Discards and by-catch in Spanish fleet targeting Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) in NAFO Divisions 3LMNO: 2008 and 2009

• Main Authors: Paz, Xabier, Patrocinio, Teodoro
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Pesquerías; Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo; Greenland; North Atlantic; Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/1574; http://hdl.handle.net/10261/328894

This study analyses the discard and by-catch composition of the Spanish fleet targeting Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) in NAFO divisions 3LMNO. During 2008 and 2009 the sampling coverage of the fishing effort was 20.6% and 16.5%, respectively. Data showed a reduced (4.3 % in weight) but highly variable discard rate. The main discarded species were the macrourids Macrourus berglax, Coryphaenoides rupestris and Nezumia bairdi, together with other 2 fish species: Antimora rostrata and Amblyraja radiata. The target species (Greenland halibut) was intermittently discarded. The discard rate showed no pattern no trend. No significant catches of benthic invertebrate taxa indicators of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) were recorded.