Vulnerability of Seamount Fish to Fishing: Fuzzy Analysis of Life-history Attributes

Based on life history and ecological characteristics, several authors have placed seamount fishes at the extreme end of the vulnerability spectrum. However, it was still unclear if there is justification for the generalization that seamount fishes overall possess specific life-history characteristics that render them more vulnerable to fishing than other species. In this contribution, we test the hypothesis that seamount fishes generally have a high vulnerability to fishing, and that this is correlated with their life-history characteristics. Despite rather broad definitions, our global analysis shows that seamount fishes, particularly seamount-aggregating fishes, have higher intrinsic vulnerability than other groups of marine fishes. The pattern is similar when we considered only commercially exploited species. Biological characteristics leading to greater vulnerability of seamount fishes include a long lifespan, late sexual maturation, slow growth and low natural mortality. In light of our research, this experience supports that seamount fishes, especially those that aggregate on seamounts, are highly vulnerable to exploitation and that fishing on seamount will tend to be unsustainable, given current levels of exploitation and current fishing methods. A number of seamount populations have already been depleted. More will be depleted and some will go extinct if fishing on seamounts continues at current, or even more moderate levels.