Effect of a small-scale fishing closure area on the demersal community in the NW Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The study was conducted in the NW Mediterranean where Rosas¿ fishermen association has closed during two years one of their fishing grounds. We compared the community structure between the closed fishing ground, and an adjacent area where fishing was permitted in order to explore the effects of the closed area on the community assemblage. Preliminary results indicate that density of most representative taxonomic groups is significantly higher into the closed zone than in the surrounding fishing area. Additionally, the multidimensional scaling analysis showed two well-defined assemblages corresponding to the fishing allowed and the closed zone. The results suggest that fishing closure is an appropriate measure to habitat protection