B. Morales-Nin

• PhD
• Managing Director at Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies

The anchovy present in the European Atlantic waters is separated in two distinct stock management units, one distributed in the Bay of Biscay (ICES Sub-Area 8) and the other distributed in ICES Division 27.9.a. Scientific advice for Div 27.9.a stock relies on the proposal of considering two different components, the western component (subdivisions...

Citizen science invites the public to participate in both scientific thinking and data collection. Citizen science adds new collaborators whose contributions help to gather or analyse data on a large scale particularly relevant for emerging questions about the distribution and abundance of organisms across space and time. Syngnathids are cryptic fi...

The European hake Merluccius merluccius is the third most valuable species for the North-East Atlantic and the Mediterranean fisheries. European hake has been rated as overexploited in the Mediterranean, thus careful management is advisable. Mediterranean hake is well-differentiated from Atlantic hake, but sub-population structure within the Medite...

The spatial distribution of deep-sea fishes is commonly related to major water masses or regional circulatory features that in turn may reflect differences in food-web structure and productivity. Aphanopus carbo is a benthopelagic species that undergoes horizontal and vertical migrations driven by spawning and by feeding, and for which a large-scal...

The spatial and temporal variation of the early growth patterns (EGP) of anchoveta (Engraulis ringens), were analyzed and compared among three geographic areas, i.e., Northern zone (18-24 °S); North-central zone (26-30 °S) and Southern zone (33-42 °S) off the Chilean coast over three years (i.e., 2015, 2016 and 2019). EGP were determined through ot...

This work is the result of an international research effort to determine the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on marine recreational fishing. Changes were assessed on (1) access to fishing, derived from lockdowns and other mobility restrictions; (2) ecosystems, because of alterations in fishing intensity and human presence; (3) the blue econom...

We determined the efficacy of marking the otoliths of three small-sized progenetic gobies to validate their increment periodicity. These small gobies have high mortalities and rearing difficulties, making direct validation difficult. The otoliths were marked by immersing the fish in a bath of alizarin red S. The fishes were euthanatized and the num...

Assessing the motivations and wildlife-related value orientations (WVOs) of outdoor recreations, such as recreational fishing (RF), is of key importance to understand the human dimensions of natural resource use and to inform management actions. Using a national random telephone survey, we contrasted the participation rate, the socio-economical pro...

Seasonal variation in the incorporation of trace elements into the calcified structures of fish can produce intra annual variation in the microchemistry of those structures. Interpretation of these seasonal signals can provide information about fish age. This approach offers great promise for objectively estimating age and corroborating other metho...

The reproductive biology of two species of pipefish, Syngnathus typhle and S. abaster, was investigated in western Mediterranean coastal waters, through determination of sex-ratio and maturity state, and histological assessment of gonads, brood pouch and embryos of these little-known syngnathid species. A total of 22 S. typhle and 13 S. abaster ind...

The age and growth patterns of the mesopelagic fish Ceratoscopelus maderensis (family Myctophidae) of the western Mediterranean Sea were described throughout its entire life cycle (from larvae to adult stages) using the sagittae otoliths of 59 individuals collected in December 2009. Three characteristic zones were identified along the cross-section...

Increasing sea temperature is a driver of change for many fish traits, particularly for fast-growing epipelagic species with short life spans. With warming, altered spawning phenology and faster growth may produce substantially larger body sizes of the new cohort, affecting fishery productivity. We present an individual-based model (IBM) that predi...

Escape incidents of farmed fish involve economic losses to fish farms, interactions with local fisheries and environmental impacts to coastal ecosystems. In order to ensure a sustainable aquaculture activity it is advisable to gather any kind of information about the escapees for further management strategies. In this study, we aimed to trace the l...

Background: Syngnathid fishes (Actinopterygii, Syngnathidae) are flagship species strongly associated with seaweed and seagrass habitats. Seahorses and pipefishes are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic and environmental disturbances, but most species are currently Data Deficient according to the IUCN (2019), requiring more biological and ecological...

Background Syngnathid fishes (Actinopterygii, Syngnathidae) are flagship species strongly associated with seaweed and seagrass habitats. Seahorses and pipefishes are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic and environmental disturbances, but most species are currently Data Deficient according to the IUCN (2019), requiring more biological and ecological...

Background: Syngnathid fishes (Actinopterygii, Syngnathidae) are flagship species strongly associated with seaweed and seagrass habitats. Seahorses and pipefishes are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic and environmental disturbances, but most species are currently Data Deficient according to the IUCN (IUCN, 2019), requiring more biological and ecol...

