Illegal ingegno fishery and conservation of deep red coral banks in the Sicily Channel (Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

1. Recent ROV surveys conducted on the Ragusa bank in the Sicily Channel (Mediterranean Sea) documented illegal and continuous use of the 'ingegno' gear for red coral fishing. 2. Three lost gears were recorded showing different levels of epibiosis thus supporting multiannual exploitation of the bank. 3. The red coral population of the Ragusa bank showed a typical 'forest-like' configuration with upright, medium-sized colonies similar to those of other commercially exploited deep Mediterranean banks.4. The direct negative effect of this trawling gear was evident from numerous rocky boulders completely enveloped by lost nets and occasionally turned over. Red coral fragments as well as fragments of 'ingegno' nets were observed in high abundance on the sea floor. This evidence suggests that this gear is highly destructive even on rough sea floors, contrary to the traditional view, which is that it has a more random impact on rough rocky bottoms. 5. The estimated coral uptake of 'ingegno' is 45% of the total coral biomass, while the estimated coral loss, in terms of fragments, is 9%, demonstrating the high impact of this gear.6. The study highlighted the infringement of the red coral fishing ban by trawling gears as well as a lack of effective policing. The strengthening of controls on landings at nearby harbours, and education programmes for the local maritime communities are among the management actions proposed to protect these surviving red coral populations from the ongoing illegal fishing activity.

Artisanal fishing impact on deep coralligenous animal forests: A Mediterranean case study of marine vulnerability

“…Additionally, there is an exceptionally high density of lost fishing gears (about 45 items observed every 200 m of seabed explored), many of which heavily encrusted by algae, cnidarians and bryozoans, suggesting a long permanence on the sea floor. Such density of lost gears has never been reported before in similar studies (Bavestrello et al, 2014;Bo et al, 2014;Angiolillo et al, 2015;Yıldız and Karakulak, 2016;Cattaneo-Vietti et al, 2017).…”

Marine protected areas enhance structural complexity but do not buffer the consequences of ocean warming for an overexploited precious coral

“…It is important to note that highly destructive red coral fishing practices (i.e. removal of the whole coral colony, including its base, which prevents recovery) are still observed in some areas of the Mediterranean and they could lead to much worse ecological effects than those reported here (Cattaneo‐Vietti et al., ). A slight increase in total mortality rates due to fishing would result in a dramatic increase on the population extinction risk outside MPAs and result on an enhanced role of local protection.…”

Mediterranean Bioconstructions Along the Italian Coast

“…The lack of overlap between the two species suggests that they have different ecological requirements. In this area the illegal fishing of C. rubrum with trawling devices produces an intense impact on this peculiar assemblage (Cattaneo-Vietti et al, 2017).…”