Epsilon Open Archive

In July-August 2012 the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences performed a fykenet survey in the area Stigfjorden on the Swedish west coast. The objective was to describe the local fish community and to map essential habitats for key species. Eighty sites were sampled, from the litoral zone down to 20 m depth. The abundance of juvenile plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), saithe (Pollachius virens) and cod (Gadus morhua) was relatively high. Goldsinny wrasse (Centrolabrus rupestris) and eel pout (Zoarches viviparus) were also caught in high numbers and the shore crab (Carcinus maenas) dominated among the crustaceans. The results from Stigfjorden were compared to previous and contemporary investigations. The spatial distribution of different species was related to different habitat characteristics with General Additive Models. The statistical models and GIS maps describing different environmental variables were combined to produce comprehensive maps of essential habitats for the studied species. The species and life stages modelled were cod <18 cm, cod >18 cm, yellow eel (Anguilla anguilla), plaice, whiting (Merlangius merlangus), goldsinny wrasse, eelpout and shore crab. The models described the species distribution well generally and depth was the most important variable. The highest abundance of juvenile cod and plaice were observed in the deeper parts of the area and yellow eel, eelpout and shore crab were most abundant in shallow parts of the fjord. Cod, eel and eelpout are all on the Swedish red list. To conclude, Stigfjorden hosts favorable habitat conditions for a number of species, primarily as a nursery for species as plaice and saithe.