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The effects of 118 years of industrial fishing on UK bottom trawl fisheries

Author

Listed:
  • Ruth H. Thurstan

    (University of York, Heslington, York, N. Yorks YO10 5DD, UK.)

  • Simon Brockington

    (Marine Conservation Society, Unit 3, Wolf Business Park)

  • Callum M. Roberts

    (University of York, Heslington, York, N. Yorks YO10 5DD, UK.)

Abstract

In 2009, the European Commission estimated that 88% of monitored marine fish stocks were overfished, on the basis of data that go back 20 to 40 years and depending on the species investigated. However, commercial sea fishing goes back centuries, calling into question the validity of management conclusions drawn from recent data. We compiled statistics of annual demersal fish landings from bottom trawl catches landing in England and Wales dating back to 1889, using previously neglected UK Government data. We then corrected the figures for increases in fishing power over time and a recent shift in the proportion of fish landed abroad to estimate the change in landings per unit of fishing power (LPUP), a measure of the commercial productivity of fisheries. LPUP reduced by 94%—17-fold—over the past 118 years. This implies an extraordinary decline in the availability of bottom-living fish and a profound reorganization of seabed ecosystems since the nineteenth century industrialization of fishing.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruth H. Thurstan & Simon Brockington & Callum M. Roberts, 2010. "The effects of 118 years of industrial fishing on UK bottom trawl fisheries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 1(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:1:y:2010:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1013
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1013
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    Cited by:

    1. Lu, Yifan & Yamazaki, Satoshi, 2023. "Fish to fight: Does catching more fish increase conflicts in Indonesia?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    2. Kastoryano, Stephen & Vollaard, Ben, 2022. "Nautical Patrol and Illegal Fishing Practices," Discussion Paper 2022-016, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    3. Steadman, Daniel & Appleby, Thomas & Hawkins, Julie, 2014. "Minimising unsustainable yield: Ten failing European fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 192-201.

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