New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece
The European spiny lobster <i>Palinurus elephas</i> is a vulnerable species that inhabits and is harvested in the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic waters. The fisheries associated with the spiny lobster are mainly conducted with tangle nets, trammel nets, pots, and creels. The...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-08-01
|
| Series: | Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/9/2390 |
| _version_ | 1797555518996217856 |
|---|---|
| author | Thodoros E. Kampouris Drosos Koutsoubas Debora Milenkova Georgios Economidis Stylianos Tamvakidis Ioannis E. Batjakas |
| author_facet | Thodoros E. Kampouris Drosos Koutsoubas Debora Milenkova Georgios Economidis Stylianos Tamvakidis Ioannis E. Batjakas |
| author_sort | Thodoros E. Kampouris |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The European spiny lobster <i>Palinurus elephas</i> is a vulnerable species that inhabits and is harvested in the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic waters. The fisheries associated with the spiny lobster are mainly conducted with tangle nets, trammel nets, pots, and creels. The fishing pressure has greatly reduced their numbers, changing them from a common shallow coastal species to a largely remnant population. The relative research on the species’ biology and fisheries from the eastern Mediterranean Sea is almost absent. The fishery along the Chalkidiki Peninsula, Greece, is multispecies, and fishing is conducted by a small number of artisanal fishermen mainly using trammel nets. The lobster stock—both spiny and clawed lobsters—declined significantly during the late 1980s and early 1990s, later than most cases in the Mediterranean Sea. However, data regarding the nature and status of the fishery associated with the spiny lobster in Greece are lacking. Data regarding the characteristics of the spiny regional fishery were obtained by interviews and questionnaires. Additionally, fishery surveys were conducted during the main lobster fishing season from 1 May 2017 to 31 August 2017. Sixteen species were identified (15 finfish species and one invertebrate species) as targeted. In total, 79 spiny lobsters were sampled in this study; the population’s sex ratio significantly diverts from the theoretical 1:1 (χ<sup>2</sup> = 4.57; <i>p</i> < 0.05), and males were dominant. Both male and female individuals demonstrate negative allometric growth profiles. In addition, no significant differences were observed between sexes. In Greece, thus far, the knowledge and information are sporadic, limited, and/or species-specific, most of which regard finfish fisheries. Furthermore, the national legislation is rather complicated—or too generalized—thus creating great uncertainties. The in-depth knowledge and experience of fishermen should be further acknowledged and utilized, and wider collaborations among scientists, practitioners, and policy-makers should be established. The present study poses some thoughts on the effectiveness of the recent EU Landing Obligation and its contribution to the potential restoration of the species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:48:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49cb23067e9c45b486e78fdddf50c7da |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:48:39Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-49cb23067e9c45b486e78fdddf50c7da2023-11-20T11:23:54ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-08-01129239010.3390/w12092390New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, GreeceThodoros E. Kampouris0Drosos Koutsoubas1Debora Milenkova2Georgios Economidis3Stylianos Tamvakidis4Ioannis E. Batjakas5Department of Marine Sciences, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene, 811 00 Lesvos Island, GreeceDepartment of Marine Sciences, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene, 811 00 Lesvos Island, Greece18 Ashby Cres, Glasgow, Scotland G13 2NT, UKFisheries Department, Directorate of Agricultural Economy and Fisheries, Region of Central Macedonia, 64 26th October Str., 546 27 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Farming and Fisheries, Directorate of Agricultural Affairs of Central Macedonia, Decentralized Administration of Macedonia–Thrace, Navarinou 28 and Karaoliand Dimitriou, 551 31 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Marine Sciences, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene, 811 00 Lesvos Island, GreeceThe European spiny lobster <i>Palinurus elephas</i> is a vulnerable species that inhabits and is harvested in the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic waters. The fisheries associated with the spiny lobster are mainly conducted with tangle nets, trammel nets, pots, and creels. The fishing pressure has greatly reduced their numbers, changing them from a common shallow coastal species to a largely remnant population. The relative research on the species’ biology and fisheries from the eastern Mediterranean Sea is almost absent. The fishery along the Chalkidiki Peninsula, Greece, is multispecies, and fishing is conducted by a small number of artisanal fishermen mainly using trammel nets. The lobster stock—both spiny and clawed lobsters—declined significantly during the late 1980s and early 1990s, later than most cases in the Mediterranean Sea. However, data regarding the nature and status of the fishery associated with the spiny lobster in Greece are lacking. Data regarding the characteristics of the spiny regional fishery were obtained by interviews and questionnaires. Additionally, fishery surveys were conducted during the main lobster fishing season from 1 May 2017 to 31 August 2017. Sixteen species were identified (15 finfish species and one invertebrate species) as targeted. In total, 79 spiny lobsters were sampled in this study; the population’s sex ratio significantly diverts from the theoretical 1:1 (χ<sup>2</sup> = 4.57; <i>p</i> < 0.05), and males were dominant. Both male and female individuals demonstrate negative allometric growth profiles. In addition, no significant differences were observed between sexes. In Greece, thus far, the knowledge and information are sporadic, limited, and/or species-specific, most of which regard finfish fisheries. Furthermore, the national legislation is rather complicated—or too generalized—thus creating great uncertainties. The in-depth knowledge and experience of fishermen should be further acknowledged and utilized, and wider collaborations among scientists, practitioners, and policy-makers should be established. The present study poses some thoughts on the effectiveness of the recent EU Landing Obligation and its contribution to the potential restoration of the species.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/9/2390spiny lobsterartisanal fisheriesthreatened specieseastern Mediterranean |
| spellingShingle | Thodoros E. Kampouris Drosos Koutsoubas Debora Milenkova Georgios Economidis Stylianos Tamvakidis Ioannis E. Batjakas New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece Water spiny lobster artisanal fisheries threatened species eastern Mediterranean |
| title | New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece |
| title_full | New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece |
| title_fullStr | New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece |
| title_short | New Data on the Biology and Fisheries of the Threatened <i>Palinurus elephas</i> (Fabricius, 1787) (Decapoda, Achelata, Palinuridae) from the North-West Aegean Sea, Greece |
| title_sort | new data on the biology and fisheries of the threatened i palinurus elephas i fabricius 1787 decapoda achelata palinuridae from the north west aegean sea greece |
| topic | spiny lobster artisanal fisheries threatened species eastern Mediterranean |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/9/2390 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thodorosekampouris newdataonthebiologyandfisheriesofthethreatenedipalinuruselephasifabricius1787decapodaachelatapalinuridaefromthenorthwestaegeanseagreece AT drososkoutsoubas newdataonthebiologyandfisheriesofthethreatenedipalinuruselephasifabricius1787decapodaachelatapalinuridaefromthenorthwestaegeanseagreece AT deboramilenkova newdataonthebiologyandfisheriesofthethreatenedipalinuruselephasifabricius1787decapodaachelatapalinuridaefromthenorthwestaegeanseagreece AT georgioseconomidis newdataonthebiologyandfisheriesofthethreatenedipalinuruselephasifabricius1787decapodaachelatapalinuridaefromthenorthwestaegeanseagreece AT stylianostamvakidis newdataonthebiologyandfisheriesofthethreatenedipalinuruselephasifabricius1787decapodaachelatapalinuridaefromthenorthwestaegeanseagreece AT ioannisebatjakas newdataonthebiologyandfisheriesofthethreatenedipalinuruselephasifabricius1787decapodaachelatapalinuridaefromthenorthwestaegeanseagreece |