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Billfish species (families Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae) are caught in artisanal, recreational, and commercial fisheries throughout the Western Indian Ocean region. However, data and information on the interactions among these fisheries and the ecology of billfish in the WIO are not well understood. Using an in-depth analysis of peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, observation studies, and authors' insider knowledge, we summarize the current state of knowledge on billfish fisheries in 10 countries. To describe historical and current trends, we examined fisheries statistics from governmental and non-governmental agencies, sportfishing clubs' reports, diaries of sportfishing captains, and the catch and effort databases of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. We highlight two key points. First, billfish fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean are highly diverse, comprising two distinct segments-coastal and oceanic. However, data are poor for most countries with significant gaps in information especially for sport and artisanal fisheries. Second, the evidence assembled showed that billfish species have immense social, cultural, and economic value. Swordfish are targeted by both large-scale and semi-industrial fisheries, while other billfish species, particularly marlin, are highly sought after by sport fisheries in most countries. Our paper provides a comprehensive review of billfish fisheries and available information in the context of the WIO underscoring the need to strengthen data collection and reporting, citizen science, and collaborative sustainable development and management of billfish.

Boost for African coastal states as EU parliament acts to curb illegal fishing.

Govt approves regulation on fishing rights and permits.

Foreign Fleets Plundered Somalia's Fish.

* Fisheries regulators rely on a culture of compliance to encourage adherence to fisheries legislation and regulations. * Fisheries management mechanisms are routinely adopted to prevent non-compliance. * Literature reveals a common culture of non-compliance across geographic locations and fisheries. * Results are drawn from a study of 945 participants to understand the culture of compliance among West Australian fishers. * Results improve understanding of non-compliance for this inshore fishery and how responses can encourage a compliant culture.

An increase in sharks bite-offs warrants an expansion of Western Australia's commercial shark fishery, Shooters and Fishers MP Rick MAZZA says.

An increase in sharks bite-offs warrants an expansion of Western Australia's commercial shark fishery, Shooters and Fishers MP Rick MAZZA says.

What Kenya's government can do to protect, and benefit from, ocean resources.

A team of researchers from ZSL's Institute of Zoology and the University of Exeter, alongside Oceanswell, have used a new approach to understand the movement and drivers of commercial fishing fleet activity in one of the world's most over-exploited oceans.

A microplastics (MPs) emergence study in pelagic and mesopelagic species was carried out to delineate coastal degradation and ecosystem status around the Karachi metropolis. Species of high commercial and ecological worth were sampled using a gillnet of 1.5 cm knot-to-knot mesh size in November and December 2021. In total twenty-six individuals including Liza subviridis (15), Thryssa dussumieri (3), Rastrelliger kanagurta (2), and Portunus sanguinolentus (6) were used to perceive MPs. A strong linearity between body length and MPs (R2 = 0.937, SE 0.071 and R2 = 0.928, SE 0.104) were calculated for L. subviridis and P. sangiuilatus, respectively. However, the data of T. dussummeiri and R. Kanagurta showed minimization failure. The MPs in GIT were extracted using direct observation under a sophisticated binuclear microscope and chemical digestion (KOH) together with wet peroxide oxidation (H2O2+FeSO4) methods. The MP materials were categorized as foam, film, fiber, fragment, and beads of three different sizes 170, 120, 100 μm in the stomach, intestine, and esophagus. Film-type MPs appeared frequently, whereas beads were rarely seen. It is hoped that this baseline research would help to minimize industrial release, recognize critical knowledge gaps, and demonstrate MP flux being released into the aquatic environment. The results will support mitigation of this emerging threat to the living resources around the Karachi coastal area.