Scientific survey at Condor seamount MPA in the Azores

The importance of monitoring and long-term research for understanding changes in communities is largely recognized by scientists and managers, allowing for knowledge-based management. In the case of marine protected areas, they can help understand the effects of protection on biodiversity and communities.
In the Azores region (NE Atlantic), several relevant economic activities, such as fishing and marine tourism, rely on healthy marine resources and high levels of biodiversity, and take place also around seamounts. Among them, the Condor seamount - an area of multiple uses between 185-2000m- has been earmarked for research, to increase our knowledge around seamount ecosystems. With the agreement of stakeholders, Condor was closed to bottom fishing in 2010 and classified as MPA of Azores Marine Park in 2016, for the management of fishing resources. Over the years, thanks to intensive research effort, including monitoring of deep-sea demersal fish communities, Condor became a reference area, of special interest for stakeholders, since it provides data on the temporal evolution of demersal fish after the cessation of fishing and acts as baseline for recovery. An annual longline survey is running at Condor since 2009 to monitor deep-sea demersal fish communities.
This action intends to run a longline survey and share its results, with the following objectives:
- Assess the condition of demersal fish community after 14 years of cessation of fishing, using several indicators (i.e. abundance, biodiversity);
- Use Condor MPA as experimental area for assessing non-destructive methodologies, such as environmental DNA and underwater videos for biodiversity studies;
- Produce advice on MPA management;
- Share the results and images of Condor habitat and deep-sea biodiversity with relevant stakeholders and the general public.
The scientific survey will take place onboard the R/V Arquipélago, during 8 days, to collect data using a standardised methodology with longline to monitor demersal fish communities, in the depth range 185-1300 m depth. Data collected on catches will be compared with previous data to monitor the temporal changes of community following the cessation of fishing. Some commercial species will be tagged and released, as part of the Azores Fish Tagging Program, a citizen science initiative running since 1999, involving the fishing community in recapturing tagged fishes. Information on species biology will add knowledge to the still incomplete information on deep-sea fishes. The set of survey and tagging, eDNA and video data will add knowledge to the biodiversity of Condor MPA, ecology and behaviour of species.
Survey information collected during the action will be shared in specific meeting with Condor stakeholders, to discuss about the results of the survey and MPA management. Images and information collected, on fish behaviour and biology, and Condor MPA, will be shared through social media with a wider audience.
This action is expected to have a positive impact on our understanding of marine communities and responses to cessation of fishing, fomenting conservation efforts regarding seamount ecosystems. Through information sharing with stakeholders, it will increase our capacity for sustainable resource management. Communication to the general public is expected to increase ocean literacy and raise awareness on MPA benefits and the value of protecting and restoring marine ecosystems and biodiversity.