Challenges to harmonize sustainable fishery with environmental conservation in the coastal ecosystems under oligotrophication

Abstract

Coastal environments of the world have been exposed to eutrophication for several decades. Recently the quality of coastal waters has been gradually and successfully improved, however the improvement has caused another issue in ecoastal ecosystem services, called oligotrophication. Local stakefolders have suggested that oligotrophication reduces pelagic productivity and moreover fishery production in coastal ecosystems, while oligotrophication with high transparency has recovered benthic macrophyte vegetation which have been depressed by phytoplankton derived from eutrophication. In particular, seagrass species is one of the most important coastal vegetation for climate change mitigation and adaptation, which has been welcomed by another stakefolders. Therefore, harmonizing coastal fishery with environmental conservation is now essential for the sustainable use of ecosystem services. Here, we just started some practice in field based on the interdisciplinary approach including ecological actions, socio-economical actions and moreover psychological actions to find the integrative coastal management maximizing well-beings of various stakefolders, which is essential to harmonize environmental conservation with sustainable fishery and aquaculture. Now we are focusing on the interaction between oyster aquaculture and seagrass vegetation as an ecological action.