Conservation of Diadromous and Estuarine Fishes José Lino Costa Lisbon, 7 July 2010

INTRODUCTION Catadromous Fishes Diadromous Fishes Anadromous Fishes

INTRODUCTION Estuarine Fishes Resident Fishes Fishes using estuaries as nursery areas Marine and freshwater fishes

INTRODUCTION Portuguese Estuaries Shape & Biogeography TEJO MIRA ... and Global Changes

INTRODUCTION Major Constraints to Diadromous and Estuarine Fishes Conservation Construction of dams and weirs; Fisheries; Pollution; Harbour activities; Habitat reclamation; Lack ok knowledge and habitat protection.

Development of a multimetric conservation index for estuarine fishes OBJECTIVES Development of a multimetric conservation index for estuarine fishes Complements the Portuguese Red Book of Vertebrates; Increases the perception of biological information by decision makers; Useful tool for conservation programs, water use planning and management, environmental impact assessment and monitoring studies. Paulo Branco

METHODOLOGY Truly estuarine fishes Metrics 16 systems; Species inventory for each Portuguese estuary; Selection of species occurring in 50% or more of the northern or southern estuaries groups; Additional selection of important species in terms of conservation or functioning of a specific system. Metrics For the adult phase; Ranging from 0 to 10; Inventory of potential metrics; Data collection; Metrics selection and definition of respective classes; External validation.

METHODOLOGY Metrics Fenology (FEN) Resident 10 Nursery + Diadromous 5 Marine 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Fenology (FEN) Resident 10 Nursery + Diadromous 5 Marine 0 Regional Distribution (RD) Southern limit of distribution 10 Northern limit of distribution 5 Wide distribution 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Fenology (FEN) Resident 10 Nursery + Diadromous 5 Marine 0 Regional Distribution (RD) Southern distribution limit 10 Northern distribution limit 5 Widespread 0 Local Distribution (LD) Restricted 10 Predominantly northern 7 Predominantly southern 4 Widespread 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Intra-estuarine Distribution (IED) Mainly at seagrass beds 10 Mainly at middle and/or upper estuary 5 Mainly at the estuary mouth or all the estuary 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Intra-estuarine Distribution (IED) Mainly at seagrass beds 10 Mainly at middle and/or upper estuary 5 Mainly at the estuary mouth or all the estuary 0 Trophic Ecology (TE) Parasite + piscivore 10 Piscivore and invertivore 8 Invertivore 6 Invertivore and herbivore 4 Herbivore 2 Plankton feeders + detritic feeders 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Maximum Size (MS) >100 cm 10 71 – 100 cm 8

METHODOLOGY Metrics Maximum Size (MS) >100 cm 10 71 – 100 cm 8 Age at First Maturation (Mat) > 10 years 10 9 – 10 years 8 6 – 8 years 6 3 – 5 years 4 1 – 2 years 2 < 1 year 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Reproduction Strategy Reproductive Guild (RG) Internal transportation 5 Parental protection 4 Benthic eggs (sticky/shells)/nesting 2 Pelagic spawner 0 Spawning Frequency (SF) Smelparous 5 Iteroparous 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Population Trend (TN) Decreasing 10 Unknown but possibly decreasing 7 Unknown 5 Unknown but possibly stable or increasing 3 Increasing or stable 0

METHODOLOGY Metrics Population Trend (TN) Decreasing 10 Unknown but possibly decreasing 7 Unknown 5 Unknown but possibly stable or increasing 3 Increasing or stable 0 Taxonomic Relevance (TAX) Sole family representative in Portuguese estuaries 10 Sole genus representative in Portuguese estuaries 5 Multi-specific genus in Portuguese estuaries 0

RESULTS 72 species analysed; Chosen metrics not highly correlated; Only 5 values, from the 792, were classified as unknown.

RESULTS COPIEF – Conservation Priority Index for Estuarine Fish Species with the highest scores # Species FEN RD LD IED TE TM Mat RG SF TN TAX COPIEF 1 Salmo salar Linnaeus, 1758 5 10 8 6 2 7.1 Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) 6.3 3 Lampetra fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1758) 4 5.7 Petromyzon marinus Linnaeus, 1758 7 Argyrosomus regius (Asso, 1801) 5.6 Conger conger (Linnaeus, 1758) 5.5 Raja undulata Lacepède, 1802 Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758 5.4 9 Gasterosteus aculeatus (Linnaeus, 1758) 5.1 Alosa alosa (Linnaeus, 1758) 4.9 Ciliata mustela (Linnaeus, 1758)

RESULTS Species with the lowest scores Species # Species FEN RD LD IED TE TM Mat RG SF TN TAX COPIEF 61 Liza saliens (Risso, 1810) 5 4 2.3 62 Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus, 1758) 2 7 2.2 63 Arnoglossus laterna (Walbaum, 1792) 8 2.1 Arnoglossus thori Kyle, 1913 Echiichthys vipera (Cuvier, 1829) 10 Solea lascaris (Risso, 1810) 6 67 Liza aurata (Risso, 1810) 2.0 Liza ramado (Risso, 1826) 69 Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) 1.9 70 Diplodus vulgaris (E.G. S.-Hilaire, 1817) 1.7 71 Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) 1.3 72 Atherina presbyter Cuvier, 1820 0.9 72 Atherina presbyter Cuvier, 1820 2 5 0.9

RESULTS Validation - Specialists (r=0.49, p<0.001) - Acipenser sturio (COPIEF: 7.4)

CONCLUSIONS COPIEF First multimetric index for estuarine fish conservation; New perspective for fish conservation; Definition of areas of higher ecological sensibility and prioritary conservation; Useful tool for conservation programs, environmental impact assessment and monitoring studies; Adaptable to other countries or geographic zones; Useful methodology for creation of a regional or European index.