Analysis of historical fish capture photos from anglers off Gran Canaria

Abstract

Photographs taken by recreational fishermen, displaying the specimens caught, are a source of information that can help to evaluate the changes that have occurred in fish populations, as well as in the dominance of species in the catches as a sign of changes or alternations in coastal marine ecosystems. The analysis of xxx photographs obtained on the island of Gran Canaria shows that over the last 50 years there has been an important change in the species targeted by recreational fishing, with an increase in the number of species frequentlyand their relative importance in catches in recent decades. Moreover, it is highlighted that the great majority of these species have suffered a significant decrease in the average size of the catch, possibly as a consequence of the chronic overfishing that the marine ecosystems in the Canary Islands have been suffering.