Real World Example of Regrowing A Depleted Population
C. concholepas
In the intertidal waters of the Pacific Coast off of Chile and parts of Peru, lives the C. concholepas, or “Loco,” as Chileans like to call it. This predatory sea snail is of ecological importance to the rocky undersea environment that is also home to mussels and barnacles. Without the presence of the “Loco” snails, smaller species are allowed to grow unchecked, overtaking the delicate balance of nature.
C. concholepas is also a delicacy known to consumers as “Chilean Abalone,” for its similar appearance. In 1970, the Chilean government opened their C. concholepas fishery to international groups and the demand for this rare and exotic sea snail skyrocketed. In 1980, the Chilean fishery reached its peak catch of 25,000 tonnes and by 1989 had collapsed due to overfishing. The fishery was closed, but reopened a few years later as a protected environment by the government of Chile. Since then, a couple of successful methods have been utilized in an attempt to continue to harvest and enjoy the Chilean sea snail.
After the fishery was closed, the sea snail population slowly regrew and the Chilean government opened up the harvest to a small number of “artisanal divers.” These divers have exclusive rights with the government to harvest in a specified area for 2 months out of the year. They are encouraged to report any illegal divers, or catch of sea snails; and in this way have been able to keep the Chilean sea snail business, small, lucrative and most importantly, sustainable. Annual tonnage is now at 2,500 to 5,000 tonnes per year. This method is known as “Rights Based fishery.” It allows for sustainable fishing by offering exclusive rights to those fishermen willing to obtain a license and to follow strict rules and guidelines that will protect the species’ environment.
Another method that has been met with success for the Chilean sea snail is aquaculture harvesting. Research groups have proven the successful development of C. concholepas in a controlled environment and hope to translate this success into commercial harvesting for greater output and greater protection of the natural sea snail environment.
C. concholepas is a story with a happy ending. Many fisheries around the world that suffer from collapse, do not recover. The Atlantic cod is one such fishery that has not yet recovered since total collapse in 1992. With better education and awareness of our underwater ecosystems, we can learn to fish in a way that is sustainable for ocean species.
In the intertidal waters of the Pacific Coast off of Chile and parts of Peru, lives the C. concholepas, or “Loco,” as Chileans like to call it. This predatory sea snail is of ecological importance to the rocky undersea environment that is also home to mussels and barnacles. Without the presence of the “Loco” snails, smaller species are allowed to grow unchecked, overtaking the delicate balance of nature.
C. concholepas is also a delicacy known to consumers as “Chilean Abalone,” for its similar appearance. In 1970, the Chilean government opened their C. concholepas fishery to international groups and the demand for this rare and exotic sea snail skyrocketed. In 1980, the Chilean fishery reached its peak catch of 25,000 tonnes and by 1989 had collapsed due to overfishing. The fishery was closed, but reopened a few years later as a protected environment by the government of Chile. Since then, a couple of successful methods have been utilized in an attempt to continue to harvest and enjoy the Chilean sea snail.
After the fishery was closed, the sea snail population slowly regrew and the Chilean government opened up the harvest to a small number of “artisanal divers.” These divers have exclusive rights with the government to harvest in a specified area for 2 months out of the year. They are encouraged to report any illegal divers, or catch of sea snails; and in this way have been able to keep the Chilean sea snail business, small, lucrative and most importantly, sustainable. Annual tonnage is now at 2,500 to 5,000 tonnes per year. This method is known as “Rights Based fishery.” It allows for sustainable fishing by offering exclusive rights to those fishermen willing to obtain a license and to follow strict rules and guidelines that will protect the species’ environment.
Another method that has been met with success for the Chilean sea snail is aquaculture harvesting. Research groups have proven the successful development of C. concholepas in a controlled environment and hope to translate this success into commercial harvesting for greater output and greater protection of the natural sea snail environment.
C. concholepas is a story with a happy ending. Many fisheries around the world that suffer from collapse, do not recover. The Atlantic cod is one such fishery that has not yet recovered since total collapse in 1992. With better education and awareness of our underwater ecosystems, we can learn to fish in a way that is sustainable for ocean species.