Thirty French fleets fishing primarily in the Bay of Biscay were defined based on techno-economic input criteria: i) 18 fishing gear or gear combinations ii) the location of fishing grounds visited during a year (<12 nautical miles from coast, beyond 12 nm or both) and iii) total vessel length (<20 m for trawlers and other gears <24 m). The fleets were then characterised in terms of horse power, economic dependence on a list of nine dominant commercial species (sole, Nephrops, sea bass, hake, monkfish, anchovy, cuttlefish, sardine and squid) and their contribution to the landings of these species from the Bay of Biscay. Most fleets derived the majority of their income from one or two among the nine species. Species dependencies changed little during the study period, except for those vessels targeting anchovy before the fishery restrictions starting in 2005. Fish community impacts were compared based on fleet landings' profiles. Twelve landings profiles were determined using hierarchical cluster analysis. Fleets using similar gears had the same landings' profiles and therefore exercised similar pressures on the ecosystem, though not always in the same areas. The depletion of anchovy and the closure of the fishery lead to a change in landings profile for offshore pelagic trawlers from anchovy dominance to one with a larger proportion of albacore and sea bass. During the study period, the overall vessel number decreased from 2163 to 1845. Few vessels changed fleets, but if they did, they primarily started to fish closer to the coast, which might be a result of increasing fuel prices.

Genetic parameters for carcass quality traits were estimated in 27 families of sea bass (3 dams × 9 sires factorial mating design), raised mixed in the same tanks starting before hatching. Offspring parentage was determined a posteriori using 6 microsatellite loci. Carcass quality traits were recorded at 818 days post fertilization (mean standard length: 32.6 ± 3.1 cm). Genetic parameters were estimated from the sire half sib variance and covariance components. Heritability of body weight (BW) and carcass processing traits (standardized to body weight) percent head weight (Head%), percent viscera weight (Viscera%) and percent visceral fat weight (VisceFat%) were relatively high ranging from 0.48 ± 0.15 (Viscera%) to (Head%); the estimate of heritability for fillet yield (Fillet%) was lower (0.25 ± 0.10) but was significantly greater than zero. Body weight was positively correlated to Fillet%, Viscera%, and VisceFat%, and negatively correlated to Head%. These results indicate that these carcass processing traits can be modified by directional selection and that selection for greater BW would lead to an increase of Fillet%, Viscera% and VisceFat% and a decrease of Head%.

Muscle lipid content (MuscleLipid%) was determined using two indirect methods: measurements with a Torry Fish Fatmeter® (TorryLipid) and determination of the percentage of dry matter content (MuscleDry%) via desiccation. Both measures were highly correlated to chemical measurements of MuscleLipid%. Regression analysis indicated a superior predictive value of TorryLipid suggesting that MuscleLipid% may be evaluated via rapid, non lethal measurements with a Torry Fish Fatmeter. Heritability estimates of TorryLipid and MuscleDry% differed significantly from zero (TorryLipid: 0.28 ± 0.12, MuscleDry%: 0.36 ± 0.14) indicating that MuscleLipid% could be lowered by directional selection. TorryLipid and MuscleDry% were weakly correlated to body weight and carcass processing traits suggesting that simultaneous improvement of MuscleLipid% and other carcass quality traits may require definition of multi-trait selection indices.

The long term influence of individual biological rhythms on group feed demand behaviour was investigated in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) held under controlled environmental conditions with an on-demand feeding system. The experiment was realized over 219 days with 190 fish distributed on 4 tanks. Sea bass had a mean body mass comprised between 139 g to 183 g. The number of feed demand acts by each individual was calculated daily, and the population could thus be partitioned into three categories (high-, low- and zero-triggering fish). The duration of the period that an individual held high-triggering status could vary, but was 63 ± 16 days on average. The transition period between two highest-triggering fish in one tank was on average 4 ± 4 days. The group feeding rhythm followed the same pattern of feed demand rhythm as the highest-triggering individual fish. When the highest-triggering fish was nocturnal, the totality of feed demand in the group was realized during the night with one peak at 22:00, corresponding to dusk under experimental conditions. When the highest-triggering fish was diurnal, the majority of feed demand in the group was realized during the light period with one peak at 06:00, corresponding to dawn, and/or another at 12:00. This study therefore highlights that sea bass group feeding behaviour is not the sum of individual feed demand behaviours, but is directed by the rhythm and behaviour of a few high-triggering fish. The regular changes of high-triggering fish in the group proved that it was not the identity of these particular fish that was most important for the group, but their role as a feed demand leader.

