Dynamics of the Fishing Capacities Used for the Mechanized Exploitation of the Gastropod Rapana venosa at the Romanian Coast, during 2013 - 2017

Abstract

The invasive species Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) was reported for the first time at the Romanian Black Sea coast in 1963 (Gomoiu, 1972). Due to the excellent gourmet qualities, rapa whelk population began to be exploited since 2009. At first, during the period from 2009 to 2012 rapa harvesting was done only manually with divers. Since the second half of 2013, with the legalization of the use of beam trawl fishing, a filter-towed gear type (Order no. 1696 of 11/07/2013, Order no. 400 of 2013), economic operators with fishing activities at the Romanian coastline have begun to focus on the acquisition of new vessels with functional technical characteristics (length, engine power) and equipment (fishing facilities) that would facilitate the industrial exploitation of the gastropod R. venosa. The legalization of fishing with beam trawl allowed a significant increase in catches of Rapana, which led to a gradual implementation of changes in the structure of the fishing fleet, such as increasing the number of vessels with lengths over 9 m and equipping existing vessels with fishing equipment / facilities suitable for fishing combined with both stationary fishing gears (fixed nets, guide cages, long lines etc.) and towed filter nets (pelagic trawl, beam trawl etc.).