Community-based management induces rapid recovery of a high-value tropical freshwater fishery.

ABSTRACT: Tropical wetlands are highly threatened socio-ecological systems, where local communities rely heavily on aquatic animal protein, such as fish, to meet food security. Here, we quantify how a 'win-win' community-based resource management program induced stock recovery of the world's largest scaled freshwater fish (Arapaima gigas), providing both food and income. We analyzed stock assessment data over eight years and examined the effects of protected areas, community-based management, and landscape and limnological variables across 83 oxbow lakes monitored along a ~500-km section of the Juruá River of Western Brazilian Amazonia. Patterns of community management explained 71.8% of the variation in arapaima population sizes. Annual population counts showed that protected lakes on average conta

SUBMITTER: Campos-Silva JV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5059620 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature