Acronym RESHIO
Category
Fisheries
Title Exploration of pristine red shrimp resources and comparison with exploited ones in the Ionian Sea Programme DG MARE
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 European Coordinator Chryssi Mytilineou Coordinator email chryssi@hcmr.gr
Coordinator institution
NA
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2000 End year 2003 Funding (€) € 149,670 Website https://imbriw.hcmr.gr/reshio/ Summary In the framework of the RESHIO project, the distribution and abundance of the red shrimps, Aristaeomorpha foliacea and Aristeus antennatus, were investigated in the deep waters (300-900 m depth) of the south-eastern side of the Ionian Sea (Greek waters). A preliminary study of the biological characteristics of both target species in this area was also attempted. In addition, the CPUE, abundance, distribution, population structure and biological characteristics for both species were compared between the above mentioned unexploited area (Greek Ionian waters) and an exploited one in the Italian Ionian Sea. Finally, the composition, abundance, distribution and population structure of the by-catch were determined in both areas. The random stratified design was used for the sampling and three depth zones (300-500, 500-700 and 700-900 m) were considered. One explorative bottom trawl survey was carried out in the Greek Ionian Sea in September 2000. In addition, two more cruises were carried out, one in the Greek and the other in the Italian Ionian waters, during July-August 2001 for comparison purposes between the two areas. Two commercial trawlers were hired, a Greek (explorative cruise) and an Italian one (comparative cruises), equipped with trawls of 20 mm codend mesh size. The results from the present study showed that in the Greek Ionian Sea there are possibilities for the development of a deep-water fishery in the area. The depth stratum of 500-700 m was the most productive in terms of commercial catch (48 Kg/h). The highest CPUE values of the commercial crustacean (13 Kg/h) and fish species (33 Kg/h) were found in this depth stratum. Discards consisted only 29% of the total catch. Several commercial species, such as A. foliacea, Helicolenus dactylopterus, Galeus melastomus, Lophius piscatorius, Centrophorus granulosus and Plesionika martia, presented high CPUE values. Considering the abundance, some of the above species, particularly A. foliacea, remained important also in numbers. The red shrimp A. antennatus showed quite lower values. Besides the abundance of resources, other problems that should be resolved in the case of the development a deep-water fishery in the area are (a) the ability of fishermen and vessels to fish in these grounds and to preserve the fishing products and (b) the market operations that are needed in order to promote the commerciality of species unknown to the Greek consumers, although very appreciated by their Mediterranean counterparts. On the other hand, in the Italian Ionian Sea, A. antennatus was very important in terms of weight or numbers, whereas A. foliacea was found in very low quantities. Depth was found to play an important role in the deep-water community structure of both study areas, distinguishing two main assemblages; one in the depth stratum 300-500 m and another in depths ranging from 500 to 900 m. Moreover, a geographical factor was also characterising the structure of the assemblages in each area, affected by both environmental and fishing conditions. Generally, the deep-waters resources in the Italian area showed much lower CPUE and abundance values and smaller sizes in their population structure, indicating the effects of the intensive fishing activities resulting to overexploitation for some species. This is the case of A. foliacea, a very sensitive species to the fishing pressure, for which the exploitation rate showed that the applied management of this resources in the Italian Ionian should change. In fact, a greater mesh size, closed periods during recruitment, protection of nursery areas and regulation of the fishing effort could be the first steps of such a change in the management scheme. These results should be taken into account in the case of development of a Greek deep-water fishery, particularly because the main fishing resource in the area is A. foliacea.
Goals:
(1) The investigation of the distribution and abundance of Aristeus antennatus and Aristaeomorpha foliacea in the south-eastern side of the Ionian Sea (Greek waters) and the study in a preliminary way of their biological characteristics; (2) The identification of differences in abundance, size-structure and biological characteristics of both species between the two sides of the Ionian Sea, especially between an exploited area (Italian waters) and an unexploited one (Greek waters); (3) The determination of the composition and abundance of the by-catch species, particularly between an exploited area (Italian waters) and an unexploited one (Greek waters).
Keywords
Shellfish;
Trawling;
Biology;
Shrimp;
Environmental impact;
Bycatch;
Crustacean;
Crustacean fisheries;
Marine Region
61
Eastern Ionian Sea (GSA 20)
60
Western Ionian Sea (GSA 19)
2
Marine Region Map
