The effect of bottom trawling time on mortality, physical damage and oxidative stress in two Sciaenidae species

• Published in: Reviews in fish biology and fisheries 2021-12, Vol.31 (4), p.957-975
• Main Authors: Viana, Douglas, de Souza, Maria Rosa Dmengeon Pedreiro, de Assis Teixeira da Silva, Ubiratã, Pereira, Diego Mauro Carneiro, Kandalski, Priscila Krebsbach, Neundorf, Ananda Karla Alvez, Peres, Danielle, dos Santos, Andressa Thais, Romão, Silvia, Moura, Mauricio Osvaldo, Fávaro, Luís Fernando, Donatti, Lucélia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological stress; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Body size; Bottom trawling; Bycatch; Carbonyls; Damage; Fish; Fishing; Fishing methods; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Identification; Life Sciences; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Marine crustaceans; Marine ecosystems; Markers; Mortality; Original Research; Oxidative stress; Peroxidation; Probability theory; Sciaenidae; Shellfish; Species; Stellifer rastrifer; Survival; Trawling; Zoology
• ISSN: 0960-3166; 1573-5184
• DOI: 10.1007/s11160-021-09682-8

Demersal shrimp trawling is among the least selective fishing methods, posing a considerable threat to marine ecosystems due to the catch of nontarget species (bycatch). Even when bycatch is immediately released, physical damage to organisms may reduce their survival. The probability of long-term survival and oxidative stress markers of two species of Sciaenidae fish, Paralonchurus brasiliensis and Stellifer rastrifer , caught incidentally while trawling for shrimp in the State of Paraná—Brazil, were analyzed. The mortality rate for both species was found to be high ( P. brasiliensis , 76.94%, n = 337 and S. rastrifer , 69.32%, n = 2.586). Among other factors, mortality was associated with body size and the physical damage suffered. Smaller fish showed a higher incidence of damage, most commonly scale-loss and contusions or haematomas on the head and body. The mortality rate and catch damage index (CDI) were similar for both species, but were aggravated by higher tow durations (15, 30, and 45 min). The CDI can be a good predictor of mortality. The probability of survival improved in winter for both species. Increased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation were identified in P. brasiliensis but not in S. rastrifer . This indicates that the two species responded in different ways to the stressful conditions produced by trawling. Considering the oxidative stress markers identified, it appears that the high mortality rate recorded in two species was more closely associated with physical damage than oxidative stress markers.