Article
Environmental Sciences
Chryssi Mytilineou, Bent Herrmann, Christopher J. Smith, Danai Mantopoulou-Palouka, Aikaterini Anastasopoulou, Apostolos Siapatis, Antonello Sala, Persefoni Megalofonou, Nadia Papadopoulou, Vassiliki Vassilopoulou, Caterina Stamouli, Stefanos Kavadas, Evgenia Lefkaditou, Artemis Nicolaidou
Summary: Fisheries have significant impacts on marine biodiversity. This study examined different units related to trawl fishing and found differences in abundance, species richness, diversity indices, species composition, trophic level, and vulnerability index. The study suggests that urgent modifications are needed to eliminate the discarded highly vulnerable species and improve trawl species-selectivity to minimize biodiversity losses.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Karen B. Burgaard, Stefan Carstensen, David R. Fuhrman, Camille Saurel, Finbarr G. O. 'Neill
Summary: This study demonstrates the influence of hydrodynamics on the fishing performance of towed demersal fishing gears. Sea trials in the sea star fishery show that modifications to the gear design can alter the hydrodynamics of the turbulent wake and consequently affect the catching performance of trawl gears. The trials investigate the effect of the gap between the towing beam and the seabed, and the size of the beam on cockle and mussel beds.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Noel Cadigan, Yihao Yin, Hugues P. Benoit, Stephen J. Walsh
Summary: Long-term survey time series can improve stock assessments, but vessel and gear replacement may be necessary. Comparative fishing experiments are conducted to study changes in survey catchability (Q). This paper develops a smooth monotone nonparametric regression model for the change in catchability as a function of fish length, and applies robust estimation methods to mitigate the impact of outliers.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Bilal Mghili, Mohamed Keznine, Soufiane Hasni, Mustapha Aksissou
Summary: This study investigates the abundance, composition and sources of marine litter captured with fishing net in the Al Hoceima region of the Moroccan Mediterranean. Plastic is the most common type of litter, mainly bottles, crisps packets and plastic bags. Moroccan waters show a higher impact of marine litter compared to other regions of the Mediterranean, likely due to high population density and poor waste management. The study highlights the need for educational programs to promote good environmental practices among fishermen and protect the marine environment.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Claire Louise Szostek, Jan Geert Hiddink, Marija Sciberras, Jennifer L. L. Shepperson, Stephen Thompson, Samantha Hormbrey, Alex Caveen, William Lart, Dale Rodmell, Michel J. J. Kaiser
Summary: This study presents a tool that utilizes published data to estimate the impact of globally used seabed-penetrating fishing gears on biological communities in different sediments. By calculating the seabed penetration of the gear and correlating it with the depletion of benthic fauna, the tool provides an estimation of the relative benthic status of the seabed. It can be used to objectively evaluate different fisheries management scenarios or interventions on seabed status, particularly in situations with limited data or resources.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qinglong Guan, Wenbin Zhu, Aizhong Zhou, Yongjin Wang, Weiyao Tang, Rong Wan
Summary: A new type of bottom trawl was designed and its hydrodynamic performance was investigated using numerical simulation and physical modeling methods. The results showed superior performance in deep-water fishing, with high catch efficiency and selectivity.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Emil De Borger, Justin Tiano, Ulrike Braeckman, Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp, Karline Soetaert
Summary: Bottom trawling in shelf seas can have significant impacts on benthic metabolism, leading to reduced organic carbon mineralization rates and changes in oxygen and nitrate concentrations in sediment. The effects vary depending on trawling frequency and sediment type, with physical organic carbon removal through trawl-induced resuspension of sediments identified as the main cause of the changes in the mineralization process.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter Ljungberg, Sara Konigson, Sven-Gunnar Lunneryd
Summary: This study used modified pontoon traps to reduce the impact of seals on cod fisheries in the southern Baltic Sea. The design of the pontoon traps was tested for its effects on catch rates, and it was found that using a leader net with a 100 mm center-knot to center-knot mesh-size on a bottom-set fish chamber yielded the highest catch rates. No seal-induced damage to cod was observed in the pontoon traps.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Benjamin M. Drakeford, Andy Forse, Pierre Failler
