DCF Data Call Coverage Report for the Mediterranean and Black Sea in 2014

DG Mare called the DCF Data from Member States in the Mediterranean and Black Sea on April 2014, defining the deadline of 9 June 2014 for data submissions from member states, under the Community Framework of Data Collection Regulation (DCR) (Council Regulation (EC) № 199/2008 of 25th February 2008). A second deadline specific for the Black Sea was established on 8 September 2014. The data call also defined a third deadline 12 January 2015 for the submission of trawl surveys data for Mediterranean MS. aruptii. The DCF data submitted by national correspondents are duly evaluated in the present coverage report by JRC DCF team as part of an Administrative Arrangement with DG MARE. The report provides a detailed review of the timeliness and completeness of data submissions by Member States.JRC.G.3-Maritime affair

“Once upon a Time in the Mediterranean”. Long Term Trends of Mediterranean Fisheries Resources Based on Fishers’ Traditional Ecological Knowledge

We investigate long-term changes in the Mediterranean marine resources driving the trawl fisheries by analysing fishers’ perceptions (Traditional Ecological Knowledge, TEK) throughout the Mediterranean Sea for the last 80 years. To this end, we conducted an extended set of interviews with old experienced fishers that enabled us to classify species (or taxa) as 'decreasing' or 'increasing' both in terms of abundance, as well as average size in the catch. The aspect that most clearly emerged in all the investigated areas over time was the notable increase of fishing capacity indicators, such as engine power and fishing depth range. Atlantic mackerel, poor cod, scorpionfishes, striped seabream, and John Dory demonstrated a decreasing trend in the fishers' perceived abundance, while Mediterranean parrotfish, common pandora, cuttlefish, blue and red shrimp, and mullets gave indications of an increasing temporal trend. Although, as a rule, trawler captains did not report any cataclysmic changes (e.g. extinctions), when they were invited to estimate total overall catches, a clear decreasing pattern emerged; this being a notable finding taking into account the steep escalation of fishing efficiency during the past century. The overall deteriorating status of stocks in most Mediterranean regions calls for responsible management and design of rebuilding plans. This should include historical information accounting for past exploitation patterns that could help defining a baseline of fish abundance prior to heavy industrial fisheries exploitation.JRC.G.3-Maritime affair

a4a short research project: Stock assessment of Hellenic Small Pelagic Stocks

With the objective of applying the a4a methods to real life situations the JRC held a Workshop on stock assessment for the Hellenic small pelagic stocks in the Aegean Sea (JRC, Italy) between the 4th and 7th of May 2015. The main objectives were to compare assessment models and incorporate environmental indices into stock forecasts.JRC.G.3-Maritime affair

The “discard problem” in Mediterranean fisheries, in the face of the European Union landing obligation: the case of bottom trawl fishery and implications for management

Since the first introduction of the landing obligation (a.k.a. Discard ban) in 2015, the EU Mediterranean fisheries are facing some unforeseen challenges. The demersal bottom trawl fisheries, being the most significant contributors to the so-called 'discard problem', are confronted with the greatest challenges. Data from the Italian and the Greek fleet, spanning over two decades (1995–2015), were analysed with the intention of revealing the diversity and heterogeneity of the discard problem, especially for regulated species. Species composition of discards, as well as discarding rates, were shown to be irregular, fluctuating among areas, depth strata, seasons and years. Although fish dominated the discarded gross catch in weight, benthic invertebrates (other than commercial cephalopods and crustaceans) were the taxa discarded almost exclusively. The established minimum conservation reference size was largely ignored by fishers. From a management point of view, the present investigation suggests that the recently established Discard Management Plans lack scientific evidence (given the high intrinsic variability of the parameters and confusion regarding the rules) and provide exemptions from the landing obligation that will in practice allow the average Mediterranean bottom trawl vessel to continue business as usual. Moreover, detecting if these rules are actually respected is an almost impossible task for the Mediterranean control and enforcement authorities. Incentivizing the adoption of fishing technologies and practices that reduce pre-harvest mortality and post-harvest discards, while avoiding damage to sensitive marine species and habitats, seems the only way to move forward, rather than dealing with the problem after it has occurred

a4a short research project - Stock assessment and multi-fleet forecast methods for some Mediterranean stocks

