[EN] In the present study the fish communities of the rocky bottoms of Cabrera Archipelago (Balearic Islands) are analysed and provide data for future evaluation of any changes produced by management. Visual counts were carried out by diving along transects situated in areas of rocky blocks at depths of -10 m, -25 m and -41 m and at vertical cliffs -15 m deep. In the 10 stations studied, 48 species belonging to 19 families have been recorded. The increase in depth principally produced a specific impoverishment and a decrease in the density of mesophagous and macrophagous carnivore species. This tendency became more noticeable changing from the infralittoral to the circalittoral stage. In the infralittoral stage the substrate rugosity was a more important factor than depth in the structure of the fish community. However, other specific characteristics of each zone such as algal cover, hydrodynamic conditions and fishing pressure, as well as habitat changes with size of some species, also affected the specific composition and demographic structure of the fish community.

[ES] Se analiza la comunidad íctica litoral sobre substrato rocoso del archipiélago de Cabrera (Islas Baleares) y se aportan datos de base que permitirán evaluar los cambios debidos a diferentes medidas de gestión. Se han realizado censos visuales en transectos sobre bloques rocosos a -10, -25 m y -41 m y sobre paredes a -15 m de profundidad. Se han censado un total de 48 especies pertenecientes a 19 familias. El aumento en profundidad produce principalmente un empobrecimiento específico y una disminución en densidad de especies mesófagas y macrófagas carnívoras. Esta tendencia se acentúa al pasar del piso infralitoral al circalitoral. En el piso infralitoral la rugosidad del substrato es un factor más importante que la profundidad en la estructura de la comunidad íctica. A igual profundidad, las características específicas de cada zona, tales como cobertura algal, hidrodinamismo y presión pesquera, conjuntamente con cambios de hábitat con la talla en ciertas especies, determinan en último caso la composición y estructura demográfica de la comunidad

This study is a result of the Project: “A study of the fish populations associated with the main benthic communities of the maritime-terrestrial Cabrera National Park. Determination of the actual state of the ichthyofauna as a base for the study of the reserve effect” sponsored by ICONA.

12 páginas, 5 figuras, 4 tablas.

Peer reviewed