Summary: Based on industry interviews, this study examines the economic impacts of using Biodegradable Fishing Gear (BFG) as a measure to mitigate the ghost fishing impact caused by lost fishing gear. The findings suggest that the use of BFG is primarily a technical challenge rather than an economic problem. The costs for fishermen using BFG are mainly related to reduced fishing efficiency rather than investment and maintenance costs. The implementation costs for BFG in the Channel static gear fishery could be as high as 8 million pounds, but if the fishing efficiency issue is resolved, the costs could be significantly reduced or even result in a small positive benefit.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Joan Drinkwin, Kyle Antonelis, Madison Heller -Shipley, Paul Rudell, Michael Etnier, Tom Good, Anna Elz, Jason Morgan
Summary: This study reports the results of clearing derelict gillnets from the Salish Sea from 2002 to 2021. A total of 5638 nets were removed, covering an area of 11.6 km2. The Reporting, Response, and Retrieval (RRR) Program implemented in 2012 has successfully reduced re-accumulation and long-term impacts on species and habitats.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Valentina Sciutteri, Cristina Peda, Francesco Longo, Rosario Calogero, Giuseppe Cangemi, Luca Pagano, Pietro Battaglia, Matteo Nannini, Teresa Romeo, Pierpaolo Consoli
Summary: Marine litter pollution poses a threat to marine ecosystems and biodiversity conservation, particularly on seafloors where anthropogenic waste accumulates. This study reveals the high levels of plastic in seafloor litter and the ingestion of plastics by deep-sea fish. The results highlight the role of poor waste management practices in contributing to the accumulation of marine litter and plastic ingestion.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Shin-Ichiro Nakayama, Satoshi Suyama, Taiki Fuji, Midori Hashimoto
Summary: Although gear efficiency is important in stock assessments, estimating its value experimentally is time-consuming. We built a state-space model to estimate the gear efficiency of any new equipment relative to the original one using data obtained from comparative trawl surveys. The model was validated through diagnostics.
Article
Polymer Science
Jungkyu Kim, Sangwoo Park, Seungoh Jung, Heecheol Yun, Kyusuk Choi, Gyeom Heo, Hyoung-Joon Jin, Subong Park, Hyo Won Kwak
Summary: This study evaluates the biodegradability of PBS fishing gear in marine sedimentary environments, aiming to address the issue of ghost fishing caused by discarded gear. Through biodegradation analysis, it is found that after 180 days, the PBS gear reduces to carbon dioxide by 27.3%. The remaining PBS shows bulk erosion and no changes in crystallinity and thermal properties. The degradation primarily occurs through surface abrasion and metabolic utilization of hydrolysis products by microorganisms.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kelsey Richardson, Britta Denise Hardesty, Joanna Zofia Vince, Chris Wilcox
Summary: The study found that abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear is a significant contributor to global marine plastic pollution, negatively impacting fishers, the seafood industry, and marine wildlife and habitats. Major causes of fishing gear losses include bad weather and interactions with wildlife. Effective measures to prevent gear losses include gear maintenance and crew training in gear management.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Antonello Sala, Jochen Depestele, Aysun Guemues, Pascal Laffargue, J. Rasmus Nielsen, Hans Polet, Chris J. Smith, Mustafa Zengin, Francois Bastardie, Ole R. Eigaard, Katell G. Hamon, Frank Jensen, Alessandro Lucchetti, Sonia Mehault, Emilio Notti, Nadia Papadopoulou, Andrea Petetta, Mattias Skold, Benoit Vincent, Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp
Summary: The impact of bottom gear fishing depends on the sensitivity of the benthic community, fishing intensity, and the depth of penetration of the gears. Disturbance of benthic populations and physical modification of bottom substrates are the outputs of bottom fishing. Innovative solutions, such as alternative gears and catch stimuli, as well as the adoption of technical innovations, can help reduce the adverse impacts of bottom fisheries on demersal ecosystems. The study also explores strategies to reduce fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, and bycatch as incentives for the fishing industry to reduce seabed impacts.
