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FAO FISHERIES TECHNICAL PAPER 391 The Dr. Fridtjof Nansen
Programme 1975–1993 Investigations of fishery resources in developing regions History of the programme and review of results |
by
Gunnar Sætersdal
Gabriella Bianchi
Tore Strømme
INSTITUTE OF MARINE RESEARCH
BERGEN, NORWAY
Siebren C. Venema
Fisheries Department
FAO
INSTITUTE OF MARINE RESEARCH BERGEN NORWAY
NORWEGIAN AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
M-43
ISBN 92-5-104377-9
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Unfortunately, the main author Gunnar Sætersdal passed away in July 1997, before this document could be finalized. However, he agreed to major revisions of the original manuscript and to adding the final review chapter.
The research vessel DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN operated for 18 years (1975 to 1993), surveying shelves and slopes of tropical and subtropical regions. The main objective was to provide developing countries with relevant information on their fishery resources.
Gunnar Sætersdal played a key role in the conception of the programme and led its development throughout. In the early 1960s he worked for FAO, first in Chile and Peru, and then at Headquarters in Rome. Having become aware of the difficulties experienced by developing countries to map and assess their marine fisheries resources, he strongly supported the idea of making available, through the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), a research vessel fully equipped and staffed, able to provide immediate information on the marine fishery resources. It was the combination of his insight, deep concern and determination to contribute to the development of third world nations, that made the programme possible. Only after his retirement in 1992 did Gunnar Sætersdal find the time to dedicate to the writing of this history. It is intended to provide the general background of survey planning and execution, documenting the changes that took place in survey objectives, types and performance of the equipment used, and finally to capitalize the experience drawn from this unique survey programme.
He invited Tore Strømme and Gabriella Bianchi to participate in this endeavour. Tore Strømme had taken part in the programme since its early years as cruise leader of acoustic and bottom trawl surveys, making important contributions to improving data collection and storage through the development of the NAN-SIS database. Gabriella Bianchi had earlier been working in the FAO Species Identification Programme and participated in surveys with the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN. Furthermore, she had gained a good insight in the data by using bottom trawl data and oceanographic data collected through the surveys to study the patterns of distribution of species assemblages.
In June 1993 NORAD agreed to financing the production and printing of the history, while FAO agreed to provide a critical scientific review and co-ordinate some of the work involved. At a later stage, Siebren Venema, of the FAO Fisheries Department became involved in reviewing and editing the document. His familiarity with the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN operations and fishery research and development in many developing nations, on the one hand, and the subject matter, on the other, made him a key collaborator to this project. He contributed substantially by proposing important changes in the structure of the original manuscript and improvements in its content and presentation.
Besides those already mentioned, a large number of colleagues from different institutions contributed, at various stages and in different ways, including Serge Garcia, Mike Mann, Ross Shotton (FAO), and Asgeir Aglen, Odd Nakken, Steinar Olsen (IMR). Many of the original figures were redrawn by Ståle Kolbeinson (Institute of Fishery and Marine Biology, University of Bergen). Valantine Anthonipillay and Oddgeir Alvheim (IMR) also helped in improving and reproducing some of the illustrations. Mari Sætersdal helped her father with formatting earlier versions of the manuscript and the late Drawn Spencer (a retired FAO editor) provided editorial guidelines. Jane Ugilt took care of typing and page composition in addition to carefully checking the document for inconsistencies in the presentation of tables and figures.
