Distribution and Fisheries of the red coral Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Greek Seas: an overview.

Information, both on the spatial and vertical distribution of Corallium rubrum and its fisheries status in the Greek Seas, is reported in this paper, along with problems related to the conservation and sustainable management of this renewable biological resource. Although fisheries of red coral stocks in Greece have been regulated according to a national rotating harvesting system since 1994, the difficulties experienced by both local and central authorities in confronting the illegal fishing of red corals in closed areas may have resulted in a decrease of the local populations.
Available data show that in many areas the shallow water red coral stocks (up to 60 m) are now almost depleted. The observed evidence for the decline of red coral stocks in areas only recently opened up to exploitation is a clear indication that fishing (most probably by using illegal dragging gears) was carried out in these areas throughout the closed period. As an attempt to safeguard stock conservation, it is strongly recommended that an international research programme be set up, aiming at investigating the spatial and vertical distribution as well as the population structure of red coral in the Greek Seas, along with the enforcement of supplementary measures that will improve the effectiveness of the rotating harvesting scheme.