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Year of grant: 2021 Research Area: MARiNAO Project type: PhD Project title: BlueOcean: Blue whiting recruitment, distribution and Ocean-climate processes in the north Atlantic Ridge area Grant number: 8013 Project manager: Brian MacKenzie Institution/company: DTU-Aqua Other participants: Karen Edelvang, Hjálmar Hátún, Jan Arge Jacobsen Project period: 01.01.2022-31.01.2026 Total budget: 5.368.000 Grant from the FRC in DKK: 3.998.000 Project description: BlueOcean represents an innovative attempt to combine mechanistic knowledge of ocean-climate processes in the ridge area to the dynamics of a key species, blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), in the north Atlantic food web. Blue whiting recruitment and distribution vary widely but the reasons for the fluctuations are unknown, and affect assessment, fishery yields and species in the food web that interact with blue whiting as a predator (e. g., pilot whales, saithe), competitor (e. g., herring, mackerel) and prey (zooplankton). These fluctuations have further societal impacts because they create uncertainty for socio-economic planning in the fishing and fish processing industries (e. g., decisions regarding vessel deployment and staffing), and for attempts to maintain and achieve sustainability objectives. Here we hypothesize that the fluctuations in recruitment and distribution are partly driven by the interactions of ridge topography with climate-ocean processes in the region and specific features of blue whiting early life history. For example, blue whiting recruitment requires both successful development of eggs and larvae, and transport of these offspring from spawning areas west of the British Isles to nursery areas located 100s of km away along the ridge. Climate-ocean processes affecting circulation, transport and water mass properties are likely key for high survival. We will test this hypothesis using both statistical time series analyses and mechanistic, process-based modelling approaches. The project potentially could have high scientific and societal impact in regard to development of improved understanding and models of how climate-ocean variability affects the abundance and productivity of one of the commercially and ecologically most important fish species in Faroese waters, and how this knowledge could contribute to sustainable ecosystem-based management of its fisheries and the marine ecosystem. New science-based solutions are needed to reduce risks to sustainability caused by fluctuations in productivity and to increase likelihood of achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), such as SDG 14 Life Below Water. The project includes activities for capacity building, knowledge sharing, production of scientific excellence, and enhancing the scientific standing of marine sciences in the Faroe Islands and Denmark. Project status: Virkin Project output: See more here << Back |
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