Over a period of 10 years (October 2013 – March 2022) sampling effort was operated by the Fisheries and Benthic scientists of the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) to keep molluscs specimens collected as by-catch when trawling during fish stock assessment around Iceland.These trawls were primarily made during deep-sea surveys (autumn campaign), as well as on shallower fishing grounds north-west of Iceland (March campaign). Some campaigns in May for stock evaluation of lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) and in August for flat fish surveys also contributed with samples.The size of the mesh of the trawls allowed mainly collection of macro-molluscs. Smaller molluscs (< 10 mm) were collected in the stomach and gut of captured fish, mainly haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides). By-catches from different origins (stones, shell debris, ghost fishing nets, sponges, corals, seaweeds, kelp holdfast, sweep ups) were photographed and analysed to isolate eventual hidden molluscs. The state of the sampled molluscs, alive or dead (empty shells), is reported in all cases. |