| Sætersdal, G.; Bianchi, G.; Strømme, T.; Venema, S.C. |
| The DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN Programme 1975–1993. Investigations of fishery resources in developing countries. History of the programme and review of results. |
| FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 391. Rome, FAO. 1999. 434p. |
| ABSTRACT |
| This document provides a review of practically all the surveys carried out with the research vessel “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen” from 1975 to the middle of 1993 in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Complete lists of all surveys carried out by this R/V, and reports produced and of scientific staff participating in the surveys are provided as annexes. |
| Chapter 2 provides an overview of survey methodology and also describes the development in the acoustic equipment used and associated problems. |
| Particular emphasis is placed on the surveys carried out in the Arabian Sea, supplemented by a review of surveys carried out by the sister ship “Rastrelliger” off Southwest India. The results of the first surveys of the “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen” are revised on the basis of the latest knowledge of acoustic equipment and properties and consequently many results of the earlier surveys have been sized down. |
| Other areas covered are: the Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh and Myanmar, sea areas around peninsular Malaysia and areas off western Thailand and Indonesia; the Southwest Indian Ocean; the Atlantic Ocean off Northwest Africa, Southwest Africa, with special emphasis on surveys off Angola and Namibia and the shelf area between Suriname and Venezuela; shelf areas in the Pacific Ocean between Southern Mexico and Colombia. |
| The R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen has provided some of the best groundtruthing of the rough estimates of the potential resources first published by FAO in 1970. In Chapter 10 the survey results are compared with those early guesses and estimates based on acoustic and trawl surveys of the productivity per unit area of small pelagic and demersal fish are provided. |
| The results of the surveys have also been used for analyses of demersal fish assemblages, reviewed in the various chapters by area and in Chapter 10 and for the production of a number of FAO Fish Identification Sheets and Field Guides, of which the references are given in Chapter 11. |
Distribution:
NORAD
Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
Participating countries and institutes
Participants in surveys
All FAO Members and Associate Members
All FAO Offices
FAO Fisheries Projects
FAO Fisheries Department
Other interested Nations, International Organisations and NGOs
Norwegian development co-operation has mainly been aimed at alleviating poverty in the poorest developing countries. Support to fisheries development, and particularly to fishery research and management, has been an important item in Norwegian development co-operation during the last thirty years. There are two main reasons for this. In the early 1970s, many developing countries, wanting to develop their fishing industry based on marine resources, found that they had very little knowledge about the abundance of these resources. This created great uncertainty as regards the possibility for increased fish production. The need for support in fishery research was even more strongly felt in the late 1970s, with the extension of the national jurisdiction and the establishment of EEZs in most coastal countries. The second reason relates to the fact that Norway itself is a coastal country with important fishery resources, and has a longstanding experience in marine fisheries research as a tool for managing its marine fish resources. It was felt that this experience should be shared with the developing world.
This work could only have been carried out because the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) took upon themselves the task of coordinating and implementing this programme. The main instrument in this work has been the research vessel “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen”, first funded by Norway in 1974. The vessel has been able to carry the UN flag throughout this period, facilitating its deployment in many different countries.
In 1991 Norway approved a continuation of the Nansen Programme, with two extended aims, i.e. to assist developing coastal countries in strengthening their capability of managing their marine fish resources, and to assist in improving the information basis for monitoring the marine environment. In principle, this was a decision to continue financing this work for another 15-year period, because it involved building a new research vessel. Monitoring the most important fish resources and advising in resources management and fisheries management has become the focus of the new programme.
This new programme is more geographically focused, as Norway's partner countries in development have been given priority so far. Furthermore, national institution building has become a main item in the new programme, while such activities had a more modest role in the previous periods of the programme. The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries has become another pillar of the new programme, providing competence in fisheries management in the broader sense of the word. It is our hope that the co-operation between the Norwegian institutions involved and the institutions in cooperating countries will enhance the knowledge base and the sustainable management of the marine fish resources in these countries.
During the period of reporting as laid out in this book, the late Prof. Gunnar Sætersdal of the Institute of Marine Research has been most instrumental in bringing forward the needs of developing countries in this area, having himself been in charge of the co-operation involved. The combination of being a front figure in fishery research, strongly promoting the utilisation of fishery research as a basic tool for fisheries management, and his deep political engagement and understanding of the problems that developing nations were facing, have played a key role in shaping present Norwegian development aid in the field of fisheries.
Norway is proud to have been a part of this programme for so many years, and wishes the reader a good journey into this book summarising the results and outcomes of the first phase of a programme that still continues.
