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- Title
FIRST V-NOTCHING EXPERIENCE OF A SPINY LOBSTER: V-NOTCH RECOVERY AND IMPACT ON HEALTH AND GROWTH OF PALINURUS ELEPHAS.
- Authors
Mallol, Sandra; Díaz, David; Sobrado, Francisco; Goñi, Raquel
- Abstract
V-notching is a conservation technique to delay fishing mortality widely used in fisheries of clawed lobsters. Here we present results of the first V-notching experience of a spiny lobster. The study was conducted on the European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787) with the aim of assessing: 1) V-notch effects on survival, incidence of shell disease and growth, and 2) the pattern of V-notch regrowth. Results of the 20-month-long tank experiment with 36 lobsters showed that V-notching had no impact on shell disease or growth. However, abnormally high summer temperatures in the experiment lowered survival of V-notched individuals relative to control specimens. Three dimensions of the V-notch mark (depth, width and area) were examined to assess V-notch regrowth, and depth is recommended for regulatory purposes. In this study, four moults, and almost two years, were necessary for V-notch depth to shrink by 50%, an amount that would turn legal a V-notched clawed lobster after one moult. We discuss the applicability of these results under conditions in the wild.
- Subjects
SPINY lobsters; CRUSTACEAN growth; ANIMAL mortality; PALINURUS; NEPHROPIDAE
- Publication
Journal of Crustacean Biology, 2014, Vol 34, Issue 1, p25
- ISSN
0278-0372
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1163/1937240X-00002203