Hydrobiologia

, Volume 588, Issue 1, pp 225–229 | Cite as

Convergent signs of degradation in both the capacity and the quality of an essential fish habitat: state of the Seine estuary (France) flatfish nurseries

  • O. Le Pape
  • C. Gilliers
  • P. Riou
  • J. Morin
  • R. Amara
  • Y. Désaunay
ECSA38

Abstract

The Bay of Seine is a potentially important nursery ground, especially for flatfish. This area, however, is also strongly anthropogenically influenced. A composite approach was chosen to compare the flatfish nursery function of the Seine estuary with other coastal and estuarine areas and to determine the impact of anthropogenic disturbances. It emerges that alteration of the nursery function in the Seine estuary is related to the loss of nursery habitat and to a lower quality of the residual surfaces. These observations stressed the importance of habitat destruction and decreased quality of remaining habitat for fish stocks renewal.

Keywords

Essential fish habitat Nursery ground Flatfish juvenile Anthropogenic disturbance Seine estuary 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgements

This pool of results were supported by several French institutions, and especially the Seine-Normandie Water agency and the Région Basse Normandie, and also by 2 national research programs: Seine Aval 2 and Ectophy.

References

  1. Abarnou, A., 2000. Les contaminants organiques. Quels risques pour le monde vivant ? Programme Scientifique Seine Aval Fascicule 13: 33 pp.Google Scholar
  2. Adams, S., 2002. Biological indicators of aquatic ecosysytem stress. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland, USA, 621 pp.Google Scholar
  3. Amara, R. & R. Galois, 2004. Nutritional condition of metamorphosing sole: spatial and temporal analyses. J Fish Biol 64: 72–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Amara, R., P. Laffargue, J. M. Dewarumez & C. Maryniak, 2001. Feeding ecology and growth of 0-group flatfishes (sole, dab and plaice) on a nursery ground (Southern Bight of North Sea). JFish Biol 58: 788–803.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Anonymous, 2003. Report of the ICES advisory commities on Fishery management, ICES cooperative research report, 261, Copengague, Danemark, 975 pp.Google Scholar
  6. Beck, M., K. Heck, K. Able, D. Childers, D. Eggleston, B. M. Gillanders, B. Halpern, C. Hays, K. Hostino, T. J. Minello, R. Orth, P. Sheridan & M. P. Weinstein, 2001. The role of nearshore ecosystems as fish and shellfish nurseries. Biosci. 51: 633–641.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Billen, G. & M. Poulin, 1999. L’oxygène. Un témoin du fonctionnement microbiologique. Programme Scientifique Seine Aval Fascicule 5: 30 pp.Google Scholar
  8. Burgeot, T., 1999. Des organismes sous stress. Programme Scientifique Seine Aval, Fascicule 14: 36 pp.Google Scholar
  9. Burke, J., D. S. Peters & P. Hanson, 1993. Morphological indices and otolith microstructure of Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias undalatus, as indicators of habitat quality along an estuarine pollution gradient. Env Biol Fish 36: 25–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Chiffoleau, J. F., 2001. La contamination métallique. Programme scientifique Seine Aval fascicule 8: 39 pp.Google Scholar
  11. Claisse, D., 1989. Chemical contamination of the French coasts. The results of a ten-year mussel watch. Mar Poll Bull. 20: 523–528.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Coates, S. A., S. R. Colclough, M. Robson & T. D Harrison, 2004. Development of an estuarine classification scheme for the Water Framework Directive, Phase 1&2 - Transitional Fish component. R&D Technical Report E1–131/TR, Environment Agency, Bristol, UK.Google Scholar
  13. Costanza, R., R. Darge, R. Degroot, S. Farber, M. Grasso, B. Hannon, K. Limburg, S. Naeem, R. V. O’Neill, J. Paruelo, R. G. Raskin, P. Sutton & M. Vandenbelt, 1997. the value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature, 387: 253–260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Cowan, J. H., K. A. Rose & D. R. de Vries, 2000. Is density dependent growth in young of the year fishes a question of critical weight? Rev. Fish Biol Fish. 10: 61–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Dauvin, J. C., 2002. Patrimoine biologique et chaines alimentaires. Programme scientifique Seine Aval fascicule 7: 47 pp.Google Scholar
  16. Ferber, D., 2001. Keeping the stygian waters at Bay. Science 291: 968–973.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Gibson, R. N., 1994. Impact of habitat quality and quantity on the recruitment of juvenile flatfishes. Netherlands J Sea Res., 32: 191–206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Gilliers, C., O. Le Pape, J. Morin, Y. Désaunay & R. Amara, (2006) Are density and growth quantitative indicators of essential fish habitat quality ? A study of the common sole (Solea solea, L.) on nursery grounds. Estuar Coast Shelf Scie 69: 96–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Hall, S. J., 1998. The effects of fishing on marine ecosystems and community. Blackwell Science, Oxford.Google Scholar
