Human Exclusion Experiment: new setting up of cages

Stalked barnacles are the most important intertidal economical resource in the rocky shores of Galicia. In line with CLOCK objectives, FOL member Alba Aguión is keen to find during her PhD adaptation options for the barnacle fishery to compensate the impacts of climate change, such as changes in the rotational harvest cycles currently conducted. In order to get a better understanding of the recovery rates of the species and thus the best rotation strategy, Alba started an experiment in July 2017 to understand the effects of harvesting on the productivity of the barnacle stands. This experiment is done under the umbrella of the project PERCEBES, where all other partners follow the same methodology to test the effect of extraction in their areas. The experiment consists in closed stainless steel cages that cover rock surface with barnacle stands that aim to exclude removal by fishers. Besides the exclusion treatment, control plots have been selected where no cages were installed and thus, where harvesting occurs. Since July 2017 Alba has been visiting the sites monthly to obtain pictures of the experimental surfaces for community analysis and explore the recovery dynamics of the population. A video with more information of the experiment can be seen here.

By taking advantage of last week spring tides, Alba and his co-supervisor Gonzalo Macho have started the installation of the new set of treatments planned for the second year of the experiment. To do so, the researchers have counted with the help of the professor Andy Davies (University of Wollongong, Australia), who is currently doing a research stay at the University of Vigo. The installation has been completed in Baiona and Cangas, and will be finished in Coruña next month!