Responses of deep-water shrimp populations to intermediate nepheloid layer detachments on the Northwestern Mediterranean continental margin

A clear link between the distribution of intermediate nepheloid layer detachments on the Northwestern Mediterranean continental margin and the population structure of five congeneric megafaunal species of deep-water benthic shrimps inhabiting different depth ranges between 100 and 1100 m was found. The results of the multidisciplinary approach presented in this study provide evidence for the ecological conditions that affect the spatial distribution of juveniles and females of a deep-water fishery resource. The significantly higher occurrence of juveniles and females in regions where intermediate nepheloid layers detach from the seabed allows us to define these areas as potential deep-water nursery habitats. The spatial recognition of these habitats could contribute to the management of the stocks concerned and afford a basis for protecting these vulnerable habitats from fishing pressure. Overall, our findings furnish support for the hypothesis that deep-water benthic biological processes are linked to pelagic processes, suggesting that the detachments of intermediate nepheloid layers serve as one of the physical links between these two environments.