The overlooked evolutionary dimension of fisheries

Date: August 27, 2004
Time: 14:00-15:00
Room: Folkets Hus, room number 307

World fisheries have reached their limit, with three stocks out of four being maximally exploited or overexploited. This does not only change the abundance of exploited fish but also their traits and genetic composition, adding an evolutionary dimension to fisheries. Evolutionary changes in fish stocks must be of concern to managers, since they affect sustainable yield as well as the stability and recovery of stocks. Five researchers present their theories and findings about fisheries-induced evolution.

Ulf Dieckmann from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria reports on empirical evidence of how commercial fisheries has caused evolutionary change in Northeast Arctic cod, one of the largest and economically most valuable cod stocks in the world. He also describes examples of fisheries-induced evolution in Northern cod, Georges Bank cod, Gulf of Maine cod, and American plaice. Nature 428: 932 (2004).

Adriaan Rijnsdorp from the Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research in IJmuiden is a European pioneer of empirically documenting fisheries-induced evolution in an exploited stock. He introduces his empirical evidence for fisheries-induced evolution in North Sea plaice and other North Sea stocks. Marine Ecology Progress Series 257: 247 (2003).

David Conover from the Marine Sciences Research Center, State University of New York, Stony Brook, USA, presents his groundbreaking lab research which proves for the first time fast evolution of fish stocks in response to size-selective exploitation. Science 297: 94 (2002).

David Reznick, Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, USA, is leading research on how fast fish in the field can adapt to altered patterns of mortality. His presentation describes the implications of these observations for the speed with which we must expect fisheries-induced evolution to alter the genetic composition of exploited stocks. Science 275: 1934 (1997).

Richard Law, Department of Biology, University of York, UK, has been the key European figure drawing attention to the importance of fisheries-induced evolution. He pioneered artificial selection experiments to show that fisheries-induced evolution is likely to occur. He explains how we should use knowledge of fisheries-induced evolution in the management of our living marine resources in the future. Nature 344: 814 (1990).

The plenary session is held on 28 August 09:30-12:30 Venue: Norra Latin Room 361.