Publication Abstract

The North Sea Benthos Project: Planning, Management and Objectives.

The North Sea Benthos Project:Planning, Management and Objectives.

H. Rees, S. Cochrane, J. Craeymeersch, M. De Kluijver, S. Degraer, N. Desroy, J.M.Dewarumez, G. Duineveld, K. Essink, H. Hillewaert, R. Kilbride, I. Kroncke, P. Nehmer, E.Ranchor, H. Reiss, M, Robertson, H. Rumohr, E, Vanden Berghe and G. Van Hoey

The ICES Benthos Ecology Working Group is integrating recent macrobenthic infaunal data(1999-2001) available from various sources, including national monitoring surveys, inNorth Sea soft bottom sediments. It is expected to cover most of the North Sea. The maingoal is an overall comparison with the North Sea Benthos Survey data of 1986, in order todetermine whether there have been any significant changes and, if so, what may be thecausal influences (e.g., climate change, fishing impacts). The work will contributevaluable information on several other topics such as habitat classification and thedistribution of endangered species.

Therefore, in addition to physico-chemical measurements of sediments samples alongside thebenthic fauna, information on water depths, temperature, water quality and salinity willbe incorporated in the analysis of species and community distributions. Also, we will useexisting ecological and hydrographical models for currents, bottom shear stress and carboninput, along with information on the distribution of habitat types, to explain theobserved distribution patterns.

At the ASC, an overview of the data available will bepresented as well as the anticipated outcomes, and the first steps taken to deal withtaxonomic differences and other issues affecting the capability to integrate submitted information.

Reference:

H. Rees, S. Cochrane, J. Craeymeersch, M. De Kluijver, S. Degraer, N. Desroy, J.M.Dewarumez, G. Duineveld, K. Essink, H. Hillewaert, R. Kilbride, I. Kroncke, P. Nehmer, E.Ranchor, H. Reiss, M, Robertson, H. Rumohr, E, Vanden Berghe and G. Van Hoey .2003. TheNorth Sea Benthos Project: Planning, Management and Objectives.ICES CM 2002/L: 09 10p

H. Rees*, S. Cochrane, J. Craeymeersch, M. De Kluijver, S. Degraer, N. Desroy, J.M. Dewarumez, G. Duineveld, K. Essink, H. Hillewaert, R. Kilbride, I. Kroncke, P. Nehmer, E. Ranchor, H. Reiss, M, Robertson, H. Rumohr, E, Vanden Berghe and G. Van Hoey

ICES CM 2002/L: 09 10p