The effects of seaweed harvesting on fishes: a response

摘要: Rangeley (1994) has argued that sampling biases, errors in experimental design and low statistical power make the conclusion by Black & Miller (1991), there was no large impact of an harvest seaweedAscophyllum nodosum on fishes, unmerited misleading. Our study conducted mainly at two sites close to Lower Argyle, southern Nova Scotia, Canada where harvesting ofAscophyllum been carried out continuously for 30 years along-side intense productive shellfish finfish fisheries. In on-going removal with mechanical harvesters is about 17% (Sharpe Semple 1991); planned annual New Brunswick worked will be only 5% (Anon. 1993). The context our investigation a small-scale (400 m2) but extreme, (100%) seaweed. focus fishes moved into intertidal zone as tide rose evening early morning were caught trammel nets, retained fixed seine set high removed next tide. Thus, subject constraint size imposed nature fishing gear its stretch mesh 25 mm, we concerned identity abundance their behavioural response 400 m2 patches habitat formed units. most striking result unexpected, gear.