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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
12:24
Laboratory Estimation of Net Trophic Transfer Efficiencies of PCB Congeners to Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from Its Prey
Published on: August 29, 2014
Global fishery development patterns are driven by profit but not trophic level
Suresh A Sethi1, Trevor A Branch, Reg Watson
1School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. sasethi@gmail.com
Summary
Fisheries development is driven by profit, not trophic levels. Economic factors like cost and revenue predict fishery impacts, with valuable opportunities declining significantly over time.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Fisheries science
- Oceanography
Background:
- Effective ocean management requires understanding fishing impacts and harvest drivers.
- Global fisheries data post-1950 provides insights into fishery development patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key attributes indicating fishery development.
- To assess the correlation between fishery characteristics and their development trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Consolidated global catch and economic data from post-1950.
- Analyzed attributes of fisheries to determine indicators of development.
- Examined correlations between trophic levels, economic value, and fishery development.
Main Results:
- Fishery development is not correlated with trophic levels but with economic attributes (costs and revenues).
- Fisheries initially targeted species with high catch, price, and body size, then shifted to less desirable species.
- Expected revenues from developed fisheries decreased by 95% between 1951 and 1999.
Conclusions:
- Economic attributes are crucial leading indicators for harvest-related impacts on ocean ecosystems.
- Profit-driven fishing strategies shape fishery development and resource exploitation.
- Declining revenues indicate a scarcity of high-value fishing opportunities.
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