Stable isotopes reveal the effect of trawl fisheries on the diet of commercially exploited species

Bottom trawling can change food availability for benthivorous demersal species by (i) changing benthic prey composition through physical seabed impacts and (ii) by removing overall benthic consumer biomass increasing the net availability of benthic prey for remaining individuals. Thus trawling may both negatively and positively influence the quantity and quality of food available. Using δ ¹³C and δ ¹⁵N we investigated potential diet changes of three commercially exploited species across trawling gradients in the Kattegat (plaice, dab and Norway lobster (Nephrops)) and the Irish Sea (Nephrops). In the Kattegat, trawling affected primarily the biomass of benthic consumers, lowering competition. Nephrops showed significant positive relationships for δ ¹³C and a domed relationship for δ ¹⁵N with trawling. In the Irish Sea, intense trawling had a negative effect on benthic prey. δ ¹³C and δ ¹⁵N thus showed the inverse relationships to those observed in the Kattegat. Plaice from the Kattegat, showed a significant relationship with trawling intensity for δ ¹³C, but not for δ ¹⁵N. No relationship was found for dab. Changes of δ ¹³C and δ ¹⁵N correlated with changes in condition of species. The results show that the removal of demersal competitors and benthos by trawling can change the diets of commercial species, ultimately affecting their body condition.