5. Impact study of the fisheries operating in the area
Knowledge of the impact of fisheries on bottom communities is essential to explain current biomass and energy flux balance between the different compartments (particularly the upper levels), of the trophic chain. The project attempts to unravel which fishing activities operated in the past, which take place nowadays, and which species are exploited or discarded by the commercial fleets, in order to be able to interpret the impact they may be causing on each particular ecosystem. In this context, we perform experiments to discern the impact of certain trawling modes such as the rock-hopper, which may operate in vulnerable or sensitive bottoms.
Rock-hopper from Le Danois Bank.
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