Éditeur(s) : Elsevier Science Bv
Résumé : The overexploitation of fishery resources has led to a major fisheries crisis. In this context, artisanal fisheries, and in particular small-scale coastal fisheries, appear as relevant alternatives for a sustainable use of coastal resources. Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are more and more used as management tools for these fisheries, as protection effects and targeted access regulations may benefit to commercial fishers. Managers and scientists need then quantitative information not only to adapt their management to the fishing activity present on their territory, but also to estimate the effects of MPA management on it. This study provides catch and effort estimates that are essential for appraising and managing the artisanal fishery in the Côte Bleue Marine Park (CBMP), a French Mediterranean MPA including two No-Take Zones of different age and size. A field protocol was defined and implemented between July 2009 and June 2010 within the CBMP. Seven métiers were identified and characterized by target species, gear type, fishing grounds and fishing periods. During the one-year studied period, 3512 fishing trips and 4645 fishing operations were performed by 30 active boats in the Côte Bleue fishing territory, amounting to 9500 km of immersed nets. In total, approximately 130 tons of catch were landed in the six CBMP harbors, out of which 58% depend on the three main species caught on the Côte Bleue: hake (Merluccius merluccius), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and common sole (Solea solea). The presented methodology could be part of a long term monitoring requiring close collaboration with local fishers. It enables adaptive management with respect to changes in fishing pressure (from inside and outside the MPA) that may impact the environment and its resources.
Fisheries Research (0165-7836) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2014-06 , Vol. 154 , P. 93-101

Droits : 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00180/29120/29367.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.fishres.2014.02.006
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00180/29120/

Éditeur(s) : Elsevier
Résumé : How users perceive the performance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is fundamental for the social acceptance of these zones. Moreover, their perceptions may be relevant for monitoring the effects of MPAs on extractive activities. This study analyzes artisanal fishers' perceptions of the performance of a north-western Mediterranean coastal MPA, which encompasses two no-take zones (NTZs). Three viewpoints have been considered: the effect on the personal activity of fishers, the effect on the local fishery and the effect on the ecosystem. In order to test the hypothesis that biomass export (spillover) - which had previously been evidenced from the two NTZs - may influence fishers' perceptions of NTZ effects, fishers' perceptions were compared with both declared and observed fishing activity over an one-year period. The results show that negative perceptions of NTZs are either nil or are negligible. Most fishers are aware of the beneficial effects of NTZs on ecosystems and fisheries. However, they remain to be convinced of the beneficial effects of the NTZs on their own activity. For instance, the proximity of a NTZ appears never to be involved in the choice of a fishing spot. This partial lack of correspondence between scientific expectation and fishers' perceptions is discussed in the light of fishing habits in the zone adjacent to NTZs, and takes into account fishing grounds, targeted species and seniority (defined as the number of years the fisher has been fishing within the MPA). All three factors appear to influence fishers' perceptions. For example, having a positive perception about a NTZ and spending more time fishing in the adjacent zone are habits that can be associated with fishers with less seniority. Fishers' perceptions obviously indicate the social acceptance of the MPA and are an essential monitoring tool for MPA managers. However, perceptions cannot be seen as a substitute for scientific monitoring, as both approaches are clearly complementary. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Marine Policy (0308-597X) (Elsevier), 2012-03 , Vol. 36 , N. 2 , P. 414-422

Droits : 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00060/17137/16442.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.marpol.2011.06.002
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00060/17137/