Italy
“Pilot study on Hand and pole line for cephalopods
GSA19”
Data Collection Framework - European Commission
(Reg.CE 199/2008 and Dec. Com. 949/2008 and 93/2010)
Final report
COISPA Tecnologia & Ricerca, Bari, Italy
October 2012
1. Introduction
The results of the ranking system, performed on 2007 and 2008 set of data, have
identified, on a GSA level, 55 métiers belonging to the top 90%. Derogation was requested for
the following métier:
Hand and pole line for cephalopods (LHP_LHM_CEP_0_0_0) in the GSA 19
This métier has not been selected both for landing and for economic values. It has been
picked up only for the contribution in terms of effort. The low incidence in terms of fishing
days and catches, the seasonality and the high fragmentation of the activities along the Italian
coasts, and the low importance also in terms of economic values of the catches, would result
in a difficult and expensive exercise.
However, after the evaluation made by the SGRN in 2011, the requested derogation has
been rejected and Italy was requested to conduct a pilot study to investigate the fishing
behavior of this metier (LHP_LHM_CEP_0_0_0) in the GSA 19 (Western Ionian Sea)
Following the output of the RCMMed&BS 2009 discards for this métier can be considered
negligible and not mandatory for discards sampling.
2. Methodology
2.1 Aim of the pilot study
The aim of the pilot study was to estimate landings in weight and number of the main
target of this metier: Octopus vulgaris among octopods and the decapods belonging to
Ommastrephidae family (e.g. Illex coindetii of the sub-family Illicinae; Todarodes sagittatus
and Todaropsis eblanae of the sub-family Todarodinae) and Loliginidae family (e.g. Loligo
vulgaris) in the GSA19 (Western Ionian Sea).
2.2 General characteristics of the pilot survey
Sampling strategy was a mix of concurrent-at-sea and concurrent-at-landing site
covering a one-year period. The monitoring was accomplished with observer onboard when
possible; otherwise a self-sampling was performed with checks at landing time.
2.3 Target variable
The target variable to be recorded in the survey was the quantity (number and weight)
of each target species landed and discarded.
2.4 Sampling
As the hand and pole line for cephalopods was not selected both for landing and for
economic values, but it was included in the Italian National program after the evaluation made
by the SGRN in 2011, a predefined number of target samples to be achieved according to the
adopted sampling stratification scheme was not available. Thus a number of sampling days
distributed in order to have 3 days per quarter was adopted.
2.5 Data analysis
The data will be analyzed following the approach foreseen for the other sampled
métiers.
3. Results
In table 1 the expected and achieved number of observations by GSA, quarter and
métier is reported. In table 2 the weight of the target species for the commercial and discard
fraction with the relative Ratio during the observation at the sea is reported.
Table 1 – Total number of observations by GSA, quarter and métier.
GSA
Quarter
Métier
Achieved N°
observation at
sea
19
II
LHP_LHM_CEP_0_0_0
2
Achieved N°
observation
at landing
Achieved
Total N° of
observation
1
3
19
III
LHP_LHM_CEP_0_0_0
3
19
IV
LHP_LHM_CEP_0_0_0
2
1
3
7
2
9
Total
3
Table 2 – Weight in the commercial and discard sampled fraction per species and
per métier.
Species
Total weight sampled
for the commercial
fraction (kg)
Total weight sampled
for the discard fraction
(kg)
GSA
Metier
Ratio
19
LHP_LHM_CEP_0_0_0
ILLE COI
2.3
0
19
LHP_LHM_CEP_0_0_0
TODA SAG
125.65
0
4. Conclusion
In the GSA 19 the use of the gear pole and line is concentrated in the Eastern Sicily in a
area included between Messina to Taormina. This gear is mainly dedicated to catch the
Ommastrephidae species (i.e Illex coendetii and Todarodes sagittatus). This fishing is practiced
during the first hours (4-6 hours) of the night using two kinds of hook, one with intermitted
light without bait, while another one is with bait but without light (Fig. 1). Usually a piece of
fish muscle (Atlantic mackerel or Bogue) is used as bait and it is attached by the cotton line
around the support of the hook (Fig. 1).
Luminous ball
Lighted hook
Fig. 1 – Left: the different kind of hook used during the fishing operations phase; right: lighted
hook and luminous ball during the first phase of fishing.
The fishing operations include the following phases: first a luminous source is lowered
to the sea at about 1.5 m depth from the surface, then also the line with the lighted hook is
lowered into the sea until the bottom is reached and after some minutes (3-5) it is recovered
(Fig.1). After the hook with bait (Fig. 2) is lowered for some meters without reaching the
bottom. Thus, the fishing strategy consists in attracting the target species by the lighted hook
in a position close to the bottom, then the fish is captured by the baited hook along the water
column. The luminous ball represents an additional source of light which could attract the
squids to the surface.
The operational depths of fishing are essentially two, one around 400-600 m and other
one between 100 and 200 m. The former is more used during spring and summer months,
while the latter during autumn.
The fishing season is included between spring and autumn, while during the winter
months the fishing activity is usually very reduced for the weather conditions at sea and the
less amount of catches. However, as the activity in the first quarter and in part of the second
quarter was reduced and irregular, 3 out of 4 quarters were sampled (2, 3 and 4 quarters)
with a total of 9 observations. During the sampling activity (7 observations at sea) no discards
were observed.
The fishing operations described are similar with the pole and lines described in the
other areas of Sicily as the Eolian island (Potoschi and Longo, 2009) with some differences
about the luminous source and the number of line utilized.
During the sampling the species most frequently captured was Todarodes sagittatus.
During the sampling activity at sea no discard was observed therefore it cannot be not
monitored in 2013.
Fig.2 – Todarodes sagittatus caught by line
5. Bibliography
Potoschi A, Longo F (2009) Descrizione della pesca ai molluschi cefalopodi teutoidei
dell’arcipelago delle Eolie. Biologia Marina Mediterranea 16(1):356-357.