Management strategies to minimize the dredging impacts of coastal development on fish and fisheries

• DOI: 10.1111/conl.12572
• Publication Date: 2018-06-08T12:50:56Z
• Authors: Amelia S. Wenger; Christopher A. Ra...; Shaun Wilson; Stephen J. Newman; Michael J. Travers; Scott Atkinson; Nicola Browne; Douglas Clarke; Martial Depczynski; Paul L.A. Erfteme...; Richard D. Evans; Jean‐Paul A. Hobbs; Jennifer L. McIlwain; Dianne L. McLean; Benjamin J. Saunders; Euan Harvey
• Keywords: Dredging

Abstract Accelerating coastal development and shipping activities dictate that dredging operations will intensify, increasing potential impacts to fishes. Coastal fishes have high economic, ecological, conservation significance there is a need for evidence‐based, quantitative guidelines on how mitigate the of activities. We assess risk from fish fisheries global scale. then develop two management strategies: threshold reference values seasonal restrictions. Globally, threatened species nearshore occur within close proximity ports. find maintaining suspended sediment concentrations below 44 mg/L (15–121 bootstrapped CI) less than 24 hours would protect 95% dredging‐induced mortality. Implementation restrictions during peak periods reproduction recruitment could further impacts. This study details first evidence‐based defensible approach minimize