• Energy Research

Information on past trends is essential to inform future predictions and underpin attribution needed to drive policy responses. It has long been recognised that sustained observations are essential for disentangling climate-driven change from other regional and local-scale anthropogenic impacts and environmental fluctuations or cycles in natural systems. This paper highlights how data rescue and re-use have contributed to the debate on climate change responses of marine biodiversity and ecosystems. It also illustrates via two case studies the re-use of old data to address new policy concerns. The case studies focus on (1) plankton, fish and benthos from the Western English Channel and (2) broad-scale and long-term studies of intertidal species around the British Isles. Case study 1 using the Marine Biological Association of the UK's English Channel data has shown the influence of climatic fluctuations on phenology (migration and breeding patterns) and has also helped to disentangle responses to fishing pressure from those driven by climate, and provided insights into ecosystem-level change in the English Channel. Case study 2 has shown recent range extensions, increases of abundance and changes in phenology (breeding patterns) of southern, warm-water intertidal species in relation to recent rapid climate change and fluctuations in northern and southern barnacle species, enabling modelling and prediction of future states. The case is made for continuing targeted sustained observations and their importance for marine management and policy development.

Information on past trends is essential to inform future predictions and underpin attribution needed to drive policy responses. It has long been recognised that sustained observations are essential for disentangling climate-driven change from other regional and local-scale anthropogenic impacts and environmental fluctuations or cycles in natural systems. This paper highlights how data rescue and re-use have contributed to the debate on climate change responses of marine biodiversity and ecosystems. It also illustrates via two case studies the re-use of old data to address new policy concerns. The case studies focus on (1) plankton, fish and benthos from the Western English Channel and (2) broad-scale and long-term studies of intertidal species around the British Isles. Case study 1 using the Marine Biological Association of the UK's English Channel data has shown the influence of climatic fluctuations on phenology (migration and breeding patterns) and has also helped to disentangle responses to fishing pressure from those driven by climate, and provided insights into ecosystem-level change in the English Channel. Case study 2 has shown recent range extensions, increases of abundance and changes in phenology (breeding patterns) of southern, warm-water intertidal species in relation to recent rapid climate change and fluctuations in northern and southern barnacle species, enabling modelling and prediction of future states. The case is made for continuing targeted sustained observations and their importance for marine management and policy development.

Globally, penaeid-trawl fisheries are faced with three broad sustainability issues: (1) large bycatches; (2) acute benthic-habitat impacts; and (3) high energy consumption. Most resolution efforts have focused on i above, and via bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) installed in the posterior trawl (codend), which typically reduce total bycatches by 30–70%, but are poorly adopted owing to few perceived benefits by fishers. While mandated BRDs will remain a feature of selective penaeid trawling, solutions to habitat impacts and high energy consumption require changes to the anterior trawl, including the spreading mechanisms (e.g. otter boards, beams and sleds), ground gears, and net designs. Further, because such components ultimately determine which organisms enter the codend, it should be feasible to structure anterior-trawl modifications to address all three sustainability issues, including improving selection. We sought to review the feasibility of such an approach here, and located fifty-eight relevant articles: of which 45, 11 and 23 directly or indirectly focused on reducing bycatch, habitat impacts and energy consumption, respectively. Considering these articles, we propose a protocol for holistically improving the environmental efficiency of penaeid trawling involving: (1) selecting the most appropriate multi-net configuration; (2) reducing otter-board angle of attack to ~20°; (3) minimising twine area; and (4) optimising horizontal-trawl opening. Compared to conventional configurations, choosing alternatives within the above protocol could reduce total unwanted bycatches and habitat contact by >70%, while concomitantly lowering drag/fuel costs by >20%. The latter outcome might improve selective penaeid-trawl adoption among global fishing fleets.

Globally, penaeid-trawl fisheries are faced with three broad sustainability issues: (1) large bycatches; (2) acute benthic-habitat impacts; and (3) high energy consumption. Most resolution efforts have focused on i above, and via bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) installed in the posterior trawl (codend), which typically reduce total bycatches by 30–70%, but are poorly adopted owing to few perceived benefits by fishers. While mandated BRDs will remain a feature of selective penaeid trawling, solutions to habitat impacts and high energy consumption require changes to the anterior trawl, including the spreading mechanisms (e.g. otter boards, beams and sleds), ground gears, and net designs. Further, because such components ultimately determine which organisms enter the codend, it should be feasible to structure anterior-trawl modifications to address all three sustainability issues, including improving selection. We sought to review the feasibility of such an approach here, and located fifty-eight relevant articles: of which 45, 11 and 23 directly or indirectly focused on reducing bycatch, habitat impacts and energy consumption, respectively. Considering these articles, we propose a protocol for holistically improving the environmental efficiency of penaeid trawling involving: (1) selecting the most appropriate multi-net configuration; (2) reducing otter-board angle of attack to ~20°; (3) minimising twine area; and (4) optimising horizontal-trawl opening. Compared to conventional configurations, choosing alternatives within the above protocol could reduce total unwanted bycatches and habitat contact by >70%, while concomitantly lowering drag/fuel costs by >20%. The latter outcome might improve selective penaeid-trawl adoption among global fishing fleets.