Large uncertainties in catch data (officially-reported landings and discards) are undermining the ability of scientific organisations to provide valid management advice based on the conventional approach of analytical stock assessments. There is thus an urgent need to consider alternative tools that do not depend on long series of precise age-structured catch data. This paper presents four fishery-independent assessment models developed under the EU project FISBOAT (Fishery Independent Survey Based Operational Assessment Tools). It also reports on rudimentary tests based on simulated data, using the same data sets and protocol as an evaluation study conducted by the US National Research Council in 1997. The survey-based assessment models at hand are able to reliably capture the major signal in biomass and recruitment, although they smooth out transient changes. However, they cannot provide absolute abundance estimates, only relative values on an arbitrary scale. The survey-based approaches could provide more rapid updates of the state of stocks than catch-based methods.

The purpose of this study was to develop and compare two methods for measurement of red-area coverage in white-red ornamental (koi) carp. One progeny produced by crossing two white-red koi breeders was analyzed. Among 49 fish in the progeny, 7 fish (14.3%) were solid white, 36 fish (73.5%) were white-red, and 6 fish (12.2%) were solid red. The red-area coverage in all white-red fish was determined by analysis of digital photographs using the image editing software Adobe® PhotoDeluxe® Business Edition (method I) and the specialized image analysis software Image-Pro® Plus (method II). The red-area coverage in white-red fish was highly variable, from 0.08 to 68.4%. The difference in red-area coverage for individual fish when comparing these two methods varied from 0.04 to 2.75% with a mean value of 1.03 ± 0.82% (SD). Class distributions of white-red fish with regard to red-area coverage determined by methods I and II did not differ significantly. The obtained data show that both methods can be successfully used for quantitative measurement of color patches in koi. Analysis of frequency distribution of red-area coverage in all fish (including solid white and solid red) showed that fish were clearly divided into two groups with regard to background color: fish with white background (which includes solid white and white-red fish), and solid red fish. The present study confirms that measuring the relative red body coverage gives a valuable insight into the quantitative description of color variability in koi and provides further information for the better understanding of inheritance of this trait. The development and application of new advanced methods for measurement of red-area coverage may stimulate further studies on this subject.

This is the first report of early-life developmental characteristics (coloration pattern, growth and survival) and genetic identification of the wolffish interspecific hybrid between Anarhichas minor and A. lupus, both endangered species in Canadian coastal water and of interest for cold-water aquaculture diversification. A first growth trial at 8 °C featuring pure strains A. minor and the hybrid A. minor × A. lupus in triplicates was conducted in 2006 during the period from 0 to 140 days post-hatch. A second growth trial was runned in 2007 featuring A. minor, A. lupus and the reciprocal hybrids A. minor × A. lupus and A. lupus × A. minor. Egg development indicators and early-hatching characteristics are reported.

Consideration of control rules as part of fisheries management plans is becoming a common practice. Control rules may be simple or complex and utilise model- or observation-based indicators of the status of the stock to control exploitation through limitation of effort or catches. Rules that control harvest (HCR) often utilize commercial fishery data in the calculation of future catches. However, commercial fishery data may be inaccurate and that can compromise the effectiveness of the HCR in maintaining the stock for secure future harvesting. The idea of fishery-independent HCR has arisen because of these problems. Indicators of the status of a stock are derived from standardised fish surveys, commonly trawl surveys repeated annually. A management strategy that relies on such information also requires adoption of appropriate and effective control rules that utilise such information. Here, we draw attention to diverse HCR, including fishery-dependent examples that have been considered, tested or already adopted for fisheries management. Our intention is to stimulate ideas for HCR that are usable with, or adaptable to fishery-independent indicators.

Individual transferable quotas (ITQ) were implemented in the Tasmanian red rock lobster fishery in 1998 and ten years later we assessed the impacts on the fishery. Particular attention was devoted to investigating the performances of the fishery with regard to three features identified as major impacts in the literature: rationalization of the fishing fleet, change in fishing strategy in order to maximise the fisher's profit and concentration of fishing rights and activity. On average, the fishery reacted as expected and reached its objective in terms of reconstruction of the biomass, but the overall assessment in terms of resulting profitability is not very conclusive. There is no evidence of decrease of the profitability over the period of the study but the fishery is more reactive to external factors on its export market in China than to changes in its own structure.

