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Recreational shellfish harvesting on a sandy beach in the Algarve coast (southern Portugal): first appraisal of the annual catch of wedge clams (Donax trunculus)
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
This study aimed to characterise the recreational harvesting of wedge clams (Donax trunculus) in the Algarve coast (southern Portugal) and estimate its annual catches by recreational harvesters (RHs). For this purpose, 50 harvesting surveys were performed along the sandy intertidal during one-year (May 2022 - April 2023), roughly on a weekly basis during suitable tidal ranges (≤ 1.0 m). Overall, RHs were gender-balanced and older harvesters (≥ 65 years-old) prevailed. RHs were clearly more numerous from late spring to summer, especially in August, with most RHs collecting wedge clams with foot / hand and only a minority (≈20 %) also using a shrimp-net. RHs catches comprised mostly D. trunculus below the minimum conservation reference size (MCRS = 25 mm in shell length) legally stipulated for this species. The estimation of RHs annual catches of D. trunculus was based on standardised catches per harvester (number and weight hour− 1 ), extrapolated using the total number of RHs and suitable tides for wedge clams recreational harvesting during the one-year study period. Collecting and processing geolocated data on RHs activity allowed mapping the spatial-temporal distribution of the recreational harvesting effort targeting wedge clams, further confirming the importance of spatial data as a support tool for management and decision-making processes. This study further confirmed the need to raise awareness and inform RHs about the best harvesting practices, aiming ultimately to improve the assessment and promote the long-term sustainable management of this recreational activity and shellfish resource.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Fishing yield Geospatial data Harvesting effort Marine recreational fishing (MRF) Minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) Size frequency distribution
Contexto Educativo
Citação
Editora
Elsevier