Ecological consequences of dredging and bottom trawling in the Limfjord, Denmark

During August 1988, effects of mussel dredging and bottom trawling on particulate material, internal nutrient loads, and oxygen balance were examined at 3 shallow locations in Limfjorden, Denmark. Water samples were taken simultaneously from areas exposed to fishing activities and from unused control areas. Sampling was carried out before fishing and 0 (immediately after fishing), 30, and 60 min after fishing. Sampling and control areas, which were situated close to one another, each covered 160 000 rnZ and included 9 sampling stations and 3 depths. Immediately after mussel dredging, suspended particulate material increased significantly, but 30 min after dredging these differences had decreased and had returned to the start level after 60 min. The effect per dredsed m' (1850 m'J cxlrapolated to the roral arrd (160 000 m') was 1470 q sllspended paruculate nlatertal per m2 dredged. cxrrrrspond~ng to an mcrcaw ol 1361 0 on the averagr suspc!nded paruculate m.~lrnnl in the water column before dredging. Similar values for eel trawling from 2 different stations gave 960 and 1000%, respectively. Oxygen decreased significantly after mussel dredging and average ammonia content increased, but large horizontal variations in the ammonia content prevented detailed interpretation of these increases. Changes in other nutrients were small. Chanqes in particulate matter and nutrients were also observed at2 stations on a day with high (15 m S-') foilowed by a day with low wind velocity (3 m S-'). Particulate matter and total phosphorus were markedly higher on the windy day. A significant proportion of dredging and trawling in the Limfjord takes place during summer, when wind speeds are mostly low, nutrients are low, and oxygen consumption and temperatures are high. Duing these periods, trawling and particularly dredging reduce the water quality by increasing internal nutrient loads, oxygen consumption, and possibly phytoplanktan primary production. An extended evaluation of the ecological role of dredging and trawling requires an estimate of intensity of, and more information on the role of, natural wind-stress.