45 research outputs found
A Comparison of Traditional and Locally Novel Fishing Gear for the Exploitation of the Invasive Atlantic Blue Crab in the Eastern Adriatic Sea
No full textThe Atlantic Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus has been recognized as invasive in the Mediterranean Sea, where it now provides a significant contribution to artisanal fisheries. In this study, we compared the efficiency, selectivity, and productivity of American wire crab traps and traditional fyke nets for the capture of Blue Crabs in a study conducted from June to December 2019 in the Parila Lagoon (River Neretva Estuary, Croatia). A total of 7707 specimens were caught in 15 wire traps, comprising 6959 males and 749 females. The total catch using 50 traditional fyke traps was 1451 crabs, of which 1211 were males and 240 were females. In general, wire crab traps showed a higher capture selectivity and economic performance compared to fyke nets. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) was 102.76 kg for the American wire crab trap and 5.96 kg for the traditional fyke net. The CPUE of gravid female Blue Crabs was lower for the wire traps than the fyke nets. Herein, the utility of crab traps as selective fishing gear for the capture of Blue Crabs, and management tools for control of the reproductive and recruitment phases of the crab, are discussed, with the perspective of future exploitation of the species as a commercially valuable shellfish product in the Mediterranean
Population Dynamics and Reproduction of Mediterranean Green Crab Carcinus aestuarii in Parila Lagoon (Neretva Estuary, Adriatic Sea, Croatia) as Fishery Management Tools
No full textPopulation structure, age, growth, mortality, and reproduction patterns of the Mediterranean green crab Carcinus aestuarii were determined for the native population in Parila Lagoon (Neretva Estuary, Middle Adriatic, Croatia). The population size structure showed two distinct cohorts: (1) specimenswith a carapace width of 20-34mmand dominated by females and (2) large-sized specimens with a carapace width >34 mm with males significantly dominating and no females found above 46 mm. Males appeared to grow faster than females in the first and second year of the life cycle. Most of the natural mortality (70.4%) occurred during the first year of life. This indicates high predation pressure from fish and other crab species on small-sized (less than 25 mm) C. aestuarii cohorts. The peak of ovigerous female occurrence occurred in January 2015. A very small percentage of ovigerous females appeared in June 2015. The 50% ovigerous size for the population was estimated at a carapace width of 29.65 mm and weight of 10.39 g. The average fecundity was 61,017 eggs/female, with an average fecundity per gram of female wet weight of 4,804 eggs. The biological characteristics and population dynamics of C. aestuarii show that life history traits of this species (such as the smallest and average ovigerous female size, the mortality rate during the first year of life or the establishment of a second year, and a late-spring reproduction period) should be used to monitor potential changes in ecosystem properties of Mediterranean transitional waters and to manage potential fisherie
THE BASIS OF COASTAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT FOR SMALL FISHING COMMUNITIES: THE CASE OF THE SHRIMP (PENAEUS KERA THURUS) FISHERY IN WESTERN GREECE
No full textThe fishery for Penaeus kerthurus in western Greece illustrates key features of the balance that must be struck to manage marine resources in small coastal communities, whether in Greece or in Croatia
Study on the early larval development and growth of the red porgy, Pagrus pagrus with emphasis on the mass mortalities observed during this phase
No full textThe purpose of this study was to determine the early growth scheme and development stages of the red porgy, Pagrus pagrus larvae through the transition from endogenous and exogenous food sources using as main criterion the body length gained at each development stage. The initial period of the species´ larval life can be divided into three phases: a) an initial phase characterised by no motility (0-24 h time after hatching; TAH); b) a phase characterised by active movement and exploitation of the endogenous food reserves (24 h to 96 TAH); and c) a phase characterised by the transition from endogenous to exogenous food (96 to 168 TAH). It was observed that there does not exist an overlapping period between phases b and c and therefore, there exists a gap of 24-36 hours during which the larvae have exhausted their internal food reserves (oil globule and yolk sac) while the digestive tract is not ready to digest external food items (rotifers). We observed a massive larval mortality reaching almost 85% between days 3 and 7 after hatching.No disponibl
Growth and Gonad Changes in Stony Sea Urchin, Paracentrotus Lividus (Lamark, 1816) Fed Artificially Formulated Feed and Benthic Macrophyte Diet
No full textThis study reported the efficiency of artificially formulated feed and benthic macrophyte diet on growth and gonad development of cultured stony sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus (Lamark, 1816). An initial sample of 720 individual urchins was gathered in coastal area of SE Adriatic, near Dubrovnik, Croatia and for the purposes of the experiment, was held in a flow-through system. Sea urchin were fed four test diets A, B, C and D. Diet A consisted of seaweeds collected in the natural habitat of sampled sea urchin, artificial diets B, C, and D contained a different ratio of ingredients. The feed mixtures differed in respect to corn meal content; B (22%), C (30%) and D (35%) as well as the distribution of fish meal content; B (15%), C (5%) and D (0%). Prior to the commencement of feeding, sea urchins in all groups were starved for 15 days. During the period of starvation, recorded total urchin weight, gonadosomatic index (GSI) and gonad weight values for all experimental groups, showed a declining trend except in the control group, where they stayed the same. After 30 days, the declining trend of morphometric values was recorded for treatment A and the control group. During the two months of the intensive feeding conditions in the regimes with artificially prepared feed, B, C and D a growing trend was recorded for all morphometric values, and it was particularly evident in the treatment C. In the last month of the experiment, a significant decline in the GSI and gonad weight values were observed for the groups, A and the control. The differences among the artificially formulated feeds expressed through increase of GSI and gonad mass values revealed that the best among them was artificial feed C whose variance in consistence of essential nutritional components fits between prepared feeds B and D. Based on the results of our study we conclude that the artificially formulated feed is adequate food for sea urchins in a controlled environment, especially when it contains a smaller animal protein component (5- 10%) and a larger share of plant components (over 90%)
