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Processes of collating a European fisheries database to meet the objectives of the European Union Water Framework Directive
Author(s) -
BEIER U.,
DEGERMAN E.,
MELCHER A.,
ROGERS C.,
WIRLÖF H.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
fisheries management and ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1365-2400
pISSN - 0969-997X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2400.2007.00579.x
Subject(s) - water framework directive , database , european union , fishing , freshwater fish , fish <actinopterygii> , environmental resource management , fishery , streams , geography , environmental science , ecology , computer science , business , water quality , biology , computer network , economic policy
FIsh Database of European Streams, a common database for the FAME project, was merged using existing data on electric fishing and environmental data. FIsh Database of European Stream is a relational database with eight tables. Metrics based on classification of fish species into guilds were calculated, and provided in separate tables. FIsh Database of European Stream contained information about 150 freshwater fish species, from 12 countries, 17 ecoregions, 40 main river regions, 2651 rivers and 8228 sites. Examples of data coverage and use are given. Relationships between environmental variables were illustrated using principal component analysis, which resulted in three environmental components – latitude, size and altitude. Environmental component scores were correlated with fish metrics used in the European Fish Index. Results exemplify how fish guilds reflect gradients in environmental variation. Benefits and problems concerning standardisation and data availability at the global level are discussed.