The oceanographic campaign of the LIFE INTEMARES project has explored the seabed of the Avilés canyon system during the last few weeks.

The oceanographic campaign of the LIFE INTEMARES project, which has explored the seabed of the Avilés canyon system aboard the Ramón Margalef oceanographic vessel during the last few weeks, has made it possible to advance in the knowledge of the effects of the gillnet, a fishing gear used to capture species such as monkfish.

Scientists from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) have studied the environmental status of the seabed and the species that inhabit this area before and after the interactions of this fishing technique in a strip of about 2 km.

On this occasion, the crew of a professional fishing boat from the Asturian fleet has also participated in the expedition, thanks to the collaboration with the Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds of the Principality of Asturias.

During the campaign, they have monitored the movements of the fishing gear by placing beacons, from which their position was obtained every minute. This information, which will be analysed in detail, will make it possible to estimate the affected area and the displacement of the rig when it is tacked.

By knowing the exact position of the rig, the researchers have been able to use a remotely operated underwater vehicle to assess live how the gear worked on the bottom and which species were trapped.

Thanks to the images obtained by this underwater robot, scientists have observed that the nets were supported, or practically supported, on the bottom in various sections, despite the fact that the fishermen have the objective of making the net work vertically and avoid touching the seabed.

Among the species that were trapped in the gear were San Pedro fish, rays, urchins, redfish and the crinoid Leptometra celtica, a very abundant invertebrate in the area.

The results obtained in this campaign will be studied in depth in the coming months and will serve to draw up the future management plan for this marine area of the Natura 2000 Network, based on a solid scientific basis, with the participation of the sectors involved and the public.

These data may also serve as a reference in the preparation of other management plans, as well as in national and international forums aimed at the study and mitigation of the effects of fishing activities.

The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition coordinates LIFE INTEMARES, in which the General Directorate of Sustainability of the Coast and the Sea of the same ministry, the IEO, the Spanish Fisheries Confederation, SEO/BirdLife and WWF-Spain participate as partners. It has the financial contribution of the European Union’s LIFE programme, among other sources of funding.

Do you want to know more about the oceanographic campaigns of LIFE IP INTEMARES?

You can follow our twitter @LifeIntemares and through the hashtag #Intemares to find out all the news and marine news. You can also consult the intemares.es website, where you will find all the information about the project.