Article
Fisheries
Chryssi Mytilineou, Bent Herrmann, Danai Mantopoulou-Palouka, Antonello Sala, Persefoni Megalofonou
Summary: This study provides important information for the sustainable development and management of Mediterranean fisheries by investigating the selection patterns of commercial bycatch species in the trawl fishery. It highlights the suitability of different codends for different species, while considering factors such as juvenile protection, discard mitigation, and fisher behavior.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
Chryssi Mytilineou, Bent Herrmann, Antonello Sala, Danai Mantopoulou-Palouka, Persefoni Megalofonou
Summary: This study investigated the overall size-selection pattern of four commercially important fish species in the Mediterranean bottom trawl fishery, finding that different codends had varying effectiveness in terms of sustainability for different species. Further research is needed to be conducted in the future to explore the size-selection patterns and management strategies for other species in the multi-species trawl fishery in the Mediterranean.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Review
Fisheries
Alessandro Lucchetti, Massimo Virgili, Claudio Vasapollo, Andrea Petetta, Giada Bargione, Daniel Li Veli, Jure Brcic, Antonello Sala
Summary: The bottom trawling fishery in the Mediterranean Sea faces issues of overfishing, with studies showing that current practices often catch immature individuals and species below minimum conservation reference sizes. It is necessary to adopt more sustainable fishing gears to improve catch efficiency and ecological protection.
MEDITERRANEAN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Antonello Sala, Dimitrios Damalas, Lucio Labanchi, Jann Martinsohn, Fabrizio Moro, Rosaria Sabatella, Emilio Notti
Summary: The combustion of fossil fuels is a major cause of climate change, and reducing emissions is a key goal of the Paris climate agreement. Energy audits of fishing vessels can help identify inefficiencies and guide cost-efficient improvements. According to our study, Mediterranean trawl fisheries use approximately 2.9 liters of fuel per kilogram of landed fish, resulting in an average of 7.6 kg CO2 emissions per kilogram of fish.
Article
Fisheries
Alessandro Colombelli, Jacopo Pulcinella, Sara Bonanomi, Emilio Notti, Fabrizio Moro, Antonello Sala
Summary: The optimization of consumption and reduction of gas emissions in fisheries depend on thorough examination of factors affecting energy balance of fishing vessels. Technological modifications and behavioral changes can improve energy efficiency. However, the influence of sea state and wind conditions on energy expenditure of fishing vessels has not been investigated.
MEDITERRANEAN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Costanza Bonadonna, Marco Pistolesi, Sebastien Biass, Marija Voloschina, Jorge Romero, Diego Coppola, Arnau Folch, Luca D'Auria, Alba Martin-Lorenzo, Lucia Dominguez, Camille Pastore, Maria-Paz Reyes Hardy, Fatima Rodriguez
Summary: The 2021 Tajogaite eruption on La Palma involved complex hybrid eruptions with simultaneous lava flows and tephra plumes. The tephra blanket provided important insights into the eruptive dynamics. A multidisciplinary approach, including the characterization of tephra, atmospheric conditions, and lava emission, is necessary to understand hybrid eruptions and forecast ash dispersal.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chryssi Mytilineou, Bent Herrmann, Christopher J. Smith, Danai Mantopoulou-Palouka, Aikaterini Anastasopoulou, Apostolos Siapatis, Antonello Sala, Persefoni Megalofonou, Nadia Papadopoulou, Vassiliki Vassilopoulou, Caterina Stamouli, Stefanos Kavadas, Evgenia Lefkaditou, Artemis Nicolaidou
Summary: Fisheries have significant impacts on marine biodiversity. This study examined different units related to trawl fishing and found differences in abundance, species richness, diversity indices, species composition, trophic level, and vulnerability index. The study suggests that urgent modifications are needed to eliminate the discarded highly vulnerable species and improve trawl species-selectivity to minimize biodiversity losses.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Li Veli, Andrea Petetta, Giulio Barone, Ilaria Ceciarini, Enrica Franchi, Letizia Marsili, Guido Pietroluongo, Carlotta Mazzoldi, Drasko Holcer, Stanislao D'Argenio, Sergio Guccione, Rosa Linda Testa, Monica Francesca Blasi, Maria Francesca Cinti, Salvatore Livreri Console, Ilaria Rinaudo, Alessandro Lucchetti
Summary: Interactions between fishing and dolphins can have negative consequences, including dolphins becoming entangled and killed by fishing gear and dolphins predating on fish caught by nets. This interaction poses danger to dolphins and leads to economic losses for fishers. A survey conducted in Italy and Croatia revealed that common bottlenose dolphins are the species most commonly involved in fishing interactions, with catch damage being the main issue. The probability of interaction varied among different fishing gears and seasons, with certain activities experiencing higher economic losses. While dolphin bycatch rates are generally low, a significant percentage of fishers reported capturing dolphins during their career. Awareness and use of acoustic deterrent devices among fishers were found to be limited.
