Lee G. Murray

Defining thresholds of sustainable impact on benthic communities in relation to fishing disturbance

While the direct physical impact on seabed biota is well understood, no studies have defined thresholds to inform an ecosystem-based approach to managing fishing impacts. We addressed this knowledge gap using a large-scale experiment that created a controlled gradient of fishing intensity and assessed the immediate impacts and short-term recovery. We observed a mosaic of taxon-specific responses at various thresholds. The lowest threshold of significant lasting impact occurred between 1 and 3 times fished and elicited a decrease in abundance of 39 to 70% for some sessile epifaunal organisms (cnidarians, bryozoans). This contrasted with significant increases in abundance and/or biomass of scavenging species (epifaunal echinoderms, infaunal crustaceans) by two to four-fold in areas fished twice and more. In spite of these significant specific responses, the benthic community structure, biomass and abundance at the population level appeared resilient to fishing. Overall, natural temporal variation in community metrics exceeded the effects of fishing in this highly dynamic study site, suggesting that an acute level of disturbance (fished over six times) would match the level of natural variation. We discuss the implications of our findings for natural resources management with respect to context-specific human disturbance and provide guidance for best fishing practices.

Quantification of the indirect effects of scallop dredge fisheries on a brown crab fishery.

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of the by-catch of Cancer pagurus in king scallop dredges in the Isle of Man, and to determine the damage, immediate mortality and estimated mortality during fishing seasons associated with scallop dredges. Based on dredge surveys, spatial and seasonal variations were observed, with the highest number of crabs found off the west coast of the Isle of Man in the autumn when berried females crabs were most frequently caught. In general, female crabs comprised 84% of the catch. The damage levels of crabs was high with 45% of crabs recorded as crushed or dead or with severe damage, whilst 24% of crabs exhibited missing limbs. Estimates of the potential mortality associated with scallop dredging led to a lower and upper estimate of possible crab by-catch mortality of 15t and 24t respectively which represented 3.0-4.8% of the commercial landings of brown crab for the Isle of Man. Heaviest mortalities of crabs occurred in autumn to the west of the Isle of Man when female berried crabs move offshore into deeper water. The use of a temporary and spatially restricted scallop dredging closure could provide a simple solution to mitigate additional crab mortality in the event that scallop dredging increased beyond current levels in the future.

Reproductive Ecology, Fecundity, and Elemental Composition of Eggs in Brown Crab Cancer pagurus in The Isle of Man

ABSTRACT The brown crab is an important fishery resource in northern Europe. Understanding factors that affect fecundity in this species is complicated by the fact that ovigerous females enter traps infrequently. This study aimed to understand factors that affect brown crab fecundity and egg quality for crabs sampled from the waters around the Isle of Man. The size-fecundity relationship for the Isle of Man matched closely with those published for other geographical areas where a fishery exists for this species. Ovigerous crabs varied in size from 134 to 215 mm carapace width and each individual carried an estimated 0.4–3.0 million eggs. Fecundity was not affected by factors such as sampling season, location, loss of chelae, or black spot disease. Egg volume was independent of the number of eggs per batch or female body size. Egg volume was reduced significantly in crabs that had lost chelae. Egg dry weight, C and N composition did not vary with body size or any other explanatory factors such as chelal loss or the occurrence of black spot disease. Although the importance of the effect of claw loss on egg volume remains unclear, it may be an important consideration in fisheries in which the landing of claws is permitted.

Relative growth and size at onset of sexual maturity of the brown crab, Cancer pagurus in the Isle of Man, Irish Sea

ABSTRACT In this study, the relative growth, size–weight relationships and size at onset of maturity of the brown crab Cancer pagurus were investigated in the Isle of Man. For the analyses of relative growth and size at onset of maturity, the samples were collected seasonally between autumn 2012 and spring 2013 using several methods: pot surveys, dredge and trawl surveys, market surveys and shore surveys. Results showed that allometric growth occurred in the chelipeds of males (n = 87) and in the abdomen of females (n = 222). Four different measures of maturity (behavioural, functional, morphometric and physiological) were examined. With respect to the behavioural maturity, the smallest female crab found with a sperm plug measured 110 mm CW, whereas in terms of functional maturity the smallest ovigerous female had a CW of 134 mm. Based on direct observations of gonad maturity, 50% of females were mature at 108 mm CW, whereas 50% of males were mature at 89 mm CW. The size at the onset of maturity measurements of female and male C. pagurus based on gonad development is smaller than the current minimum landing size (130 mm), and therefore this suggests that the current minimum landing size is an adequate management measure.

