Bottom trawl positions from European Union-Spanish research bottom trawl surveys on the NAFO Regulatory Area (NW Atlantic)

The bottom trawl positions from European Union-Spanish research bottom trawl groundfish surveys carried out for the period 2002-2013 on the NAFO Regulatory Area (Divs. 3LMNO) and biomass of some Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem indicator taxa, that is sponges, sea pens, large and small gorgonian corals, are presented in this document. These data combined with similar Canadian data available from the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) were used in the PLOS ONE publication “Kernel Density Surface Modelling as a Means to Identify Significant Concentrations of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicators” by Kenchington et al. (2014). These surveys are carried out annually and their main objective is the estimation of abundance and biomass indices of the main commercial demersal fish species, and the demographic structure of their populations. Other scientific goals are to carry out trophic studies; collect information on the spatial and bathymetric distribution of megabenthic invertebrates; and the study of the hydrographical conditions in the area. Since 2003, all surveys were run on the Spanish research vessel Vizconde de Eza, using a random-stratified sampling design with standardized 30-minutes bottom trawls and vessel speed around 3 knots. A Campelen 1800 bottom trawl gear with some modifications was used in the Spanish 3NO and 3L Surveys, whereas a Lofoten bottom trawl gear was used in the EU Flemish Cap Survey.

Reference

Kenchington, E., F.J. Murillo, C. Lirette, M. Sacau, M. Koen-Alonso, A. Kenny, N. Ollerhead, V. Wareham and L. Beazley. 2014. Kernel density surface modelling as a means to identify significant concentrations of vulnerable marine ecosystem indicators. PLOS ONE (under production).