NATIVE MOLLUSC BEDS: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION, RESTORATION AND EXPLOITATION
No full textOpćenito je poznato da su nasadi kamenica posvuda u svijetu izloženi većim oscilacijama ili su u opadanju. U SAD-u, Chesapeake Bay, u razdoblju od 1985. do 1990. zabilježeno je znatno opadanje u proizvodnji sa 700 - 800.000 kg godišnje na 4.000 - 5.000 kg godišnje. U Australiji proizvodnja je u padu od Drugog svjetskog rata, i iznosi 45%. Slično je i na Mediteranu: prema godišnjaku FAO (1997.) europski stokovi kamenica pokazivali su rast u razdoblju 1950.-1990., nakon toga opadanje je linearnog oblika pa od 1995. do 2000. iznosi 45-50%. Što se tiče proizvodnje ostalih pripadnika skupine školjkaša, smatra se da su stokovi u opadanju te prate “konkavno silazeću” putanju (FAO, 1997.). Glavni proizvođači europske plosnate kamenice na istočnom Mediteranu su: Italija (46,1%), Grčka (4,4%), Turska (2,2%) i Hrvatska (1,5%). Glavne zemlje proizvođači skupine mekušaca su: Italija (69,0%), Grčka (16,0%), Turska (2,2%) i Hrvatska (3,7%). Površina Jadranskog mora, sa značajnim dotokom slatke vode i visokim stupnjem eutrofikacije, bitno je područje za proizvodnju mekušaca. Ključno je pitanje pritom koliko je ova industrija osjetljiva i stabilna.It is no secret that commercially important oyster beds are declining or fluctuating sharply all over the world. In Chesapeake Bay (USA) from 1985-1990 there was a sharp decline in production from 700,000 - 800,000 kg to 4,000 - 5,000 kg. In Australia production has declined since World War II to 45% of earlier levels. The same has occurred in the Mediterranean: according to F.A.O. (1997) European oyster stocks increased from 1950-1990, but by 1995-2000 they had declined almost linearly to about one-half earlier amounts. In addition, other Molluscs are considered to represent “concave downward” declining stocks (F.A.O., 1997). The main producing countries in the East Mediterranean for the European flat oyster are Italy (46.1%), Greece (4.4%), Turkey (2.2%), and Croatia (1.5%). For other species, the main producing countries are Italy (69.0%), Greece (16.0%), Turkey (2.2%), and Croatia (3.7%). The Adriatic, with considerable river input and a high degree of eutrophication, is important for mollusc production. The main question, however, is how stable and sensitive this industry is.
Starting from the main issue that the natural stocks decline the need for the elaboration of a strategic management plan for the native mollusc beds is imperative. Strategic planning is an important tool for any sector when we need to do more than react to events as they unfold. Strategic planning involves a realistic assessment of the external environment and the factors bearing on it, now and in the future. Arising from this analysis, various “strategies” can be determined which will enable overall objectives to be met. The framework of a strategic management plan includes discussion and measures on issues such as property rights, policy
issues affecting water quality and quality assurance, other aspects of government administration, generic promotion and R&D. Issues affecting business structure, the specific production technology employed, brand development and related aspects of marketing, are more likely to reflect the goals of individual businesses, although there may be a role for voluntary collective action (but not mandatory, or industry-wide action) in some circumstances.
Strategic planning for the development of mollusc industry is not strictly a scientific or a administration problem to solve. It is a multi-parametric and multi-sectoral problem and as in any similar case, our inability to handle multi-parametric problems results to plans with limited results or more frequently, to disasters
Maturation, reproduction and recruitment of the sand smelt, Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 (Pisces:Atherinidae) in the estuary of Mala Neretva River (southeastern Adriatic, Croatia)
No full textPrikazane su karakteristike dozrijevanja i novačenja olige, Atherina boyeri na ušću Male Neretve, na srednjem dijelu istočne obale Jadrana, Hrvatska u 2001 i 2002. Prosječni gonadosomatski indeks tijekom 12-mjesečnog razdoblja za ženke je iznosio 1,59%, a za mužjake 2,1%. Najveća vrijednost je bila u travnju, za ženke 5,4%, a za mužjake 4,7%. Najmanja zrela ženka je zabilježena pri ukupnoj dužini 5,2 cm, a 50% ženki je bilo zrelo pri ukupnoj dužini 7,75 cm. Nova mlađ se počinje novačiti u lipnju i srpnju, a pojavljuje se i kasnije, ali u manjem broju. Vrijednosti GSI su uglavnom manje nego kod ostalih istraživanih populacija olige. Teško je zaključiti koji je razlog, ali djelomično se može objasniti velikim i nepredvidljivim kolebanjima temperature i slanosti, kod kojih su već opisani različiti poremećaji životnog ciklusa olige na istraživanom području, u ishrani i visokoj učestalosti deformacija kralješnice.Characteristics of maturation and recruitment of the sand smelt, Atherina boyeri, from the Mala Neretva River estuary in the southeastern Adriatic, Croatia in 2001/2, are presented. The average gonadosomatic index (GSI) during a 12-month period was 1.59% for females and 2.1% for males. The highest value was in April, 5.4% for females and 4.7% for males. The smallest mature female was 5.2 cm total length. Fifty percent of the females were mature at 7.75 cm total length. New juveniles began to recruit in June and July and later appeared in fewer numbers. In general, the GSI was lower than in other sand smelt populations. The reasons are difficult to determine but might be partly explained by the high and unpredictable temperature and salinity variations in the researched area that have led to previously described disturbances of the sand smelt life cycle, as in feeding and a high incidence of spinal deformities
