scholarly journals Pots as alternative and sustainable fishing gears in the Mediterranean Sea: an overview

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Petetta ◽  
Massimo Virgili ◽  
Stefano Guicciardi ◽  
Alessandro Lucchetti
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Octopus Vulgaris ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Fishing Gears ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
The Mediterranean

AbstractStock overexploitation, bycatch, discards and gear impacts on the environment are outstanding issues for Mediterranean fisheries. The adoption of alternative fishing gears is an appealing solution to ensure a more sustainable exploitation of resources. We discuss the pros and cons of pots as alternative gears by reviewing their main designs, spatial distribution and target species in the Mediterranean basin. We assessed the technical factors affecting the catch efficiency of the different pot designs for four target species: spiny lobster, Palinurus elephas; Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus; common octopus, Octopus vulgaris and pandalid shrimps, Plesionika spp. We found that pot volume is important to catch Octopus; mesh size to catch Nephrops and Plesionika; entrance surface to catch Octopus, Nephrops and Plesionika; pot shape/colour and entrance shape/position to catch Octopus and Plesionika; and bait type to catch Octopus and Nephrops. The literature review shows that pot fisheries have several considerable advantages over conventional gears, especially in terms of discards, bycatch, seabed impacts (particularly compared with bottom trawls and passive set nets), size and species selectivity, gear depredation, catch quality and gear cost, besides saving time and labour. Disadvantages hampering their wider diffusion include ghost fishing, a low catch of finfish species, the narrow range of species targeted by each pot design and the current early stage of research. These data make a clear case for using pots as alternative gears to traditional ones in the Mediterranean Sea in some areas and seasons to catch certain target species.

scholarly journals Protect the Natives to Combat the Aliens: Could Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 Be a Natural Agent for the Control of the Lionfish Invasion in the Mediterranean Sea?

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Crocetta ◽  
Maria Shokouros-Oskarsson ◽  
Nikolaos Doumpas ◽  
Ioannis Giovos ◽  
Stefanos Kalogirou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Invasions ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Octopus Vulgaris ◽  
Major Threat ◽  
Global Biodiversity ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Natural Agent

Biological invasions constitute a major threat to native ecosystems and to global biodiversity [...]

scholarly journals Low Pufferfish and Lionfish Predation in Their Native and Invaded Ranges Suggests Human Control Mechanisms May Be Necessary to Control Their Mediterranean Abundances

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aylin Ulman ◽  
Holden E. Harris ◽  
Nikos Doumpas ◽  
Hasan Deniz Akbora ◽  
Sara A. A Al Mabruk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Population Control ◽  
Octopus Vulgaris ◽  
Tiger Shark ◽  
Lemon Shark ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Pterois Miles ◽  
Common Octopus ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Lagocephalus Sceleratus

The silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus, from the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae) and the Pacific red lionfish (Pterois miles, family Scorpaenidae) have recently invaded the Mediterranean Sea. Lagocephalus sceleratus has spread throughout this entire sea with the highest concentrations in the eastern basin, while more recently, Pterois miles has spread from the Eastern to the Central Mediterranean Sea. Their effects on local biodiversity and fisheries are cause for management concern. Here, a comprehensive review of predators of these two species from their native Indo-Pacific and invaded Mediterranean and Western Atlantic ranges is presented. Predators of Tetraodontidae in general were reviewed for their native Indo-Pacific and Western Atlantic ranges, as no records were found specifically for L. sceleratus in its native range. Tetraodontidae predators in their native ranges included mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda), lizardfish (Synodus spp.), tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris), sea snakes (Enhydrina spp.), catfish (Arius spp.), cobia (Rachycentron canadum), skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), and common octopus (Octopus vulgaris). The only reported predator of adult L. sceleratus in the Mediterranean was loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), whereas juvenile L. sceleratus were preyed by common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) and garfish (Belone belone). Conspecific cannibalism of L. sceleratus juveniles was also confirmed in the Mediterranean. Pufferfish predators in the Western Atlantic included common octopus, frogfish (Antennaridae), and several marine birds. Predators of all lionfish species in their native Indo-Pacific range included humpback scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis spp.), bobbit worms (Eunice aphroditois), moray eels (Muraenidae), and bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii). Lionfish predators in the Mediterranean included dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), white grouper (Epinephelus aeneus), common octopus, and L. sceleratus, whereas in the Western Atlantic included the spotted moray (Gymnothorax moringa), multiple grouper species (tiger Mycteroperca tigris, Nassau Epinephelus striatus, black Mycteroperca bonaci, red Epinephelus morio, and gag Mycteroperca microleps; Epinephelidae), northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), greater amberjack (Seriola dumerilli), and nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum). The sparse data found on natural predation for these species suggest that population control via predation may be limited. Their population control may require proactive, targeted human removals, as is currently practiced with lionfish in the Western Atlantic.

