Benthic invertebrates are aquatic animals without backbones that dwell on or in the bottom sediments of fresh or salt water. Examples: clams, crayfish, and a wide variety of worms.
Benthic invertebrates is a month-by-month, computer generated data layer following calculations made by the ecosystem simulation (EwE).
Different pressures generate by human activities (noise, bottom disturbance, surface disturbance, artificial substrate) have different, complex effects on marine species in terms of movement, survival and procreation.
Benthic invertebrates are a source of food for a large number of fish (notably flatfish, cod, demersal fish), crabs and seabirds.
Only large benthic invertebrates are caught by all fishing fleets, but mostly by bottom trawl.
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Co-funded by the European Union.