13‐year population survey of the critically endangered European eel in the southern Mediterranean region (Algeria)

Type Article
Date 2023-06
Language English
Author(s) Tahri MardjaORCID1, Panfili Jacques2
Affiliation(s) 1 : Marine Sciences Department, Natural Sciences Faculty Chadli BenDjedid University El Tarf, Algeria
2 : IRD, MARBEC (Univ Montpellier, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD) Montpellier, France
Source Journal Of Fish Biology (0022-1112) (Wiley), 2023-06 , Vol. 102 , N. 6 , P. 1492-1502
DOI 10.1111/jfb.15396
WOS© Times Cited 1
Keyword(s) Anguilla anguilla, conservation, endangered species, growth, North Africa, silvering
Abstract

A 13-year biomonitoring survey was carried out on the European eel, Anguilla anguilla for the first time in North Africa (Algeria) where there is a serious lack of information on the species. The study targeted specimens populating the only four sites where the species is both potentially present and legally exploited (Lake Oubeira, Lake Tonga, Mellah lagoon, and Mafragh estuary). A total of 1,370 individuals were sampled ranging from 17 to 113 cm in length, 19 to 2,642 g in weight, and 0.7 months to 6.6 years old, age being estimated from otolith growth marks. Otolith interpretation and age estimation were generally unambiguous at all four sites. According to the EELREP silvering index, the highest proportion of silver females was captured in freshwater (46% in Lake Oubeira and 25% in Lake Tonga), whereas a third were present in brackish water (Mafragh and Mellah). The sex ratio was in favor of females, silver males were found to mature early (mean length 40 ± 1 cm, mean weight 123 ± 28 g, and mean age 2 ± 0.6 years). Growth differed at the four sites, the growth rate was highest in Lake Oubeira and asymptotic length highest in Mellah lagoon. Metamorphosis from the yellow resident stage to the silver migrating stage occurred very early in the eels’ continental life (between 3 and 4 years of age). Results highlight rapid growth in these Algerian sites, and earlier silvering than in eels living in European waters, suggesting different life history traits of A. anguilla in North African waters, influenced of environmental conditions.

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