Journal
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
Volume 82, Issue 2, Pages 214-224Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2009.01.008
Keywords
anthropogenic pressures; indicators; fishes; ecological status; oxygen; Water Framework Directive (WFD); Basque Country
Categories
Funding
- AZTI-Tecnalia and several organisations and institutions
- Departamento de Media Ambiente y Ordenacion del Territorio (Basque Government)
- Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao-Bizkaia
- Diputacion Foral de Gipuzkoa
- Aguas del Anarbe
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Validation of the AZTI's Fish Index (AFI), proposed for the Basque Country (northern Spain), in assessing fish quality within the Water Framework Directive (WFD), is under-taken. The response to anthropogenic pressure is investigated, in setting the boundaries between the different quality status classes. Hence, 12 estuaries were sampled, at different frequencies, between 1989 and 2007, by means of a beam trawl. Significant (p < 0.0001) correlations were found between the AFI and oxygen saturation and ammonia. Oxygen quality standards are used to set boundaries between quality classes. Then, the AFIs obtained are compared with different anthropogenic pressures, including urban and industrial discharges, engineering works and dredging. The effects of the removal of some of these pressures are also studied. The total number of pressures within an estuary shows significant (p < 0.009) negative correlation with AFI, explaining between 51 and 62% of the variability in fish quality. The impact of pressures upon fish and demersal assemblages is detected as required by the WFD. Nonetheless, further investigation and intercalibration of the methods used, are necessary. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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