Spanish Pelagic Redfish (Sebastes mentella) Fishery in the NAFO Regulatory Area (Division 1F) in 2000

• Main Authors: Junquera, S. (Susana), González-Costas, F. (Fernando)
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo 2001
• Subjects: Irminger Sea; North Atlantic; Northwest Atlantic; Sebastes mentella
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/882

In early October 2000 an exploratory fishing for oceanic redfish have been conducted by one Spanish pelagic trawler in the NAFO Regulatory Area of Div. 1F. One scientific observer was on board this vessel during the whole fishing period. The seasonal and geographic distribution pattern of the fishing effort in the Spanish oceanic redfish fishery is presented. A shift in the fleet activity towards the south and west is observed between the second and third quarter, approaching the vicinity of the NAFO Convention area. In the fourth quarter no fishing activity occurred in the Irminger Sea, and the fleet activity concentrated in NAFO Div. 1F. The length distribution in NAFO Div. 1F is similar to the one recorded in the NEAFC oceanic redfish fishery by the Spanish and German fleets in the upper 500 m layer. Only 11 % of the females and 5 % of the redfish males caught in NAFO 1F were immature (juveniles). The majority of the adult females were sexually inactive, while 49 % of the adult males were at the fully ripe stage, so it could be a mating concentration.