Improving the biological understanding and management of a trap fishery in British Columbia

对一个物种的生物学有一个基本的了解，这对于在捕捞压力下保持健康的种群数量既有内在的重要性，也至关重要。本项目利用理论模型和实地考察对不列颠哥伦比亚省（BC）生物学上神秘的斑点对虾进行了研究。斑点对虾生活在不列颠哥伦比亚省海岸附近的深海海床上，在生命的最后一两年转变为雌性之前，它们以雄性开始生活。尽管它们作为一种商业渔业对人类有多么重要，但我们对它们的基本生物学知之甚少。这种生物信息本质上是有趣的，也是渔业管理的必要条件，以保持斑点对虾的持续丰富。我们将使用长期数据集、定量建模技术和实地调查来(1)建立新的工具来调查斑点对虾种群生物学的不确定性，(2)从BC省目前的管理方法中学习，(3)确定在气候变化面前建立渔业弹性的机会。有效的长期渔业管理取决于管理实践与生物学之间的匹配。这项研究计划旨在积极推进我们对斑点对虾的生物学认识，并为未来管理良好的渔业提供决策支持。

A fundamental understanding of the biology of a species is both intrinsically important and vital to maintaining healthy populations under fishing pressure. This project investigates the biologically enigmatic spot prawn in British Columbia (BC) using theoretical models and field work. Spot prawns live in deep water on the sea bed off the coast of BC and begin life as males before transitioning to females for the final year or two of their life. Despite how important they are to humans as a commercial fishery, we know relatively little about their fundamental biology. This biological information is intrinsically interesting and is also imperative for fisheries management that will maintain consistent abundance of spot prawns going forwards. We will use long-term data sets, quantitative modelling techniques, and fieldwork to (1) build new tools to investigate uncertainties in spot prawn population biology, (2) learn from the current management approach in BC, and (3) identify opportunities to build resilience in the fishery in the face of a changing climate. Effective long-term fisheries management hinges on a match between management practices and biology. This research program will aim to pro-actively further our biological understanding of spot prawns and support decisions for a well-managed fishery in the future.