Small pelagic fish (SPF) in the western Mediterranean Sea are key elements of the marine food web and are important in terms of biomass and fisheries catches. Significant declines in biomass, landings, and changes in the age/size structure of sardine Sardina pilchardus and anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus have been observed in recent decades, particularly in the northern area of the western Mediterranean Sea. To understand the different patterns observed in SPF populations, we analyzed key life history traits [total length at age, length at maturity, gonadosomatic index (GSI), and body condition (Kn)] of sardine and anchovy collected between 2003 and 2017, from different fishing harbors distributed along a latitudinal gradient from northern to southern Spain. We used Generalized Linear Models (GLM) to estimate the length at maturity and Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) to test the relationship with environmental variables (seawater temperature, water currents, and net primary productivity). The life history traits of both species presented seasonal, interannual and latitudinal differences with a clear decline in length at age, length at first maturity, and body condition, for both species in the northern part of the study area. In the southern part, on the contrary, life history traits did not present a clear temporal trend. The environmental conditions partially explained the long-term changes in life history traits, but the selected variables differed between areas, highlighting the importance of regional oceanographic conditions to understand the dynamics of small pelagic fish. The truncated length-at-age pattern for both species with the disappearance of the larger individuals of the population could have contributed to the poor condition of small pelagic fish populations in the northern part of the western Mediterranean Sea in recent years. In the south area, recent declines in body condition for sardine and anchovy were observed and could be a possible first sign for future population declines. This study highlights the importance of understanding the trade-off between the energy invested in reproduction, maintenance and growth at seasonal and interannual level to advance our knowledge on how environmental and human pressures influence population dynamics of small pelagic fish at local and regional scales.

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A time series of associated catch data (observations of commercial catches).

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European hake (Merluccius merluccius) is a commercially important resource in Iberian Atlantic waters. Despite the recovery plan implemented in 2006 and the multiannual management plan for western waters, fishing mortality is still higher than that corresponding to the maximum sustainable yield for the southern European hake stock. The biological processes underlying the dynamics of this stock and its life history traits are essential for assessing population productivity and resilience, making them basic information for management. We analysed the temporal variability of size at maturity (L50) of this species and the main factors influencing it in Atlantic Iberian waters from 1982 to 2019. The annual variability of L50 for each sex was modelled with generalized additive models, considering explanatory environmental variables (Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation and sea surface temperature) and biological variables (biomass, spawning biomass at length and relative condition factor). The results showed that the L50 of males decreased by a total of 12.9 cm and L50 of females decreased by a total of 10.9 cm from 1982 to 2019. For females the significant explanatory variables were year, spawning biomass at length, biomass and the North Atlantic Oscillation, while for males only year was an explanatory variable. These results are important for understanding the status of the European hake population, signalling that L50 is a good indicator for predicting future population dynamics.

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