Disentangling exploitation of the intertidal grazer Phorcus  sauciatus (Gastropoda: Trochidae) in an oceanic archipelago: implications for conservation

Sousa, Ricardo; Vasconcelos, Joana; Riera, Rodrigo; Delgado, João; González, José A.; Freitas, Mafalda; Henriques, Paulo

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/4373

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Abstract(s)

Harvesting of intertidal grazers such as topshells is known to affect negatively the exploited populations by altering population structure and decreasing abundance. Phorcus sauciatus has a wide geographic distribution in the North‐eastern Atlantic Ocean and is subject to increasing levels of harvesting pressure due to the expansion of human population on coastal areas. The effect of proximity to human settlements and coastal accessibility on the size structure and abundance of P. sauciatus popula‐ tions was examined in Madeira archipelago. Mean size, proportion of reproductive individuals, and abundance of this species were generally smaller in areas closer to human settlements and in more accessible coastal areas. Marine protected areas re‐ turned the highest mean sizes evidencing their effectiveness in preserving the size structure of this species. The results highlight the necessity to regulate the harvest of P. sauciatus in Madeira archipelago, as well as the implementation of management measures aiming at the sustainable exploitation and conservation of this species, ex‐ ploited in this region since the early 15th century.

Keywords

Atlantic Ocean Harvesting Human‐induced pressure Intertidal Mollusks Phorcus sauciatus . Faculdade de Ciências da Vida

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/4373

Citation

Sousa, R., Vasconcelos, J., Riera, R., Delgado, J., González, J. A., Freitas, M., & Henriques, P. (2019). Disentangling exploitation of the intertidal grazer Phorcus sauciatus (Gastropoda: Trochidae) in an oceanic archipelago: implications for conservation. Marine Ecology, 40(2), e12540.