Abstract
European hake (Merluccius merluccius) is an important commercial fisheries species that shows growth overfishing, with catches basically focused on juveniles. This study assesses the benefit of closing a coastal area (an essential habitat for European hake recruits) to fishing, in addition to other alternatives of spatial management, compared with traditional, non–spatial management scenarios on fishing grounds exploited by the bottom trawl fleets of Blanes and Palamós (Province of Girona, NE Spain). We use InVEST, a spatially explicit model of intermediate complexity that simulates the bioeconomic effects of management measures for decision making. The sensitivity analysis of the model results shows the high influence of some parameters, particularly the parameterization of the recruitment submodel and European hake’s fecundity coefficients. The results are also examined in the light of uncertainty on migration parameters: in the two cases analysed (considering migration patterns or not), the results of the indicators (catch and revenues, abundance, recruitment and spawning stock biomass) were qualitatively similar and all show that the application of a restricted fishing area in one particular fishing ground (Vol de Terra) is the best management alternative. Its bioeconomic effects are comparable to a reduction of fishing effort of up to 20%. With high levels of ontogenetic migration, fishing on a second fishing ground (Cul de Rec – El Pas) should be restricted to enhance the biomass of the European hake population.
Highlights
European hake [Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758)] is one of the most important demersal species of the Mediterranean demersal ecosystem
This study assesses the benefit of closing a coastal area to fishing, in addition to other alternatives of spatial management, compared with traditional, non–spatial management scenarios on fishing grounds exploited by the bottom trawl fleets of Blanes and Palamós (Province of Girona, NE Spain)
Throughout this study, we have evaluated the effect of the application of an marine protected areas (MPAs) at the level of the Vol de Terra fishing ground, which seems to be an essential habitat for European hake recruits, together with
Summary
European hake [Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758)] is one of the most important demersal species of the Mediterranean demersal ecosystem. This species of great commercial value shows growth overfishing, with catches basically focused on juveniles (Recasens et al 1998, Lleonart et al 2003). The implementation of new spatial management measures such as marine protected areas (MPAs) could be the best alternative for the recovery of the fishery and for aligning the exploitation of Mediterranean fisheries resources with the Common Fisheries Policy objectives in terms of fishing mortality levels compatible with the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) in 2020 (Goñi et al 2004, Maynou 2014). Several studies of European hake populations in the Mediterranean show that the species recruits in stable nursery areas that are recurrent from year to year (Colloca et al 2015, Fiorentino et al 2003, Tserpes et al 2008), and restricting fishing effort in these areas would make an important contribution to reducing fishing mortality for age 0 European hake, contributing to stock rebuilding
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