This paper aims to investigate the potential interest of using a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) based on GPRS/GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology to obtain a better estimation of fishing activity and distribution of a small-scale artisanal fleet, for which the European satellite-based system is not available. Since the early 1980s, the artisanal fishery targeting blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo), commonly known as “voraz”, has been developing along the Strait of Gibraltar area. Up to now the fishing effort was estimated using the number of sales, a proxy for the number of fishing days. This measure does not, however, capture the “missing effort”, i.e., fishing days resulting in no catch or not enough catch to be sold at public auction. The European satellite-based VMS provides information about the dynamics of different fishing fleets, but is not installed on small vessels (<15 m), such as those used by the artisanal “voracera” fleet targeting blackspot seabream in the Strait of Gibraltar. The Andalucía Regional Government installed its own vessel monitoring system on several artisanal fleets using GPRS/GSM cellular network technology that sends data on vessel positions and speed every three minutes. Data collected from 2009 to 2011 using this system were filtered and analysed to estimate fishing effort, catch rates and the spatial distribution of the blackspot seabream fishery. The estimates obtained seem to provide a good representation of fishery reality. As expected, the missing effort increases as the resource levels decrease. Additionally, expert knowledge of the fishery allowed application of an algorithm for splitting these daily trips into estimated fishing hauls. Afterwards the spatial distribution of catches and Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) could be obtained linking VMS locations with landings information. This study provides a considerably finer spatial scale view of the fishery than data available in the past.

The invasive seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae has recently arrived in Europe from the western Pacific. Its explosive spread on coastal areas of the Gulf of Cádiz (GoC), Strait of Gibraltar and Alboran Sea is spoiling native coastal ecosystems and inflicting heavy losses on ecosystem services. We discovered for the first time large amounts (up to 17 g m^–2) of detached R. okamurae thalli on deep-sea bottoms of the GoC that are being dragged from the Strait of Gibraltar shores into the NE Atlantic by the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). Laboratory experiments revealed that collected unattached macroalgae from deep-sea locations were alive and healthy and maintained intact photosynthetic capacity after long dark periods, suggesting a tremendous resilience and invasive potential. Given the rapid transport of healthy thalli by the MOW and massive accumulation of them in the GoC basin, R. okamurae could represent a major threat to NE Atlantic ecosystems, affecting not only coastal but also deep-sea habitats.

In response to a request from the Spanish Ministry of Farming, Fishing, Food, and Environment (Spanish: Agricultura, Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente) in 2015, a fish expert group was formed to provide a reference list of marine fish species according to five regions (marine demarcations) established by Spanish Law 41/2010 on the protection of the marine environment. The objective of this article was to update and analyse the data compiled in the marine fish species checklist in order to: 1) provide a complete list of marine fish species in the Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone; 2) compare this checklist between bio-geographical areas; and 3) identify possible priority hotspots for their conservation. We applied several indices, such as the total number of species in each area, species richness, and the Biodiversity Conservation Concern index. We discuss gaps in knowledge and the lessons learned for conservation purposes. A total of 1075 marine fishes were reported in Spanish waters. Most of these fish were well determined, whereas a few were treated as uncertain. The marine demarcation with the most species is the Canary Islands with 795 species, followed by the Spanish north coast demarcation with 506 species. However, the marine demarcations with the most species per area are the Spanish coast of the Gulf of Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar-Alboran Sea.

Lorance, P., Agnarsson, S., Damalas, D., des Clers, S., Figueiredo, I., Gil, J., and Trenkel, V. M. 2011. Using qualitative and quantitative stakeholder knowledge: examples from European deep-water fisheries. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1815–1824.

An exceptional species richness for Mollusca was found on Avempace bank (349-365 m), Djibouti group, Alboran Sea, where the most abundant species was the crinoid Leptometra phalangium. A sample of sediment sieved on a 0.5-mm mesh yielded 156 species of molluscs (83 live-taken, 1772 specimens) with a high Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’(log2)=3.60). The dominant mollusc was Limopsis aurita and the six most common species accounted for 77% of the specimens. On the other hand, 42 species were represented by only one or two specimens. Two species are described as new, three more are first findings in the Mediterranean and two are first findings in Iberian waters. One-third of the species have not been reported from the neighbouring, well-explored Alboran Island platform. There is a considerable balance between the trophic groups, denoting a stable and structured community. Most of the species have an extensive Atlantic range, and most have a planktonic larval stage. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that the fauna benefits from a diverse influx of larvae carried in by the more superficial incoming Atlantic current. Because of its exceptional richness, this type of bathyal community with Leptometra and Limopsis should be considered a high priority for habitat conservation in the Mediterranean deep sea.