Stochastic Modelling to Assess External Environmental Drivers of Atlantic Chub Mackerel Population Dynamics

The population dynamics of small and middle-sized pelagic fish are subject to considerable interannual and interdecadal fluctuations in response to fishing pressure and natural factors. However, the impact of environmental forcing on these stocks is not well documented. The Moroccan Atlantic coast is characterized by high environmental variability due to the upwelling phenomenon, resulting in a significant abundance and variation in the catches of small and middle-sized pelagic species. Therefore, understanding the evolution of stock abundance and its relationship with different oceanographic conditions is a key issue for fisheries management. However, because of the limited availability of independent-fishery data along the Moroccan Atlantic coast, there is a lack of knowledge about the population dynamics. The main objective of this study is to test the correlation between the environment conditions and the stock fluctuations trends estimated by a stock assessment model that does not need biological information on growth, reproduction, and length or age structure as input. To achieve this objective, the fishery dynamics are analyzed with a stochastic surplus production model able to assimilate data from surveys and landings for a biomass trend estimation. Then, in a second step, the model outputs are correlated with different environmental (physical and biogeochemical) variables in order to assess the influence of different environmental drivers on population dynamics. This two-step procedure is applied for chub mackerel along the Moroccan coast, where all these available datasets have not been used together before. The analysis performed showed that larger biomass estimates are linked with periods of lower salinity, higher chlorophyll, higher net primary production, higher nutrients, and lower subsurface oxygen, i.e., with an enhanced strength of the upwelling. In particular, acute anomalies of these environmental variables are observed in the southern part presumably corresponding to the wintering area of the species in the region. The results indicate that this is a powerful procedure, although with important limitations, to deepen our understanding of the spatiotemporal relationships between the population and the environment in this area. Moreover, once these relationships have been identified, they could be used to generate a mathematical relationship to simulate future population trends in diverse environmental scenarios.Postprin

Seasonal characterization of the nutrients state in Oualidia Lagoon (Moroccan Atlantic coast)

The nutrient cycle in Oualidia lagoon, on the Atlantic Moroccan coast, was studied at both spatial and temporal scales, covering spring and summer conditions. Water samples were collected bimonthly at high tide from March to August during years 2011 and 2012 at six stations distributed throughout the lagoon. The physico- chemistry (temperature, salinity, dissolved O2) and nutrient enrichment of the lagoon surface water were monitored. The average nutrient concentration of surface water were 14.4 μmol.l-1 and 28.1 μmol.l-1 for NH4+, 20.4 μmol.l-1 and 19.9 μmol.l-1 for PO43- and 3.7 μmol.l-1 and 7.6 μmol.l-1 for NO2- in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Strong seasonal differences of nutrient distribution at the different stations were noticed. Temperature, salinity and dissolved O2 were correlated with nutrient concentrations, all parameters showing low spatial (inter-station) variability. Hydrological conditions exert a major control on the nutrient cycling in the lagoon. Results of this study are important to increase the richness on the scientific knowledge of nutrient dynamics along the Moroccan Atlantic coast, particularly in the semi-enclosed lagoons that are important transitional systems.Peer reviewe

Report on biological and ecological data in FFDB pilot version 1

Task 2.3 of work package 2 (Advancing biological knowledge and evaluation of current stock assessment models) focuses on the compilation of biological, ecological and fisheries dependent and fisheries independent data that is required for other FarFish WPs. During the first year of FarFish, some modifications in the objectives occurred, resulting in changes in the species. For example, in the Cape Verde and Seychelles CSs, the focus is now on by-catch species that are not assessed by the Regional Management Fisheries Organizations (RMFO): the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Lists of species for each CS have now been drawn up, sources of data identified, contacts have been made with RMFOs and DG MARE, and data is being compiled. Data compilation has been largely driven by the FarFish Data Base (FFDB) template developed in WP 6 (see deliverables D6.1 and D6.4). On the other hand, other data required for visualization purposes, especially time series, is also being compiled or requested. A formal data request is being prepared for DG MARE, while coastal state CS participants will be requested to provide data for the FFDB. Talks are also ongoing with RFMOs, especially CECAF, regarding data acquisition and how FarFish can contribute or add value to assessment and management. Actions that need to be taken by Task 2.3 participants include the provision of data and uploading of data to the FFDB. Task 2.3 is ongoing (Report on biological and ecological data in FFDB pilot version 2, due in Month 26 (July 31, 2019)

An ecopath model for fisheries management in the Mogador marine protected area (Moroccan, Atlantic)

The high exploitation of marine fisheries resources for their economic value along with climate change in recent decades is threatening the regeneration of these resources. Available data on the state of fish stocks and the trophic organization and functioning of these aquatic environments are currently in insufficient. Considering this situation, we aim in this study to improve the knowledge and information available on the functioning of Mogador marine protected area (MPA), one of the marine ecosystems in the Moroccan Atlantic coasts which was established to support the conservation of the local fisher- ies. An Ecopath model is applied for this Mogador MPA which is represented by 27 functional groups including 18 fishes, which are grouped based on many criteria mainly their size and commercial importance in the fisheries of the study region. A series of indicator for the food web are identified through model statistics and web analysis. The results obtained show relatively high ecotrophic efficiency with a transfer efficiency close to10%, indicating a good degree of stability. Analysis of mixed trophic impact shows significant top-down control of the food web in this system. This study highlights the potential benefits of using an ecotrophic model to assess the effects of fishing on stocks