scholarly journals Nutritional Quality of the European Spiny Lobster Palinurus elephas (J.C. Fabricius, 1787) (Achelata, Palinuridae) and the Non-Indigenous Northern Brown Shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives, 1891 (Dendrobranchiata, Penaeidae)

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2480
Author(s):  
Thodoros E. Kampouris ◽  
Adamantia Asimaki ◽  
Dimitris Klaoudatos ◽  
Athanasios Exadactylos ◽  
Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Proximate Composition ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Brown Shrimp ◽  
Penaeus Aztecus ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
First Time ◽  
Established Species ◽  
Palinurus Elephas

The European spiny lobster is a species of great commercial value, yet a limited scientific knowledge exists on its biology, ecology, and physiology, especially for the stocks from east Mediterranean waters. The northern brown shrimp, a non-indigenous established species, is commercially exploited in regions of the Mediterranean Sea. Both species’ proximate composition and fatty acid profile were assessed for the first time in the Mediterranean region, exhibiting an overall significant statistical difference. Protein, fat, and energy contents were significantly higher in the northern brown shrimp, whereas moisture and ash contents were significantly higher in the European spiny lobster. The proximate composition for both species was well within the reported range for other lobster and prawn species in the Mediterranean Sea.

scholarly journals A review of methods to assess connectivity and dispersal between fish populations in the Mediterranean Sea

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Calò ◽  
Fabiana C. Félix-Hackradt ◽  
Jessica Garcia ◽  
Carlos W. Hackradt ◽  
Delphine Rocklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Fish Populations ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Fish Movements ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Connectivity Patterns ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
The Mediterranean

Fish populations are linked to each other via dispersal of individuals as eggs, larvae, juveniles or adults. The understanding of this process, known as connectivity, has a pivotal role for the management of overexploited fish stocks and the development of accurate conservation strategies. Knowledge on connectivity and fish movements is considered fundamental toward the correct design of marine protected area (MPA) networks for the achievement of the benefits of protection. Connectivity patterns are still largely unknown worldwide. A general lack of knowledge is particularly evident for the Mediterranean Sea where few studies dealing with this topic have been carried out and some methods, currently available for assessing connectivity, have not been used yet. In this review we present the methods used for studying connectivity patterns and fish movements at different life history stages and the main results achieved until now in the Mediterranean Sea. We encompass the pros and cons of each method, and conclude with future perspectives on the use of these methodologies in the Mediterranean context.

scholarly journals New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2390
Author(s):  
Thodoros E. Kampouris ◽  
Drosos Koutsoubas ◽  
Debora Milenkova ◽  
Georgios Economidis ◽  
Stylianos Tamvakidis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Coastal Species ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Palinurus Elephas

The European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas is a vulnerable species that inhabits and is harvested in the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic waters. The fisheries associated with the spiny lobster are mainly conducted with tangle nets, trammel nets, pots, and creels. The fishing pressure has greatly reduced their numbers, changing them from a common shallow coastal species to a largely remnant population. The relative research on the species’ biology and fisheries from the eastern Mediterranean Sea is almost absent. The fishery along the Chalkidiki Peninsula, Greece, is multispecies, and fishing is conducted by a small number of artisanal fishermen mainly using trammel nets. The lobster stock—both spiny and clawed lobsters—declined significantly during the late 1980s and early 1990s, later than most cases in the Mediterranean Sea. However, data regarding the nature and status of the fishery associated with the spiny lobster in Greece are lacking. Data regarding the characteristics of the spiny regional fishery were obtained by interviews and questionnaires. Additionally, fishery surveys were conducted during the main lobster fishing season from 1 May 2017 to 31 August 2017. Sixteen species were identified (15 finfish species and one invertebrate species) as targeted. In total, 79 spiny lobsters were sampled in this study; the population’s sex ratio significantly diverts from the theoretical 1:1 (χ2 = 4.57; p < 0.05), and males were dominant. Both male and female individuals demonstrate negative allometric growth profiles. In addition, no significant differences were observed between sexes. In Greece, thus far, the knowledge and information are sporadic, limited, and/or species-specific, most of which regard finfish fisheries. Furthermore, the national legislation is rather complicated—or too generalized—thus creating great uncertainties. The in-depth knowledge and experience of fishermen should be further acknowledged and utilized, and wider collaborations among scientists, practitioners, and policy-makers should be established. The present study poses some thoughts on the effectiveness of the recent EU Landing Obligation and its contribution to the potential restoration of the species.

