Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA
The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (southern Gulf of Maine, northwest Atlantic) is partially overlapped by the Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area (WGMCA). This is a region in which mobile, bottom-disturbing fishing gear has been banned by the New England Fishery Management Council to faci...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:de2e26340e2c4506b7b04b863d9a1ef3 2023-05-15T17:45:43+02:00 Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA Briana K. BROWN, Elizabeth SOULE, Les KAUFMAN 2010-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doaj.org/article/de2e26340e2c4506b7b04b863d9a1ef3 EN eng Oxford University Press http://www.currentzoology.org/paperdetail.asp?id=11456 https://doaj.org/toc/1674-5507 1674-5507 https://doaj.org/article/de2e26340e2c4506b7b04b863d9a1ef3 Current Zoology, Vol 56, Iss 1, Pp 134-143 (2010) Effects of fishing Groundfish Gulf of Maine Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Trawl closure Zoology QL1-991 article 2010 ftdoajarticles 2022-12-31T08:29:46Z The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (southern Gulf of Maine, northwest Atlantic) is partially overlapped by the Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area (WGMCA). This is a region in which mobile, bottom-disturbing fishing gear has been banned by the New England Fishery Management Council to facilitate the rebuilding of depleted groundfish populations. We assessed the effects and effectiveness of the WGMCA on groundfish assemblages using habitat-stratified (gravel, sand, mixed benthic habitats) sampling by means of a commercial trawler, inside and outside of the WGMCA. Sampling occurred over three month-long sampling periods in 2004-2005, two during the spring seasons and one during the fall season. A total of 18 species were analyzed for protection effects. After controlling for substratum, location and sampling season, eight groundfish species exhibited higher mean proportional abundance inside than outside the WGMCA while two were proportionally more abundant on average outside of the closure. Four species had higher mean proportional biomasses on average inside the closure and three outside. We conclude that the WGMCA may be achieving its goal of rebuilding abundance and biomass for some commercially targeted groundfishes but not all. This study, six to seven years post-closure establishment, reveals fine-scale spatial and taxonomic complexity which will require a very different monitoring protocol than the one currently in place if adaptive management is to be successful in the region [Current Zoology 56 (1): 134–143, 2010]. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northwest Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Effects of fishing Groundfish Gulf of Maine Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Trawl closure Zoology QL1-991 |
spellingShingle |
Effects of fishing Groundfish Gulf of Maine Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Trawl closure Zoology QL1-991 Briana K. BROWN, Elizabeth SOULE, Les KAUFMAN Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA |
topic_facet |
Effects of fishing Groundfish Gulf of Maine Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Trawl closure Zoology QL1-991 |
description |
The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (southern Gulf of Maine, northwest Atlantic) is partially overlapped by the Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area (WGMCA). This is a region in which mobile, bottom-disturbing fishing gear has been banned by the New England Fishery Management Council to facilitate the rebuilding of depleted groundfish populations. We assessed the effects and effectiveness of the WGMCA on groundfish assemblages using habitat-stratified (gravel, sand, mixed benthic habitats) sampling by means of a commercial trawler, inside and outside of the WGMCA. Sampling occurred over three month-long sampling periods in 2004-2005, two during the spring seasons and one during the fall season. A total of 18 species were analyzed for protection effects. After controlling for substratum, location and sampling season, eight groundfish species exhibited higher mean proportional abundance inside than outside the WGMCA while two were proportionally more abundant on average outside of the closure. Four species had higher mean proportional biomasses on average inside the closure and three outside. We conclude that the WGMCA may be achieving its goal of rebuilding abundance and biomass for some commercially targeted groundfishes but not all. This study, six to seven years post-closure establishment, reveals fine-scale spatial and taxonomic complexity which will require a very different monitoring protocol than the one currently in place if adaptive management is to be successful in the region [Current Zoology 56 (1): 134–143, 2010]. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Briana K. BROWN, Elizabeth SOULE, Les KAUFMAN |
author_facet |
Briana K. BROWN, Elizabeth SOULE, Les KAUFMAN |
author_sort |
Briana K. BROWN, Elizabeth SOULE, Les KAUFMAN |
title |
Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA |
title_short |
Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA |
title_full |
Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA |
title_fullStr |
Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA |
title_sort |
effects of excluding bottom-disturbing mobile fishing gear on abundance and biomass of groundfishes in the stellwagen bank national marine sanctuary, usa |
publisher |
Oxford University Press |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://doaj.org/article/de2e26340e2c4506b7b04b863d9a1ef3 |
genre |
Northwest Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Northwest Atlantic |
op_source |
Current Zoology, Vol 56, Iss 1, Pp 134-143 (2010) |
op_relation |
http://www.currentzoology.org/paperdetail.asp?id=11456 https://doaj.org/toc/1674-5507 1674-5507 https://doaj.org/article/de2e26340e2c4506b7b04b863d9a1ef3 |
_version_ |
1766148927535448064 |