First assessment of phytoplankton diversity in a Marrocan shallow reservoir (Sidi Abderrahmane)

In order to find effective measures to control a Moroccan shallow reservoir (Sidi Abderrahmane), a better understanding of phytoplankton composition, abundance, spatial and temporal distribution it is necessary. Trophic level and the stability status were assessed upon the basis of Shannon diversity index (H′), species richness (S), and evenness (J) index. Statistical tests were used to evaluate the different relationships between phytoplankton and the concentrations of several physico-chemical parameters, and the main soluble nutrients. In surveys, the samples were taken fortnightly from May 2011 to December 2012. 64 taxa belonging to seven groups of phytoplankton were identified, including Bacillariophyceae (25 taxa), Chlorophyceae (22 taxa), and Cyanophyceae (9 taxa). Aulacoseira granulata, Nitzschia palea, Scenedesmus acuminatus, and Oscillatoria sp, were the main contributors to the dissimilarity in temporal distribution. Phytoplankton population never reached a monospecificity situation. Shannon and evenness indices were between (0.0001 < H′ < 0.15; 0.003 < J < 0.085) and manifested a young phytoplankton community with high multiplying power. There were significant correlations between total phytoplankton (r = 0.015, p < .01) and water temperature. Significant negative correlations were observed between transparency and Cyanophyceae (r = −0.208, p < .05) and between the number of species and transparency (r = −0.206, p < .05), orthophosphorus (r = −0.377, p < .01), and nitrates (r = −0.301, p < .01). A negative correlation was found between Orthophosphorus and Chlorophyceae (r = −0.377, p < .01). Similar correlations were also observed with nitrates and Chlorophyceae (r = −0.297, p < .01), Silica and Bacillariophyceae (r = 0, p < .01) and total phytoplankton (r = −0.372, p < .07). The underwater light condition, as indicated by Secchi depth fluctuations, hydraulic process conditions (short residence time, short outflow/inflow ratio) were shown to be the limiting factors in regulating the density of phytoplankton. With reference to Palmer pollution index, test results indicated an oligotrophic or mesotrophic reservoir. The data presented provide the first contemporary account of the level of algal diversity present, the prominent environmental conditions and trophic status of Sidi Abderrahmane reservoir waters. Keywords: Phytoplankton, Diversity, Trophic status, Shallow reservoir, Morocc

The continental shelf pump for CO2 in the North Sea—evidence from summer observation

Data on the distribution of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) were obtained during a cruise in the North Sea during late summer 2001. A 1° by 1° grid of 97 stations was sampled for DIC while the pCO2 was measured continuously between the stations. The surface distributions of these two parameters show a clear boundary located around 54°N. South of this boundary the DIC and pCO2 range from 2070 to 2130 µmol kg–1 and 290 to 490 ppm, respectively, whereas in the northern North Sea, values range between 1970 and 2070 µmol kg–1 and 190 to 350 ppm, respectively. The vertical profiles measured in the two different areas show that the mixing regime of the water column is the major factor determining the surface distributions. The entirely mixed water column of the southern North Sea is heterotrophic, whereas the surface layer of the stratified water column in the northern North Sea is autotrophic. The application of different formulations for the calculation of the CO2 air–sea fluxes shows that the southern North Sea acts as a source of CO2 for the atmosphere within a range of +0.8 to +1.7 mmol m–2 day–1, whereas the northern North Sea absorbs CO2 within a range of –2.4 to –3.8 mmol m–2 day–1 in late summer. The North Sea as a whole acts as a sink of atmospheric CO2 of –1.5 to –2.2 mmol m–2 day–1 during late summer. Compared to the Baltic and the East China Seas at the same period of the year, the North Sea acts a weak sink of atmospheric CO2. The anticlockwise circulation and the short residence time of the water in the North Sea lead to a rapid transport of the atmospheric CO2 to the deeper layer of the North Atlantic Ocean. Thus, in late summer, the North Sea exports 2.2×10^12 g C month–1 to the North Atlantic Ocean via the Norwegian trench, and, at the same period, absorbs from the atmosphere a quantity of CO2 (0.4×10^12 g C month–1) equal to 15% of that export, which makes the North Sea a continental shelf pump of CO2.

Assessment of the processes controlling the seasonal variations of dissolved inorganic carbon in the North Sea

We used a seasonal North Sea data set comprising dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), and inorganic nutrients to assess the abiotic and biological processes governing the monthly variations of DIC. During winter, advection and air–sea exchange of CO2 control and increase the DIC content in the surface and deeper layers of the northern and central North Sea, with the atmosphere supplying CO2 on the order of 0.2 mol C m22 month21 to these areas. From February to July, net community production (NCP) controls the seasonal variations of DIC in the surface waters of the entire North Sea, with a net uptake ranging from 0.5 to 1.4 mol C m22 month21. During the August–December period, NCP controls the seasonal variations of DIC in the southern North Sea, with a net release ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 mol C m22 month21. Similarly, during the April–August period in the deeper layer of the northern North Sea, the NCP was the main factor controlling DIC concentrations, with a net release ranging from 0.5 to 5.5 mol C m22 month21. In the surface layer of the North Sea, NCP on the basis of DIC was 4.3 6 0.4 mol C m22 yr21, whereas, NCP on the basis of nitrate was 1.6 6 0.2 mol C m22 yr21. Under nutrient-depleted conditions, preferential recycling (extracellular) of nutrients and intracellular mechanisms occurred and were responsible for the non-Redfield uptake of DIC versus nitrate and phosphate