Differential microbial colonization on microplastic in the Mediterranean Sea coastal zone

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika Vaksmaa ◽  
Katrin Knittel ◽  
Alejandro Abdala Asbun ◽  
Maaike Goudriaan ◽  
Andreas Ellrott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Microbial Colonization ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Plastic Debris ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mediterranean

&lt;p&gt;Ocean plastic debris poses a large threat to the marine environment. Millions of tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year and the Mediterranean Sea is one of the most plastic polluted sea. Ocean plastic particles are typically covered with microbial biofilms, but it remains unclear if different polymer types are colonized by different communities. Knowledge in this aspect strengthens our understanding if microbes purely use plastic debris as attachment surface or if they may even contribute to the degradation of plastic. To gain a better understanding of the composition and structure of biofilms on micro plastic particles (MP) in the Mediterranean Sea, we analyzed microbial community covering floating MP in a bay/marina (Marina di Campo) on the island of Elba. MPs were collected with a plankton net (mesh size 50&amp;#181;m), fixed for fluorescence microscopy and stored for subsequent DNA extraction, and identification of the polymer with Raman spectroscopy. The particles were mainly comprised of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) and were often brittle and with cracks (PE, PP) and showed visual signs of biofouling (PE, PP, PS). Fluorescence in situ hybridization and imaging by high resolution confocal laser scanning microscopy of single MPs revealed high densities of colonization by microbes. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (Illumina Miseq) revealed higher abundance of archaeal sequences on PS (up to 29% of the reads) in comparison to PE or PP (up to 3% of the reads). &amp;#160;The bacterial community in the biofilms on each of the three plastic types consisted mainly of the orders Flavobacteriales, Rickettsiales, Alteromonadales, Cytophagales, Rhodobacterales and Oceanospirillales. Furthermore, we found significant difference in the community composition of biofilms on PE compared to PP and PS but not between PP and PS. The indicator species on PE were Calditrichales, detected at 10 times higher sequence abundance on PE than on PP and PS, as well as several uncultured orders. This study sheds light on preferential microbial attachment and biofilm formation on microplastic particles, yet it remains to be revealed, whether and which of these may contribute to plastic degradation.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Metazooplankton diversity, community structure and spatial distribution across the Mediterranean Sea in summer: evidence of ecoregions

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 3081-3119 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nowaczyk ◽  
F. Carlotti ◽  
D. Thibault-Botha ◽  
M. Pagano
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Specific Pattern ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Western Basin ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

Abstract. The diversity and distribution of metazooplankton across the Mediterranean Sea was studied along a 3000 km long transect from the eastern to the western basins during the BOUM cruise in summer 2008. Metazooplankton were sampled using both a 120 μm mesh size bongo net and Niskin bottles at 17 stations. Here we report on the stock, the composition and the structure of the metazooplankton community. The abundance was 4 to 8 times higher than in several previously published studies, whereas the biomass remained within the same order of magnitude. An eastward decrease in abundance was evident, although biomass was variable. Spatial (horizontal and vertical) distribution of metazooplankton abundance and biomass was strongly correlated to chlorophyll-a concentration. In addition, a clear association was observed between the vertical distribution of nauplii and small copepods and the depth of the deep chlorophyll maximum. The role of environmental factors is also discussed. Cluster analysis allowed us to define a regionalization of the Mediterranean Sea based on the abundance and diversity of metazooplankton. We found a north-south distinction in the western basin and a longitudinal homogeneity in the eastern basin. The Sicily Channel appeared as an intermediate region. The specific pattern of distribution of remarkable species was also described.