Oslo, October 1999
Tove Strand
Director General
NORAD
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 1999
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family names in alphabetical order
1 THE DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN SURVEY PROGRAMME FROM 1975 TO 1993, PLANNING, OPERATION AND REPORTING
2 SURVEY METHODOLOGY
2.1 Bottom trawl surveys
2.2 Acoustic survey methodology
2.3 Review of the acoustic instrumentation, conversion factors used
and estimates of applied levels of target strength
2.4 Observations regarding acoustic survey techniques and tactics as
applied on the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN
2.5 Environmental studies
2.6 Taxonomy and behaviourial classifications
3 SURVEYS IN THE ARABIAN SEA AND ADJACENT GULFS
3.1 Research history of the Indian Ocean and overview of assignments of
the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN
3.2 Pelagic fishery investigations off southwest India, 1971–75:
Results of the FAO/UNDP project IND/69/593
3.3 DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN surveys of the shelf resources from Somalia
to Pakistan, 1975–77
3.4 Surveys of mesopelagic fish in the northwest Arabian Sea, 1975–84
3.5 Pakistan, further surveys, 1983–84
3.6 Oman, further surveys, 1983–84
3.7 Yemen and northeast Somalia, further surveys, 1984
4 SURVEYS IN THE NORTHEAST INDIAN OCEAN AND
SOUTH CHINA SEA
4.1 Sri Lanka, 1978–80
4.2 Myanmar (Burma), 1979–80
4.2.1 The Arakan coast
4.2.2 The Delta
4.2.3 The Tenasserim coast
4.2.4 Review of findings and of later research and development of fisheries
4.3 Surveys off Bangladesh, Peninsular Malaysia, west Thailand and
north Sumatra, 1979–80
4.3.1 Bangladesh, 1979–80
4.3.2 East coast of Peninsular Malaysia, 1980
4.3.3 West coast of Peninsular Malaysia, 1980
4.3.4 West coast of Thailand, 1980
4.3.5 North and west coast of Sumatra, 1980
5 SURVEYS IN THE SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN
5.1 Kenya, 1980–83
5.2 Tanzania, 1982–83
5.3 Mozambique, 1977–90
6 SURVEYS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN OFF NORTHWEST AFRICA
6.1 SUB-REGION 1: Cape Safi to Cape Blanc (32°-21°N)
6.2 SUB-REGION 2: Cape Blanc to Bissagos Archipelago (21°N-11°N)
6.3 SUB-REGION 3: Cape Verga to Cape Mount (10°N-7°N)
6.4 SUB-REGION 4: Cape Palmas to Cape Saint Paul (7°45'W-1°E)
6.5 Triggerfish
7 SURVEYS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN OFF SOUTHWEST AFRICA
7.1 Namibia, 1990–93
7.1.1 History of the pre-independence fisheries, 1951–89
7.1.2 Surveys with the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN, 1990–93
7.1.3 Pelagic fish
7.1.4 Demersal fish
7.2 Angola, 1985–92
7.2.1 History of Angola's fisheries
7.2.2 Surveys with the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN, 1985–93
7.2.3 Pelagic resources
7.2.4 Demersal resources
7.2.5 Cephalopods
7.2.6 Deep-sea shrimp
7.2.7 Summary of resource evaluations
7.3 Congo and Gabon, 1981–89
7.3.1 Pelagic resources
7.3.2 Demersal resources
8 SURVEYS OFF THE PACIFIC COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Colombia, 1987
8.3 Panama, 1987
8.3.1 The Gulf of Panama
8.3.2 Panama west coast, the Gulfs of Coiba and Chiriqui
8.4 Costa Rica, 1987
8.5 Nicaragua (including parts of Honduras and El Salvador in the
Gulf of Fonseca), 1987
8.6 El Salvador, 1987
8.7 Guatemala, 1987
8.8 The Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico, 1987
9 SURVEYS IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA OFF NORTHERN
SOUTH AMERICA
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Suriname, 1988
9.3 Guyana, 1988
9.4 Trinidad and Tobago, 1988
9.5 Venezuela, 1988
9.5.1 Orinoco shelf
9.5.2 Oriente
9.5.3 West coast
9.5.4 Gulf of Venezuela
9.5.5 Review of survey results in Venezuela
9.6 Colombia
10 SUMMARY REVIEW OF FINDINGS
10.1 Review of faunistic studies
10.2 Fish abundance and ecological regimes
10.3 Review of biomass estimates by regions and countries
10.3.1 The Arabian Sea and adjacent Gulfs
10.3.2 Eastern Indian Ocean
10.3.3 Southwest Indian Ocean
10.3.4 Eastern Central Atlantic
10.3.5 Southeast Atlantic
10.3.6 Eastern Central Pacific
10.3.7 Western Central Atlantic
10.4 Concluding remarks
