Some southern horse mackerel in this area is caught by demersal otter trawls. Bycatch of Endangered, Threatened and Protected (ETP) species, and other non-target species have not been reported within this fishery, although high levels of bycatch can occur in demersal otter trawl fisheries. Demersal otter trawling has some habitat impacts.Southern horse mackerel is caught throughout the year and taken by directed fisheries, all catches are used for human consumption. Southern horse mackerel are targeted by a small number of fleets, which are defined by the gear type (bottom trawl, purse-seine and artisanal) and country (Portugal and Spain). Until 2011 the highest contribution to the total catches was, in general, from the trawl fleets. Since 2012, there has been a significant increase in the catches from the purse-seine. The contribution of the artisanal fleet from both Portugal and Spain is very small, respectively representing 4% and 1% of the total catches in 2019. The Portuguese artisanal fleet is mainly composed by small size vessels licensed to operate with several gears (gillnets, trammel nets, and lines). In 2021, 64% of catch was taken by purse seiners, 31% by demersal otter trawls, and 5% by the artisanal fisheries using other fishing gears.Demersal otter trawling in the Iberian coast has some impact upon the seabed, as there is contact with the seabed and therefore risk to habitats. Impacts include abrasion (this pressure principally affects the seabed habitats and it is associated with bottom-contacting mobile fishing gear), and smothering, which can be cause by bottom trawling in soft sediment areas in this ecoregion.Within this area, the common skate, and less often spurdogs, are caught as bycatch in demersal trawl fisheries, but there have been no reports of bycatch of Endangered, Threatened or Protected (ETP) species within this fishery, therefore interactions are considered to be low (REF).Horse mackerel is a schooling species and often close to the sea floor, sharing the same habitat with other fish and invertebrate species. These species are mainly: snipefish, boarfish, blue whiting, European hake, sardine, blue jack mackerel, squid and pelagic crabs. These species are found together in the stock area and most of them are commercially exploited, hence fishing mortality for horse mackerel could affect the yield of all other species and vice versa. Young horse mackerel are a feeding resource consumed by several demersal, benthic and pelagic predators present in the distribution area like hake, monkfish, rays and dolphins, but does not seem to be the favoured prey among the area predators. Some recent unpublished work suggests an increase in the predation pressure from hake on small to medium-size horse mackerel is probably reflective of the recovery of the hake stock coupled with the high abundance levels of horse mackerel. Horse mackerel is mainly a zooplanktivorous species and become ichthyophagic when they reach large sizes, also being less targeted by predators. Even though horse mackerel prey on fish as they grow, they show a comparatively lower consumption of fish, being euphausids (Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Nyctiphanes couchi) and decapods (Pasiphaea sivado) as the most important preys. Horse mackerel in this area are vulnerable to the effects of changing climatic conditions, which will most likely affect the abundance, distribution and composition of fisheries catches.To improve monitoring and reporting of fishing activity, MCS would like to see remote electronic monitoring (REM) with cameras implemented, used and enforced. To reduce the impacts of fishing on the marine environment we would like to see a just transition to the complete removal of bottom towed gear from offshore Marine Protected Areas designated to protect the seabed. We also want to see reduction and mitigation of environmental impacts including emissions and blue carbon habitat damage.
