Impacts of Sea Bottom Temperature on CPUE of European Lobster Homarus gammarus (Linnaeus, 1758; Decapoda, Nephropidae) in the Eastern Adriatic Sea

Abstract

The study describes recent decadal changes (2008–2017) in the landing biomass, fishing effort and CPUE (kg/day) data of European lobster Homarus gammarus in the eastern Adriatic Sea region, and relates these changes to increases of sea bottom temperatures detected at long-term in situ stations and modelled by an ocean numerical model (ROMS, Regional Ocean Modelling System). Modelling results were further used to quantify spatial and temporal differences of bottom temperature changes over different fishing zones. Trends of sea bottom temperature were positive and statistically significant between stations. Temporal trends of landing, effort and CPUE were also positive and significant for the northern Adriatic. Correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between winter and spring sea bottom temperatures and CPUE data of H. gammarus, separately for the northern and central Adriatic Sea, resulting in statistically significant correlations for both areas. Whether the increased CPUE in the northern Adriatic is due to increased abundance or catchability is discussed. The observed temperature changes likely reflect climate system changes recognised at the regional level and as such, lobster management measures will need to be revised and updated in the future.

Adriatic Sea Fishery Product Safety, Prospective and Climate Change

“…Fisheries should be influenced by both "meridionalization" and "tropicalization" of catch, i.e., a rise in warmer-water species in comparison to colder-water ones, because variations in distribution are predicted to alter their availability to fisheries (Cheung et al, 2013). Landings may change in relation to global warming and this may induce changes in the intensity and spatial distribution of fishing effort [97], like it has been shown for European Lobster (Homarus gammarus) in the eastern Adriatic Sea. A fishery's sensitivity to climate is determined by previously caused changes in fish stocks, which impact species composition and consequently abundance in commercial captures [85].…”

North Adriatic Dense Water: lessons learned since the pioneering work of Mira Zore-Armanda 60 years ago

“…That is even more relevant for the major nursery of benthic organisms in the JP serving as a collector of dense waters, while exhibiting a decrease of oxygen in the recent decades (Lipizer et al, 2014). Further, the warming climate and warmer NAddW may endanger some organisms favouring cold oceans, such as shrimps (Matić-Skoko et al, 2022). Finally, dissolved oxygen concentrations in the deep SAP (Manca et al, 2006) and transport of carbon to the deep layers (Cossarini et al, 2015;Cantoni et al, 2016;Ingrosso et al, 2017) are also directly influenced and driven by the NAddW.…”