Download AEBR 2018/206 – Monitoring Recovery of Benthic Fauna in Spirits Bay

Tuck, I.D.; Hewitt, J.E.; Bulmer, R.H. (2019). Monitoring Recovery of Benthic Fauna in Spirits Bay.

New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 206. 74 p.

This report describes changes in the benthic communities of Spirits Bay related to fishing pressure and environmental factors. Survey data were analysed from 2006, 2010 and 2017. Epifaunal and infaunal communities consistently identified year, habitat, depth and fishing effects. Weaker fishing effects were detected from recent surveys, where fishing effort was lower. Species identified as sensitive to fishing were previously identified as sensitive on the basis of life history and morphology.