Size and age at sexual maturity of female bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L. 1758) from the Mediterranean Sea

Corriero, Aldo; Karakulak, F. Saadet; Santamaría, N.; Deflorio, M.; Spedicato, D; Addis, Piero; Desantis, Salvatore; Cirillo, F.; Fenech‐Farrugia, A.; Robert, Vincent; Serna, J. M. de la; Oray, Y.; Cau, Angelo; Megalofonou, Persefoni; Metrio, G. De

doi:10.1111/j.1439-0426.2005.00700.x

Cited by 79 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…1). In June-July, it is known that spawning occurs in the western-central Mediterranean (Corriero et al 2003(Corriero et al , 2005de la Serna and Alot 1992;Dicenta 1977;Duclerc et al 1974;Gordoa et al 2009;Medina et al 2002;Sará 1973;Sarasquete et al 2002;Susca et al 2001), and it occurs one month earlier, during May-June, in the Levantine Sea (Heinisch et al 2008;Karakulak et al 2004;Oray and Karakulak 2005). If these two spawning areas are discontinuous, then homing to breeding areas located in the eastern and the western basins of the Mediterranean could account for population sub-structuring within this Sea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facts and uncertainties about the genetic population structure of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Mediterranean. Implications for fishery management

Viñas

Gordoa

Fernández‐Cebrian

et al. 2010

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is an extraordinary fish that has amazed humanity since ancient times. However, the continuous overexploitation of this fishery, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, could result in a total collapse of this resource. Currently, this species is managed as two stocks: Western Atlantic and Mediterranean-Eastern Atlantic, with a recognized genetic differentiation between them. On the other hand, the population structure within the Mediterranean Sea is still unclear. The biological data supports the idea of two separate populations in the eastern and western Mediterranean basins. However, nuclear microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analyses of two samples representative of these two basins result in a lack of heterogeneity. A comparison of these results with previously published studies reveals some discrepancies. We have compared 59 genetic differentiation tests that include samples within the Mediterranean. Of these, about 60% gave significant differentiation while the remaining 40% were non-significant. But, when only nuclear-based loci were considered, genetic differentiation was detected in up to 73% of the cases with an average significant F ST of only 0.018, whereas the average significant F ST of the mtDNA-based studies was significantly higher (0.029). However, in some cases, it is difficult to reconcile the biology of the species with the results suggesting genetic differentiation. In conclusion, although it is not yet possible to reach a definitive conclusion about the population structure, but considering all biological and genetic data, we suggest an independent management approach for each basin to avoid the impact of a type II error that could lead to the possible loss of the regional subpopulations.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facts and uncertainties about the genetic population structure of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Mediterranean. Implications for fishery management

Viñas

Gordoa

Fernández‐Cebrian

et al. 2010

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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“…One of the most controversial issues regarding bluefin tuna reproductive biology is age-at-maturity. While age at 50% maturity has been definitely established at 3 yr for eastern populations (Corriero et al 2005), maturity is believed to start as late as Age 6 in the western stock (Baglin 1982). Such a difference in ageat-maturity between eastern and western populations is difficult to support in terms of reproductive physiology and ecology, hence further investigations on bluefin tuna reproduction in the West Atlantic and Mediterranean are needed with a view to clarifying these and other discrepancies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of sampling gear in assessment of reproductive parameters for bluefin tuna in the western Mediterranean

Medina¹,

Abascal²,

Aragón³

et al. 2007

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Comparative histological and stereological analysis of gonads from longline-and purse seine-caught Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus was undertaken to assess the reproductive potential of the population in the western Mediterranean breeding area. Bluefin tuna sampled by purse seine clearly had higher gonadosomatic index values (GSI) than those caught by longline. While no remarkable histological differences were found between purse seine-and longline-caught males, the ovarian histology indicated a higher level of maturity in females from purse-seine samples, where most specimens were found to be in active spawning (AS). Within the longline sample the proportion of active spawning females was considerably higher at the end of the fishing season (midJune to mid-July) than earlier in May to mid-June (52.8 vs. 24%). Stereological analyses revealed that the samples collected by the 2 sampling gears differed primarily in the numbers of migratorynucleus oocytes, which were overwhelmingly more abundant in purse-seine catches, with average relative fecundity: 59 oocytes g -1 vs. 1.2 oocytes g -1 (purse-seine vs. longline). The frequency of ovaries with postovulatory follicles (POFs) in purse seine-caught bluefin tuna was 83.7%, equivalent to a spawning interval of 1.2 d; in contrast, only 32.6% of the females in longline catches had POFs, representing a spawning interval of 3.1 d. Assuming an average individual duration of the spawning process of 14 d, and considering the estimates of fecundity and spawning interval obtained from purse-seine samples, the average annual fecundity of bluefin tuna in the Balearic spawning ground would be approximately 77 × 10 6 eggs (relative fecundity of 702 eggs g -1 BW [body weight]).

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“…Bluefin tuna show a well-defined adaptation to specific environmental conditions corresponding to two major reproductive areas, the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea, with a bidirectional connection between them that affects both adults and adolescents (Rooker et al, 2008). At present, some researchers view bluefin tuna as belonging to certain bluefin ecotypes and therefore forming patchy populations between the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (Fromentin and Powers, 2005) and within the Mediterranean between the eastern and western basins (Corriero et al, 2005;Heinisch et al, 2008;Karakulak et al, 2004;Medina et al, 2002;Viñas et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Analysis of Atlantic bluefin tuna catches from the last Tonnara in the Mediterranean Sea: 1993–2010

et al. 2012

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Size and age at sexual maturity of female bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L. 1758) from the Mediterranean Sea

Cited by 79 publications

References 11 publications

Facts and uncertainties about the genetic population structure of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Mediterranean. Implications for fishery management

Facts and uncertainties about the genetic population structure of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Mediterranean. Implications for fishery management

Influence of sampling gear in assessment of reproductive parameters for bluefin tuna in the western Mediterranean

Analysis of Atlantic bluefin tuna catches from the last Tonnara in the Mediterranean Sea: 1993–2010

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