Interim Report of the Working Group on Ecosystem Assessment of Western European Shelf Seas

The ICES Working Group on Ecosystem Assessment of Western European Shelf Seas (WGEAWESS) meeting was held in Lisbon (Portugal), on 24–28 April 2017. The meeting was attended by 8 participants from 4 countries and chaired by Steven Beggs, Northern Ireland (UK). This was the first year of the new 3-year Terms of Reference (ToR) for WGEAWESS. The main activities for the group at the 2017 meeting were to discuss progress and further development of work towards the ToRs a) Continue metadata compilation for all ecosystem components available for IEA development, b) Continue evaluation of data and trends for a regional Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA). Identify ecosystem trends relevant to stock assessment and management. As an outcome of specific objectives to integrate the activities of WGEAWESS with sister IEA groups, the meeting was held back to back with both the ICES/HELCOM Working Group on Integrated Assessments of the Baltic Sea (WGIAB) and the Working Group on Comparative Analyses between European Atlantic and Mediterranean marine ecosystems to move towards an Ecosystem-based Approach to Fisheries (WGCOMEDA). This back to back meeting had many advantages and provided much opportunity for group integration and future collaboration

The effects of ocean acidification and a carbon dioxide capture and storage leak on the early life stages of the marine mussel Perna perna (Linneaus, 1758) and metal bioavailability

The study assesses the effects of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) leaks and ocean acidification (OA) on the metal bioavailability and reproduction of the mytilid Perna perna. In laboratory-scale experiments, CCS leakage scenarios (pH 7.0, 6.5, 6.0) and one OA (pH 7.6) scenario were tested using metal-contaminated sediment elutriates and seawater from Santos Bay. The OA treatment did not have an effect on fertilisation, while significant effects were observed in larval-development bioassays where only 16 to 27 % of larva developed normally. In treatments that simulated CO2 leaks, when compared with control, fertilisation success gradually decreased and no larva developed to the D-shaped stage. A fall in pH increased the bioavailability of metals to marine mussels. Larva shell size was significantly affected by both elutriates when compared with seawater; moreover, a significant difference occurred at pH 6.5 between elutriates in the fertilisation bioassay

A GIS-based framework for addressing conflicting objectives in the context of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management—a case study of the Portuguese sardine fishery

An ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) is as a new paradigm in fisheries management. In this study, a combination of geographic information systems (GISs) and multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM) is proposed as a framework supporting an ecosystem approach to European sardine (Sardina pilchardus, Clupeidae) fishery management in Portugal. This case study was chosen due to the recent severe decline shown by the species. To develop an EAFM for the sardine fishery, a set of criteria were defined based on literature review and expert knowledge. To address multiple conflicting objectives, namely conservation and fisheries, five scenarios were considered: (i) baseline; (ii) nurseries protection; (iii) spawning areas protection; (iv) fishery profit driven, and (v) safeguarding dependent fishing communities. Combination of GIS and MCDM methods highlighted important areas to implement spatial conservation measures for sardine. The analyses indicate that some areas are suitable for conservation in several scenarios, such as the area near Aveiro and the area near the Tejo estuary. However, conservation measures implemented in the area near Aveiro would imply higher economic trade-offs when compared with the actions applied in the region near the Tejo estuary. Results also suggested some of the conservation objectives, such as the protection of sardine eggs and juveniles, to not be compatible. The proposed framework is an important tool supporting EAFM by addressing conflicting objectives, trade-offs and identifying areas that could be considered as potential fishery closure sites or subjected to further analyses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of the environmental impacts of ocean acidification (OA) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) leaks using the amphipod Hyale youngi

