From emblematic to problematic: The case of Astrospartus mediterraneus (Risso, 1826) (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) in the artisanal fishing grounds of the Cap de Creus area (NW Mediterranean Sea)

Although Astrospartus mediterraneus (Risso, 1826) is an emblematic Mediterranean species, limited information is currently available, as it has not received much attention from the marine scientific community to date. In this context, an unusually high abundance of this basket star was observed in 2018 as part of the by-catch of local artisanal fishers in the Cap de Creus area (NW Mediterranean Sea). Indeed, fishers reported that this species had increased in abundance and expanded its distribution in recent years, ultimately interfering with their fishing activity. As such, this study aimed to elucidate the abundance, distribution, size, and structure of A. mediterraneus populations, as well as to evaluate the potential impact this species has on artisanal fisheries’ performance in the study area. To such aim, this work benefited from the Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) of the fishers, by-catch analyses of regular fishing events and video transects recorded employing Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV).