Longspine thornyhead (Sebastolobus altivelis) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 5

Habitat

Habitat requirements

Adult longspine thornyheads live in deep water on soft sand or mud bottoms, often in small depressions adjacent to rocks and sponges (Love et al. 2002). Observations of adult longspine thornyheads always find them on the ocean floor; they presumably do not spend much time above the bottom.

Habitat trends

No data exist on habitat trends. Trawling, by its very nature, impacts habitat; however, any effect on longspine thornyhead has not been demonstrated. Before 1996, virtually no trawling occurred in the deepwater zones. Known biogenic effects include the uprooting of deepwater corals and sponges (Ardron and Jamieson 2006).

Habitat protection/ownership

At present, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) management has closed the area known as Flamingo (51°56'N to 53°05'N) to all trawl tows targetting longspine thornyheads. Additionally, the region known as Triangle experiences no trawling activity due to the steepness and roughness of the bottom topography.

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