Chioggia, Italy. On Saturday 25th August 2012, scientists presented preliminary results from GAP2’s first fishery-independent Adriatic trawl survey, to fishermen and regional government representatives. Results suggested that an extension of fishing ban would help increase stock recruitment.
What Happened
The trawl survey, conducted at the end of the area’s summer ban on trawling during late August, allowed an evaluation of the status of marine resources immediately following the ban. (You can read more about the trawl here).
Results were presented to fishermen on 25th August, just a few days before they resumed fishing.
The meeting, organised in collaboration with the Fishery Office of Chioggia, was held at the Sala Consiliare. About 60 fishermen attended, along with fishery cooperative representatives, local authorities, Veneto regional representatives and Vice Mayor of Chioggia Maurizio Salvagno – who expressed appreciation for the GAP2 project and declared a wish for more collaboration in the future.
Results of the trawl survey highlighted that the end of the fishing ban should have been delayed (probably until the end of September). This was because juveniles formed the majority of the catch, so the recruitment of many commercial species was still ongoing.
A draft report of the survey was finalised on the 7th of September 2012, and submitted to GAP2 fishermen and their representatives for revision, allowing them to decide how this should be disseminated to the public and authorities.
The report represents an important step for the GAP2 project, acting as a support tool both for fishermen and policy makers, and proving particularly relevant to the summer fishing ban in the Adriatic Sea.
Video of meeting
Images
Furthermore, results of the trawl survey were illustrated and discussed at the AdriaMed Working Group on Demersal Fishery Resources in the Adriatic Sea, held on 17-19 September 2012 in Fano in Italy, hosted by the Laboratory of Marine Biology of Fano (University of Bologna).
