THE IMPACT OF TOWING GEARS ON THE BENTHIC MAKROFAUNA: CURRENT STATUS FOR BLACK SEA AND THE SEA OF MARMARA

Abstract

The physical disturbance caused by towing gears effect the benthic ecosystem by reducing or changing the abundance and distribution patterns of both infaunal and epifaunal communities. It is known that the biodiversity in faunal assemblages alters within habitats under a continuous scraping effect of the towing gears such as bottom and beam trawls. This study includes the experimental surveys to determine and minimise the impact of towing gears on benthic ecosystem that are still in use in Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.  The discard rates in red mullet and whiting reach, Average 17 % and 40% respectively of total catch, depending on misusage and insufficient selectivity of mesh size in bottom trawls those operating in demersal fishery.  However, the results showed that the use of bottom trawl nets with 40 mm square mesh increased the length selectivity for target species; whiting and red mullet and also reduced the rate of discard and bycatch.  On the other hand, the modifications such as sledges instead of the traditional shoes and the removal of the steel rope in beam trawls used in sea snail fishery in nearshore Black Sea coasts and the use of grid panels in beam trawls used in the Sea of Marmara provided a 50% reduction in amount of bycatch.

Keywords

• Black Sea,Sea of Marmara,bottom trawl,beam trawl,benthic macrofauna

DİP SÜRÜTME AĞLARININ BENTİK MAKROFAUNA ÜZERİNDEKİ ETKİLERİ: MARMARA VE KARADENİZ’DEKİ GÜNCEL DURUM

Öz

Trol ve algarna gibi dipte sürüklenerek çekilen av araçları bentik ekosistem üzerinde yarattıkları fiziksel etki sebebiyle, infaunal ve epifaunal canlı komünitelerin azalmasına veya tümüyle ölümüne sebep olmaktadırlar. Bu nedenle sürütme ağlarının kazıma etkisine sürekli olarak maruz kalan balıkçılık alanlarında faunal birliklerin tür çeşitliliği açısından değiştiği bilinmektedir. Bu çalışma, Karadeniz ve Marmara Denizi’nde başlıca kullanılan dip sürükleme ağlarından dip trolü ve algarnaların bentik ekosistem üzerine olan etkileri ve bu etkilerin azaltılmasına yönelik yapılan çalışmaları içermektedir. Karadeniz’de barbunya ve mezgit gibi hedef demersal balıkların avcılığında kullanılan dip trol ağlarında işletim hatalarından ve ağ göz açıklığının yetersizliğinden ötürü ıskarta av oranları sırasıyla %25 ve %42’lere kadar ulaşmaktadır. Buna karşın dip trol ağlarının torba kısmında 40 mm kare gözlü ağ kullanımı, bu hedef türlerin boy seçiciliğini arttırdığı gibi, ıskarta oranlarının da azaltılmasına olumlu katkılar sağlamıştır. Diğer taraftan yine Karadeniz’deki yakın kıyı bentiğinde; deniz salyangozu avcılığında kullanılan geleneksel algarnanın ayak aksamının kızak ile değiştirilmesi ve ayaklar arasındaki çelik halatın kaldırılması, Marmara denizinde ise karides algarnalarında ızgara panel kullanımı, hedef dışı av oranını %50 oranında düşürmüştür.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Karadeniz,Marmara Denizi,dip trolü,algarna,bentik makrofauna

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