An analysis of historical landing data of some pelagic species caught by purse seines in the Aegean Sea

The fishing activity with purse seines in the Aegean Sea accounts for almost half of the pelagic fish excluding anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus Linnaeus, 1758) in Turkey. In this study, we aimed to analyse the catch amounts of some important pelagic species caught by Aegean purse seiners between 1973 and 2019. While mid-1990s are the most captured years for the European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus Walbaum, 1792) in Aegean Sea and also Turkish Seas, this amount has decreased at the level of 10000 mt in the mid-2000s and remained similar amounts up to now. Though European pilchard was the most caught species in the Aegean until 2011, this has changed in favour of anchovy in the last decade. Recently, almost all pelagic species such as mackerel (Scomber scombrus Linnaeus, 1758), chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus Houttuyn, 1782) and bogue (Boops boops Linnaeus, 1758) have been caught from the Aegean Sea in Turkey. In the study, the production of these species in the historical period was tried to be associated with the regulations implemented with circulars and notifications, and the problems preventing the sustainable use of these species that were caught by purse seiners were determined and solutions were proposed for the future.

Retention probability of purse seine grating sieve based on fish morphology

The retention-releasing patterns of the double-grid grating sieve placed on the deck of the purse seiners were revealed for four case species (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinella aurita, Engraulis encrasicolus and Boops boops) using a simulated data predicted from total length (TL) – maximum height (Hmax) and TL – maximum width (Wmax) regressions. To calculate these relationships, samples were collected during commercial purse seine operations between 3 April 2017 and 21 March 2018 in Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea (Turkey). Optimal Bar Spacing (OBS) values corresponding to minimum landing sizes or the length at first maturity were calculated separately for each species. OBS values were found 10.97 mm for sardine (Sardina pilchardus), 11.29 mm for round sardine (Sardinella aurita), 7.78 mm for anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and 17.89 mm for bogue (Boops boops). The bar spacing regulations may constitute a promising management measure to release undersized fish for the purse seine fishery in the Aegean Sea.

Morphometric and meristic character variability and relationships among populations of Boops boops (L.) from four marine stations along the Tunisian coast

The variability of 14 morphometric and seven meristic characters of Boops boops (L.) collected at four stations along the Tunisian coast was examined in 518 samples ranging from 126 to 206 mm in total length and 37 to 78 g in total weight. Statistical analysis of both sets of characters showed significant variation among the four populations in 13 (92.9%) morphometric and four (57.1%) meristic characters. CVA and cluster analysis of the morphometric characters revealed four groups corresponding to four populations, with 95.36% correct classifications of individuals to their populations of origin. However, CVA and cluster analysis of the meristic characters showed a reticulate relationship among the four populations, as there was clear differentiation between those in Monastir and Zarzis and an overlap between those in Bizerte and Kelibia, with only 51.75% of individuals correctly classified to their respective populations. This morphological differentiation among the populations from the four stations was attributed to the differences in the physico-chemical water properties at these stations. However, further studies are needed on the impact of environmental factors and diet at these stations on the morphological population structure of B. boops to better understand the contribution of environmental conditions to morphological variation.

Triple barcoding for a hyperparasite, its parasitic host, and the host itself: a study of Cyclocotyla bellones (Monogenea) on Ceratothoa parallela (Isopoda) on Boops boops (Teleostei)

Cyclocotyla bellones Otto, 1823 (Diclidophoridae) is a monogenean characterised by an exceptional way of life. It is a hyperparasite that attaches itself to the dorsal face of isopods, themselves parasites in the buccal cavity of fishes. In this study, Cy. bellones was found on Ceratothoa parallela (Otto, 1828), a cymothoid isopod parasite of the sparid fish Boops boops off Algeria in the Mediterranean Sea. We provide, for the first time, molecular barcoding information of a hyperparasitic monogenean, the parasitic crustacean host, and the fish host, with COI sequences.