MESOFISH

The MESOFISH project (REF: 2025ECLI10) is a three-year multidisciplinary research initiative funded by Fundación CajaCanarias and Fundación Bancaria “La Caixa”, with collaboration from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC). The project focuses on mesopelagic fish communities in the northeastern Atlantic, particularly around the Canary Islands, conducting monthly sampling campaigns at key locations to capture seasonal variability in ecological and physiological processes. MESOFISH aims to: 1) characterize the functional ecology of representative mesopelagic species through analysis of stomach contents, stable isotopes, fatty acids, and life cycle parameters, providing insight into their trophic roles and physiological adaptations; 2) assess the bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants, such as microplastics, and their potential ecological impacts; and 3) estimate energy demand and metabolic activity to evaluate their contribution to carbon transport in the deep ocean. By integrating tools from trophic ecology, physiology, biogeochemistry, and ecotoxicology, MESOFISH provides a holistic understanding of this key yet understudied ecosystems, with implications for climate change mitigation, conservation, and sustainable use of mesopelagic resources.