What specific fishing activity makes the slow-growing Atlantic Wolffish highly susceptible to population decline?
Answer
Bottom-trawling fishing activities
The specialized evolutionary history of wolffishes, characterized by being slow-growing, late-maturing, and closely associated with the bottom substrate, makes them exceptionally vulnerable to intensive, non-selective fishing methods. Bottom-trawling involves dragging heavy nets across the seafloor, directly targeting and mechanically removing benthic species like the wolffish. Because their life history traits evolved over millennia in stable environments, they lack the biological capacity for rapid population rebound necessary to withstand this mechanical pressure imposed by large fishing nets.
Related Questions
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