Investigating the link between Nephrops norvegicus burrow density and sediment composition in Scottish waters ...

• Main Authors: Campbell, Neil, Allan, Lynda, Weetman, Adrian, Dobby, Helen
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: unknown
• Published: ASC 2008 - Theme session G 2024
• Subjects: Ecosystem observation, processes and dynamics; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.25243762.v1; https://ices-library.figshare.com/articles/conference_contribution/Investigating_the_link_between_Nephrops_norvegicus_burrow_density_and_sediment_composition_in_Scottish_waters/25243762/1

No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.Nephrops norvegicus is a burrowing decapod crustacean, found in the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, at depths of between 10m – 1200m. It is currently the most valuable single species exploited by the commercial fishing industry in Scotland. It constructs and inhabits extensive burrow complexes in suitable muddy sediments, the composition of which is believed to limit the extent of burrow construction, and hence population size. Due to variable and sex specific emergence patterns of Nephrops, catch rates from traditional trawl surveys are not considered a good estimator of population size. Nephrops populations around Scotland are currently assessed using an underwater TV (UWTV) survey method to estimate burrow density, which is assumed to be a proxy for population density and, raised to total area of muddy sediments in the region of interest. Sediment samples are collected at the end of each UWTV deployment. This study explores the ...