The necessity of a holistic approach when managing marine mammal-fisheries interactions: Environment and fisheries impact are stronger than seal predation

Sammanfattning

Seal populations are recovering in many regions around the world and, consequently, they are increasingly interacting with fisheries. We used an Ecopath with Ecosim model for the offshore Central Baltic Sea to investigate the interactions between the changes in fish stocks and grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) population under different fishing and environmental scenarios for the twenty-first century. The assumed climate, eutrophication and cod (Gadus morhua) fisheries scenarios modified seal predation impacts on fish. Fish biomass and catches are more affected by fishing mortality and the environment than by seal predation. Our results highlight that the impacts of the increasing seal population on lower trophic levels are complex; thus, we emphasize the need to consider a range of possible ecosystem contexts when evaluating potential impacts of top predators. Finally, we suggest that an increasing seal population is not likely to hinder the preservation of the main Baltic fish stocks.

Nyckelord

Atlantic cod; Atlantic herring; EwE; Fisheries management; Marine mammals; Sprat

Publicerad i

AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
2019, volym: 48, nummer: 6, sidor: 552-564
Utgivare: SPRINGER

SLU författare

• Lundström, Karl

  • Institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Globala målen (SDG)

SDG14 Hav och marina resurser

UKÄ forskningsämne

Fisk- och akvakulturforskning

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-1131-y

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/100157