When reviewing the various fish-based community indicators aiming at assessing the ecological status of marine communities and/or ecosystems, a typology consisting of three major components emerges. The first component highlights the choice of relevant metrics associated with a level of organization (e.g. population or community). The second relies on the method used to combine the metrics (an aggregated indicator or a synoptic table). The third refers to the type of analysis (direct or indirect) that is used to establish the link between the metrics and a given pressure. In this paper we use the Vilaine coastal-estuarine fish communities as a case study to discuss and relate two different approaches to the suggested typology. The first approach (time-trend approach) is based on historical series of data, whereas the second approach (multi-metric index, MMI) is based on a geographic series including various French estuaries. They were developed or adapted from French studies but are representative of the approaches used in Europe. When applied to the case study, they differed in their diagnosis: the time-trend approach indicated that the bay of Vilaine habitat was deteriorating, whereas the MMI, which compares many French estuaries, indicated a good environmental state. Differences and complementarities between the approaches are thoroughly discussed with respect to the three mains components of the typology. This work appears at a particular moment, when several fish-based indicators are being developed in France and the rest of Europe. It intends to serve as an element of the ongoing reflection concerning the limitations of the various approaches that can be used to develop such indicators.

Fisheries libraries in R (FLR) is an open-source software framework based in the R statistical software environment, with the main purpose of allowing for the efficient simulation and evaluation of fisheries management strategies. This paper details a generic (non-spatial) biological operating model used to simulate populations and their reaction to fishing, and an observation error model and methods for simulating structured sampling/observation error and bias in key fisheries assessment indices. It also contains the details of how the candidate harvest control rules, based on survey-derived information, can be characterised and implemented, and how the processes of management strategy evaluation and stock assessment can be included in the simulations.

In the Northeast Atlantic fishery for roundnose grenadier Coryphaenoides rupestris, discards account for about 30% of the catch in weight. Data on discards are scarce; however, length distributions and discard rates appear to be relatively stable from year to year. In contrast, landings data available since 1990 show that the average pre-anal fin length has decreased from 20.7 cm in 1990 to 15.2 cm in 2008, resulting in a 58% reduction of the mean individual weight (850 g in 2008) and an increasing occurrence of overlapping class sizes between landings and discards in recent years. For stock assessment, the method of separable virtual population analysis (SVPA) was used. However, because of the lack of discard data for many of the years covered by the study, the catch data used as input to the assessment model had to be reconstructed from the available information (landings, discards, fishing effort and bathymetric distribution of the stock) using two methods. The first method relied on the assumption that the recent length distributions of discards were applicable to the earlier years (1990-1997). It resulted in unrealistic bimodal length distributions, suggesting a change in discarding practices through time, with larger individuals being discarded in the early days. The second method, based on the fishing effort and length distribution by depth strata, produced unimodal distributions for the whole period and confirmed that the average length of discarded fish was higher in the early days of the fishery. In both cases, the estimates of biomass follow parallel trends, suggesting a strong decline in the population. The available information and methods are discussed.

ALADYM (age-length based dynamic model) is an age-length based simulation model designed to predict the consequences of management scenarios on a single population, in terms of different metrics and indicators. Removals are simulated as total mortality modulated using a selectivity pattern and a fishing activity coefficient. ALADYM uses the classical equations of population dynamics to create a tool that uses fishery-independent information (e.g. from trawl surveys) as the primary source. The formulation of population dynamics at a small time scale (month) allows to model the effects of harvest controls that evolve through the year, which is particularly useful for fast growing species. The possibility of specifying a vector of natural mortality by age/length makes the model more suitable for situations where stocks are exploited at an early life stage, as in many Mediterranean fisheries, while introducing variations along the time of the harvesting pattern accounts for non-equilibrium situations. Stochastic effects can be added to some key life-history traits to incorporate uncertainty in input parameters and in their relationships. ALADYM can be used for a range of applications such as comparing management strategies, evaluating indicator changes or searching for reference points.

Ideas and considerations are put forward for managing fisheries and marine populations using primarily trawl surveys to supply biological and spatial indicators of the state of stocks, and to permit catch per unit effort (CPUE)-based assessments. Trawl surveys seldom allow absolute estimates of fish population sizes but, if appropriately located, timed, and designed, can provide a broad range of information about catchable fish species and the ecosystem that supports them. This information may be more conducive to sustainable management of fisheries than the traditional focus on the abundances of selected stocks. The paper first briefly proposes how survey-based methods might supplement existing fishery-dependent stock assessments, as would be necessary during a transition phase to a more ecosystem-orientated system of management. Full survey-based management is then considered in relation to management objectives, the selection of indicators, survey design, reference periods, levels and directions, statistical aspects, CPUE-based assessments, and management responses to good and bad signals from the ecosystem. We argue that existing fishery-dependent stock assessments cannot be claimed to produce absolute estimates of stock abundance and fishing mortality because natural mortality (M) is seldom known accurately and, therefore, that they should not be presumed superior to the relative information from surveys, and an agreeable form of adaptive management.