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Effects of deep-sea bottom longlining on the Hatton Bank fish communities and benthic ecosystem, north-east Atlantic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2010

P. Durán Muñoz ,
F.J. Murillo ,
M. Sayago-Gil ,
A. Serrano ,
M. Laporta ,
I. Otero  and
C. Gómez
P. Durán Muñoz*
Affiliation:
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Programa de Pesquerías Lejanas, Subida al Radiofaro 50-52, 36390 Vigo, Spain
F.J. Murillo
Affiliation:
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Programa de Pesquerías Lejanas, Subida al Radiofaro 50-52, 36390 Vigo, Spain
M. Sayago-Gil
Affiliation:
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Grupo de Geología Marina, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Spain
A. Serrano
Affiliation:
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Santander, Promontorio San Martín s/n, 39004 Santander, Spain
M. Laporta
Affiliation:
IPD Servicio de Observadores, Paseo Imperial 10-12, 28005 Madrid, Spain
I. Otero
Affiliation:
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Programa de Pesquerías Lejanas, Subida al Radiofaro 50-52, 36390 Vigo, Spain IPD Servicio de Observadores, Paseo Imperial 10-12, 28005 Madrid, Spain
C. Gómez
Affiliation:
IPD Servicio de Observadores, Paseo Imperial 10-12, 28005 Madrid, Spain
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: P. Durán Muñoz, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Programa de Pesquerías Lejanas, Subida al Radiofaro 50-52, 36390 Vigo, Spain email: pablo.duran@vi.ieo.es
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Abstract

The effects of deep-sea bottom longlining on fish communities and the benthic ecosystem, as well as the interactions between fishing and seabirds, were studied based on data collected from a joint collaboration between the Spanish Institute of Oceanography and a longliner, carried out on the Hatton Bank area (north-east Atlantic) in 2008. A total of 38 longline sets were distributed mainly along the rugged bottom of the rocky outcrop at depths ranging from 750 to 1500 m. Deep-water sharks and lotids were predominant in the catches contributing respectively 80.4% and 13.1% in terms of weight. Deep-water sharks were predominant in the discards. By-catch of cold-water corals and small glass sponges occurred along the western flank of the Hatton Bank, while large hexactinellids were found along the eastern flank. Longlines fished the adult fraction of vulnerable deep-water sharks and lotids. High catches per unit effort values for these species were obtained in coral areas. A combination of seabird-scaring streamer lines and other measures of preventing seabird by-catch were used. Only one fulmar was captured and it survived. Data on distribution of marine litter and derelict deep-sea gillnets are also presented.

Keywords

benthic impactby-catchcold-water coralsdeep-water sharksHatton Banklitterlonglinelotidsmitigationseabirdsvulnerable marine ecosystems
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 91 , Issue 4 , June 2011 , pp. 939 - 952
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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