@article{https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70100,

title = {Key drivers of at-vessel mortality in demersal sharks},

author = {David Ruiz-García and Claudio Barría and Juan A. Raga and David March},

url = {https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.70100},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70100},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

urldate = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Conservation Biology},

volume = {40},

number = {1},

pages = {e70100},

abstract = {Abstract Chondrichthyans are highly vulnerable to fisheries overexploitation, and postcapture mortality poses a significant threat to most species. Global bycatch mitigation guidelines recommend adopting hierarchical decision-making approaches tailored to species-specific vulnerabilities and socioeconomic and regulatory contexts. Effective implementation of such strategies requires robust understanding of the factors driving vulnerability to postcapture mortality. To address this need, we developed a machine learning method to identify key drivers of at-vessel mortality (AVM) based on a broad set of biological, environmental, and fishing-related parameters. We sought to reveal interactions among predictors, nonlinear responses between these variables and mortality risk, and threshold values beyond which the likelihood of mortality increased markedly. We applied this approach to trawl bycatch data on small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) and blackmouth catshark (Galeus melastomus) in the western Mediterranean. Body size, air temperature, and on-deck time emerged as the primary AVM drivers. Mortality risk increased substantially at temperatures above 20°C for S. canicula and 16°C for G. melastomus, with on-deck exposure exceeding 15 min, and when body size was below 40 and 55 cm, respectively. Identification of these drivers and thresholds provides valuable insights for bycatch mitigation; can inform strategies for more threatened, closely related, or physiologically and ecologically similar species; and may support management authorities in adopting targeted bycatch avoidance strategies, gear selectivity, and mortality reduction measures. Such measures can be tailored to specimens, areas, and periods of heightened mortality risk to maximize effectiveness. Furthermore, our scalable modeling approach offers a robust tool for identifying critical AVM drivers across regions and species, and its applicability can be extended to broader fisheries management and global conservation efforts.},

keywords = {árboles de regresión potenciada, arrastre de fondo, boosted regression trees, bottom trawl, bycatch mitigation, elasmobranch, elasmobranquios, fisheries management, gestión de pesquerías, handling practices, IOS4DOM, mitigación de la pesca incidental, prácticas de manejo},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70080,

title = {Potential Spatial Mismatches Between Marine Predators and Their Prey in the Southern Hemisphere in Response to Climate Change},

author = {Maria Bas and Jazel Ouled-Cheikh and Alba Fuster-Alonso and Laura Julià and David March and Francisco Ramírez and Luis Cardona and Marta Coll},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gcb.70080},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70080},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

urldate = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Global Change Biology},

volume = {31},

number = {2},

pages = {e70080},

abstract = {ABSTRACT Global change is rapidly reshaping species' habitat suitability ranges, hence leading to significant shifts in the distribution of marine life. Contrasting distributional responses among species can alter the spatial overlap between predators and prey, potentially disrupting trophic interactions and affecting food web dynamics. Here, we evaluate long-term changes in the spatial overlap of habitat suitability ranges for trophically related species, including crustaceans, fish, penguins, and pinnipeds across 12 Large Marine Ecosystems from the Southern Hemisphere, merged into three primary regions: South America, Southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. To this aim, we first use Boosted Regression Trees (BRTs) to hindcast and project species-specific changes in suitable habitat from 1850 to 2100 under two future climate scenarios: SSP1-2.6 (low climate forcing) and SSP5-8.5 (high climate forcing). We then analyze changes in species habitat suitability and potential predator–prey spatial overlaps. Findings reveal that marine species generally exhibit changes in their suitable habitats, with pronounced shifts towards higher latitudes under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. However, contrasting trends emerge among predators across functional groups and regions of South America, Southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. These variations highlight the need for species and regional-specific management responses. We also project contrasting spatial mismatches between predators and prey: predators experiencing declines in suitable habitat tend to exhibit greater overlap with their prey in future scenarios, whereas those with expanding suitable habitat show reduced spatial overlap with their prey. This study provides valuable insights that can inform spatial management strategies in response to climate change and illustrate how climate change may weaken species' ability to adapt to climate-driven environmental changes due to trophic disruptions.},

note = {e70080 GCB-24-3556.R1},

keywords = {boosted regression trees, Climate change, IOS4DOM, predator, prey, Southern Hemisphere, spatial overlap, trophic mismatch},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.70139,

title = {Seabird-vessel interactions in industrial fisheries of Northwest Africa: Implications for international bycatch management},

author = {Leia Navarro-Herrero and David March and Teresa Militão and Sarah Saldanha and Fernando Medrano and Diego Vicente-Sastre and Jazel Ouled-Cheikh and Raül Ramos and Diana Matos and Isabel Rodrigues and Vítor H. Paiva and José P. Granadeiro and Paulo Catry and Andreia Leal and Herculano A. Dinis and Jacob González-Solís},

url = {https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2664.70139},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.70139},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

urldate = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology},

volume = {62},

number = {10},

pages = {2814-2831},

abstract = {Abstract Fisheries have been recognised as a significant global threat to seabird populations through overfishing and bycatch. Yet, seabird–fishing interactions remain understudied in West African waters despite rich seabird biodiversity and intensive fishing activity occurring in the region. Using high-resolution tracking data of seabirds and fishing and nonfishing vessels, we investigated the dynamics of interactions between nine seabird species and industrial fisheries in Northwest African waters. We also assessed the underlying factors (seabird breeding status; fishing vessel density, gear type, length and operational status; and environmental features) influencing seabird–fishing interactions. Furthermore, we pinpointed the relevant political stakeholders in such seabird–fishing interactions by identifying the type of fisheries, vessel nation flags and maritime zones involved. We found that, for each species, more than 70% of individuals encountered vessels within 30 km, with most of these encounters involving nonfishing vessels. However, Cape Verde shearwaters (Calonectris edwardsii), to a lesser extent, Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) and Audouin's gulls (Ichthyaetus audouinii) frequently approached fishing vessels within 1.5 km, exhibiting clear attending behaviour. Specifically, 66% of Cape Verde shearwaters, 27% of Cory's shearwaters and 50% of Audouin's gulls showed this close-range association with fishing vessels. The probability of a seabird attending a fishing vessel was influenced by specific vessel features and environmental conditions (i.e. large vessels near the coast). Furthermore, we identified a range of flags within national waters, showing that nearly 20% of the interactions involved foreign-flagged fishing vessels from Europe, Africa, Asia and Central America. Policy implications. This study provides guidance for seabird conservation by identifying high-risk bycatch species and priority fishing fleets where mitigation should be targeted. It also demonstrates the potential of environmental variables to predict seabird–fishing interactions and underscores the political responsibilities essential for effective management in Northwest African waters.},

keywords = {Automatic Identification System (AIS), boosted regression trees, Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), fine-scale tracking assessment, IOS4DOM, multispecies, transboundary policy, vessel attraction},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}