This study aims to ascertain the effects of CO2 induced water acidification and leaks from Carbon Capture and Storage activities on the South American amphipod Hyale youngi. A 10-day acute toxicity test was performed using sediments from two sites located inside the Santos Estuarine System. They were subjected to five pH treatments (8.1, 7.6, 7.0, 6.5, and 6.0). Metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni and Zn) and the metalloid As were analyzed to determine the influence of their acidification-related mobility on the amphipods mortality. The results showed that mortality becomes significant when compared to control in pH 6.5 in the Canal de Pia double dagger aguera sediment (contaminated) and at pH 6.0 in Ilha das Palmas sediment (reference).Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Spanish Ministry of Economy and CompetitivenessErasmus Mundus ProgrammeFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CAPES FoundationSpanish Ministry of EducationUniv Cadiz, UNESCO UNITWIN Wicop, Fac Ciencias Mar & Ambientales, Dept Quim Fis, Poligono Rio San Pedro S-N, Cadiz 11510, SpainUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Mar, Inst Mar, Campus Baixada Santista,Ave Alm Saldanha Gama 89, BR-11030400 Santos, SP, BrazilUniv Lisbon, Inst Dom Luiz, Fac Ciencias, P-1749016 Lisbon, PortugalUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Mar, Inst Mar, Campus Baixada Santista,Ave Alm Saldanha Gama 89, BR-11030400 Santos, SP, BrazilCAPES: PVE 126/2012Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness: CTM2012-36476-C02-01-02FAPESP: 2014/22273-1CNPq: 305869/2013-2CAPES: 126/2012Spanish Ministry of Education: PRX16/00074Web of Scienc

Food-web dynamics in the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem between 1986 and 2017: unravelling drivers of sardine decline’

The Ecopath food web model that describes the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem was fitted to available time series to investigate the ecosystem dynamics and decline of the Portuguese sardine stock. Our results showed that the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem model is a good predictor of biomass and catch time-series trends for many species. Moreover, our results suggested that the main factors that drove the ecosystem dynamics were trophic interactions, fishing and environmental forcing (sea surface temperature). The same drivers were important in explaining sardine decline among which the largest contribution was observed when incorporating sea surface temperature forcing on adult sardine, followed by fishing. Moreover, sardine eggs predators (i.e., chub mackerel, horse mackerel and bogue) were emphasised as the most important among trophic interactions in explaining sardine trend between 1986 and 2017. Furthermore, a flow control hypothesis test, showed that model parametrization allows explaining sardine behaviour through wasp-waist control mechanism, characteristic for upwelling systems. This study represents an important step forward in understanding the changes that occurred in the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem and provides helpful insights to explain Portuguese sardine decline. •Portuguese continental shelf Ecopath model was fitted to available time-series.•Environment, fishing and trophic interactions drove ecosystem dynamics.•Environmental factors were the major contributor to sardine decline.•Sardine eggs predators were identified as key species interacting with sardine.•Sardine behaviour can be explained through the wasp-waist control mechanism

First representation of the trophic structure and functioning of the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem: insights into the role of sardine

In this study, we analysed the structure and functioning of the Portuguese continental shelf ecosystem and investigated the role of sardine Sardina pilchardus using the Ecopath massbalance approach. An Ecopath model was configured to represent the continental shelf waters in the period 2006-2009. The model showed that biomass was concentrated in low and intermediate trophic levels as in other upwelling areas. Several low- and medium-trophic-level groups were identified as dominant groups in the ecosystem (e.g. zooplankton, macrozoobenthos, sardine, chub mackerel Scomber colias, and demersal and benthopelagic invertivorous fish). Furthermore, lowtrophic-level groups were responsible for the main energy flows, and overall higher impact on the ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of bottom-up control of the ecosystem structure. Our results are relevant to understand structure and functioning of this ecosystem and constitute an important step towards an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in the study area.PROMAR project (CERTIFICA) [3103-01-FEP-0032]EU/DG Fisheries Data Collection Regulation, LIFE+ [MarPro. NAT/PT/000038]EEA Grants (SafeSea) [0039]'Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [PD/BD/114540/2016]ARDITI (Regional Agency for Development of Research, Technology and Innovation of Madeira) [M1420-09-5369-FSE-000001