RT Journal Article
T1 Population structure and habitat assessment for two commercial clam species exploited in small-scale fisheries
A1 Roman Del Valle, Salvador
A1 Olabarría Uzquiano, Celia
A1 López Weidberg, Nicolás
A1 Román Geada, Marta
A1 Vázquez Otero, Maria Elsa
K1 2401.19 Zoología Marina
K1 2510.01 Oceanografía Biológica
K1 5312.01 Agricultura, Silvicultura, Pesca
AB Small-scale fisheries play a crucial role in providing food and jobs in local communities worldwide. Nonetheless, their environmental impact remains poorly understood. To assess the effect of different levels of harvesting pressure on clam population dynamics, we selected three areas for study within each of three intertidal shellfish beds (in NW Spain) on the basis of historical harvesting pressure. The abundance (up to 149 ind m              −2              ) of the introduced clam              Ruditapes philippinarum              of marketable size was much greater than that of the native              R. decussatus              (up to 20 ind m              −2              ) in all three beds, which is consistent with the low level of recruitment of the native species. Our results suggest that the harvesting pressure did not significantly affect reproduction, which was asynchronous across beds, and that the reproductive period was longer in              R. philippinarum              than in              R. decussatus              . Nonetheless, the intertidal system was strongly affected by harvesting, as bare sediment was typical in frequently harvested areas, while sparse or dense patches of the seagrass              Zostera noltei              occurred in areas where harvesting pressure was scarce or null. The abundance and diversity of non-commercial infaunal species were greatest in unharvested areas. However, commercial clams were not abundant in these areas, possibly due to natural habitat preferences or artificial seeding and movement of clams along the beds. Management plans based on local knowledge of ecosystems are needed to maintain sustainable stocks of              R. decussatus              and also to limit the effects of harvesting on the systems.
PB Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries
SN 09603166
YR 2023
FD 2023-06-30
LK http://hdl.handle.net/11093/5069
UL http://hdl.handle.net/11093/5069
LA eng
NO Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 33: 1483-1504 (2023)
NO Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. RTI2018-095583-B-I00
DS Investigo
RD 25-abr-2025