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Sci. Mar. 83S1: 2019 280 pages
Mediterranean demersal resources and ecosystems: 25 years of MEDITS trawl surveys
Edited by Maria Teresa Spedicato, George Tserpes, Bastien Mérigot and Enric Massutí

This book is being published 25 years after the start of the MEDITS trawl survey in the northern Mediterranean Sea (up to 800 m deep). It follows the volume issued by Scientia Marina in 2002, which was based on the first five years of the MEDITS time series (1994-1999). The main aim of the current volume is to disseminate scientific knowledge based on MEDITS data and achieved at demersal population and community levels, in addition to examining other key aspects. It contains 20 scientific papers. The book presents an introductory paper, which provides an update on the MEDITS technical and scientific specifications, focusing on the new aspects introduced to support the ecosystem approach to fisheries, and includes a number of scientific articles based on MEDITS data. Ten papers analyse spatial distributions and trends at population level, taking advantage of both a longer time series and the use of statistical modelling. Models are used to investigate the influence of anthropogenic factors and environmental drivers in shaping the spatial patterns and temporal evolution of the main demersal resources. Fishing pressure, geographical locations and sea surface temperature are among the most commonly used explanatory variables, which are applied in five papers to provide insight into the evolution of the structure of fish communities, assemblages and diversity trends. In addition, one paper analyses the geographical gradients of the distribution of deep megafauna communities. Two papers provide insights into the key life history traits of maturity and ageing of key species, while another uses the condition factor to support the evaluation of the exploitation status of hake. Finally, a paper provides an evaluation of an emerging issue: the distribution and prediction of macro-litter and plastic items.

In memory of our colleagues Ángel Fernández, Kostas Kapiris, Mary Labropoulou, Dino Levi, José Antonio Martínez “Madriles”, Chrissi-Yanna Politou and Arnauld Souplet.
Their contribution to the fishery science is a common good for the scientific community. Their friendship our value.

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