Abstract
Evaluating the survival of discarded species is gaining momentum after the new European Common Fisheries Policy (Article 15 of the European Regulation No. 1380/2013). This regulation introduced a discard ban, with an exemption for those species with demonstrated high survival rates after their capture and release. Candidate species should be evaluated for each fishing gear and geographical area. In this study, we assessed not only survival, but also physiological recovery rates of blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) below commercial size captured with a hookline called “voracera” in the Strait of Gibraltar (SW Atlantic waters of Europe). Experiments onboard a commercial fishing vessel were paralleled with studies in controlled ground-based facilities, where the capture process was mimicked, and physiological recovery markers were described. Our results confirmed that hookline capture induced acute stress responses in the target species, such as changes in plasma cortisol, lactate, glucose, and osmolality. However, 90.6% of the blackspot seabreams below commercial size captured with this fishing gear managed to survive, and evidenced physiological recovery responses 5 h after capture, with complete homeostatic recovery occurring within the first 24 h. Based on this study, the European Commission approved an exemption from the discard (EU Commission Delegated Regulation 6794/2018). Thus, the robust methodology described herein can be an important tool to mitigate the problem of discards in Europe.
Highlights
Blackspot seabream seem especially sensitive to handling in confinement, as in the experiment conducted in ground facilities, six fish died during the first 3 h after their sampling process
We described that blackspot seabream managed to recover its osmoregulatory balance within the first 5 h after capture, in accordance to acutely stressed S. aurata [18] and S. senegalensis [16]
Blackspot seabream (P. bogaraveo) captured by the hookline gear called “voracera” in the Strait of Gibraltar (SW Atlantic waters of Europe), showed 90.6% survival. This species managed to be physiologically recovered from this process within 24 h, offering relevant data to policymakers who recently approved an exemption for the European discard ban
Summary
Under the new Common Fisheries Policy and according to the Article 15 of the European Regulation (EU) N◦ 1380/2013, discards should be introduced as landings. European compulsory landing obligation affects all captured species that are subject to catch limits and, in the Mediterranean Sea, catches of species that are subject to minimum sizes. As reported in Article 13 of the regulation, captured animals could be released back into the sea if robust scientific evidence indicates high survival rates. Survival of captures depends on many factors including the fishing gear employed [1], the captured species [2], and environmental variables [3] amongst others [4,5]. Survival of discards should be evaluated for each fishing gear and geographic area [6]
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