Harvesting changes mating behaviour in European lobster

• DOI: 10.1111/eva.12611
• Publication Date: 2018-02-14T14:08:24Z
• Authors: Tonje K. Sørdalen; Kim T. Halvorsen; Hugo B. Harrison; Charlie D. Ellis; Leif Asbjørn Vøll...; Halvor Knutsen; Even Moland; Esben M. Olsen
• Keywords: Operational sex ratio

Abstract Removing individuals from a wild population can affect the availability of prospective mates and outcome competitive interactions, with subsequent effects on mating patterns sexual selection. Consequently, rate harvest‐induced evolution is predicted to be strongly dependent strength dynamics selection, yet there limited empirical knowledge interplay between selective harvesting systems exploited species. In this study, we used genetic parentage assignment compare highly valued overexploited European lobster ( Homarus gammarus ) in designated reserve nearby fished area southern Norway. open fishing, fishery regulated by closed season, minimum legal size ban harvest egg‐bearing females. Due differences sex‐specific fishing mortality two areas, males females are approximately equal average area, whereas tend larger reserve. Our results show that would mate than their own body size, but relative difference was significantly Sexual selection acted positively both claw reserve, while it nonsignificant areas. This suggests truncation reduces variability traits acts upon. If fisheries continue target large (particularly males) higher reproductive success, weakening will likely accelerate fisheries‐induced towards smaller size.