Current Status, Management, and Future Prospects of Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) in the Sea of Marmara

Year 2022, Volume: 18 Issue: 3, 314 - 331, 01.09.2022

Uğur Karadurmuş

https://doi.org/10.22392/actaquatr.1059877

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The current status of whiting (Merlangius merlangus Linnaeus, 1758) populations in the Sea of Marmara (Turkey) was evaluated by estimating growth and mortality rates in this study. The overall sex ratio (M:F) was calculated as 1:1.36. b value of LWR computed as 2.8904 for both sex groups, and M. merlangus showed a negative allometric growth type by Pauly's t-test result. The age of individuals in the population ranged from I to VI. The growth parameters were estimated as L∞ = 35.74 cm, k = 0.124 yr-1, and t0 = -1.338 years for all individuals. Total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M), and fishing mortality (F) rates were calculated as 1.35 yr-1, 0.34 yr-1, and 1.01 yr-1, respectively. The Phi-prime growth index (φ′) and exploitation rate (E) of the population were calculated as 2.20 and 0.75 yr-1. According to the results, it is obvious that the whiting stocks in the Marmara Sea are currently used at a high capacity (E = 0.75 yr-1). The impact of over-fishing can have increasingly detrimental effects on the overall population size of this population. Fisheries management practices in the Marmara Sea should be regulated by taking into account the ecosystem change, fishing fleet, and unreported catch data. In addition, temporal or spatial fishing bans can be applied by increasing the selectivity of fishing gear.

Keywords

Age, growth, exploitation rate, Marmara Sea, LWR

Marmara Denizi'ndeki Mezgit Balığının (Merlangius merlangus) Mevcut Durumu, Yönetimi ve Geleceğe Yönelik Çıkarımlar

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, Marmara Denizi'ndeki (Türkiye) mezgit (Merlangius merlangus Linnaeus, 1758) popülasyonunun büyüme ve ölüm oranları tahmin edilerek mevcut durumu değerlendirilmektedir. Cinsiyet oranı (E:D) 1:1,36 olarak hesaplanmıştır. LWR b değeri her iki cinsiyet için 2,8904 olarak hesaplandı ve Pauly's t-testi sonuçlarına göre mezgit popülasyonu negatif allometrik büyüme gösterdi. Popülasyondaki bireylerin yaşları I ile VI arasında değişim göstermiştir. Büyüme parametreleri, tüm bireyler için L∞ = 35,74 cm, k = 0,124 yıl-1, and t0 = -1,338 yıl olarak tahmin edilmiştir. Toplam ölüm (Z), doğal ölüm (M) ve balıkçılık ölüm (F) oranları sırasıyla 1,35 yıl-1, 0,34 yıl-1 and 1,01 yıl-1 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Popülasyonun Phi-prime büyüme indeksi (φ′) ve sömürü oranı (E) 2,20 ve 0,75 yıl-1 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Sonuçlara göre Marmara Denizi'ndeki mezgit stoklarının şu anda yüksek kapasitede kullanıldığı aşikardır (E = 0,75). Aşırı avlanmanın etkisi, genel popülasyon büyüklüğü üzerinde giderek daha fazla zararlı etkiye sebep olabilir. Marmara Denizi'ndeki ekosistem değişimi, balıkçı filosu ve rapor edilmemiş av verileri dikkate alınarak balıkçılık yönetimi uygulamaları düzenlenmelidir. Av araçlarının seçiciliği artırılarak zamansal veya mekânsal avlanma yasakları uygulanabilir.

Keywords

Yaş, büyüme, Sömürülme oranı, Marmara Denizi, LWR

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