Contaminants in European Hake (Merluccius merluccius) from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean - Contaminants in European Hake

In this study, a comprehensive survey of contaminants in European Hake ( Merluccius merluccius ) from Norwegian waters has been carried out. The concentrations of heavy metals and several different organic pollutants in fillet (n = 788) and liver (n = 31) of European Hake were generally low. The pollution concentrations were largely well below the EU and Norwegian limit values for mercury, cadmium, lead, sum dioxins, sum dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs and the sum non-dioxin-like PCBs (PCB6) that apply to fish muscle for human consumption. The concentrations of contaminants in European Hake varied slightly by geography and body size, roughly in the same way for all contaminants. For European Hake, no clear geographical trend was observed except for a hotspot near the Kollevåg historic waste disposal site near Askøy, Norway. This study showed that although European Hake are long-lived, marine apex predators, the concentrations of contaminants in fillets from this species largely had a pollution exposure regime that was low.Contaminants in European Hake (Merluccius merluccius) from the Northeast Atlantic Ocean - Contaminants in European HakepublishedVersio

Abundance indices for norwegian coastal cod north of 62°N

In connection with the benchmark processes within ICES on Norwegian Coastal Cod north of 62°N during autumn 2020-spring 2021, new abundance index series based on bottom trawl stations and acoustics at the autumn coastal survey were made. The acoustic index covers the period 1995-2019 while the trawl index covers the period 2003-2019. This report describes the methods used and briefly presents the results.publishedVersio

Of three sharks and one chimaera: varied habitat preferences across a latitudinal range revealed by coastal and offshore surveys

Using national and international research survey data and applying a combination of models and mapping tools, this study revealed temperature and depth as the crucial environmental drivers of both the distribution and the abundance of four benthopelagic chondrichthyans inhabiting Norwegian and Icelandic waters: rabbitfish (Chimaera monstrosa), velvet-belly lanternshark (Etmopterus spinax), blackmouth catshark (Galeus melastomus) and spurdog (Squalus acanthias). C. monstrosa and E. spinax seem to prefer similar spatial and ecological habitats, that is deep and cold waters. In contrast, G. melastomus and S. acanthias both prefer similar ecological habitats, that is warmer and shallower waters; nonetheless, they exhibit a different spatial distribution pattern. The species' varied habitat and spatial preferences may lead to different levels of exposure to fishing activities and associated by-catch risks. Findings of the species' spatial distributions and their driving forces are expected to inform the sustainable management of these species and the ecosystems they inhabit.publishedVersio

Habitat associations of juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) and sympatric demersal fish communities within shallow inshore nursery grounds

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Habitat associations of juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) and sympatric demersal fish communities within shallow inshore nursery grounds

Resolving the relationship between demersal fish and sublittoral biotic habitats and substrates is a key element in the protection of important nursery grounds for strengthening fish recruitment. In Norway, coastal Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) is a commercially and culturally important demersal fish for Norwegian coastal communities, and in recent decades the stock has declined to such an extent that a plan to rebuild the stock to biologically safe limits has been implemented. Yet, little is known about the specific biotic and abiotic habitat associations of the early-life stages of coastal cod, which is important for the management and protection of the species. The same shallow, sublittoral zones are inhabited by juveniles and adults of other commercial demersal gadoids and wrasses. This study presents novel findings on associations between juvenile coastal cod and other demersal fish species with seafloor substrates and biological habitats, inferred from five years of extensive fyke net surveys. Newly settled 0-group cod were typically associated with eel grass and red algae biotic habitats on sand and shell sand substrates. However, there was an ontogenic habitat shift amongst one year old (1-group) individuals that became more ubiquitous with their biotic habitat or substrate type choices. The juvenile gadoids saithe (Pollachius virens) and pollack (Pollachius pollachius), were most associated with hard bottom dominated sites with saithe being more abundant at exposed sites, compared to pollack. Goldsinny wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris) and corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) appeared to favor sugar kelp forests and red algae. Overall, the study identifies the specific sublittoral biotic habitats and substrates important to different early life stages of juvenile coastal cod and other commercially important demersal fish, providing critical information needed for identifying candidate coastal habitats for protection.publishedVersio

Fish investigations in the Barents Sea winter 2018.

This report presents the main results from the surveys in January-March 2018. The surveys were performed with the Norwegian research vessels “Helmer Hanssen” and “Johan Hjort” and Russian research vessel “Fritjof Nansen”. Annual survey reports since 1981 are listed in Appendix 1, and names of scientific participants are given in Appendix 3.publishedVersio

Fish Investigations in the Barents Sea Winter 2019

The Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Bergen, has performed acoustic measurements of demersal fish in the Barents Sea since 1976. Since 1981 a bottom trawl survey has been combined with the acoustic survey. Typical effort of the combined survey has been 10-14 vessel-weeks, and about 350 bottom trawl hauls have been made each year. Most years three vessels have participated from about 1 February to 15 March.publishedVersio