Acronym NA
Category
Fisheries
Title Inshore habitat use by juvenile fish Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Anne McLay Coordinator email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk
Coordinator institution
FRS - Fisheries Research Services (United Kingdom)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2003 End year 2007 Funding (€) € 583,492 Website NA Summary Surprisingly little detail is currently known about how juvenile fish currently utilise inshore nursery grounds, and the links between these areas and offshore stocks. More information is required on the properties characterising key nursery areas, the extent and geographical distribution of such areas and whether or not there is any stock-specific fidelity to certain regions of coastline. The relative importance of inshore and offshore nursery areas is also poorly quantified for some species. Without detailed knowledge of the manner in which juvenile fish utilise inshore areas it will not be possible to make informed decisions on the potential effects of anthropogenic activities on these juvenile stocks, and how that may, in turn, affect recovery of adult stocks. The objective of this project is to improve our understanding of the ecology of juvenile fish in inshore waters, anticipating and addressing both fundamental and more complex questions that will be raised when formulating policy in general Coastal Zone Management and more specifically in the 'ecosystem approach' to fisheries management. The work would be completed on the west coast of Scotland, with the local scale regular sampling carried out in the Loch Sunart area. The facets of the project include: (1) Identification of potential nursery grounds on the west coast of Scotland, through examination of historical tag data and Research Vessel surveys; (2) Investigation of the spatial and temporal distribution of juvenile fish in relation to habitats in inshore waters; (3) Development of a pilot GIS for inshore fish, incorporating fish and habitat distribution. This would be carried out for the detailed study area, and in less detail for the wider ranging cruise survey data; (4) In conjunction with MF0464 and EU projects HERGEN and WESTHER, investigation into the spatial fidelity of juveniles from specific breeding stocks to areas of coastline or sealochs.
Goal:
To improve our understanding of the ecology of juvenile fish in inshore waters, addressing issues important for formulating policy in general Coastal Zone Management and more specifically in the ‘ecosystem approach’ to fisheries management. The work aims to identify potential nursery grounds, investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of juvenile fish in relation to habitats in inshore waters, and develop a pilot GIS for inshore fish, incorporating fish and habitat distribution.
Keywords
Fish stocks;
Fish habitat;
Fish biology;
Nursery area;
Marine Region
26
Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland (27.VIa)
1
Marine Region Map
