Essential Fish Habitats for commercially important marine species in the inner Danish waters

• Main Authors: Støttrup, Josianne Gatt, Kokkalis, Alexandros, Brown, Elliot John, Vastenhoud, Berthe, Ferreira, Sofia, Olsen, Jeppe, Dinesen, Grete E.
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Technical University of Denmark 2019
• Subjects: /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water; name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water; Anguilla anguilla; atlantic cod; European eel; Gadus morhua; Scophthalmus maximus; Turbot
• Online Access: https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/90b44d03-b037-4a5f-8a4a-96e05983b7c2; https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/196861601/338_2019_Essential_Fish_Habitats.pdf; https://www.aqua.dtu.dk/-/media/Institutter/Aqua/Publikationer/Forskningsrapporter_301_350/338-2019-Essential-Fish-Habitats.ashx?la=da&hash=4BD61604CE09E708D8D739ED4E7D287C9917E0AA

The aim of this project is to map Essential Fish Habitats (EFH) for ten of the commercially most important species in the inner Danish waters. New data were collected to supplement existing data to better describe seasonal differences in distribution. The spatial overlap between habitats of the different life stages is evaluated as well as the degree of overlap between EFH and existing management areas such as Natura 2000 areas and fishery management areas. The EFH maps will be incorporated into Maritime Spatial Planning to ensure that fish species can complete their life-cycle and thus preserve, improve or restore important habitats, essential for the development of a species. The species studied are: Atlantic cod Gadus morhua , European plaice Pleuronectes platessa , common sole Solea solea , turbot Scophthalmus maximus/Psetta maxima , European flounder Platichthys flesus , Atlantic herring Clupea harengus , European sprat Sprattus sprattus , European eel Anguilla anguilla , lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus and Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus . Apart from using existing time-series data from national and international fishing surveys, new data were collected. An additional Kattegat Survey (KASU) survey was conducted during summer 2016 (Q3) using the same methods and visiting the same stations that KASU surveys conduct in Q1 and Q4 every year. Summer feeding grounds were identified with the new data. These summer feeding grounds were significantly different to overwintering (Q1 and Q4) areas or spawning areas (Q1). This was true for cod, plaice, flounder and sprat. The EFH maps showed the degree of overlap between juvenile and adult habitats for those species where distinction could be made between adult and juvenile fish (cod, plaice, sole, flounder and herring). Spawning grounds were identified for cod, plaice and flounder that spawn in the winter season (Q1) but could not be identified for sole and turbot that spawn in May/June (Q2) due to lack of seasonal overlap between spawning season and timing of survey. ...