Pipefish are a vulnerable and diverse group of ichthyofauna tightly associated to seagrass meadows, key habitats in shallow marine areas. Despite of their charismatic role, main ecological features, habitat and diet of this group remain largely unknown. This study focuses on assessing pipefish habitat and feeding preferences including different hos...

The common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is an epipelagic thermophilic species with a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical regions that is characterized by its migratory behavior and fast growth rates. This species is targeted by artisanal small-scale and recreational fisheries in most regions where it is found. This paper updates...

Background: Syngnathid fishes (Actinopterygii, Syngnathidae) are flagship species highly associated to seaweed and seagrass habitats of marine ecosystems biodiversity. Seahorses and pipefish are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic and environmental disturbances, but most species are currently Data Defficient by IUCN (IUCN, 2019), requiring more biol...

Background: Syngnathid fishes (Actinopterygii, Syngnathidae) are flagship species strongly associated with seaweed and seagrass habitats. Seahorses and pipefishes are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic and environmental disturbances, but most species are currently Data Deficient according to the IUCN (IUCN, 2019), requiring more biological and ecol...

The European Parliament is concerned about the lack of information on the relevance of nine million Europeans engaged in marine recreational fishing (MRF), committing Member States to encourage environmental and socioeconomic sustainability of the sector. The objective of this paper is to provide recommendations to guide research actions and manage...

This chapter was written during the Workshop on Age Validation of Gadoids (WKAVGS 2013) which was held 6–10 May 2013 at Imedea in Esporles, Mallorca. The terms of reference for the workshop were to: 1. Review information on age estimations, otolith exchanges, workshops, and validation works done so far on the following species: European hake, cod,...

Stock management should be guided by assessment models that, among others, need to be fed by reliable data of catch and effort. However, precise data are difficult to obtain in heterogeneous fisheries. Specifically, small scale, multi gear, multispecies fisheries are dynamic systems where fishers may lively change fishing strategy conditioned by mu...

An amalgam of empirical data from laboratory and field studies is needed to build robust, theoretical models of climate impacts that can provide science-based advice for sustainable management of fish and shellfish resources. Using a semi-systematic literature review, Gap Analysis and multilevel meta-analysis, we assessed the status of empirical kn...

The phenotypical variability in otolith shape of anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) was analysed in three zones (I, II and III) from north to south along the Chilean coast, using juvenile and adult fish. Generalised additive models were used to analyse shape indices and canonical discriminant analysis was used to analyse elliptical Fourier harmonics. Th...

The cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) trammel net fishery is one of the most important small-scale fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea. Here we describe the main catch, by-catch and discard patterns found in this fishery on Mallorca Island by onboard surveys of 1005 netting walls from 23 fishing trips. The number of items captured, their size and their...

En Europa practican la pesca marítima recreativa (PMR) nueve millones de aficionados que generan un gasto de 6 000 millones de euros anuales. En España se estima que hay 300 000 pescadores recreativos que realizan un gasto de 217 millones de euros anuales para desarrollar su actividad. Por estos motivos, la Política Pesquera Común (PPC) reconoce qu...

Resumen: En Europa practican la pesca marítima recreativa (PMR) 10 millones de aficionados que generan un gasto de 6 000 millones de euros anuales [1]. En España se estima que hay 300 000 pescadores recreativos que realizan un gasto de 217 millones de euros anuales [1]. Por estos motivos, la Política Pesquera Común (PPC) reconoce que "la pesca recr...

The common dentex, Dentex dentex, is a fish species which inhabits marine environments in the Mediterranean and Northeast Atlantic regions. This is an important species from an ecological, economic and conservation perspective, however critical information on its population genetic structure is lacking. Most samples were obtained from the Mediterra...

Information on the eight microsatellite loci used in the present study and the PCR conditions. (CL168 and CL1014 [72]; Ds33 and Dxd16 [73]; SaGT41b [74]; SaI19 [75]; SauE82INRA and SauI41INRA [76]). (DOCX)

D-loop haplotypes for each individual. (DOCX)

Dentex dentex genotypes at 8 microsatellites. (0 = no amplification). (DOCX)

Diagram from Structure Harvester expressing Delta K according to K. (TIFF)

All information used for COI gene sequence analyses in Figs 2 and 3. np: not published. (DOCX)

Factorial Correspondences Analysis (FCA) of the whole Dentex dentex specimens. In the blue envelope are the very homogeneous samples of Mediterranean and Bay of Biscay origin. The red envelope gathers the Bargelloni et al. 2003 Portugal samples. Clearly, Bargelloni's Portuguese fish are heterogeneous (at least three clouds) and do not belong to D....