APPENDIX I, Reports on DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN surveys, 1975–93
APPENDIX II, Surveys with the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN, 1975–93
APPENDIX III, List of participants from cooperating countries
SYMBOLS, TERMINOLOGY AND ACRONYMS
Symbols, acoustic and biological terminology
| a | = | condition factor in length-weight relationship W = aL3 |
| C value | = | conversion factor used to convert the output of the echo integrator measured over a certain distance, into quantities of fish |
| CV | = | coefficient of variation |
| D1 | = | day layer No. 1 of mesopelagic fish from 100 to 200 m |
| D2 | = | day layer No. 2 of mesopelagic fish from 250 to 350 m |
| d | = | degree of coverage, distance sailed relative to the square root of the area investigated (common value = 10) |
| dB | = | decibel = logarithmic ratio used to express relative levels of acoustic or electrical signals |
| eurobathic | = | distributed over a wide depth range |
| incidence | = | percentage of trawl hauls in which species was caught |
| isobath | = | line of equal depth (on bathymetric charts) |
| isopleth | = | line drawn on a map through all points of equal value |
| kHz | = | kiloHerz = frequency of 1,000 per second |
| L | = | length of a fish (usually total length) |
| N1 | = | night layer No. 1 of mesopelagic fish from 10 to 100 m |
| N2 | = | night layer No. 2 of mesopelagic fish from 250 to 350 m |
| n.c. or n.s. | = | not covered (by survey) |
| nmi | = | nautical mile = 1852 m |
| nmi2 | = | nautical mile squared = 3.43 km2 |
| tonne | = | 1,000 kg |
| t | = | metric ton (1,000 kg) = tonne |
| physoclistous | = | with a closed swimbladder |
| physostomous | = | swimbladder with opening (pneumatic duct to esophagus) |
| TS | = | target strength = ratio of the echo intensity at 1 m from a target to the incident intensity |
| TVG | = | Time Varied Gain = accurately controlled amplification (gain) relative to time after transmission, used to correct for transmission loss |
| W | = | weight of individual fish |
Acronyms
| BOBP | = | Bay of Bengal Programme |
| CECAF | = | Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic |
| CINECA | = | Cooperative Investigation of the Northern part of the Eastern Central Atlantic |
| CTD | = | continuous temperature depth recorder |
| EEZ | = | Exclusive Economic Zone (200 n. miles) |
| ENSO | = | El Niño/Southern Oscillation |
| FAO | = | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
| GLO/79/011, GLO/82/001, GLO/92/013 | = | symbols of three UNDP/FAO projects associated with the DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN survey programme |
| GPS | = | geographic positioning system |
| GRT | = | Gross Register Ton 1 GRT = 100 ft3 = 2.831 m3 |
| ICES | = | International Council for the Exploration of the Sea |
| ICNAF | = | International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (now NAFO) |
| ICSEAF | = | International Commission for the Southeast Atlantic Fisheries |
| IGY | = | International Geographic Year |
| IIOE | = | International Indian Ocean Expedition (1959/65) |
| IIP | = | Instituto de Investigaçiones Pesqueiras, Maputo, Mozambique and Luanda, Angola |
| IMR | = | Institute of Marine Research (Bergen, Norway) |
| IOC | = | Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission |
| IOFC | = | Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission |
| IOP | = | Indian Ocean Programme (officially International Indian Ocean Fishery Survey and Development Programme) |
| ISMR | = | Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (index) |
| JICA | = | Japanese Agency for International Cooperation |
| LOA | = | Length Over All |
| LOS | = | Law of the sea |
| NAFO | = | Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization |
| NORAD | = | Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation |
| ORSTOM | = | Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique d'Outre Mer |
| SCSP | = | South China Sea Programme/Project |
| SEC | = | South Equatorial Current |
| TAC | = | Total Allowable Catch |
| UNDP | = | United Nations Development Programme |
| WECAFC | = | Western Central Atlantic Fisheries Commission |
| Scientific family name | English family name | Genera mentioned in text |
