Towards sustainable exploitation of European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) stocks off West African waters

Richard Kindong; Ousmane Sarr; Njomoue Achille Pandong; Feng Wu; Jiangfeng Zhu; Xiaojie Dai

Environmental and Sustainability Indicators (Sep 2024)

Towards sustainable exploitation of European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) stocks off West African waters

Richard Kindong,
Ousmane Sarr,
Njomoue Achille Pandong,
Feng Wu,
Jiangfeng Zhu,
Xiaojie Dai

Affiliations

Richard Kindong: College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author. College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
Ousmane Sarr: College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
Njomoue Achille Pandong: National Advanced School of Maritime and Ocean Science and Technology (ENSTMO), University of Ebolowa, Cameroon
Feng Wu: College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author. College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
Jiangfeng Zhu: College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author. College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
Xiaojie Dai: College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 23
p. 100460

Abstract

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European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), herein referred to as “sardine” or “European sardine”, is the most productive and economically important small pelagic fish in the Northwest African waters. Thus far, very little is known about its stock status in the West African region despite the rapid decadal increase in its catch production. The present study provides avenues vital to improving guidance for sustainable species management. In this region, sardine is divided administratively into three stocks (northern: stock N, central: stock A + B, and southern: stock C). Thus, the present study used two Surplus Production Models (SPM) to evaluate sardine's stock status. Sardine's catch and scientific survey biomass data obtained from FAO-CECAF's (Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)) latest reports were used in this analysis to fit the SPMs and investigate the effectiveness of the available catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) trends in setting the total allowable catch (TAC) for sustaining the different sardine stocks in the region. Results from the SPMs indicate that the sardine stock in the north is fished at optimum levels. Meanwhile, the SPMs output based on the scientific survey biomass indices indicated a healthy state for the central and southern sardine stocks. Similarly, the fishery CPUE indices for the central and southern stocks showed similar biomass trends compared to the survey biomass index, indicating healthy stock status. Therefore, in cases where survey biomass index data is unavailable to run stock assessments, this study suggests that sardine fishery CPUEs could be used in SPMs to monitor biomass trends over time and may also provide stock status proxies. Additionally, with rapid climate and other environmental changes, sardine stocks must be regularly monitored with consistent and comparable scientific methodologies and updated fisheries time series data.

Published in Environmental and Sustainability Indicators

ISSN: 2665-9727 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-and-sustainability-indicators

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