Browsing by Author "Gomes, Pedro"
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- Exploring the effects of crustacean fishing on cold-water coral and gorgonian ecosystems: conservation strategies for Carbon sequestrationPublication . Seixas, Sónia; Parrinha, Joaquim; Gomes, PedroCrustacean fishing has significant impacts on cold-water coral and gorgonian communities. These coldwater corals include Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) such as Dendrophyllia ramea and D. cornigera. Our observations indicate that fishing gear used to capture crustaceans like lobster, brown crab, and European crab along the western coast of Portugal is frequently abandoned or anchored in rocky areas. When these traps are brought aboard, they often retrieve cold-water corals and gorgonians attached to them. Sometimes, only small branches are collected, while entire structures may come to the surface on other occasions. Fishermen tend to break the corals into smaller pieces to avoid damaging their gear. These organisms play a crucial role in carbon fixation, yet they face significant destruction. The only effective way to mitigate this destruction is through educational initiatives aimed at fishermen, encouraging the return of salvaged corals and gorgonians to the sea whenever possible. Furthermore, any corals that cannot be returned should be taken ashore for proper restoration and rehabilitation, followed by subsequent reintroduction into their natural habitat. Implementing such measures is essential for minimising the impact on carbon sequestration dynamics and safeguarding the region's overall biodiversity.
- First records of fishing gear incrustated in corals and gorgonians from the Atlantic coast of PortugalPublication . Bessa, Filipa; Gomes, Pedro; Seixas, SóniaPlastic pollution is now in the public and scientific domain as an emerging issue of global concern due to their potential effects to nature and the society. There is high evidence that plastics are now present in virtually all aquatic ecosystems and are ingested by several organisms, however, little is known about their impact on deep marine ecosystems and especially on the deep-sea reefs built by emblematic cold-water corals species. The occurrence and abundance of these organisms in the Portuguese Atlantic coast is still largely unknown. During recent sampling campaigns aiming at mapping these ecosystems in the Portuguese coast, preliminary analyses showed the presence of nylon plastic lines in the stony cup corals of Dendrophylliidae, in Dendrophilia ramea, and a hook-andline fishing gear incrustated in Gorgonian organisms, in Leptogorgia sarmentosa, collected in two different areas (north and central coastal area of Portugal, 30-50m depth). The derelict gear is mainly composed of nets, ropes and lines made of non-biodegradable plastics and have been also reported as causing tissue loss and fragmentation in corals and gorgonian habitat. This preliminary assessment reveals that the occurrence of the species in sedimentary grounds makes it especially vulnerable to bottom contact with fishing gear as bottom trawling and should be better investigated and communicated to local stakeholders. The spatial distribution of these populations, as well as a first attempt to characterize its habitat and the levels of plastics will be explored in the next months as an approach to describe the habitat’s suitability and the vulnerability for the species in the area. This is a first assessment but further studies are foreseen which include monitoring these habitats and see how they interact with fishing gears over time in these areas, which will be also presented and discussed.
- Incorporation of abandoned and lost fishing gear into the structure of Dendrophyllia ramea in the Atlantic coast of PortugalPublication . Seixas, Sónia; Parrinha, Joaquim; Gomes, Pedro; Bessa, FilipaPlastic pollution poses global and societal concerns, especially from discarded fishing gear, threatening seabed environments like coral reefs. This study examines the incorporation of lost and/or abandoned fishing gear - specifically synthetic lines, and filaments - into the structure of orange tree coral, Dendrophyllia ramea along the coast of Portugal, in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The specimens were inadvertently captured by local fishers (Sines and Cascais), with 6 % showing filaments inside their structure, raising questions about their potential impact on coral health. We discuss the implications of understanding the interactions between plastics, fishing gear, and corals, which is important for developing conservation strategies. We address the need for improved of measures aimed at reducing the impact of fishing gear on corals, emphasizing the importance of endorsing biodegradable fishing materials and supporting lost gear retrieval initiatives. Furthermore, we emphasize the urgent need to communicate these issues to both fishers and stakeholders.