Environmental forcing alters fisheries selection.

Abstract

Fishing-induced evolution (FIE) threatens the ecology, resilience, and economic value of fish populations. Traits under selection, and mechanisms of selection, can be influenced by abiotic and biotic perturbations, yet this has been overlooked. Here, we present the fishery selection continuum, where selection ranges from rigid fisheries selection to flexible fisheries selection. We provide examples on how FIE may function along this continuum, and identify selective processes that should be considered less or more flexible. We also introduce fishery reaction norms, which serve to conceptualise how selection from fishing may function in a dynamic context. Ultimately, we suggest an integrative approach to studying FIE that considers the environmental conditions in which it functions.