Diagram from Structure Harvester expressing likelihood according to K. Standard error bars are also indicated. (TIFF)

COI and D-loop sequences included in mtDNA analyses. (DOCX)

Mismatch distribution for D-loop haplotypes of Dentex dentex. (TIFF)

Heat-map of D-loop pairwise Fst's between all pairs of localities. Asterisk indicates P≤ 0.05 in terms of statistical significance. (TIFF)

In the Balearic Islands, different trammel net designs have been adopted to promote fisheries sustainability and reduce discards. Here, we compare the catch performance of three trammel net designs targeting the spiny lobster Palinurus elephas in terms of biomass, species composition and revenue from commercial catches and discards. Designs differ...

Data of commercial species caught by trammel nets of different gear material.

Supplementary information.

Data of trammel net deployment date and location and as well as other associated information.

Non-commercial invertebrate fraction of the catch by trammel nets.

Mediterranean small-scale fleets catch a substantial amount of untargeted fish that are sold at a low market price. Most of these catches are pooled into mixed-fish boxes (MFBoxes), which are usually labeled and sold as mixed-fish commercial categories (MFCategories). In this paper, we describe the MFBoxes and the MFCategories from the small-scale...

Anchoveta, Engraulis ringens, supports the most productive small pelagic fisheries of Humboldt Current ecosystem. In the Chilean coast, management is based upon three management units: Unit I from Arica to Antofagasta (18.24°S 26.00°S), Unit II from Caldera to Coquimbo (26.01°S 32.16°S), and Unit III from Valparaiso to Valdivia (32.17°S 41.77°S). H...

In this essay, I review my career in fish and fisheries, describing my work in the context of the ideas of the period and how they have changed with time. My experience may be interesting especially for other women from social backgrounds that do not promote competitive careers. The main lessons that I have learned are that to be persistent and amb...

Marine recreational fishing (MRF) is a high-participation activity with large economic value and social benefits globally, and it impacts on some fish stocks. Although reporting MRF catches is a European Union legislative requirement, estimates are only available for some countries. Here, data on numbers of fishers, participation rates, days fished...

Stock management should be guided by assessment models that, among others, need to be fed by reliable data of catch and effort. However, precise data are difficult to obtain in heterogeneous fisheries. Specifically, small scale, multi gear, multispecies fisheries are dynamic systems where fishers may lively change fishing strategy conditioned by mu...

Although inferring habitat selection and movement in wild fishes using otolith microchemistry has been the subject of much debate, experimental results suggest that complex environmental vs. life history interactions affect the incorporation of certain chemical elements into otoliths. We hypothesized that under relatively homogeneous hydrographic c...

An economically important, small-scale fishery operates during the winter months in Mallorca. Using a special surrounding net that is hauled over the sand and gravel bottoms of bays at depths reaching 30 m, it primarily targets Aphia minuta and Pseudaphya ferreri, but other goby species and juveniles of the Pagellus spp are also caught. Similar fis...

Although some stocks are being severely exploited by recreational fishing, estimating the biomass extracted (harvest, H) by recreational fisheries is difficult, especially for marine recreational fisheries. One way to estimate H by recreational fisheries is to combine the fishing effort (E) with catch-per-unit-of-effort (CPUE) data. However, naivel...

Coastal, small-scale fisheries (SSF), whether artisanal (professional) or recreational, represent important socioeconomic activities across Europe that are currently undergoing a number of changes. This paper reviews and analyses the drivers of these changes, and makes recommendations for the future management of SSF. From the biological standpoint...

The common dentex Dentex dentex is an iconic endangered species in the Mediterranean, where it is a target species that is sought after for small-scale, recreational and spearfishing fisheries. The reproductive biology of D. dentex in the natural environment is poorly known; therefore, the reproductive strategy of the species was assessed through a...

A widely accepted practice to maximize the survival of mandatory or voluntary released aquatic animals that have ingested hooks is to cut the line, leaving the ingested hook in thousands of fish, sharks, turtles and marine invertebrates worldwide. Recent evidence suggests that the chemical composition (mainly metals) of ingested hooks can potential...

To check the suitability of otoliths for measuring biodiversity, the contour and shape of the sulcus acusticus of sagittal otoliths were described using geometric morphological analysis. Thirteen and fourteen points were used to define these structures respectively. Three current coastal fish assemblages of the north-western Mediterranean were sele...

