Status and challenges for sustainable billfish fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean

Status and challenges for sustainable billfish fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean

Billfish species (families Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae) are caught in artisanal, recreational, and commercial fisheries throughout the Western Indian Ocean region. However, data and information on the interactions among these fisheries and the ecology of billfish in the WIO are not well understood....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Reviews in fish biology and fisheries Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 1035 - 1061
Main Authors: Kadagi, N. I., Wambiji, N., Mann, B., Parker, D., Daly, R., Thoya, P., Rato, D. A. M., Halafo, J., Gaspare, L., Sweke, E. A., Ahmed, S., Raseta, S. B., Osore, M., Maina, J., Glaser, S., Ahrens, R., Sumaila, U. R.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-12-2022
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Artisanal fisheries
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Carnivorous animals
Data collection
Fisheries
Fishery statistics
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Industrial fisheries
Life Sciences
Marine fishes
Reviews
Statistical analysis
Statistical methods
Sustainability
Sustainable development
Sustainable fisheries
Swordfish
Xiphias gladius
Zoology
Indian Ocean
Recreational fisheries
Billfish
Food security
Data–poor fisheries
Blue economy
WIO
Sustainable fisheries
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Summary:Billfish species (families Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae) are caught in artisanal, recreational, and commercial fisheries throughout the Western Indian Ocean region. However, data and information on the interactions among these fisheries and the ecology of billfish in the WIO are not well understood. Using an in-depth analysis of peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, observation studies, and authors’ insider knowledge, we summarize the current state of knowledge on billfish fisheries in 10 countries. To describe historical and current trends, we examined fisheries statistics from governmental and non-governmental agencies, sportfishing clubs’ reports, diaries of sportfishing captains, and the catch and effort databases of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. We highlight two key points. First, billfish fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean are highly diverse, comprising two distinct segments—coastal and oceanic. However, data are poor for most countries with significant gaps in information especially for sport and artisanal fisheries. Second, the evidence assembled showed that billfish species have immense social, cultural, and economic value. Swordfish are targeted by both large-scale and semi-industrial fisheries, while other billfish species, particularly marlin, are highly sought after by sport fisheries in most countries. Our paper provides a comprehensive review of billfish fisheries and available information in the context of the WIO underscoring the need to strengthen data collection and reporting, citizen science, and collaborative sustainable development and management of billfish.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-3
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ISSN:0960-3166
1573-5184
DOI:10.1007/s11160-022-09725-8