Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-12T23:27:53.872Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mesoscale spatio-temporal dynamics of demersal assemblages of the Eastern Ionian Sea in relationship with natural and fisheries factors⋆

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 December 2013

Konstantinos Tsagarakis ,
Chryssi Mytilineou ,
John Haralabous ,
Pascal Lorance ,
Chrissi-Yianna Politou  and
John Dokos
Konstantinos Tsagarakis*
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Agios Kosmas, 16610 Elliniko, Athens, Greece
Chryssi Mytilineou
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Agios Kosmas, 16610 Elliniko, Athens, Greece
John Haralabous
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Agios Kosmas, 16610 Elliniko, Athens, Greece
Pascal Lorance
Affiliation:
IFREMER, rue de l’Ile d’Yeu, BP 21105, 44311 Nantes Cedex 03, France
Chrissi-Yianna Politou
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Agios Kosmas, 16610 Elliniko, Athens, Greece
John Dokos
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Agios Kosmas, 16610 Elliniko, Athens, Greece
*
a Corresponding author: kontsag@hcmr.gr
Get access

Abstract

Data from the MEDITS bottom trawl surveys in the Eastern Ionian Sea, covering a depth range of 28 to 845 m were analysed for the period 1998–2008. For each trawling location, environmental and geographical parameters were recorded, while biomass, abundance, biodiversity and size-based metrics were estimated for the total megafaunal community, as well as for four taxonomic sub-communities (Osteichthyes, Chondrichthyes, Crustacea and Cephalopoda) which were expected to respond differently to environmental changes and fishing. In addition, biomass and abundance of ten species selected based on commercial interest, depth range and life history traits were explored, with particular emphasis on deep-sea species. Fishing effort data collected during the study period were analysed and showed a decreasing trend, mainly due to a decrease in the activity of static nets. The relation between the estimated parameters and environmental and spatial factors, as well as temporal (interannual) effects and the effect of fishing effort were explored using generalized additive models (GAMs). Results of GAMs showed that depth and location explained much of the variation in community metrics, probably reflecting mesoscale spatial features and species/communities requirements. Even though the different communities and species exhibited variant patterns in bathymetric and spatial distribution, some common aggregation patterns in productive areas were identified. Despite the relatively short time series, GAMs were effective in detecting increasing trends for several metrics; taking into account spatial factors further contributed to attributing the remaining deviance to temporal effects. These trends were partly explained by the observed decline of fishing effort, which is further supported by the fact that negative relations between several metrics and fishing effort were identified, for some of the selected communities and populations. Abundance, species richness and maximum length proved the most informative metrics concerning the effect of fishing. The current decline in fishing effort in the area seems to be a move in the right direction and should be complemented by additional measures aiming to prevent allocation of effort towards the deep sea.

Keywords

BiodiversityFisheries impactsDemersal communitySurvey indicatorsTemporal trendsMediterranean Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , October 2013 , pp. 381 - 397
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

⋆

Supporting information is only available in electronic form at www.alr-journal.org

