Quantification of finfish assemblages associated with mussel and seaweed farms in southwest UK provides evidence of potential benefits to fisheries
dc.contributor.author | Corrigan, S | |
dc.contributor.author | Smale, DA | |
dc.contributor.author | Tyler, CR | |
dc.contributor.author | Brown, AR | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2024-04-25T08:42:35Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2024-04-11 | |
dc.date.updated | 2024-04-23T14:51:01Z | |
dc.description.abstract | Low trophic aquaculture, including shellfish and seaweed farming, offers a potentially sustainable food source and may provide additional environmental benefits, including the creation of new feeding, breeding and nursery areas for fish of commercial and ecological importance. However, quantitative assessments of fish assemblages associated with aquaculture sites are lacking. We used pelagic baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs) and hook and line catches to survey summer fish assemblages at 2 integrated blue mussel Mytilus edulis and kelp (predominantly Saccharina latissima) farms in southwest UK. We recorded at least 11 finfish species across the surveys, including several of commercial importance, with farmed mussels and/or kelps supporting significantly higher levels of abundance and richness than reference areas outside farm infrastructure. Farmed kelp provided temporary habitat due to seasonal harvesting schedules, whereas farmed mussels provided greater habitat stability due to overlapping interannual growth cycles. Stomach content analysis of fish caught at the farms revealed that some low trophic level species had high proportions of amphipods in their stomachs, which also dominated epibiont assemblages at the farms. Higher trophic level fish stomachs contained several lower trophic level fish species, suggesting that farms provide new foraging grounds and support secondary and tertiary production. Although not identified to species level, juvenile fish were abundant at both farms, suggesting potential provisioning of nursery or breeding grounds; however, this needs further verification. Overall, this study provides evidence that shellfish and seaweed aquaculture can support and enhance populations of commercially and ecologically important fish species through habitat provisioning. | en_GB |
dc.description.sponsorship | Worshipful Company of Fishmongers | en_GB |
dc.description.sponsorship | Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) | en_GB |
dc.description.sponsorship | Marine Biological Association | en_GB |
dc.description.sponsorship | Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) | en_GB |
dc.description.sponsorship | University of Exeter | en_GB |
dc.description.sponsorship | UKRI | en_GB |
dc.format.extent | 145-162 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Vol. 16, pp. 145-162 | en_GB |
dc.identifier.doi | https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00478 | |
dc.identifier.grantnumber | NE/P011217/1 | en_GB |
dc.identifier.grantnumber | MR/S032827/1 | en_GB |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10871/135805 | |
dc.language.iso | en | en_GB |
dc.publisher | Inter-Research Science Publisher | en_GB |
dc.rights | © The authors 2024. Open Access under Creative Commons by Attribution Licence. Use, distribution and reproduction are unrestricted. Authors and original publication must be credited. | en_GB |
dc.subject | Restorative aquaculture | en_GB |
dc.subject | Shellfish farming | en_GB |
dc.subject | Kelp farming | en_GB |
dc.subject | BRUV | en_GB |
dc.subject | Biodiversity | en_GB |
dc.subject | Habitat | en_GB |
dc.subject | IMTA | en_GB |
dc.title | Quantification of finfish assemblages associated with mussel and seaweed farms in southwest UK provides evidence of potential benefits to fisheries | en_GB |
dc.type | Article | en_GB |
dc.date.available | 2024-04-25T08:42:35Z | |
dc.identifier.issn | 1869-215X | |
dc.description | This is the final version. Available on open access from Inter-Research Science Publisher via the DOI in this record | en_GB |
dc.identifier.eissn | 1869-7534 | |
dc.identifier.journal | Aquaculture Environment Interactions | en_GB |
dc.rights.uri | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | en_GB |
dcterms.dateAccepted | 2024-02-05 | |
rioxxterms.version | VoR | en_GB |
rioxxterms.licenseref.startdate | 2024-04-11 | |
rioxxterms.type | Journal Article/Review | en_GB |
refterms.dateFCD | 2024-04-23T15:35:13Z | |
refterms.versionFCD | VoR | |
refterms.dateFOA | 2024-04-25T08:42:44Z | |
refterms.panel | A | en_GB |
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Except where otherwise noted, this item's licence is described as © The authors 2024. Open Access under Creative Commons by Attribution Licence. Use, distribution and reproduction are unrestricted. Authors and original publication must be credited.