Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea)
Elasmobranchs are priority species for conservation due to their rapid decline determined by the unbalanced struggle between a fragile bio-ecology and strong anthropogenic impacts, such as bycatch from professional fishing. In this context, measuring species resistance to catch of poorly selective g...
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2023-02-01
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author | Umberto Scacco Tomaso Fortibuoni Matteo Baini Gianluca Franceschini Dario Giani Margherita Concato Cristina Panti Alessia Izzi Michela Angiolillo |
author_facet | Umberto Scacco Tomaso Fortibuoni Matteo Baini Gianluca Franceschini Dario Giani Margherita Concato Cristina Panti Alessia Izzi Michela Angiolillo |
author_sort | Umberto Scacco |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Elasmobranchs are priority species for conservation due to their rapid decline determined by the unbalanced struggle between a fragile bio-ecology and strong anthropogenic impacts, such as bycatch from professional fishing. In this context, measuring species resistance to catch of poorly selective gear is of paramount importance. During June–October 2022, five experimental fishing campaigns were carried out in the Asinara Gulf (northern Sardinia) through 35 geographically and bathymetrically representative hauls of an area between 30 and 600 m in depth. Skates prevailed over sharks in the number of species, with seven and five species, respectively. We first evaluated the status of each individual with respect to stress due to the trawl’s catch using a three-graded scale. We also recorded individual biometrics (total and disk length, weight and sex, and maturity for males) on board by implementing the best practices in manipulating individuals for physiological recovery and release at sea. After capture, skates resulted in generally better conditions than sharks, although deepwater species of both groups exhibited a worse state than coastal species. The estimated vitality rates also depended on the size of the individuals. This work provides standardized data on the intermingled effect of size, species type, and inhabited depth on the resistance response of some elasmobranch species against capture by trawl fishery activities. |
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language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:54:30Z |
publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
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spelling | doaj.art-64ea6a91ece343eaa3221e591676fab22023-11-17T09:41:06ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372023-02-0112336310.3390/biology12030363Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea)Umberto Scacco0Tomaso Fortibuoni1Matteo Baini2Gianluca Franceschini3Dario Giani4Margherita Concato5Cristina Panti6Alessia Izzi7Michela Angiolillo8National Centre of Laboratories-Biology, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via di Castel Romano 100, 00128 Rome, ItalyArea for the Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use of Fish Stocks and National Marine Aquatic Resources, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 30015 Chioggia, ItalyDepartment of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyArea for the Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use of Fish Stocks and National Marine Aquatic Resources, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 30015 Chioggia, ItalyDepartment of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyDepartment of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyDepartment of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyArea for the Protection of Biodiversity, Habitats and Protected Marine Species, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 60, 00144 Rome, ItalyArea for the Protection of Biodiversity, Habitats and Protected Marine Species, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 60, 00144 Rome, ItalyElasmobranchs are priority species for conservation due to their rapid decline determined by the unbalanced struggle between a fragile bio-ecology and strong anthropogenic impacts, such as bycatch from professional fishing. In this context, measuring species resistance to catch of poorly selective gear is of paramount importance. During June–October 2022, five experimental fishing campaigns were carried out in the Asinara Gulf (northern Sardinia) through 35 geographically and bathymetrically representative hauls of an area between 30 and 600 m in depth. Skates prevailed over sharks in the number of species, with seven and five species, respectively. We first evaluated the status of each individual with respect to stress due to the trawl’s catch using a three-graded scale. We also recorded individual biometrics (total and disk length, weight and sex, and maturity for males) on board by implementing the best practices in manipulating individuals for physiological recovery and release at sea. After capture, skates resulted in generally better conditions than sharks, although deepwater species of both groups exhibited a worse state than coastal species. The estimated vitality rates also depended on the size of the individuals. This work provides standardized data on the intermingled effect of size, species type, and inhabited depth on the resistance response of some elasmobranch species against capture by trawl fishery activities.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/3/363elasmobranchsat-vessel mortalityvitality ratebycatchtrawl fishingMediterranean Sea |
spellingShingle | Umberto Scacco Tomaso Fortibuoni Matteo Baini Gianluca Franceschini Dario Giani Margherita Concato Cristina Panti Alessia Izzi Michela Angiolillo Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea) Biology elasmobranchs at-vessel mortality vitality rate bycatch trawl fishing Mediterranean Sea |
title | Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea) |
title_full | Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea) |
title_fullStr | Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea) |
title_full_unstemmed | Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea) |
title_short | Gradients of Variation in the At-Vessel Mortality Rate between Twelve Species of Sharks and Skates Sampled through a Fishery-Independent Trawl Survey in the Asinara Gulf (NW Mediterranean Sea) |
title_sort | gradients of variation in the at vessel mortality rate between twelve species of sharks and skates sampled through a fishery independent trawl survey in the asinara gulf nw mediterranean sea |
topic | elasmobranchs at-vessel mortality vitality rate bycatch trawl fishing Mediterranean Sea |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/3/363 |
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