Experimental evidence of damage to benthos by bottom trawling with special reference to Arctica islandica

In Kiel Bay (Western Bahic), benthos samples were taken at 20 m water depth using rectangular botanical dredges fixed to the otter boards of an 80 ft Sonderborg standard trawl to document possible effects of trawl fishery on the benthic fauna. Thin-shelled bivalves like Syndosmya (Abra) alba, Mya spp. and Macoma calcarea, as well as the starfish Asterias rubens were damaged by otter-boards to a high extent. Thick-shelled bivalves such as Astarte borealis and Corbula gibba, however, seem to be more resistant to mechanical stress of bottom-trawl fishery. Musculus niger, an epibenthic species, is probably only resuspended and dislocated. The rate of damage to Arctica islandica, Macoma baltica and Macoma calcarea is related to their body size. Large specimens are more affected than smaller specimens due to the unfavourable relationship between shell surface and shell thickness. The size distribution of Arctica islandica in heavily trawled areas of Kiel Bay shows reductions in the upper size class in these areas