Industrial Fishing Near West African Marine Protected Areas and Its Potential Effects on Mobile Marine Predators

Industrial fishing near marine protected areas (MPAs) in West Africa significantly impacts mobile marine predators, such as elasmobranchs (sharks and rays), despite the absence of industrial activity within the MPAs themselves. A study analyzing spatiotemporal patterns of fishing effort near the Parc National du Banc d'Arguin (Mauritania) and the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea Bissau) found that 72–78% of their buffer zones were fished, with trawling, drifting longlines, and fixed gears being predominant. Elasmobranch bycatch showed seasonal peaks, correlating with migratory species' movements, and increased in recent years near Mauritania. The research combined Automatic Identification System (AIS) data and fisheries observer records to assess fishing effort and its ecological implications, highlighting the potential disruption of ecosystem functioning due to the removal of predatory species.

Leurs, G., van der Reijden, K. J., Cheikhna Lemrabott, S. Y., Barry, I., Nonque, D. M., Olff, H., Ledo Pontes, S., Regalla, A., & Govers, L. L. (2021). Industrial Fishing Near West African Marine Protected Areas and Its Potential Effects on Mobile Marine Predators. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.602917