Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the Azores
Deep-sea fisheries are of important economic value. Therefore, it is necessary to generate biologically and ecologically based fishing plans to make this fishery sustainable over time. The silver scabbardfish, <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i>, is a worldwide-distributed demersal fish, commercia...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/11/1619 |
| _version_ | 1827647225427132416 |
|---|---|
| author | Gloria Mariño-Briceño Wendell Medeiros-Leal Ualerson Iran Peixoto Mário Pinho Régis Santos |
| author_facet | Gloria Mariño-Briceño Wendell Medeiros-Leal Ualerson Iran Peixoto Mário Pinho Régis Santos |
| author_sort | Gloria Mariño-Briceño |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Deep-sea fisheries are of important economic value. Therefore, it is necessary to generate biologically and ecologically based fishing plans to make this fishery sustainable over time. The silver scabbardfish, <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i>, is a worldwide-distributed demersal fish, commercially exploited in the Azores. Despite <i>L. caudatus</i> high landings and discharges in the region, information about its ecology, population structure, biology and fisheries remains little-known. This work analyzed scientific survey and fishery-dependent data from the past 30 years to understand the changes in abundance, spatial distribution and life history of this species. <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> spatial distribution was associated with depths between 200 and 400 m, close to seamounts and islands, and on sandy bottoms. The size structure varied yearly, and the population was dominated by females (sex ratio, M:F = 0.46:1). Growth rates were between the estimated values in previous studies in the Azores and indicated a slow-grower species (L<sub>∞</sub> = 171.62 cm, k = 0.12 year<sup>−1</sup>, Φ’ = 3.52). The abundance indices highlighted a declining tendency, and this result was backed by the high exploitation rate for the fish in the region (E = 0.53). Lack of management measurements and the species’ vulnerability could lead to the depletion of this species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:15:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-855df581c0bc4d00ba4cf05c9b960fbf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:15:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-855df581c0bc4d00ba4cf05c9b960fbf2023-11-24T03:48:23ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-11-011111161910.3390/biology11111619Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the AzoresGloria Mariño-Briceño0Wendell Medeiros-Leal1Ualerson Iran Peixoto2Mário Pinho3Régis Santos4Okeanos–UAc Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4, 9900-138 Horta, PortugalOkeanos–UAc Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4, 9900-138 Horta, PortugalOkeanos–UAc Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4, 9900-138 Horta, PortugalOkeanos–UAc Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4, 9900-138 Horta, PortugalOkeanos–UAc Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4, 9900-138 Horta, PortugalDeep-sea fisheries are of important economic value. Therefore, it is necessary to generate biologically and ecologically based fishing plans to make this fishery sustainable over time. The silver scabbardfish, <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i>, is a worldwide-distributed demersal fish, commercially exploited in the Azores. Despite <i>L. caudatus</i> high landings and discharges in the region, information about its ecology, population structure, biology and fisheries remains little-known. This work analyzed scientific survey and fishery-dependent data from the past 30 years to understand the changes in abundance, spatial distribution and life history of this species. <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> spatial distribution was associated with depths between 200 and 400 m, close to seamounts and islands, and on sandy bottoms. The size structure varied yearly, and the population was dominated by females (sex ratio, M:F = 0.46:1). Growth rates were between the estimated values in previous studies in the Azores and indicated a slow-grower species (L<sub>∞</sub> = 171.62 cm, k = 0.12 year<sup>−1</sup>, Φ’ = 3.52). The abundance indices highlighted a declining tendency, and this result was backed by the high exploitation rate for the fish in the region (E = 0.53). Lack of management measurements and the species’ vulnerability could lead to the depletion of this species.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/11/1619population structuregrowth parametersmortalitydemersal fisheriesNE Atlantic |
| spellingShingle | Gloria Mariño-Briceño Wendell Medeiros-Leal Ualerson Iran Peixoto Mário Pinho Régis Santos Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the Azores Biology population structure growth parameters mortality demersal fisheries NE Atlantic |
| title | Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the Azores |
| title_full | Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the Azores |
| title_fullStr | Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the Azores |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the Azores |
| title_short | Life History and Fishing Aspects of the Deep-Sea Silver Scabbardfish <i>Lepidopus caudatus</i> in the Azores |
| title_sort | life history and fishing aspects of the deep sea silver scabbardfish i lepidopus caudatus i in the azores |
| topic | population structure growth parameters mortality demersal fisheries NE Atlantic |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/11/1619 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gloriamarinobriceno lifehistoryandfishingaspectsofthedeepseasilverscabbardfishilepidopuscaudatusiintheazores AT wendellmedeirosleal lifehistoryandfishingaspectsofthedeepseasilverscabbardfishilepidopuscaudatusiintheazores AT ualersoniranpeixoto lifehistoryandfishingaspectsofthedeepseasilverscabbardfishilepidopuscaudatusiintheazores AT mariopinho lifehistoryandfishingaspectsofthedeepseasilverscabbardfishilepidopuscaudatusiintheazores AT regissantos lifehistoryandfishingaspectsofthedeepseasilverscabbardfishilepidopuscaudatusiintheazores |