Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

General:

Execute and evaluate the feasibility of ecological restoration actions and mitigate the impacts of artisanal fishing on benthic communities dominated by gorgonians and deep soft corals in marine protected areas.

Specific:

1. Mitigation of the impacts of artisanal fishing on populations of gorgonians and soft corals in marine protected areas.

2. Long-term feasibility of restoration in marine protected areas.

3. Generation of new gorgonians for the ecological restoration of impacted populations in marine protected areas.

4. Involvement of society in the restoration of gorgonians in marine protected areas.

5. Dissemination of the project in marine protected areas.

A – 1 Collection and living maintenance of accidentally removed gorgonians and soft corals

1.1 – Work coordination meetings

1.2 – Installation of collection and recovery aquariums (Port de la Selva brotherhood – Cadaqués brotherhood)

1.3 – Collection and keeping alive of gorgonians and soft corals whenever there is accidental fishing

A –2 Return of gorgonians and soft corals to their natural habitat

2.1 – Attachment of accidentally caught gorgonians to boulders and return to their natural habitat

A – 3 Mitigation effectiveness assessment

3.1 – ROV Campaign

3.2 – Analysis of the data obtained in the ROV campaign

3.3 – Evaluation of the data obtained in the ROV campaign

A – 4 Assessment of the reproductive potential of restored populations

4.1 – ROV Sampling

4.2 – Analysis and comparison of sexual products from restored and natural populations

4.3 – Evaluation of the data obtained in the analysis of sexual products

A – 5 Assessment of recruitment rates of restored populations

5.1 – ROV Transects

5.2 – Analysis of ROV recruitment data

5.3 – Evaluation of the data obtained from the recruitment analysis

A – 6 Maximizing Gorgonian Growth Rates

6.1 – Installation of experimental aquariums (ICM-CSIC)

6.2 – Fragmentation and fixation of gorgonians fished from boulders

6.3 – Incubation for Growth Maximization

6.4 – Evaluation of colonies obtained from growth maximization

A – 7 Evaluation of the ideal substrate for larval settlement, as well as the creation of a reservoir of colonies with genetic variability.

7.1 – Collection of emitted larvae

7.2 – Incubation of larvae collected in different types of substrate

7.3 – Incubation to maximize growth of new recruits

7.4 – Analysis of the data obtained in incubations (fragmentation and sexual reproduction)

7.5 – Evaluation of the data obtained in incubations (fragmentation and sexual reproduction)

A – 8 Environmental awareness and education

8.1 – School workshop for the care and maintenance of gorgonians

8.2 – Guided tours of the facilities

8.3 – Theoretical-practical educational workshop (during local festivals)

A-9 Restoration workshops

9.1 – Organization and publicity of restoration workshops

9.2 – Realization of the restoration workshop

9.3 – Evaluation of the success and interest of restoration workshops

A – 10 Dissemination of the project in the press and digital media and informative conferences

10.1 – Dissemination of the project in press releases

10.2 – Dissemination of the project in newspapers and digital portals

10.3 – Dissemination of the project on social networks (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter)

10.4 – Printing and distribution of information material

10.5 – Informative days

The RESCAP III project is the third phase of the RESCAP project, the direct continuation of the work carried out during the first and second phases of the project, funded in the Pleamar 2017 and 2018 Programme call of the Biodiversity Foundation, co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The results of this project have made it possible to mitigate the impacts of artisanal fishing on the benthic communities of Cap de Creus.

In the execution of RESCAP III, a total of 842 colonies of gorgonians (Eunicella cavolini) and 46 soft corals (Alcyonium palmatum) have been collected, which were kept in colony recovery and maintenance aquariums. Subsequently, these specimens were fragmented and replanted, fixed on natural stone boulders, and returned to the sea in Es Portalò, an area of the Cap de Creus natural park. For the development of the project, which confirms the fishing impact on benthic communities, fishermen from the brotherhoods of Port de Selva and Cadaqués have collaborated.

About a month after the last return event, the monitoring campaign was carried out using the ROV Girona 1000 underwater vehicle. A survival rate of 88.7% was observed for transplanted gorgonians. In addition, the sizes of 3,198 gorgonians more than expected were studied and recruitment rates were found to exceed three recruits per square meter, after inspecting a total of 1,032 square meters. Of the 3,238 gorgonians analyzed, 1,191 were of height class from 0 to 10 cm, 952 measured between 10 cm and 20 cm, 661 between 20 cm and 30 cm and, finally, 434 registered more than 30 cm.

In the evaluation of the recruitment rates of the restored populations, 45 transplant gorgonians on boulders could be detected, corresponding to the sum of the gorgonians returned during this project and in the previous call. It was found that 93.3% of the gorgonians returned to the sea are in good condition (42 remain standing and in good condition, while three were found lying down or covered by sediment, which compromises their long-term survival).

It should be noted that, thanks to the experiments carried out in previous years, it was concluded in this third phase that enriched live brine shrimp, plus a smoothie-type food, composed of a mixture of sardine and shrimp, is the food that most favors the growth of these specimens. However, these animals have a very slow growth, regardless of the type of diet, so the return of accidentally caught colonies to the marine environment remains the most effective method for their conservation.

On the other hand, it was possible to involve society through the participation of a scientist from the project in the virtual platform “We are Scientists”, in which 68 schools and 1,375 students participated for two weeks. 84 visitors were received to the recovery and maintenance aquarium facilities, 12 sessions of the theoretical-practical educational workshop were held, in which 81 people participated, and five restoration workshops, attended by a total of 46 people, restoring 125 colonies of gorgonians.