Over 90 endangered fish and invertebrates are caught in industrial fisheries

Abstract

Industrial-scale harvest of species at risk of extinction is controversial and usually highly regulated on land and for charismatic marine animals (e.g. whales). In contrast, threatened marine fish species can be legally caught in industrial fisheries. To determine the magnitude and extent of this problem, we analyze global fisheries catch and import data and find reported catch records of 91 globally threatened species. Thirteen of the species are traded internationally and predominantly consumed in European nations. Targeted industrial fishing for 73 of the threatened species accounts for nearly all (99%) of the threatened species catch volume and value. Our results are a conservative estimate of threatened species catch and trade because we only consider species-level data, excluding group records such as 'sharks and rays.' Given the development of new fisheries monitoring technologies and the current push for stronger international mechanisms for biodiversity management, industrial fishing of threatened fish and invertebrates should no longer be neglected in conservation and sustainability commitments.

Fig. 1. Average ex-vessel price and Red List status for 91 threatened catch species from 2006 to 2014.

Prices are global averages for 2010. Error bars show max price for 2010. Species are ordered clockwise by descending catch volume for each taxonomic group (teleosts, chondrichthyans, and invertebrates). The 13 species with red asterisks are found in global import records from 2006 to 2015. The 34 species in bold have commercially exploited populations listed in the RAM Legacy Stock Assessment database. The animalfish silhouettes are from Freepik.com.

Fig. 2. Taxonomic resolution of catch and import records.

Proportions of catch and imports volumes recorded at species level are shown in blue and aggregated records are shown in grey for teleosts, chondrichthyans, invertebrates, and other commodities (e.g. “marine animals”). The number indicates the proportion of total catch or import volume in each taxonomic group over the time period (2006–2014 for catch and 2006–2015 for imports). Threatened: Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable, Not Threatened: Least Concern or Near Threatened, Unknown status: Data Deficient or has not been assessed, Aggregated: not a species-level record. The fish silhouettes are from Freepik.com.

Fig. 3. Threatened species catch and import volumes and values compared to country totals.

Catch volume and estimated value for 163 fishing countries are shown on a log transformed scale (a) and import volume and estimated value for 204 importing countries are shown on a continuous scale (b). Bubble size corresponds to volume of threatened species catch or imports (thousand tonnes). Number of threatened species each country catches or imports is in parentheses. Colour shows the percent of each country’s catch or import volume that is aggregated (i.e. yellow indicates catch and import volumes mostly recorded in aggregated groups and purple indicates catch and import volumes mostly recorded to the species level). Volumes and values are weighted moving averages for 2014 for catch and 2015 for imports.