Identification of Inshore Nursery Areas for Commercially Important Fish Species Around Shetland

This is an extremely detailed and timely piece of research which uses data from the Shetland Annual Inshore Fish Survey to plot the spatial distribution around the Shetland coast of juvenile commerical fish.

It uses a long data series from 2017 through to 2024 and identifies high concentrations of juvenile fish in specific shallow and sheltered environments.  The report identifes 3 particularly important areas with persistent use by multiple species; Weisdale Voe and Sandsound Voe (haddock, cod, whiting, plaice), Lunna and Dales Lees (haddock, cod, whiting, plaice), Coles Deep and Skeetlie (haddock, whiting and plaice).  The report notes the importance of the identification of these nursery areas, owing to potential impacts from current and future marine industrial developments in these areas.  The importance of the Shetland Inshore Fish Survey is also noted in providing reliable data from a long time series.

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