A focused campaign towards sustainable management of the stock of sardine and anchovy in the Gulf of Cadiz
From 30th July to 12th August, the research vessel Miguel Oliver will develop the ECOCÁDIZ campaign, which in this year is focused on the characterization and data collection for the evaluation of the main pelagic resources, namely sardine and anchovy, along with other species of horse mackerel and mackerel in the Gulf of Cadiz. An initiative that ultimately pursues a more sustainable management and improved utilization of fishing in this area.
Another of the tasks of this scientific campaign, starting and return the port of Cadiz, it is the mapping and study of oceanographic and biological conditions of the continental shelf of the Gulf of Cadiz, also incorporating a census of abundance of top predators, birds , reptiles and mammals, as well as analysis of micro-plastics and marine debris.
The use of multiple frequencies scientific echo sounders will determine the volume and biomass of pelagic resources, while catches made provide biological samples to characterize the populations of small pelagic evaluated.
Among the tasks the study Ichthyoplankton included with a continuous sampler CUFES to define the area of Boqueron sunset from the distribution of eggs, plus targeted sampling for obtaining larvae of this species.
The campaign ECOCÁDIZ meets standardization CIEM- International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES its acronym in English), and is part, since 2004, of a series of campaigns focused on the study of anchovy in the Gulf of Cadiz . In that vein, note that this is an action that is part of the National Program Basic Data in the fisheries sector, which aims to provide the best information possible on scientific basis to promote the sustainable management of resources of our seas and better use by the fishing sector. For this purpose the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, continues to invest efforts through the Secretariat General of Fisheries to develop campaigns aboard their Oceanographic Vessels.
Campaigns developed under the collaboration agreement between the General Secretariat of Fisheries and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, which facilitates research staff to access and use of vessels and equipment, to achieve tracings purposes and better management of available resources.
Ships for study and research
The research vessel Miguel Oliver is with the Vizconde de Eza and Emma Bardan one of the three ships of fisheries and oceanographic research of the General Secretariat of Fisheries. Near ten years old is the most modern of the three fishing years and performs both as seabed mapping.
It is a multidisciplinary vessel 70 meters long and 12 wide, equipped with technological equipment pointer for navigation and fisheries and oceanographic research and has the qualification of ecological and silent vessel.
Source: MAGRAMA
