Advancing fishery-independent stock assessments for the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) with new monitoring technologies

Jacopo Aguzzi1; 2; Damianos Chatzievangelou1; Nathan J. Robinson1; Nixon Bahamon1; Alan Berry3; Marc Carreras4; Joan Batista Company1; Corrado Costa5; Joaquin del Rio Fernandez6; Ahmad Falahzadeh6; Spyros Fifas7; Sascha Flögel8; Jordi Grinyó1; 9; Jonas Pall Jónasson10; Patrik Jonsson11; Colm Lordan3; Mathieu Lundy12; Simone Marini13; Michela Martinelli14; Ivan Masmitja1; Luca Mirimin15; 16; Atif Naseer17; 18; Joan Navarro1; Narcis Palomeras4; Giacomo Picardi19; Cristina Silva20; Sergio Stefanni2; Maria Vigo1; Yolanda Vila21; Adrian Weetman22; Jennifer Doyle3*;

The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, supports a key European fishery. Stock assessments for this species are mostly based on trawling and UnderWater TeleVision (UWTV) surveys. However, N. norvegicus are burrowing organisms and these survey methods are unable to sample or observe individuals in their burrows. To account for this, UWTV surveys generally assume that “1 burrow system = 1 animal”, due to the territorial behavior of N. norvegicus. Nevertheless, this assumption still requires in-situ validation. Here, we outline how to improve the accuracy of current stock assessments for N. norvegicus with novel ecological monitoring technologies, including: robotic fixed and mobile camera-platforms, telemetry, environmental DNA (eDNA), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). First, we outline the present status and threat for overexploitation in N. norvegicus stocks. Then, we discuss how the burrowing behavior of N. norvegicus biases current stock assessment methods. We propose that state-of-the-art stationary and mobile robotic platforms endowed with innovative sensors and complemented with AI tools could be used to count both animals and burrows systems in-situ, as well as to provide key insights into burrowing behavior. Next, we illustrate how multiparametric monitoring can be incorporated into assessments of physiology and burrowing behavior. Finally, we develop a flowchart for the appropriate treatment of multiparametric biological and environmental data required to improve current stock assessment methods.

2022 - Journal article

Frontiers in Marine Science 9 (2022). doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.969071

Keywords: Nephrops norvegicus, UWTV, stocks monitoring, autonomous networks, biomimicking platforms, optoacoustic imaging, geo-sonars, eDNA

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The research activities of the Institute are carried out in the context of research, development and innovation projects, both national and international, based on regional funding programs (POR FEAMPA - Regional Operational Program of the European Maritime Affairs Fisheries Fund and Aquaculture and POR FESR - Regional Operational Program of the European Regional Development Fund) or ministerial (PRIN - Projects of relevant national interest, PNRA - National Research Program in Antarctica, PO FEAMPA - National Operational Program European Maritime Affairs Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund) , programs for European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg), direct funding programs of the European Commission (Horizon2020 and Horizon Europe, Life, JPI - Joint Programming Initiatives, ERA-NET Cofund) and thematic collaboration initiatives managed by international organizations such as, for example , the FAO - GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean). The Institute also develops funded projects in the context of collaborations with private companies in the sectors of the blue economy as well as technology transfer and research results. Research projects, mainly of a collaborative nature, are developed through a wide network of partners that include major Italian and foreign research institutions and universities.

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