Article
Biology
Michele Luca Geraci, Giacomo Sardo, Fabio Falsone, Danilo Scannella, Michael Breen, Fabio Fiorentino, Antonello Sala, Sergio Vitale
Summary: The study presents a method for estimating the escape survival of red mullet from demersal trawling in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The fish escaping through the trawl codend had significantly increased injuries and reduced survival compared to control fish. During 7 days of captive monitoring, mortality was highest in the first 24 hours and ceased for both groups within 48 hours.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Sara Bonanomi, Olga Annibale, Alessandro Lucchetti, Massimiliano Bottaro
Summary: The common angel shark, a critically endangered species, has been extirpated from the Adriatic Sea due to intense fishing. However, a recent sighting of a juvenile suggests that this area may serve as an important habitat for early life stages of the shark. Urgent conservation actions are necessary in the Adriatic Sea to protect this species.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Antonello Sala, Jochen Depestele, Aysun Guemues, Pascal Laffargue, J. Rasmus Nielsen, Hans Polet, Chris J. Smith, Mustafa Zengin, Francois Bastardie, Ole R. Eigaard, Katell G. Hamon, Frank Jensen, Alessandro Lucchetti, Sonia Mehault, Emilio Notti, Nadia Papadopoulou, Andrea Petetta, Mattias Skold, Benoit Vincent, Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp
Summary: The impact of bottom gear fishing depends on the sensitivity of the benthic community, fishing intensity, and the depth of penetration of the gears. Disturbance of benthic populations and physical modification of bottom substrates are the outputs of bottom fishing. Innovative solutions, such as alternative gears and catch stimuli, as well as the adoption of technical innovations, can help reduce the adverse impacts of bottom fisheries on demersal ecosystems. The study also explores strategies to reduce fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, and bycatch as incentives for the fishing industry to reduce seabed impacts.
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Ocean
Rocco De Marco, Francesco Di Nardo, Alessandro Lucchetti, Massimo Virgili, Andrea Petetta, Daniel Li Veli, Laura Screpanti, Veronica Bartolucci, David Scaradozzi
Summary: This study proposes a self-made/low-cost underwater acoustic recorder using inexpensive components. The performance of the proposed hydrophone is compared with a commercial hydrophone, and the results show that the performance degradation introduced by the low-cost approach is very limited.
2022 IEEE INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON METROLOGY FOR THE SEA LEARNING TO MEASURE SEA HEALTH PARAMETERS (METROSEA)
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leonardo Mingari, Arnau Folch, Andrew T. Prata, Federica Pardini, Giovanni Macedonio, Antonio Costa
Summary: Modelling the dispersal of volcanic ash and aerosols is crucial for assessing the impacts of volcanic eruptions on various aspects. Quantitative forecasting of volcanic ash is beneficial for managing volcanic risk and reducing aviation impacts. However, accurate predictions rely on proper estimations of multiple model parameters and uncertainties in these parameters can lead to errors in the forecast quality. Utilizing geostationary satellite observations can improve forecasts by assimilating the observations into numerical models. This study presents a new implementation of ensemble-based data assimilation to improve forecast quality for volcanic ash.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Manuel Titos, Beatriz Martinez Montesinos, Sara Barsotti, Laura Sandri, Arnau Folch, Leonardo Mingari, Giovanni Macedonio, Antonio Costa
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive long-term volcanic hazard assessment for the volcanic island of Jan Mayen, which is the northernmost active volcanic area in the world. The study evaluates the dispersal and concentration of volcanic ash in the air and provides probability maps for decision-makers and aviation stakeholders to assess and prevent the potential impact of a future ash-rich eruption at Jan Mayen.