References

Abelló, P., Valladares, F.J., Castellón, A., 1988, Analysis of the structure of decapod crustacean assemblages off the Catalan coast (North-West Mediterranean). Mar. Biol. 98, 39–49. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anonymous, 2001, Patterns and propensities in Greek fishing effort and catches. Report to the EU (DGXIV), project 00/018.
Anonymous, 2008, National Program for the Collection of Fisheries Data (2007–2008). Athens, Greece, Fisheries Research Institute and Hellenic Center for Marine Research. Technical Report (EC 1543/2000).
Anonymous, 2012, Management plan for the Greek bottom trawlers. Final report.
Bensi, M., Rubino, A., Cardin, V., Hainbucher, D., Mancero-Mosquera, I., 2013, Structure and variability of the abyssal water masses in the Ionian Sea in the period 2003–2010. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans 118, 931–943. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bertrand, J.A., De Sola, L.G., Papaconstantinou, C., Relini, G., Souplet, A., 2002a, The general specifications of the MEDITS surveys. Sci. Mar. 66, 9–17. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bertrand, J.A., Leonori, I., Dremière, P.-Y., Cosimi, G., 2002b, Depth trajectory and performance of a trawl used for an international bottom trawl survey in the Mediterranean. Sci. Mar. 66, 169–182. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bianchi, G., Gislason, H., Graham, K., Hill, L., Jin, X., Koranteng, K., Manickchand-Heileman, S., Paya, I., Sainsbury, K., Sanchez, F., Zwanenburg, K., 2000, Impact of fishing on size composition and diversity of demersal fish communities. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 57, 558–571. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bozzano, A., Sardà, F., 2002, Fishery discard consumption rate and scavenging activity in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 59, 15–28. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burnham K.P., Anderson D.R., 2002, Model selection and multimodel inference: a practical information-theoretic approach. 2nd edition, Springer, New York.
Caddy, J.F., Rodhouse, P.G., 1998, Cephalopod and groundfish landings: evidence for ecological change in global fisheries? Rev. Fish Biol. Fish. 8, 431–444. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, N., Neat, F., Burns, F., Kunzlik, P., 2011, Species richness, taxonomic diversity, and taxonomic distinctness of the deep-water demersal fish community on the Northeast Atlantic continental slope (ICES Subdivision VIa). ICES J. Mar. Sci. 68, 365–376. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cartes, J.E., Abelló, P., Lloris, D., Carbonell, A., Torres, P., Maynou, F., Gil de Sola, L., 2002, Feeding guilds of western Mediterranean demersal fish and crustaceans: an analysis based on a spring survey. Sci. Mar. 66, 209–220. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cartes, J.E., Maynou, F., Fanelli, E., Papiol, V., Lloris, D., 2009, Long-term changes in the composition and diversity of deep-slope megabenthos and trophic webs off Catalonia (western Mediterranean): Are trends related to climatic oscillations? Prog. Oceanogr. 82, 32–46. Google Scholar
Catchpole, T.L., Frid, C.L.J., Gray, T.S., 2006, Importance of discards from the English Nephrops norvegicus fishery in the North Sea to marine scavengers. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 313, 215–226. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke K.R., Warwick R.M., 1994, Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation. Plymouth, UK, Natural Environment Research Council.
Colloca, F., Cardinale, M., Belluscio, A., Ardizzone, G., 2003, Pattern of distribution and diversity of demersal assemblages in the central Mediterranean Sea. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 56, 469–480. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colloca, F., Cardinale, M., Maynou, F., Giannoulaki, M., Scarcella, G., Jenko, K., Bellido, J.M., Fiorentino, F., 2013, Rebuilding Mediterranean fisheries: a new paradigm for ecological sustainability. Fish Fish. 14, 89–109. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cury, P.M., Christensen, V., 2005, Quantitative Ecosystem Indicators for Fisheries Management. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 307–310. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
D’Onghia, G., Mastrototaro, F., Panza, M., 1996, On the growth and mortality of rockfish, Helicolenus dactylopterus (Delaroche 1809), from the Ionian Sea. FAO Fish. Rep. 533, 143–152. Google Scholar
D’Onghia, G., Politou, C.Y., Bozzano, A., Lloris, D., Rotllant, G., Sion, L., Mastrototaro, F., 2004, Deep-water fish assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea. Sci. Mar. 68, 87–99. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dimech, M., Camiller, M., Hiddink, J.G., Kaiser, M.J., Ragonese, S., Schembri, P.J., 2008, Differences in demersal community structure and biomass size spectra within and outside the Maltese Fishery Management Zone (FMZ). Sci. Mar. 72, 669–682. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dimech, M., Kaiser, M.J., Ragonese, S., Schembri, P.J., 2012, Ecosystem effects of fishing on the continental slope in the Central Mediterranean Sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 449, 41–54. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EU, 2010, Comission Decision on criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters 2010/477/EU, Official J. Eur. Union.
