Isles of Scilly Fish and Fisheries - Cornwall Wildlife Trust

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achyura) are scarce and Common Stingrays (Dasyatis pastinaca) are rare. Much of the catches are of Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), M. merlangus, G. morhua, and medium to small L. piscatorius; with M. surmuletus, Tub Gurnard (Chelidonichthys lucernus), E. gurnardus, Hake (Merluccius merluccius), and John Dory (Zeus faber). Varying amounts of the small red Boarfish (Capros aper) are to be found here. “The Banks” sandbank to the south of St Mary’s is an area that attracts anglers in the summer months for M. merlangus, G. morhua, M. surmuletus, A. cuculus as well as the S. scombrus and T. trachurus that can be caught over the bank (D. Townend, pers. comm., 2010). 8.6) Seagrass beds (BAP habitat) The extensive beds of eel grass Zostera marina are a major feature of the Isles of Scilly complex SAC. The fish community within these beds is similar to that of the sandflats and the fish recorded from the Isles of Scilly Zostera beds are P. pollachius, L. bergylta, C. melops, T. bulbalis, C. lyra, G. flavescens and P. microps (ERCCIS, 2010 and Parslow, 2000). The Zostera beds were much more extensive, dense and luxuriant before the global outbreak of wasting disease in the 1930s and at that time it is said that large C. conger lived in tunnels under the rhizome masses (S. Walder, pers. comm., 2009). It has been widely assumed that seagrass beds form the principal habitat of seahorses Hippocampus spp. but recent work (Garrick-Maidment, 2007) has shown that whilst this is a major habitat, both British species can be found in a wider variety of biotopes. ERCCIS only holds two records of Hippocampus in Scilly and neither of these gives the habitat, however the location of one of a Short-snouted Seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus from 1982 is “probably Tresco” and could be from an area of Zostera. 8.7) Subtidal Mud While there are patches of mud in Crow Sound (D. Thompson, pers. comm., 2010) nothing is known about their fauna. An area about 12 nautical miles west of the Bishop Rock is a more significant mud habitat. Before the 2008 amendment to the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 (WCA) and the subsequent fisheries regulations that prohibited the landing of skates and certain rays, this area was fished with longlines and nets for D. batis and large Raja spp., including R. clavata. 24
8.8) Offshore grounds The grounds to the south, west and north west of the Isles of Scilly (ICES areas VIIh, VIIg and parts of VIIj) from 50 metres down to about 200 metres, are a major fishing area for the beam trawlers of south west England but also for vessels from all parts of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, as well as a large fleet of foreign vessels holding quota from the European Union. The main target species are S. solea and M. merluccius; the first caught mainly in beam trawls; the latter primarily by with bottom set nets. The benthic fish community is rich in flatfish; the commonest of which are Thickback Sole (Microchirus variegatus), L. whiffiagonis, Imperial Scaldfish (Arnoglossus imperialis), and Scaldfish (Arnoglossus laterna), followed by S. solea. Witch (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) and Dabs (Limanda limanda) are also found here. Data from the CEFAS Trawl surveys (1982 to 2007) and UKMFRS show that of the other bony fish T. minutus is the commonest along with Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), C. lyra, Spotted Dragonet (Callionymus maculatus); other relatively common fish of the area are Norway Pout (Trisopterus esmarkii), M. aeglefinus, M. merluccius, M. merlangus, L. piscatorius, the gurnards Chelidonichthys lucernus, Eutrigla gurnardus and Aspitrigla cuculus: other fish found in this sector include G. morhua, Z. faber and the Black-bellied Angler (Lophius budegassa). The only elasmobranch that is commonly found in samples is S. canicula, but the Spurdog (Squalus acanthias) and smooth hounds (Mustelus spp.) are also caught. Shagreen Rays (Leucoraja fullonica), Spotted Rays (Raja montagui) and L. naevus occur, and the Sandy Ray (Leucoraja circularis), R. clavata and Undulate Ray (Raja undulata) are relatively rare. Quite a variety of rarer fish have been found in these deeper areas reaching out to oceanic waters have over the years. These include the only specimen of an Imperial Blackfish (Schedophilus ovalis) found in UK waters. Two deepwater Sharpnose Sevengill Shark (Heptranchias perlo), and several Bluntnose Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus griseus), which can grow to over five metres, have been caught here. Other uncommon or seldom seen fish that have been caught in this area are Moray Eel (Muraena helena), Sailfin Dory (Zenopsis conchifer), Wreckfish (Polyprion americanus), Remora (Remora remora), Yarrell’s Blenny (Chirolophis ascanii), Blackfish (Centrolophus niger) and Four-spot Megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii). 25
Page 1 and 2: Isles of Scilly Marine Biodiversity
Page 3 and 4: 5.3.4) Mullet nets 15 5.4) Potting
Page 5 and 6: APPENDICES 46 A) Fish and shellfish
Page 7 and 8: From this a directory of contacts w
Page 9 and 10: 2.5) Study of shore fish The intert
Page 11 and 12: 4) Areas and habitats These are gen
Page 13 and 14: and ooze. 4.3.1) North and north we
Page 15 and 16: according to the animals targeted.
Page 17 and 18: 5.4.3) Soft-eye pots. These are sim
Page 19 and 20: (Cetorhinus maximus) frequently see
Page 21 and 22: The Giant Goby (Gobius cobitis) has
Page 23: 8.5) Sand 8.5.1) Intertidal sandfla
Page 27 and 28: Fig.1 Juvenile Lumpsucker Cyclopter
Page 29 and 30: in and around the Isles of Scilly s
Page 31 and 32: 9.6) Rays 9.6.1) Common Skate Diptu
Page 33 and 34: 9.11) Atlantic Salmon and Sea trout
Page 35 and 36: M. aeglefinus is a northern fish an
Page 37 and 38: off the Cornish coast (M. Gilbert,
Page 39 and 40: Figure 3. Gobius sp. St Agnes, Sept
Page 41 and 42: 10) Spawning and Nursery areas 10.1
Page 43 and 44: 11.2) Crustacean fisheries 11.2.1)
Page 45 and 46: angling would excluded. If carefull
Page 47 and 48: Belone belone Garfish Callionymus l
Page 49 and 50: B) Bibliography on the Fish and Fis
Page 51 and 52: Lewis, G., Parslow, R., Gall, A. an
Page 53 and 54: UK BAP (2009) 2007 UK BAP priority
Page 55 and 56: St Agnes Regn. No. Vessel Skipper C
Page 57 and 58: D) Recording Forms D.1) Fish and Sh

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