|---|---|---|
| SHARKS AND RAYS | ||
| Carcharinidae | Requiem sharks | Rhizoprionodon |
| Sphyrnidae | Hammerhead sharks | Sphyrna |
| Dasyatidae | Stingrays | Dasyatis |
| BONY FISHES | ||
| Albulidae | Bonefishes | Albula |
| Acanthuridae | Surgeonfishes | Acanthurus |
| Acropomatidae | Splitfins | Synagrops |
| Apogonidae | Cardinalfishes | Apogon |
| Argentinidae | Argentines | Argentina |
| Ariidae | Sea catfishes | Arius, Tachysurus, Bagre |
| Ariommatidae | Driftfishes | Ariomma |
| Balistidae | Triggerfishes | Balistes |
| Batrachoididae | Toadfishes | Porichthys |
| Bothidae | Lefteye flounders | Cyclopsetta |
| Carangidae | Scads, jacks, bumpers, lookdowns | Alectis, Atule, Carangoides, Caranx, Selene, Decapterus, Megalaspis, Selar, Trachurus, Gnathonodon, Trachinotus, Selaroides, Hemicaranx, Chloroscombrus, Oligoplites, Seriola |
| Chlorophthalmidae | Greeneyes | Chlorophthalmus |
| Clupeidae | Herrings, sardines | Dussumieiria, Etrumeus, Ilisha, Sardina, Sardinella, Tenualosa, Pellona, Hilsa, Sardinops, Opisthonema, Chirocentrodon |
| Diodontidae | Porcupine fishes | Diodon |
| Engraulidae | Anchovies | Anchoa, Engraulis, Stolephorus, Thryssa, Cetengraulis |
| Gempylidae | Snoek | Thyrsites |
| Gerreidae | Mojarras | Pentaprion, Diapterus |
| Haemulidae | Grunters | see Pomadasyidae |
| Harpadontidae | Bombay duck | Harpadon |
| Lactariidae | False trevallies | Lactarius |
| Leiognathidae | Pony fishes | Leiognathus |
| Lethrinidae | Emperors, scavengers | Lethrinus |
| Lophiidae | Anglerfishes | Lophius |
| Lutjanidae | Snappers | Lutjanus, Pristipomoides, Rhomboplites |
| Merlucciidae | Hakes | Merluccius |
| Mullidae | Goatfishes | Upeneus, Pseudupeneus |
| Muraenesocidae | Pikecongers | Muraenesox |
| Myctophidae | Lanternfishes | Benthosema, Diaphus |
| Nemipteridae | Threadfin breams | Nemipterus, Scolopsis |
| Nomeidae | Driftfishes | Cubiceps |
| Ophidiidae | Cuskeels, brotulas | Genypterus |
| Polynemidae | Threadfins | Polydactylus, Galeoides, Pentanemus |
| Pomacentridae | ||
| Pomadasyidae | Grunters | Diagramma, Plectorhynchus, Pomadasys, Brachydeuterus, Orthopristis, Haemulon |
| Priacanthidae | Bigeyes | Priacanthus |
| Sciaenidae | Croakers, drums, weakfishes | Argyrosomus, Chrysochir, Johnius, Atractoscion, Cynoscion, Otolithes, Protonibea, Umbrina, Pseudotolithus, Miracorvina, Pentheroscion, Ctenosciaena, Micropogenias, Macrodon, Isopisthus |
| Scombridae | Mackerels, tunas, wahoos | Auxis, Euthynnus, Rastrelliger, Scomber, Scomberomorus, Sarda |
| Scorpaenidae | Scorpionfishes, rock fishes, rose fishes | Scorpaena, Pontinus, Helicolenus |
| Serranidae | Groupers, sea basses | Epinephelus, Hemanthias, Diplectrum, Pronotogrammus |
| Siganidae | Rabbitfishes | Siganus |
| Soleidae | Soles | Dicologoglossa |
| Sparidae | Seabreams, porgies | Argyrops, Boops, Dentex, Cheimerius, Pagellus, Sparus |
| Stromateidae | Harvestfishes | Stromateus, Peprilus |
| Synodontidae | Lizard fishes | Saurida, Synodus |
| Tetraodontidae | Puffers | Sphoeroides |
| Theraponidae | Tigerfishes | Therapon |
| Trichiuridae | Hairtails, cutlass fishes | Lepturacanthus, Trichiurus |
| Triglidae | Searobins | Prionotus |
| Zei dae | Dories | Zeus |
| SHRIMPS | ||
| Aristeidae | Aristeid shrimps | Aristeus, Aristaeomorpha, Plesiopenaeus |
| Nematocarcinidae | Spider shrimps | Nematocarcinus |
| Pandalidae | Pandalid shrimps | Heterocarpus, Plesionika, Parapandalus |
| Penaeidae | Penaeid shrimps | Metapenaeopsis, Penaeopsis, Metapenaeus, Penaeus, Parapenaeus, Xiphopenaeus |
| Sergestidae | Sergestid shrimps | Acetes |
| Solenoceridae | Solenocerid shrimps | Solenocera, Pleoticus |
| LOBSTERS, etc. | ||
| Galatheidae | Langostinos | Pleuroncodes |
| Nephropidae | True lobsters | Metanephrops, Panulirus |
| Palinuridae | Spiny lobsters | Puerulus |
| CEPHALOPODS | ||
| Amphitretidae | Deep sea squids | |
| Bolitaenidae | Deep sea squids | |
| Lepidoteuthidae | Deep sea squids | |
| Octopodidae | Octopus | Octopus |
| Sepiidae | Cuttlefishes | Sepia, Sepiella |
| Loliginidae | Squids | Loligo, Alloteuthis, Loliolopsis, Lolliguncula |
| Ommastrephidae | Flying squids | Illex, Todaropsis, Todarodes, Dosidicus |