DG MARE lunchtime conference Thursday 7 March 2013, 12:30 - 14:30 (J-99 00/53)

Red sea bream fisheries in the Strait of Gibraltar: state of play of science and management

(By Dr. Gil, IEO Spain)

Since the early 1980's an artisanal hand-line fishery targeting the Red seabream (Pagelius bogaraveo, namely "voraz") has been developing along the Strait of Gibraltar area. The fishing is carried out taking advantage of the turnover of the tides in bottoms from 200 to 400 fathoms with the "voracera" gear, a particular mechanised hook line baited with sardine. The Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO) began to study and monitor the fishery in 1997. All the information available will be quickly presented. Improvements in data and assessment quality should be a good way to provide the best scientific basis for sustainable fishing resource management.

Ploughing the deep sea floor: bottom trawling-induced sediment dynamics and morphological impacts on continental slope environments

(By Dr. Puig, CMIMA-CSIC Spain)

Bottom trawling is a fishing technique whereby heavy nets and gear scrape along the sea bed. This presentation shows how trawling disturbs natural sediment fluxes and ultimately modifies the morphology of the submarine landscape over large spatial scales. It will also highlight the useful information provided by VMS data to identify the seafloor regions that have been more impacted by this anthropogenic activity.