Red coral: conservation and management of an over‐exploited Mediterranean species

Abstract

ABSTRACT1. Corallium rubrum is a precious circum-Mediterranean octocoral, which occurs on rocky reefs between 10 and over 250 m in depth.2. This species has been harvested for a long time and most commercial populations have been over-exploited. The Mediterranean overall yield was reduced by 66% over the last 15 years.3. Two type populations may be identified: (a) dense shallow-water populations consisting of small, slow-growing, short-lived colonies and (b) deep-dwelling populations, composed of large, sparse, long-lived colonies. The former populations have little economic value, but should ensure a reproductive stock for the species.4. While the structure and demography of shallow-water populations have been studied, the demographic parameters of deep-dwelling populations are largely unknown.5. Recent genetic studies quantified levels of genetic divergence among coastal populations. Estimated numbers of migrants among populations suggested that the planulae of C. rubrum have short-range dispersal. Geographic distances greater than 100 km can be considered as the threshold for genetic divergence between populations.6. Development of a regime for the sustainable exploitation of this species requires a better knowledge of population dynamics, life-history traits and quantitative genetics, especially concerning commercial populations.

Rate and extent of decline in Corallium (pink and red coral) populations: existing data meet the requirements for a CITES Appendix II listing

“…Landings data from the Mediterranean also illustrate a sharp reduction in annual yield of nearly 75% from 2 to 3 decades ago (Santangelo & Abbiati 2001, FAO 2008. During the 1980s, at least 25 locations supported the harvest of Corallium rubrum (Fig.…”

Demography of the over-exploited Mediterranean red coral (<i>Corrallium rubrum</i> L. 1758)

“…Its isolated geographic position and phylopatric larval behaviour, together with the genetic evidence available, indicate the population under study is (at least partially) reproductively isolated from other similar populations Santangelo and Abbiati, 2001). This population, having a ten-year life span, has revealed a typical demographic structure in which several halfoverlapping generations co-occur.…”

Molluscs associated with a Sardinian deep water population of Corallium rubrum (Linnι, 1758)

“…Because of its long history of exploitation since the 17th century and the continuous collecting activities by scuba divers (TESCIONE, 1968;SANTANGELO et al, 1993b;SANTANGELO & ABBIATI, 2001) shallow water populations are rarely able to reach a commercial size and are currently dominated by young, small colonies (GARCIA- RODRIGUEZ & MASS , 1986;CATTANEO-VIETTI et al, 1993;SANTANGELO et al, 1993aSANTANGELO et al, , 2003, in contrast with the deeper ones, accessible only to professional coral fishers and situated along the African coasts, from Morocco to Tunisia, in Spain and in western Sardinia (CATTANEO-VIETTI et al, 1992), where the Alghero coast, thanks to this peculiarity, is also known as 'Riviera del corallo '(COLOMO, 2002).…”