Pons, M., et al., “Trade-offs between bycatch and target catches in static versus dynamic fishery closures”, PNAS, 119(4), 2022. e2114508119.
This study compares static fishery closures (fixed in space and time, such as traditional MPAs) with dynamic closures that can move in response to where bycatch actually occurs. Using data from 15 fisheries worldwide, the authors show that static closures reduce bycatch by only about 16% on average, often by simply displacing fishing effort elsewhere. In contrast, dynamic closures can reduce bycatch by up to 57% without reducing target catches, because they focus on real-time bycatch hotspots rather than permanently closing large areas. The effectiveness of closures strongly depends on how closely bycatch and target species overlap in space and time, meaning one-size-fits-all closures are often inefficient. Overall, the study concludes that flexible, adaptive management tools are far more effective than fixed closures, especially as climate change shifts species distributions, offering a way to protect vulnerable species while maintaining viable fisheries.
