Dupaix A. auteur aut IRD Capello Manuela auteur aut IRD Lett Christophe auteur aut IRD Andrello M. auteur aut IRD Barrier Nicolas auteur aut IRD Viennois G. auteur aut IRD Dagorn Laurent auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Natural floating objects (FOBs) have always been a major component of the habitat of pelagic species. Since the 1990s, the number of FOBs in the open ocean has increased greatly as a result of the introduction of fish aggregating devices (FADs) by the industrial tropical tuna purse seine vessels. These changes, and their potential impacts on the species that associate with FOBs, remain poorly understood. Using fisheries observer data, data from satellite-linked tracking buoys attached to FOBs and Lagrangian simulations, this study quantifies the temporal changes in the density and spatial distribution of FOBs due to the use of FADs in the Indian Ocean (IO) between 2006 and 2018. From 2012 to 2018, the entire western IO is impacted, with FADs representing more than 85% of the overall FOBs, natural FOBs less than 10%, and objects originating from pollution 5%. Results also suggest that both FADs and natural FOBs densities are lower in the eastern IO, but this initial investigation highlights the need for further studies. Our study confirms that FADs have greatly modified the density and spatial distribution of FOBs, which highlights the need to investigate potential consequences on the ecology of associated species. specialized ecological trap fish aggregating devices Indian Ocean Lagrangian simulations pelagic habitat purse seine fisheries tropical tuna 040 034 78 9 3075-3088 2021 1054-3139 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010084258 10.1093/icesjms/fsab175 1054-3139 [F B010084258] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010084258 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2022-03/010084258.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2022-03-09 2025-02-24 fdi:010084258 fre