Spatial distribution pattern of European hake, Merluccius merluccius (Pisces: Merlucciidae), in the Mediterranean Sea

Other titles Patrón de distribución espacial de la merluza europea Merluccius merluccius (Pisces: Merlucciidae) en el mar Mediterráneo
Type Article
Date 2019-12
Language English
Other localization http://scimar.icm.csic.es/scimar/index.php/secId/6/IdArt/4559/
Author(s) Sioni Letizia, Zupa Walter, Calculli Crescenza, Garofalo Germana, Hidalgo Manuel, Jadaud AngeliqueORCID, Lefkaditou Evgenia, Ligas Alessandro, Peristeraki Panagiota, Bitetto Isabella, Capezutto Francesca, Carlucci Roberto, Esteban Antonio, Follesa Cristina, Guijarro Beatriz, Ikica Zdravko, Isajlovic Igor, Lembo Giuseppe, Manfredi Chiara, Perez Jose Luis, Porcu Cristina, Thasitis Ioannis, Tserpes George, Carbonara Pierluigi
Affiliation(s) Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70125, Italy.
COISPA Tecnologia & Ricerca, via dei Trulli 18-20, Bari, Italy
Department of Economics and Finance, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Largo Abbazia S. Scolastica 53, Bari, Italy.
Istituto per le Risorse Biologiche e le Biotecnologie Marine, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Mazara del Vallo, TP, Italy
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Muelle Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
MARBEC, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Sète, France
Institute of Marine Biological Resources & Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.5 km Athens-Sounio Ave. Anavyssos, Attica, Greece.
Consorzio per il Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina ed Ecologia Applicata, viale N. Sauro 4, 57128 Livorno, Italy.
Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
University of Crete, Biology Department, Stavrakia, Heraklion, Crete.
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Calle Varadero 1, 30740 San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain.
Department of Life and Environmental Science, University of Cagliari, Via T. Fiorelli 1, Cagliari, Italy.
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de les Baleares, Muelle de Poniente s/n, Apdo. 291, 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, Dobrota b.b., P.O.Box 69, 85330 Kotor, Montenegro.
Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Set. I Mestrovica 63, 21000 Split, Croatia.
Laboratorio di Biologia Marina e Pesca di Fano, Dipartimento BIGEA, Viale Adriatico 1/N Fano (PU), Italy.
Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, 101 Vithleem str., 1416 Nicosia, Cyprus.
Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, PO Box 2214, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
Source Scientia Marina (0214-8358) (Departmento de Publicaciones del CSIC), 2019-12 , Vol. 83 , N. S1 , P. 21-32
DOI 10.3989/scimar.04988.12A
WOS© Times Cited 23
Note Mediterranean demersal resources and ecosystems: 25 years of MEDITS trawl surveys M.T. Spedicato, G. Tserpes, B. Mérigot and E. Massutí (eds)
Keyword(s) Merluccius merluccius, distribution pattern, environmental factors, MEDITS, Mediterranean Sea
Abstract

The present study provides updated information on the occurrence, abundance and biomass distribution patterns and length frequencies of Merluccius merluccius in the Mediterranean Sea, by analysing a time series of data from the Mediterranean International Trawl Surveys (MEDITS) from 1994 to 2015. The highest values of abundance and biomass were observed in the Sardinian Seas. The use of a generalized additive model, in which standardized biomass indices (kg km–2) were analysed as a function of environmental variables, explained how ecological factors could affect the spatio-temporal distribution of European hake biomass in the basin. High biomass levels predicted by the model were observed especially at 200 m depth and between 14°C and 18°C, highlighting the preference of the species for colder waters. A strong reduction of biomass was observed since the year 2009, probably due to the strengthening of the seasonal thermocline that had greatly reduced the availability of food. The general decrease in biomass of several stocks of anchovy and sardine, preys of European hake, might be indirectly connected to the decreasing biomass detected in the present study. The length analysis shows median values lower than 200 mm total length of most of the investigated areas.

Abstract <p>El presente estudio proporciona informaci&oacute;n sobre los patrones de ocurrencia, abundancia y distribuci&oacute;n de biomasa, y las longitudes de Merluccius merluccius en el mar Mediterr&aacute;neo, considerando el an&aacute;lisis de una serie temporal proveniente de las campa&ntilde;as internacionales de pesca de arrastre en el Mediterr&aacute;neo (MEDITS) de 1994 a 2015. Los valores m&aacute;s altos de abundancia y biomasa se observaron en los mares de Cerde&ntilde;a. El uso del modelo GAM, en el que se analizaron los &iacute;ndices estandarizados de biomasa (BI, kg km&ndash;2) en funci&oacute;n de las variables ambientales, permiti&oacute; explicar c&oacute;mo los factores ecol&oacute;gicos podr&iacute;an afectar la distribuci&oacute;n espacio-temporal de la biomasa de merluza europea en la cuenca. Los niveles altos de biomasa pronosticados por el modelo se observaron especialmente a 200 m de profundidad y entre 14 y 18&deg;C, destacando la preferencia de la especie por aguas m&aacute;s fr&iacute;as. Se observ&oacute; una fuerte reducci&oacute;n de la biomasa desde el a&ntilde;o 2009, probablemente debido al fortalecimiento de la termoclina estacional que hab&iacute;a reducido en gran medida la disponibilidad de alimentos. Otros procesos como la disminuci&oacute;n general de la biomasa de varias poblaciones de anchoa y sardina, las presas de merluza europea, podr&iacute;an estar indirectamente relacionadas con la disminuci&oacute;n de la biomasa detectada en el presente estudio. El an&aacute;lisis de longitud muestra valores medios inferiores a 200 mm TL de la mayor&iacute;a de las &aacute;reas investigadas.</p>
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Sioni Letizia, Zupa Walter, Calculli Crescenza, Garofalo Germana, Hidalgo Manuel, Jadaud Angelique, Lefkaditou Evgenia, Ligas Alessandro, Peristeraki Panagiota, Bitetto Isabella, Capezutto Francesca, Carlucci Roberto, Esteban Antonio, Follesa Cristina, Guijarro Beatriz, Ikica Zdravko, Isajlovic Igor, Lembo Giuseppe, Manfredi Chiara, Perez Jose Luis, Porcu Cristina, Thasitis Ioannis, Tserpes George, Carbonara Pierluigi (2019). Spatial distribution pattern of European hake, Merluccius merluccius (Pisces: Merlucciidae), in the Mediterranean Sea. Scientia Marina, 83(S1), 21-32. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.04988.12A , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00591/70351/