Practise 42 exam-style questions on Sustainable fisheries (biology only) for AQA GCSE Biology. Write your answer as you would in the exam and get it marked in seconds against the mark scheme, point by point, with an AI tutor on hand if you get stuck.
42 questions
2–6 marks each
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20 questions, marked as you go
Sample questions with model answers
Here are 4 of the questions in this topic, each with a model answer, an explanation of why it earns the marks and the mark scheme an examiner would use.
Question 1
3 marks
Define 'maximum sustainable yield' (MSY) in fisheries management.
Model answer
the largest catch that can be taken from a fish stock over the long term without reducing the stock
Explanation
MSY is the highest level of catch that can be removed year after year without causing the population to decline, allowing reproduction to replace removed individuals.
Mark scheme
1 mark
largest catch / yield
1 mark
taken over the long term
1 mark
without reducing the stock / allowing population to replenish
accept equivalent wording
Question 2
3 marks
Name one biological and one socioeconomic metric used to evaluate fisheries management success.
Model answer
biological: spawning stock biomass or recruitment or mean size; socioeconomic: fishermen income, employment, or landings value
Explanation
Biological metrics track stock status while socioeconomic metrics assess the human welfare outcomes and viability of fisheries under management.
socioeconomic metric: fishermen income / employment / landings value
1 mark
combined metric: sustainable yield or long-term catch stability
accept any reasonable metric
Question 3
4 marks
Explain how fish farming (aquaculture) might reduce pressure on wild stocks and name one environmental concern associated with intensive aquaculture.
Model answer
farmed fish supply market demand reducing wild catch; concern: pollution from effluents, disease spread to wild populations or escapees causing genetic impacts
Explanation
Aquaculture can meet demand without wild harvest, but intensive farms can pollute waters, spread pathogens and release escapees that alter wild gene pools.
Mark scheme
1 mark
farmed fish provide alternative supply reducing wild catch
1 mark
reduces pressure on wild stocks and allows recovery
1 mark
environmental concern: pollution / nutrient loading from wastes
1 mark
concern: disease transfer or escapees affecting wild genetics
Question 4
5 marks
A study finds that increasing marine protected area coverage to 30% of a coastal region leads to a 15% increase in adjacent fish landings over 5 years. Outline three biological mechanisms that could explain this increase.
Model answer
spillover of adult fish; increased larval export and recruitment; improved habitat and larger breeding stock leading to higher reproductive output
Explanation
Protected areas can boost adult export and larval supply, increase the number and size of breeders and restore habitats, all increasing fish availability in adjacent fishing grounds.
Mark scheme
1 mark
spillover of adult fish from MPAs to fished areas
1 mark
larval export from protected spawning grounds increases recruitment outside
1 mark
MPAs increase breeding stock and fecundity (more eggs produced by larger/older fish)
1 mark
habitat recovery within MPAs improves survival and growth
1 mark
reduced mortality inside MPAs allows more fish to reach catchable sizes
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