Criteria from the World Conservation Union (IUCN) have been used to classify marine fish species as endangered since 1996, but deep-sea fish have not so far been evaluated--despite their vulnerability to aggressive deepwater fishing as a result of certain life-history traits. Here we use research-survey data to show that five species of deep-sea fish have declined over a 17-year period in the Canadian waters of the northwest Atlantic to such an extent that they meet the IUCN criteria for being critically endangered. Our results indicate that urgent action is needed for the sustainable management of deep-sea fisheries.

Deep-sea corals are fragile and long-lived species that provide important habitat for a variety of taxa. The rarity of in situ observations in deep waters off Newfoundland, Canada, motivated the first extensive deep-sea research cruise to that region in 2007. We conducted 7 dives in 3 canyons (Haddock Channel, Halibut Channel, and Desbarres Canyon) with ROPOS (Remotely Operated Platform for Ocean Science). Over 160 000 coral colonies were enumerated and, of the 28 species found, Acanella arbuscula, Pennatula spp., and Flabellum spp. were most frequently observed. The largest coral observed was Keratoisis grayi at over 2 m in height. Corals spanned the entire depth range sampled (351 to 2245 m) and inhabited all bottom types surveyed, but boulder and cobble habitats were most species-rich. Assemblages differed significantly with depth class and bottom type. The unique assemblage at outcrops was strongly driven by the presence of Desmophyllum dianthus. Keratoisis grayi, D. dianthus, and Anthomastus spp. were largely absent in mud-sand habitats. Sea pen meadows covered large tracts of muddy seafloor spanning >1 km. Acanella arbuscula and Flabellum spp. characterised large coral fields with abundant corals but relatively low species richness. These results highlight not only the importance of hard structure in determining patterns of coral distributions, abundances, and assemblages, but also the need to focus conservation efforts on a variety of habitats to ensure protection for the full suite of deep-sea coral species.

No abstract

A sex-asymmetric downward shift in size-at-terminal-molt has recently occurred in males in some portions of the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) snow crab stock range, a first known occurrence for such processes in snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) stocks. This study examines plausible factors promoting the shift in size-at-terminal-molt [synonymous with size-at-maturity (SaM)] including individual size, temperature, population density, and sex ratio. Analyses highlight expanse of cold water and large male density as being significant predictors of molt-type outcomes. A confluence of cold conditions and low density of large males promoted the SaM shift. In turn, the low male density was associated with recently elevated fishery exploitation rates under quota-controlled management. It remains unknown the extent to which the reduction in terminal size reflects a phenotypic vs. genotypic process. Factors affecting skip-molting in male snow crab are investigated, and we find that skip-molting occurs most frequently under extreme cold and high population density conditions. Potential complications arising from altered growth dynamics are discussed. Overall, the results advance knowledge on intraspecific competition processes within snow crab populations and inform fisheries management systems that male-only harvest strategies do not provide full protection from biological harm to aquatic resources through fishing.

No abstract