| Autor: |
Norderhaug KM; Institute of Marine Research IMR, Norway, Nye Flødevigveien 20, 4817, His, Norway. kjellmn@hi.no.; University of Oslo Norway, Oslo, Norway. kjellmn@hi.no., Nedreaas K; Institute of Marine Research, Norway, Nordnesgaten 33, 5005, Bergen, Norway., Huserbråten M; Institute of Marine Research, Norway, Nordnesgaten 50, 5005, Bergen, Norway., Moland E; Institute of Marine Research, Norway, Nye Flødevigveien 20, 4817, His, Norway.; Centre for Coastal Research (CCR), University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway. |
| Abstrakt: |
In this contribution, we propose fishery driven predator release as the cause for the largest grazing event ever observed in the NE Atlantic. Based on the evolving appreciation of limits to population connectivity, published and previously unpublished data, we discuss whether overfishing caused a grazer bloom of the sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) resulting in overgrazing of more than 2000 km 2 kelp (Laminaria hyperborea) forest along Norwegian and Russian coasts during the 1970 s. We show that coastal fisheries likely depleted predatory coastal fish stocks through modernization of fishing methods and fleet. These fish were important predators on urchins and the reduction coincided with the urchin bloom. From this circumstantial evidence, we hypothesize that coastal predatory fish were important in regulating sea urchins, and that a local population dynamics perspective is necessary in management of coastal ecosystems. |
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