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Andrew T. Prata, Leonardo Mingari, Arnau Folch, Giovanni Macedonio, Antonio Costa
Summary: This paper presents model validation results for the latest version of the FALL3D atmospheric transport model, based on the new FALL3D-8.0 test suite. The results show good agreement between the model and satellite retrievals for simulating volcanic ash and SO2, as well as between the model and observations for tephra deposit loads and radionuclides in specific case studies.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Miguel Petrere Jr, Davi Butturi-Gomes
Summary: This short communication aims to raise awareness about the misuse of confidence intervals in Ecology and Fisheries statistical models that ignore the lack of independence.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
Peter-John F. Hulson, Benjamin C. Williams
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of considering ageing error and growth variability on the determination of input sample size (ISS) in statistical catch-at-age assessment models. The results show that including these sources of uncertainty decreases the ISS determined through bootstrap methods. This indicates that there is more variability in age composition and conditional age-at-length data than previously accounted for. Including these sources of uncertainty improves the estimation of ISS and subsequently improves the quality of stock assessment models.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
Jason M. Cope
Summary: Fishery resource assessment is a complex and challenging task, but with the use of different analysis methods and tools, effective management guidance can be provided even with limited data and resources.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
Regina L. Cunha, Joana I. Robalo, Sara M. Francisco, Ines Farias, Rita Castilho, Ivone Figueiredo
Summary: Recent advances in genomics have greatly contributed to the assessment of fish stocks by providing precise identification of genetic boundaries. This study used a genotyping-by-sequencing approach to reveal the existence of an additional genetic cluster of blackspot seabream in the northeast Atlantic, which was not previously identified. Factors such as ocean circulation patterns and local upwelling may play a role in the genetic differentiation observed in this study.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
Huihua Lee, Mark N. Maunder, Kevin R. Piner
Summary: Estimating growth is important for fish population assessment. Integrated assessment models and the influence of misfitting size composition data have renewed interest in how growth is modeled. The available data types control how the length-at-age relationship is estimated. Estimating length-at-age is complex due to multiple sources of biological variability and difficulties in obtaining representative samples.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
A. Ladino, I. Perez-Arjona, V. Espinosa, M. Chillaron, V. Vidal, L. M. Godinho, G. Moreno, G. Boyra
Summary: This study examines the acoustic properties of skipjack tuna and Atlantic mackerel, both bladderless pelagic fish species, and explains the significant differences observed. The research shows that the differences in material properties of their tissues predict a more than 10 dB greater reduced target strength in skipjack compared to mackerel at certain frequencies.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
Nelly Pena-Cutimbo, Cristel Cordero-Maldonado, Clara Ortiz-Alvarez, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Jeffrey C. Mangel
Summary: Bycatch is a global problem for marine megafauna. This study assessed the bycatch interactions of the Peruvian artisanal purse-seine fishery in 2019 and found that all taxa groups were affected by bycatch. Dusky dolphins, guanay cormorants, and eagle rays were the most frequently reported bycatch species.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
Jen-Ming Liu, Po-Yuk So
Summary: The set-net fishery is an environmentally friendly fishery posing little risk to the marine ecosystem. This study identified ocean temperature, sea surface factors, and climatic factors as the main factors affecting the installation of set-nets.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Fisheries
Josie L. Palmer, Carina Armstrong, Hasan D. Akbora, Damla Beton, Cigdem Caglar, Brendan J. Godley, Kristian Metcalfe, Meryem Ozkan, Robin T. E. Snape, Annette C. Broderick
Summary: Small-scale fisheries are vital for global food security and cultural heritage, but the lack of information hampers effective management and mitigation of ecological impacts. This study provides the first comprehensive overview of the small-scale fishery fleet in Northern Cyprus. The fleet operates mainly over the continental shelf, using static and demersal gear types, and catches a diverse range of species, some of which are threatened. The findings can be used to improve fisheries management and conservation measures.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2024)
