Effects of recreational fishing on three fish species from the <i>Posidonia oceanica</i> meadows off Minorca (Balearic archipelago, western Mediterranean)

Abstract

SUMMARY: Experimental fishing and visual censuses were conducted at nine Posidonia oceanica sites off Minorca exposed to different levels of fishing intensity to assess the effects of recreational fishing on the species that dominate the catch. Total catch per unit effort (CPUE) was highly seasonal and a statistically significant interaction term existed between the season and the level of fishing intensity. CPUE decreased everywhere at the end of the fishing season (autumn), but such a reduction was more intense at those sites exposed to the highest level of fishing. Visual censuses confirmed that there was a lower abundance of vulnerable fish in autumn. Differences vanished in spring probably because fish reshuffled between the considered sites throughout the winter, when the level of fishing intensity was extremely low. Although the average total lengths of Serranus scriba and Diplodus annularis were unaffected by the level of fishing intensity, the average total length of Coris julis was smaller at the most heavily fished sites. In conclusion, recreational fishing has a relevant impact on most of the exploited species and some of the seasonality reported for the Posidonia oceanica fish assemblages might be caused by the seasonality of the fishery. -Se realizaron pescas experimentales y censos visuales en nueve localidades del litoral de Menorca con pradera de Posidonia oceanica y sometidas a diferentes niveles de presión pesquera con el fin de evaluar el efecto de la pesca recreativa sobre las principales especies capturadas. La captura total por unidad de esfuerzo fluctuó estacionalmente, existiendo una interacción estadísticamente significativa entre la estación y el nivel de intensidad de la pesca, ya que si bien la CPUE disminuyó en todas las estaciones al final de la temporada de pesca (otoño), la reducción fue más intensa allí donde mayor había sido la presión pesquera. Los censos visuales confirmaron que dicha reducción fue debida a un descenso en la abundancia de ejemplares vulnerables. No obstante, estas diferencias desaparecieron a la siguiente primavera, seguramente porque los peces se redistribuyeron durante el invierno entre las zonas de pesca. Aunque la intensidad de la pesca no afectó a la talla media de los ejemplares de Serranus scriba y Diplodus annularis, la talla media de los ejemplares de Coris julis disminuyó al aumentar la presión pesquera. Este estudio demuestra el impacto de la pesca recreativa sobre la mayoría de las especies explotadas y sugiere que la estacionalidad observada en las comunidades de peces de las praderas de Posidonia oceanica podría ser debida, parcialmente, a la estacionalidad del esfuerzo pesquero. Keywords

Short-term residence, home range size and diel patterns of the painted comber Serranus scriba in a temperate marine reserve

“…In the Balearic Islands (NW Mediterranean), S. scriba is one of the most frequently targeted species for recreational boat anglers (Morales-Nin et al 2005). Recent studies have used S. scriba to assess the impacts of recreational fisheries (Cardona et al 2007, Alós 2008. Thus, information on movements of S. scriba is relevant for the management of recreational fisheries.…”

Interactive effects of depth and marine protection on predation and herbivory patterns

“…1). The 3 MPAs differ in how long they have been protectedMedes Islands in Catalunya has been protected since 1983, Cabrera National Park in Mallorca since 1991 and north of Menorca since 1999 -but fish recovery has been observed in all MPAs (Garcia-Rubies & Zabala 1990, García-Charton et al 2004, Cardona et al 2007, although none are likely to have reached full recovery (Guidetti & Sala 2007). Within each region, 3 sites were sampled at 3 depths (5, 15 and 30 m) on algal-dominated rocky habitats in the summer, when fish abundance and activity tend to be highest (Sala & Zabala 1996, Tomas et al 2005, Prado et al 2007).…”

Characteristics of Marine Recreational Fishing in the anakkale Strait (Turkey)

“…The few studies carried out in the Mediterranean region revealed that recreational fishing catches appear to be far from negligible (MORALES-NIN et al, 2005;CARDONA et al, 2007), but these studies also suggest that the economic impact of RF is considerable, and in some regions greater than that of professional fishing (FRANQUESA et al, 2004). Moreover, signs of competition between recreational and professional fishing reveal the need for comprehensive management in Mediterranean coastal areas (LLORET et al, 2008a).…”