Spatial and temporal trend in the abundance and distribution of gurnards (Pisces: Triglidae) in the northern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

In this study we investigated the spatio-temporal distribution of gurnards (8 species of Triglidae and one species of Peristediidae) in the northern Mediterranean Sea using 22 years of MEDITS bottom trawl survey data (1994-2015). Gurnards showed significant differences in terms of abundance, dominance and composition among geographical sub-areas and ecoregions, with the highest relative biomass (BIy) being found in Malta, eastern Corsica, the Balearic Islands and the eastern Ionian Sea. The lowest gurnards BIy were observed in the highly exploited areas of the western Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea, where the largest number of species with a negative linear trend in BIy was also found. The temporal trends in species abundances highlighted a general decrease for the coastal species (C. lucerna, C. lastoviza, C. obscurus) as compared with the species inhabiting the deep continental shelf and slope (T. lyra, P. cataphractum). The results provide for the first time an overview of the spatiotemporal trend in the abundance of gurnards over the wide spatial scale of the northern Mediterranean Sea, also suggesting the possible use of these species as indicators for monitoring the impact of fishing pressure on demersal fish assemblages.

Age and Growth of Tub Gurnard Chelidonichthys lucerna (Linnaeus, 1758) during Estuarine Occupation of a Temperate Atlantic Nursery

“…Besides a by-catch species in demersal fisheries [2,3], it has an emerging commercial importance in Europe, mainly due to the decline in the stocks of the traditionally targeted species [4][5][6]. Tub gurnards cooccur with other Triglidae with commercial interest (e.g., grey gurnard Eutrigla gurnardus), both in the Atlantic [7] and in the Mediterranean [8], which are often landed together [2]. Only 4 countries of the ICES area, however, sort gurnard landings by species at fish markets, which hinders any stock management [2,9].…”

Extension of distribution range of Oman gurnard in Bay of Bengal

“…If the species previously existed in this region, increasing fishing efforts could be one of the possible factors for discovering the species. However, the availability of gurnard populations was very low in this area, which could be related to their bottom‐dwelling nature where fishing nets may not reach (Colloca et al, 2019). The present record of Oman gurnard will enrich the gurnard populations as well as marine fish species available in Bangladesh.…”

Is Chelidonichthys lucerna (Linnaeus, 1758) a Marine Estuarine-Dependent Fish? Insights from Saccular Otolith Microchemistry

“…Nursery areas along coastal waters and a spatial separation between C. lucerna juveniles and adults have been reported, with younger individuals being more frequently found in shallow coastal waters and adjacent estuaries, considered feeding areas, while adults are more dispersed towards offshore grounds, where spawning takes place [38,43,44]. However, although a few studies on the species have investigated population structure, diet composition, and age, growth, and reproductive biology [23,45,46], specific research on the species movement pattern, particularly during its early life history, is inexistent, with a single recent study suggesting that this marine species is apparently estuarine-dependent [47].…”

“…Nearshore environments, including estuaries, have been widely recognized among the scientific community as important nursery areas for a variety of fish species, providing food and shelter from predators to a wide number of marine fish and invertebrate species, with adults are more dispersed towards offshore grounds, where spawning takes place [38,43,44]. However, although a few studies on the species have investigated population structure, diet composition, and age, growth, and reproductive biology [23,45,46], specific research on the species movement pattern, particularly during its early life history, is inexistent, with a single recent study suggesting that this marine species is apparently estuarine-dependent [47].…”