scholarly journals Spread of the arrow bulleye Priacanthus sagittarius Starnes, 1988 in the Mediterranean Sea

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Gökoğlu ◽  
Serkan Teker
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
First Record ◽  
Bottom Trawl ◽  
Total Weight ◽  
Single Specimen ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Bottom Trawler

Habitat of the family Priacanthidae is tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. The features of the  family members are generally very big eyes, deep bodies, upturned mouth,  and generally reddish color. In the this paper, we report the presence of an arrow bulleye P. sagittarius in coast of Turkey waters in the Mediterranean Sea. On the 27th December, 2017, a single specimen of P. sagittarius was collected by Mr. Hüseyin Çınar, captain of the commercial bottom trawler Furkan Reis vessel, off the Taşucu, Mersin (36°07'2.82"N 33°51'6.42"E) Turkey coasts. The specimen of P. sagittarius was collected at a depth of approximatetly 100 m by a bottom trawl net; the mesh size of 22mm. The collected specimen of arrow bulleye P. sagittarius was 255 mm total length (TL) and 307 g total weight (TW). The finding of the present study is the first record of specimen along shores of the Mediterranean of Turkey. This record suggests that this species is spread towards to west along in the Mediterranean. 

scholarly journals Linking home ranges to protected area size: The case study of the Mediterranean Sea

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Di Franco ◽  
Jeremiah G. Plass-Johnson ◽  
Manfredi Di Lorenzo ◽  
Bruno Meola ◽  
Joachim Claudet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Species Population ◽  
The Mediterranean

Protected areas not allowing extractive activities (here called fully protected area) are a spatially explicit conservation management tool commonly used to ensure populations persistence. This is achieved when an adequate fraction of a species' population spends most of its time within the boundaries of the protected area. Within a marine context, home ranges represent a tractable metric to provide guidance and evaluation of fully protected areas. We compiled peer-reviewed literature specific to the home ranges of finfishes and invertebrates of ecological and/or commercial importance in the Mediterranean Sea, and related this to the size of 184 Mediterranean fully protected areas. We also investigated the influence of fully protected areas size on fish density in contrast to fished areas with respect to home ranges. Home range estimations were available for 11 species (10 fishes and 1 lobster). The European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas had the smallest home range (0.0039 ± 0.0014 km2; mean ± 1 SE), while the painted comber Serranus scriba (1.1075 ± 0.2040 km2) had the largest. Approximately 25% of Mediterranean fully protected areas are larger than 2 times the size of the largest home range recorded. Fish densities were significantly higher when fully protected areas were larger than the home range, while no change in density occurred when home ranges were larger than fully protected areas. These results display a direct link between the effectiveness of fully protected areas and species' home range, suggesting that fully protected areas of at least 3.6 km2 may increase the density of local populations of these coastal marine species.

scholarly journals Distribution of epipelagic metazooplankton across the Mediterranean Sea during the summer BOUM cruise

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 2159-2177 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nowaczyk ◽  
F. Carlotti ◽  
D. Thibault-Botha ◽  
M. Pagano
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Deep Chlorophyll Maximum ◽  
Specific Distribution ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Vertical Distribution ◽  
Horizontal And Vertical Distribution

Abstract. The diversity and distribution of epipelagic metazooplankton across the Mediterranean Sea was studied along a 3000 km long transect from the eastern to the western basins during the BOUM cruise in summer 2008. Metazooplankton were sampled using both a 120 μm mesh size bongo net and Niskin bottles in the upper 200 m layer at 17 stations. Here we report on the stock, the composition and the structure of the metazooplankton community. The abundance was 4 to 8 times higher than in several previously published studies, whereas the biomass remained within the same order of magnitude. An eastward decrease in abundance was evident, although biomass was variable. Spatial (horizontal and vertical) distribution of metazooplankton abundance and biomass was strongly correlated to chlorophyll-a concentration. In addition, a clear association was observed between the vertical distribution of nauplii and small copepods and the depth of the deep chlorophyll maximum. The distinction between the communities of the eastern and western basins was clearly explained by the environmental factors. The specific distribution pattern of remarkable species was also described.

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