomach wall with pinpoint and volcanic ulcerations, a thickened layer of stratified squamous epithelium, and infiltrated stroma in the squamous epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the urgent need to address the impact of fishing activities on marine mammals, marine litter pollution, and the bycatch problem in Korean seawater. In addition, the occurrence of N. phocaenoides in seawater around Jeju Island should be raised in future geographical ecology or veterinary pathology studies and when its distribution is updated.

Resident marine sportfishing effort in the United States varied non-monotonically with COVID policy stringency.

Governments responded to the Covid-19 pandemic with different policies to curtail the spread of the virus. We show how sportfishing levels are related to the stringency of Covid-19 policies. Specifically, we relate the total number of resident sportfishing trips taken each month in each of 16 U.S. states to a state-level index of COVID policy stringency. We model the number of recreational fishing trips taken in each state-month using a fixed effect Poisson regression model with state-specific seasonality and time trends. We estimate separate models for different fishing modes, and find that for fishing trips taken on private boats the number of trips may have increased by approximately 20% at moderate levels of stringency, while at high levels of stringency like those experienced in many states in March and April of 2020, trips may have stayed constant or declined by 10-20%. Similar inverse-U shaped relationships between trips and stringency are found for fishing trips from the shore and from charter boats.

Shake it off: exploring drivers and outcomes of autotomy in marine invertebrates.

Autotomy refers to self-amputation where the loss of a limb or organ is generally said to be (1) in response to stressful external stimuli; (2) voluntary and nervously mediated; (3) supported by adaptive features that increase efficiency and simultaneously mediate the cost; and (4) morphologically delineated by a predictable breakage plane. It is estimated that this phenomenon has evolved independently nine different times across the animal kingdom, appearing in many different taxa, including vertebrate and invertebrate as well as aquatic and terrestrial animals. Marine invertebrates use this behaviour in a diversity of manners that have yet to be globally reviewed and critically examined. Here, published data from marine invertebrate taxa were used to explore instances of injury as an evolutionary driver of autotomy. Findings suggest that phyla (e.g. Echinodermata and Arthropoda) possibly experiencing high rates of injury (tissue damage or loss) are more likely to be able to perform autotomy. Additionally, this review looks at various morphological, physiological and environmental conditions that have either driven the evolution or maintained the behaviour of autotomy in marine invertebrates. Finally, the use of autotomic abilities in the development of more sustainable and less ecologically invasive fisheries is explored.

Inland recreational fisheries contribute nutritional benefits and economic value but are vulnerable to climate change.

Inland recreational fishing is primarily considered a leisure-driven activity in freshwaters, yet its harvest can contribute to food systems. Here we estimate that the harvest from inland recreational fishing equates to just over one-tenth of all reported inland fisheries catch globally. The estimated total consumptive use value of inland recreational fish destined for human consumption may reach US$9.95 billion annually. We identify Austria, Canada, Germany and Slovakia as countries above the third quantile for nutrition, economic value and climate vulnerability. These results have important implications for populations dependent on inland recreational fishing for food. Our findings can inform climate adaptation planning for inland recreational fisheries, particularly those not currently managed as food fisheries.