Gaertner, J.-C., Bertrand, J.A., Sola, L.G.d., Durbec, J.-P., Ferrandis, E., Souplet, A., 2005, Large spatial scale variation of demersal fish assemblage structure on the continental shelf of the NW Mediterranean Sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 297, 245–257. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, J.D.M., Bergstad, O.A., 1992, Species composition of demersal fish in the Rockall Trough, north-eastern Atlantic, as determined by different trawls. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. UK 72, 213–230. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenstreet, S.P., Hall, S.J., 1996, Fishing and the ground-fish assemblage structure in the North-Western North Sea: an analysis of long-term and spatial trends. J. Anim. Ecol. 65, 577–598. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenstreet, S.P.R., Rogers, S.I., 2006, Indicators of the health of the North Sea fish community: identifying reference levels for an ecosystem approach to management. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 63, 573–593. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, M.O., 1973, Diversity and evenness: a unifying notation and its consequences. Ecology 54, 427–432. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ICES, 2005, Ecosystem Effects of Fishing: Impacts, Metrics and Management Strategies. ICES Coop. Res. Rep. 272.
IUCN, 2012, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. www.iucnredlist.org.
Jennings, S., 2005, Indicators to support an ecosystem approach to fisheries. Fish Fish. 6, 212–232. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, A.F., Jenkins, S.R., Hiddink, J.G., Hinz, H., 2013, Linking temperate demersal fish species to habitat: scales, patterns and future directions. Fish Fish. 14, 256–280. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Katsanevakis, S., 2006, Modelling fish growth: Model selection, multi-model inference and model selection uncertainty. Fish. Res. 81, 229–235. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Katsanevakis, S., Maravelias, C.D., Damalas, D., Karageorgis, A.P., Tsitsika, E.V., Anagnostou, C., Papaconstantinou, C., 2009, Spatiotemporal distribution and habitat use of commercial demersal species in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Fish. Oceanogr. 18, 439–457. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koslow, A.J., 1993, Community structure in North Atlantic deep-sea fishes. Prog. Oceanogr. 31, 321–338. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koslow, J.A., Boehlert, G.W., Gordon, J.D.M., Haedrich, R.L., Lorance, P., Parin, N., 2000, Continental slope and deep-sea fisheries: implications for a fragile ecosystem. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 57, 548–557. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Labropoulou M., 2007, European Commission Data collection regulation (EC 1543/2000). In: Papaconstantinou C., Zenetos A., Vassilopoulou V., Tserpes G. (Eds.) State of Hellenic fisheries. HCMR Publ., Athens, pp. 159–165.
Law, R., 2000, Fishing, selection, and phenotypic evolution. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 57, 659–668. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lorance, P., Souissi, S., Uiblein, F., 2002, Point, alpha and beta diversity of carnivorous fish along a depth gradient. Aquat. Living Res. 15, 263-271. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machias, A., Vasilopoulou, V., Vatsos, D., Bekas, P., Kallianotis, A., Papaconstantinou, C., Tsimenides, N., 2001, Bottom trawl discards in the northeastern Mediterranean Sea. Fish. Res. 53, 181–195. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machias, A., Giannoulaki, M., Somarakis, S., Maravelias, C.D., Neofitou, C., Koutsoubas, D., Papadopoulou, K.N., Karakassis, I., 2006, Fish farming effects on local fisheries landings in oligotrophic seas. Aquaculture 261, 809–816. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macpherson, E., 2003, Species range size distributions for some marine taxa in the Atlantic Ocean. Effect of latitude and depth. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 80, 437–455. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macpherson, E., Duarte, C.M., 1991, Bathymetric trends in demersal fish size: is there a general relationship? Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 71, 103–112. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magnussen, E., 2002, Demersal fish assemblages of Faroe Bank: species composition, distribution, biomass spectrum and diversity. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 238, 211–225. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moranta, J., Stefanescu, C., Massutí, E., Morales-Nin, B., Lloris, D., 1998, Fish community structure and depth-related trends on the continental slope of the Balearic Islands (Algerian basin, western Mediterranean). Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 171, 247–259. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mytilineou, C., Kavadas, S., Politou, C.Y., Kapiris, K., Tursi, A., Maiorano, P., 2006, Catch composition in red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea and Aristeus antennatus) grounds in the eastern Ionian Sea. Hydrobiologia 557, 255–160. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mytilineou C., Machias A., 2007, Deep-water fisheries resources in the Hellenic Seas. In: Papaconstantinou C., Zenetos A., Vassilopoulou V., Tserpes G. (Eds.) State of Hellenic Fisheries. HCMR Publ., Athens, pp. 213–222.
Papiol, V., Cartes, J.E., Fanelli, E., Maynou, F., 2012, Influence of environmental variables on the spatio-temporal dynamics of bentho-pelagic assemblages in the middle slope of the Balearic Basin (NW Mediterranean). Deep-Sea Res. Part I 61, 84–99. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Politou C.-Y., 2007, Current state of demersal fisheries resources. In: Papaconstantinou C., Zenetos A., Vassilopoulou V., Tserpes G. (Eds.) State of Hellenic fisheries. HCMR Publ., Athens, pp. 183–191.