Spatial Variation in Fish and Invertebrate Bycatches in a Scallop Trawl Fishery

ABSTRACT One of the biggest problems faced by fisheries management is the issue of bycatch and discards. The target species of fisheries are often found in association with other organisms. Despite attempts to reduce bycatch through technical modifications, the indiscriminate nature of many fishing gears means that nontarget species become incidental catch or bycatch. This study assessed the spatial variation across four fishing grounds in the composition of bycatch of an otter trawl scallop (Aequipecten opercularis) fishery in the Irish Sea. The results showed that the percentage of bycatch in the fishery as a whole was relatively low at 7.42 ± 0.52 by weight of the total catch. In 2012, the total bycatch for the fishery was estimated to be 309 tonnes compared to landings of queen scallops of 2,410 tonnes, landed by Manx trawlers either to the Isle of Man or United Kingdom. Significant differences were found between the four fishing grounds in relation to mean catch by weight, mean bycatch by weight, and bycatch species composition; however, there was no significant difference found in diversity and species abundance among the four fishing grounds. The results demonstrated that fishing ground was the dominant factor controlling bycatch variation within this fishery, which was related to some extent to water depth. The findings of the study indicate that understanding variation in bycatch in relation to the characteristics of different fishing grounds would enable fishermen and managers to manage (minimize) bycatch through the use of temporary spatial management measures.

Regional variation in bycatches associated with king scallop (Pecten maximus L.) dredge fisheries

The biomass and composition of bycatch from king scallop dredge fisheries was assessed and compared between the English Channel, Cardigan Bay in Wales and around the Isle of Man. Bycatch composition varied significantly at localised, and broad, geographic scales. The mean proportion of scallop dredge bycatch biomass in the English Channel was 19% of total catch biomass. The proportion of bycatch was lower in Cardigan Bay (15%) but notably higher around the Isle of Man (53%). The proportion of individual bycatch species in dredge catches were low, therefore scallop dredging is unlikely to cause a substantial increase the population mortality of individual commercially fished species beyond that caused by the target fisheries for those species, or bycatches of other fisheries. The amount and mortality of organisms left on the seabed in the dredge path was not quantified in this study but should also be considered in management of the fishery. The discard rate of finfish and shellfish of commercial value from the king scallop dredge fishery in the English Channel was between 18 and 100%, with a higher rate of discarding occurring in the eastern English Channel compared to the west. The clear regional differences in bycatch composition and variation in the quantity of discards mean that an area by area approach to managing bycatch species is required in relation to the king scallop dredge fishery.

The catch characteristics and population structure of the brown crab (Cancer pagurus) fishery in the Isle of Man, Irish Sea

Brown crab contributes to small-scale fisheries in the Isle of Man and landings (495 t) were worth in excess of £0.5 million in 2012. The present study sought to fill evidence gaps needed to improve the scientific understanding of this fishery. Observer data were collected to examine the spatial and temporal variations in the size distribution and sex ratio of crabs around the Isle of Man. This study also aimed to evaluate the catch characteristics of brown crab using logbook data (2007–2012), observer data (2012–2013) and questionnaire survey data (2013). The sex ratio is highly variable in different areas across seasons and was perhaps indicative of migration patterns in relation to mating. This change was most notable with a strong increase in the proportion of females to the south and west of the Isle of Man in the autumn months. The depth and pot volume were important factors that influenced the catch per unit effort (CPUE). Future survey designs would need to ensure adequate spatial coverage of the east and west coast of the Isle of Man together with a seasonal sampling regime that captures the spatial change in the distribution and abundance of male and female crabs.

Fish and invertebrate by-catch in the crab pot fishery in the Isle of Man, Irish Sea

Baited trap or pot fisheries are considered to have relatively few wider ecosystem effects on the marine environment, particularly when compared with towed mobile fishing gear. However, this assumption is rarely tested in the field. This study aimed to determine the composition of non-target species that occur in crustacean pots and to assess spatial and temporal differences in catches in the waters around the Isle of Man, Irish Sea. The data were collected using fishery independent surveys and a questionnaire study. Based on fishery independent surveys, a total of five taxonomic groups and 43 species occurred as by-catch. The dominant by-catch species was velvet crab Necora puber . The by-catch per unit effort (BPUE) for all of the non-target species was low particularly in comparison to towed bottom gear fisheries around the Isle of Man. BPUE of species composition varied considerably between different locations around the Isle of Man. The results of both the fishery independent and questionnaire data suggested that the by-catch rates varied with season with peak BPUE occurring in spring which then declined into autumn and winter. By-catch composition did not decrease significantly with an increasing target species catch. Overall, by-catch was low relative to target species catch which may be partially attributable to the use of escape panels in pot fisheries in the Isle of Man.