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ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 2004 61(1):43-52; doi:10.1016/j.icesjms.2003.10.003
© 2004 by ICES/CIEM International Council for the Exploration of the Sea/Conseil International pour l'Exploration de la Mer
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A multidisciplinary study of the immediate effects of mechanical clam harvesting in the Venice Lagoon

F Pranovia,*, F Da Pontea, S Raicevicha and O Giovanardib

a Dipartimento Scienze Ambientali, Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia 2737/B Castello, 30122 Venezia, Italy
b Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca Applicata al Mare – ICRAM Loc. Brondolo, Chioggia (VE), Italy

*Correspondence to F. Pranovi: tel: +39 041 2347735; fax: +39 041 5281494. e-mail: fpranovi{at}unive.it.

In the Venice Lagoon, clam (Tapes philippinarum) harvesting is carried out mainly by means of a gear locally called "rusca", developed by local fishermen. The rusca consists of an iron cage, an outboard engine propeller, which produces a water flow directed onto the bottom suspending sediments and fauna, and a net bag where the clams are collected. The aim of this study was to provide an analysis of the immediate effects of rusca fishing on a wide spectrum of ecosystem compartments: sediment biogeochemistry, sediment resuspension, and macro- and meiofauna community. Rusca fishing produced a V-shaped furrow (about 60 cm wide and 7 cm deep) and a plume of resuspended sediment with a significant increase (up to two orders of magnitude greater than undisturbed areas) of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and increased Ctot, Corg, Ntot, and sulphide concentrations in the water column. Experimental rusca hauls significantly reduced macrofauna density, while no significant effect on meiofauna was detected. Results are also discussed in terms of basin-scale impact, attempting to compare natural and anthropogenic disturbance.

Keywords: fishing disturbance, mechanical clam harvesting, sediment plume, Tapes philippinarum, Venice Lagoon

Received 27 January 2003; accepted 1 October 2003.


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