The implementation of ecosystem-based approaches to marine management points to several shared objectives between conservation and fisheries management that require: better knowledge of the life history of the exploited resources; to elucidate the information encoded into the calcified tissues (otoliths, scales, bones, shells and corals) of marine...

The embryonic development of the squid Loligo vulgaris was observed from 183 egg 30 masses collected from special devices deployed throughout Cabrera National Park 31 (Baleares Islands, Western Mediterranean Sea). The sequence alignment analysis of 32 gene cytochrome oxidase I revealed that all embryos belonged to L. vulgaris. In total, 33 549 egg...

Fish otoliths have provided biologists with a treasure-house of valuable life history information across levels of biological organization from individuals to ecosystems. Otoliths have long been used to provide the age and growth estimates which are basic data that underpin scientific fisheries and fisheries ecology. The traditional use of calcifie...

The selection of spawning habitat of a population of Octopus vulgaris that is subject to a small scale exploitation was studied in the Cíes Islands within the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia (NW Spain). The technique used was visual censuses by scuba diving. We conducted 93 visual censuses from April 2012 to April 2014. The total s...

The selection of spawning habitat of a population of Octopus vulgaris that is subject to a small-scale exploitation was studied in the Cíes Islands within the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia (NW Spain). The technique used was visual censuses by scuba diving. We conducted 93 visual censuses from April 2012 to April 2014. The total s...

For decades, disruption of the bilateral symmetry of body structures has been related to underperformance and, hence, to fitness. In fish, this concept coupled with the claimed evidence for increased fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of pairs of hard structures, such as otoliths under conditions of stress, has led to the use of otolith FA (OFA) as a proxy...

The European anchovy fishery in the Gulf of Cadiz (ICES Division IXa South) is largely influenced by age-0 individuals. Knowledge of young-of-the-year-growth dynamics is crucial for management, yet data on daily growth are lacking in the area. Linking growth patterns to the environment requires information on habitat occupancy through ontogeny of t...

The growth and age of the lanternfish Ceratoscopelus maderensis from the western Mediterranean Sea (December 2009) was estimated throughout its entire lifespan, using otoliths (sagitta) of 59 individuals, from of 3.5 mm (larva) to of 64 mm (mature adult) standard length (SL). Sagittal otoliths were analyzed by means of light microscope in larvae. T...

he first description of cannibalism in wild adult Octopus vulgaris is presented from 3 observations made in the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain), which were filmed by scuba divers. These records document common traits in cannibalistic behavior: (a) it was intercohort cannibalism; (b) attacks were made by both males and females; (c) in 2 of the records, the p...

Four visual censuses targeting Octopus vulgaris living in dens on sandy bottoms were carried out from June to October 2013 in the National Park of the Atlantic Galician Islands (NW Spain). Censuses were undertaken by scuba diving between 5 and 21 m depth in daytime. The total area swept was 13.75 ha. There were no significant differences between oc...

The black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) is a benthopelagic species widely distributed across the NE Atlantic, where it is admitted to perform a clockwise migration throughout its life cycle stimulated by feeding and reproduction. To overcome the limitations of direct observation of this species, fatty acids profile (FA) and 15N and 13C stable...

When gene flow is limited and harvesting is intensive, fishing may alter life-histories and favour trait combinations that collectively reduce adult body size. However, empirical evidence of downsizing of adults in small-bodied coastal fish is still scarce, in part due to the lack of knowledge about the selective nature of certain fishing gears, su...

Sustainable management of exploited stocks demands, among others issues, to identify the spawning spatio-temporal patterns and eventually to protect the spawning grounds of the target species. Squid seems to aggregate at this crucial period of the life-history, which implies increasing vulnerability to fishing. Unlike those of other loliginid speci...

The rupture of a mine dam in Aznalcóllar (SW Spain) in April 1998 entailed the contamination of Guadalquivir River and its estuary. To study the ability of bivalve shells to monitor the temporal changes on metal composition in the area, two year old Scrobicularia plana were obtained from two different locations of the estuary (Pantalan highly influ...

The black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) is a benthopelagic species widely distributed across the NE Atlantic, where it is admitted to perform a clockwise migration throughout its life cycle stimulated by feeding and reproduction. To overcome the limitations of direct observation of this species, fatty acids profile (FA) and δ15N and δ13C stable is...

The biology, ecology, and dynamics of the deep-sea teleost black scabbardfish in the northeast Atlantic are reviewed. The black scabbardfish is a commercial bathypelagic species found in the NE Atlantic mostly from Iceland to the Canary Islands and Western Sahara, at depths from 800 to 1300 m. The spatial structure of its population is still uncert...