Results from Bottom Trawl Survey on Flemish Cap of June-July 2017

A stratified random bottom trawl survey on Flemish Cap was carried out from June 16th to July 15th 2017. The area surveyed was extended up to depths of 800 fathoms (1460 meters) following the same procedures as in previous years and 181 fishing stations planned. The survey was carried out by the R/V Vizconde de Eza with the usual survey gear (Lofoten). A total of 181 valid hauls were made by the vessel R/V Vizconde de Eza, 120 up to 730 meters depth and 61 up to 1460 meters. Survey results including abundance indices of the main commercial species and age distributions for American plaice, Greenland halibut, roughhead grenadier and shrimp are presented. Cod and redfish age distributions are not available for 2017 due to administrative problems. The general indexes for this year are estimated taken into account the traditional swept area (strata 1-19, up to depths of 730 m.) and the total area surveyed (strata 1-34, up to depths of 1460 m.).Versión del editor

First record of Caranx crysos (Mitchill, 1815), in Galician waters

In the present paper, a specimen of Caranx crysos is cited for Galician waters (northwest Spain). The description fits fairly well with those found in the literature, except for the spine slanted toward the front that some authors have found in the first dorsal fin.En esta nota se cita un ejemplar de Caranx crysos (Mitchill, 1815) para aguas de Galicia (noroeste de España). La descripción anatómica coincide con la que aparece en distintas obras de ictiología, salvo en la espina orientada hacia el frente que según citan algunos autores está presente en la primera aleta dorsal.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Catches of tropical fish species in Galician Atlantic waters (north-west Iberian Peninsula)

In the present paper, the authors list the tropical fish species recorded in Galician Atlantic waters during 1996-1997: Hoplostethus cadenati Quéro, 1974; Neoscopelus macrolepidotus Johnson, 1863; Nettastoma melanura Rafinesque, 1810; Halosaurus ovenii Johnson, 1863; Cyttopsis roseus (Lowe, 1843); Chaunax pictus Lowe, 1846; Caranx crysos (Mitchill, 1815); Pseudocaranx dentex (Blochampersand Schneider in Schneider 1801) and Dasyatis violacea (Bonaparte, 1832). They also review the distribution of these species in the east Atlantic, and briefly describe some of the specimens captured. The captures of Dasyatis violacea, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus and Nettastoma melanura are the first records of these species in Galician Atlantic waters. The new record for Galician waters of Neoscopelus macrolepidotus also indicates a new northern limit for this species in the northeast Atlantic.En el presente trabajo se recoge la captura de especies de afinidades tropicales presentes en aguas atlánticas de Galicia durante 1996-1997: Hoplostethus cadenati Quéro, 1974; Neoscopelus macrolepidotus Johnson, 1863; Nettastoma melanura Rafinesque, 1810; Halosaurus ovenii Johnson, 1863; Cyttopsis roseus (Lowe, 1843); Chaunax pictus Lowe, 1846; Caranx crysos (Mitchill, 1815); Pseudocaranx dentex (Blochampersand Schneider en Sceneider, 1801) y Dasyatis violacea (Bonaparte, 1832). Se realiza una revisión de su distribución en el Atlántico este y una breve descripción de algunos de los ejemplares capturados. Las capturas de Dasyatis violacea, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus y Nettastoma melanura en aguas atlánticas de Galicia constituyen primeras citas en el área estudiada. Además, la presencia de Neoscopelus macrolepidotus en el talud continental de Galicia, extiende hacia el norte su área de distribución en el nordeste atlántico.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Living at the top. Connectivity limitations and summit depth drive fish diversity patterns in an isolated seamount

The fish assemblages of the Galicia Bank and the closest continental slope (northwest of Spain) were analysed using otter trawls to improve our understanding of how environmental drivers structure seamount fish communities in the deep sea. The effect of environmental drivers on these assemblages was studied using multivariate techniques together with the variation in α and β diversity across assemblages. Fish fauna in the study area was distributed in 5 different assemblages generated by the action of 3 main drivers: depth, distance to the coast and presence of cold-water corals. The observed differences in species composition among assemblages were mostly explained by species turnover across a depth gradient. The seamount summit and the continental slope showed important differences despite sharing similar depths, mainly because several species requiring shallow juvenile habitats were absent from the summit. These absences were observed in both summit assemblages inside and outside the cold-water coral reef. Our results show that in isolated seamounts with relatively deep summits, the lack of connectivity with shallower areas limits the presence of certain species, probably due to the impossibility for these species to migrate directly from shallow to deeper seabed areas. These species are replaced by species with preferences for deeper habitats, providing the fish assemblages located at the top of the summit with a deeper profile than observed in fish assemblages of the continental slope.En prensa2,48

