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Future prospects and their implications for research on the ecology of freshwater fish
Author(s) -
Larkin P. A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
ecology of freshwater fish
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1600-0633
pISSN - 0906-6691
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0633.1992.tb00001.x
Subject(s) - ecology , overexploitation , brackish water , freshwater fish , population , aquaculture , fishery , population ecology , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , geography , sociology , demography , salinity
– Projected world population increases imply demand for an increase of 60 million tonnes on the present world fish production of 100 million tonnes. Capture fisheries are unlikely to yield more because many stocks are already overexploited, there are few remaining unexploited and management shows few signs of redressing problems. Aquaculture is a possible source of the required production, given maintenance of current rates of increase. If this potential is to be realized, the importance of maintaining the quality of freshwater, brackish and coastal marine environments can scarcely be overstated. In a world of rapid change, there is an urgent need for research at all levels of biological and social organization that relate to the ecology of freshwater fish. At the organismic level, genetics, migratory behaviour and physiological ecology will be emphasized. Population genetics research is needed to enlighten controversies concerning the impact of cultural practices and the effects of harvesting natural populations. Greater attention will be given to interactions between species, including fish and their parasites, and the dynamics of multispecies interactions in pond culture and in capture fisheries. Issues of multiple uses of water resources will force research on freshwater fish ecology into broader contexts. The march of discovery in all branches of science will have major implications for freshwater fisheries research. The next few decades will be demanding of the creative energies of young researchers.