  20. Johnson, L. L., J. T. Landahl, L. A. Kubin, B. H. Horness, M. S. Myers, T. K. Collier & J. E. Stein, 1998. Assessing the effects of anthropogenic stressors on Puget Sound flatfish populations. J Sea Res. 39: 125–137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Koutsikopoulos, C., Y. Désaunay, D. Dorel & J. Marchand, 1989a. Role of coastal areas in the life history of sole (Solea solea (L.)) in the bay of Biscay. Scient Mar 53(2–3): 567–575.Google Scholar
  22. Koutsikopoulos, C., M. Karakiri, Y. Desaunay, & D. Dorel, 1989b. Response of juvenile sole (Solea solea (L.)) to environmental changes investigated by otolith microstructure analysis. Rapp PV Réun Cons Int Explor Mer 191: 281–286.Google Scholar
  23. Lenanton, R. C. J., & I. C. Potter, 1987. Contribution of estuaries to commercial fisheries in temperate Western Australia and the concept of estuarine dependence. Estuar. 10: 28–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Le Pape, O., J. Holley, D. Guérault & Y. Désaunay, 2003a. Coastal and estuarine essential fish habitat quality. Estimations based on the size of juvenile common sole (Solea solea L.). Estuar. Coast Shelf Sci 58: 793–803.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Le Pape, O., F. Chauvet, Y. Désaunay & G. Guérault, 2003b. Relationship between interannual variations of the river plume and the extent of nursery grounds for the common sole (Solea solea, L.) in Vilaine Bay. Effects on recruitment variability. JSea Res 50(2/3): 177–185.Google Scholar
  26. Le Pape, O., F. Chauvet, S. Mahévas, L. Lazure, G. Guérault & Y. Désaunay, 2003c. Quantitative description of habitat suitability for the juvenile common sole (Solea solea, L.) and contribution of different habitats to the adult population in the Bay of Biscay (France). J Sea Rese 50(2–3): 139–149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Lesueur, P., 1999. Sables chenaux et vasières, Dynamique des sédiments et évolution morphologique. Programme Scientifique Seine Aval Fascicule 3: 38 pp.Google Scholar
  28. Meng, L., C. Gray, B. Talpin & A. Kupcha, 2000. Using winter flounder growth rates to assess habitat quality in Rhode islands coastal lagoons. Mar Ecol Porg Ser. 201: 287–299.Google Scholar
  29. Miller, J. M., J. P. Reed & L. J. Pietrafesa, 1984. Patterns, mechanisms and approaches to the study of migrations of estuarine dependent fish larvae and juveniles. In Mechanisms of migration in fishes (J. D. Mc Cleave et al. (ed.), plenum New York, 209–225.Google Scholar
  30. Mouny, P., J. C. Dauvin, C. Bessineton & B. Elkaim, 1998. Biological components from the Seine Estuary: first results. Hydrobiol 373/374: 333–347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Peterson, C. H., H. C. Summerson, E. Thomson, H. S. Lenihan, J. Grabowski, L. Manning, F. Micheli & G. Johnson, 2000. Synthesis of linkages between benthic and fish communities as key to protecting essential fish habitat. Bull Marine Sci 66: 759–774.Google Scholar
  32. Peterson, M. A., 2003. A conceptual view of environment-habitat-production linkages in tidal river estuaries Rev. Fish Sci 11(4): 291–313.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. Phelan, B. A., R. Goldberg, A. J. Bejda, J. Pereira, S. Hagan, P. Clark, A. L. Studholme, A. Calabrese & K. W. Able, 2000. Estuarine and habitat-related differences in growth rates of young of the year winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) and tautog (Tautoga onitis) in three north-eastern US estuaries. J Exp Mari Biol Ecol 247: 1–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Rijnsdorp, A. D., F. A. Van Beek, S. Flatman, R. M. Millner, J. D. Riley, M. Giret & R. De Clerck, 1992. Recruitment of sole stocks, Solea solea (L.), in the northeast atlantic. Neth J Sea Res. 29: 173–192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Riou, P., O. Le Pape & Rogers. S. I., 2001. Relative contributions of different sole and plaice nurseries to the adult population in the eastern Channel: application of a combined method using generalized linear models and a geographic information system. Aquat Liv Res 14: 125–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Rybarczyc, H. & B. Elkaim, 2003. An analysis of the trophic network of a macrotidal estuary: the Seine Estuary (Eastern Channel, Normandy, France). Estuar Coast Shelf Sci. 58: 775–791.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Scharf, F., 2000. Patterns in abundance, Growth, and Mortality of Juvenile red drum across estuaries on the Texas coast with Implications for recruitment and stock enhancement. Trans Amer Fish Soci 129: 1207–1222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Tronczynski, J., 1999. Les contaminants organiques qui laissent des tracas. Sources, transport et devenir. Programme Scientifique Seine Aval Fascicule 12: 39 pp.Google Scholar
  39. Van der Veer, H. W., R. Berghahn, J. M. Miller & A. D. Rijnsdorp, 2000. Recruitment in flatfish, with special emphasis on North Atlantic species: Progress made by the flatfish symposia. ICES J Mar Sci 57: 202–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • O. Le Pape
    • 1
  • C. Gilliers
    • 1
  • P. Riou
    • 1
  • J. Morin
    • 1
  • R. Amara
    • 1
  • Y. Désaunay
    • 1
  1. 1.Lab. Ecologie Halieutique, Agrocampus RennesRennes cedexFrance

Personalised recommendations