Scientists from the University have led calls for new research to enhance habitat protection.
Scientists from the University have led calls for new research to enhance habitat protection.
The viability of fish populations relies on healthy habitats where juveniles can spawn, feed and develop. A cornerstone of sustainable fisheries management, these habitats are facing increased pressure from coastal development, climate change, pollution and a number of other factors.
It means there is an urgent need for better tools to understand which habitats really matter for both juvenile and adult fish populations so they can be conserved and managed. However, there are a number of challenges around how the quality of juvenile habitats is measured.
To try and address this, members of the International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Working Group on the Value of Coastal Habitats for Exploited Species (WGVHES) – including
Dr Benjamin Ciotti from the University of Plymouth – undertook a comprehensive review to evaluate the approaches being used to assess juvenile habitat quality.
Read More: University of Plymouth
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