Under the scope of the a4a Initiative, the JRC is promoting cooperative activities between fisheries scientists with the aim to test, disseminate and promote a4a methods. These Small Research Projects (SRP) are focus on comparing the results of assessments from other models to assessments obtained from the a4a statistical catch-at-age model, and explore research questions using case studies. The Workshop dedicated to the Mediterranean took place in Ispra, Italy, the 23rd to the 27th of June. The main objectives were to compare assessment models and develop multi-fleet forecasts methodologies. These can be applied in the context of ex-ante/ex- post evaluations of multi-annual plans, performed by STECF in order to provide scientific advice to the European Commission.JRC.G.3-Maritime affair

Genetic differentiation and phylogeography of Mediterranean-North Eastern Atlantic blue shark (Prionace glauca, L. 1758) using mitochondrial DNA: Panmixia or complex stock structure?

Background The blue shark (Prionace glauca, Linnaeus 1758) is one of the most abundant epipelagic shark inhabiting all the oceans except the poles, including the Mediterranean Sea, but its genetic structure has not been confirmed at basin and interoceanic distances. Past tagging programs in the Atlantic Ocean failed to find evidence of migration of blue sharks between the Mediterranean and the adjacent Atlantic, despite the extreme vagility of the species. Although the high rate of by-catch in the Mediterranean basin, to date no genetic study on Mediterranean blue shark was carried out, which constitutes a significant knowledge gap, considering that this population is classified as “Critically Endangered”, unlike its open-ocean counterpart. Methods Blue shark phylogeography and demography in the Mediterranean Sea and North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean were inferred using two mitochondrial genes (Cytb and control region) amplified from 207 and 170 individuals respectively, collected from six localities across the Mediterranean and two from the North-Eastern Atlantic. Results Although no obvious pattern of geographical differentiation was apparent from the haplotype network, Φst analyses indicated significant genetic structure among four geographical groups. Demographic analyses suggest that these populations have experienced a constant population expansion in the last 0.4–0.1 million of years. Discussion The weak, but significant, differences in Mediterranean and adjacent North-eastern Atlantic blue sharks revealed a complex phylogeographic structure, which appears to reject the assumption of panmixia across the study area, but also supports a certain degree of population connectivity across the Strait of Gibraltar, despite the lack of evidence of migratory movements observed by tagging data. Analyses of spatial genetic structure in relation to sex-ratio and size could indicate some level of sex/stage biased migratory behaviour

Scientific, technical and economic committee for fisheries – 64th plenary report (PLEN-20-02)

Commission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines. The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries held its 64th plenary as a virtual meeting from 6 to 10 July 2020

Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) : 64th Plenary Report (PLEN-20-02)

The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) held its 64th plenary as a virtual meeting from 6-10 July 2020.-- 128 pagesCommission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar discipline

Deliverable 1.1 review document on the management of marine areas with particular regard on concepts, objectives, frameworks and tools to implement, monitor, and evaluate spatially managed areas

The main objectives if this document were to review the existing information on spatial management of marine areas, identifying the relevant policy objectives, to identify parameters linked to the success or failure of the various Spatially Managed marine Areas (SMAs) regimes, to report on methods and tools used in monitoring and evaluation of the state of SMAs, and to identify gaps and weaknesses in the existing frameworks in relation to the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and management of SMAs. The document is naturally divided in two sections: Section 1 reviews the concepts, objectives, drivers, policy and management framework, and extraneous factors related to the design, implementation and evaluation of SMAs; Section 2 reviews the tools and methods to monitor and evaluate seabed habitats and marine populations.peer-reviewe