List of Species as recorded by Canadian and EU Bottom Trawl Surveys in Flemish Cap

A list of species has been prepared with all records in each haul of both Canadian (1977-1985) and EU (1988-2002 and 2003-2012) bottom trawl surveys. Even though sampling intensity and taxonomic interest changed with time, the three periods can be considered almost homogeneous. Main change occurred when the EU survey increased the depth range, from 730 to 1460 meters depth, and all invertebrates were recorded

Database of spatial distribution of non indigenous species in Spanish marine waters

Research in marine Spanish waters are focused on several actions to achieve an effectively management on protected areas, with the active participation of the stakeholders and research as basic tools for decision-making. Among these actions, there is one about the knowledge and control on NIS. One of its objectives is the creation of NIS factsheets, which are going to be added to the National Marine Biodiversity Geographical System (GIS) providing complementary information about taxonomic classification, common names, taxonomic synonyms, species illustrations, identification morphological characters, habitat in the native and introduced regions, biological and ecological traits, GenBank DNA sequences, world distribution, first record and evolution in the introduced areas, likely pathways of introduction, effects in the habitats and interaction with native species, and potential management measures to apply. The database will also provide data for (1) the European online platforms, (2) the environmental assessment for the Descriptor 2 (D2-NIS) of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), as well as (3) supporting decisions made by stakeholders. It is the result of extensive collaboration among scientist, manager’s and citizen science in the Spanish North-Atlantic, South-Atlantic, Gibraltar Strait-Alboran, Levantine-Balearic and Canary Islands marine divisions, providing an updated overview of the spatial distribution of relevant extended and invasive NIS of recent and established NIS introduced by maritime transport and aquaculture pathways, as well as on cryptogenic or native species in expansion due to the climatic water warming trend

Experimental confirmation of efficient island divertor operation and successful neoclassical transport optimization in Wendelstein 7-X

We present recent highlights from the most recent operation phases of Wendelstein 7-X, the most advanced stellarator in the world. Stable detachment with good particle exhaust, low impurity content, and energy confinement times exceeding 100 ms, have been maintained for tens of seconds. Pellet fueling allows for plasma phases with reduced ion-temperature-gradient turbulence, and during such phases, the overall confinement is so good (energy confinement times often exceeding 200 ms) that the attained density and temperature profiles would not have been possible in less optimized devices, since they would have had neoclassical transport losses exceeding the heating applied in W7-X. This provides proof that the reduction of neoclassical transport through magnetic field optimization is successful. W7-X plasmas generally show good impurity screening and high plasma purity, but there is evidence of longer impurity confinement times during turbulence-suppressed phases.EC/H2020/633053/EU/Implementation of activities described in the Roadmap to Fusion during Horizon 2020 through a Joint programme of the members of the EUROfusion consortium/ EUROfusio

SISTEMA DE CALIDAD INPLEMENTANDO LAS DIRECTRICES PROPUESTAS DEL “ESPACIO EUROPEO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR”

Este trabajo pretende presentar: por un lado un primer intento de aproximación del Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Control de la Escuela Superior de Ingenieros Industriales de la UNED (DIEEC) al proceso de construcción del “Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior”, y por otro desarrollar un sistema de gestión de calidad que contribuya tanto a la mejora de la competitividad de las actividades realizadas en dicho Departamento como a la preparación para la introducción de un sistema de Certificación y/o Acreditación que facilite la búsqueda de la excelencia de los servicios educativos y de investigación ofrecidos por el DIEEC. Debido a la importancia que tiene el proceso de creación del área de educación superior para las universidades europeas y en especial para las universidades a distancia, el DIEEC como consecuencia del desarrollo de la Tesis Doctoral de título: “Propuesta de Diseño y Desarrollo de un Modelo de Calidad para los Procesos de Enseñanza/Aprendizaje en un Entorno Virtual de Comunicación”, está desarrollando un sistema de calidad basado en un entorno virtual de comunicación tomando como referencia las directrices que emanan del proceso de creación del espacio común europeo. Este sistema de calidad tiene por objetivo fundamental conseguir la máxima satisfacción de los alumnos, profesores y demás personal auxiliar, junto con los mejores resultados académicos y de investigación. Por último, también se realiza una aproximación a la nueva realidad social que está emergiendo, a las nuevas “variables” que están incidiendo en el desarrollo de la enseñanza superior y a los desafíos, que en materia de calidad, se pueden presentar en el futuro

The deep-water fisheries exploited by Spanish fleets in the Northeast Atlantic: a review of the current status.

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