Politou, C.Y., Mytilineou, C., D’Onghia, G., Dokos, J., 2008a, Demersal faunal assemblages in the deep waters of the eastern Ionian Sea. J. Nat. Hist. 42, 661–672. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Politou, C.-Y., Tserpes, G., Dokos, J., 2008b, Identification of deep-water pink shrimp abundance distribution patterns and nursery grounds in the eastern Mediterranean by means of generalized additive modelling. Hydrobiologia 612, 99–107. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Politou, C.Y., Kavadas, S., Mytilineou, C., Tursi, A., Carlucci, R., Lembo, G., 2003, Fisheries resources in the deep waters of the eastern Mediterranean (Greek Ionian Sea). J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci. 31, 35–46. Google Scholar
Ramfos, A., Isari, S., Somarakis, S., Georgopoulos, D., Koutsikopoulos, C., Fragopoulu, N., 2006, Mesozooplankton community structure in offshore and coastal waters of the Ionian Sea (eastern Mediterranean) during mixed and stratified conditions. Mar. Biol. 150, 29–44. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rice, J., 2003, Environmental health indicators. Ocean Coast. Manage. 46, 235-259. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rice, J.C., 2000, Evaluating fishery impacts using metrics of community structure. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 57, 682–688. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rochet, M.-J., Trenkel, V.M., 2003, Which community indicators can measure the impact of fishing? A review and proposals. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 60, 86–99. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rochet, M.-J., Trenkel, V.M., Carpentier, A., Coppin, F., De Sola, L.G., Léauté, J.-P., Mahé, J.-C., Maiorano, P., Mannini, A., Murenu, M., Piet, G., Politou, C.-Y., Reale, B., Spedicato, M.-T., Tserpes, G., Bertrand, J.A., 2010, Do changes in environmental and fishing pressures impact marine communities? An empirical assessment. J. Appl. Ecol. 47, 741–750. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rogers, S.I., Maxwell, D., Rijnsdorp, A.D., Damm, U., Vanhee, W., 1999, Fishing effects in northeast Atlantic shelf seas: patterns in fishing effort, diversity and community structure. IV. Can comparisons of species diversity be used to assess human impacts on demersal fish faunas? Fish. Res. 40, 135–152. Google Scholar
Sequeira, V., Neves, A., Vieira, A.R., Figueiredo, I., Gordo, L.S., 2009, Age and growth of bluemouth, Helicolenus dactylopterus, from the Portuguese continental slope. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 66, 524–531. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shin, Y.-J., Rochet, M.J., Jennings, S., Field, J.C., Gislason, H., 2005, Using size-based indicators to evaluate the ecosystem effects of fishing. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 62, 384–396. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siokou-Frangou, I., Christaki, U., Mazzocchi, M.G., Montresor, M., d’Alcala, M.R., Vaque, D., Zingone, A., 2010, Plankton in the open Mediterranean Sea: a review. Biogeosciences 7, 1543–1586. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sousa, P., Azevedo, M., Gomes, M.C., 2006, Species-richness patterns in space, depth, and time (1989-1999) of the Portuguese fauna sampled by bottom trawl. Aquat. Living Res. 19, 93–103. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Souvermezoglou A., Krasakopoulou E., 2005, Nutrients in deep seas. In: Papathanasiou E., Zenetos A. (Eds.) State of the Hellenic Marine environment. HCMR Publ., Athens, pp. 137–144.
STECF, 2012, Report of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) on assessment of Merluccius merluccius, Mullus barbatus, Mullus surmuletus, Boops boops, Spicara smaris/Spicara flexuosa and Nephrops norvegicus in Aegean and Ionian waters (STECF 12-21). Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. Joint Research centre Scientific and Policy reports.
Stefanescu, C., Rucabado, J., Lloris, D., 1992, Depth-size trends in western Mediterranean demersal deep-sea fishes. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 81, 205–213. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevens, J.D., Bonfil, R., Dulvy, N.K., Walker, P.A., 2000, The effects of fishing on sharks, rays, and chimaeras (chondrichthyans), and the implications for marine ecosystems. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 57, 476–494. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Theocharis, A., Georgopoulos, D., Lascaratos, A., Nittis, K., 1993, Water masses and circulation in the central region of the Eastern Mediterranean: Eastern Ionian, South Aegean and Northwest Levantine, 1986-1987. Deep-Sea Res. Part II 40, 1121-1142. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thessalou-Legaki M., 2007, Decapod crustaceans: an account on species occurrence and exploitation in Hellenic waters. In: Papaconstantinou C., Zenetos A., Vassilopoulou V., Tserpes G. (Eds.) State of Hellenic fisheries. HCMR Publ., Athens, pp. 85–92.
Tserpes, G., Politou, C.-Y., Peristeraki, P., Kallianiotis, A., Papaconstantinou, C., 2008, Identification of hake distribution pattern and nursery grounds in the Hellenic seas by means of generalized additive models. Hydrobiologia 612, 125–133. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tserpes, G., Tzanatos, E., Peristeraki, P., 2011, Spatial management of the Mediterranean bottom-trawl fisheries: the case of the southern Aegean Sea. Hydrobiologia 670, 267–274. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood S.N., 2006, Generalized Additive Models. An Introduction with R. Chapman & Hall, London.
Worm, B., Hilborn, R., Baum, J.K., Branch, T.A., Collie, J.S., Costello, C., Fogarty, M.J., Fulton, E.A., Hutchings, J.A., Jennings, S., Jensen, O.P., Lotze, H.K., Mace, P.M., McClanahan, T.R., Minto, C., Palumbi, S.R., Parma, A.M., Ricard, D., Rosenberg, A.A., Watson, R., Zeller, D., 2009, Rebuilding Global Fisheries. Science 325, 578–585. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: PDF

OLM- alr 26(4) p381 (2013) alr130067 - Mesoscale spatio-temporal dynamics of ...

Annexes: Lists of species included in the analysis (Tables S1, S2 and Figures S1 to S7)

Download OLM- alr 26(4) p381 (2013) alr130067 - Mesoscale spatio-temporal dynamics of ...(PDF)
PDF 3.2 MB