Relative impacts of fishing and eutrophication on coastal fish assessed by comparing a no-take area with an environmental gradient

Understanding the relative impacts of pressures on coastal ecosystems is central for implementing relevant measures to reach environmental management objectives. Here, survey data on the species and size composition of coastal fish are evaluated in relation to fishing and eutrophication, by comparing a long-standing no-take area to an environmental gradient in the Baltic Sea. The no-take area represents an intermediate eutrophication level, but the species composition resembles that seen at low eutrophication in areas with fishing. The catch biomass of piscivores is 2–3 times higher in the no-take area than in the other areas, while the biomass of Cyprinids, generally benefitted by eutrophication, corresponds to that of areas with low eutrophication. The results support that fishing may generate eutrophication-like effects, and, conversely, that no-take areas may contribute to improving environmental status in impacted areas by enhancing piscivores, which in turn may contribute to further improvement in the food web. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-018-1133-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.