Fishes of the Eastern Mediterranean

Few seas have evidenced an environmental impact throughout human history to the degree that the eastern Mediterranean has. In the last century alone, the Levant Basin has seen the opening of the Suez Canal, leading to a massive Red Sea biological invasion, and construction of the Aswan Dam on the Nile River, leading to an abrupt cessation of its annual floodwaters. These man-made activi- ties have had a serious impact on the eastern Mediterranean causing the collapse of some fisheries, the creation of others, and large- scale alterations in the ecosystem. This book deals with fish species living in the Levant Basin and includes all currently-known indige- nous and immigrant species

COMPARISON OF MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERS OF TWAITE SHAD (ALOSA FALLAX NILOTICA, GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE, 1808) AMONG THREE AREAS IN TURKISH SEAS.

Degree of differentiation among populations of twaite shad, Alosa fallax nilotica, in Turkish territorial waters was evaluated with the truss morphometric system using Discriminant Function (DFA) and Principal Component Analyses (PCA). Approximately 40 individuals were collected from each sea to represent regions. In DFA, the proportion of correctly classified Eastern Mediterranean sea sample to their original group was highest (90 %) with a high overall random assignment of individuals into their original population (78 %). Plotting discriminant function 1 (DF1) and discriminant function 2 (DF2) explained 100 % of total between group variability and clearly discriminated Eastern Mediterranean sea sample from the Baltic and Aegean sea samples, which were over plotted. This findings was also supported in multivariate analysis of variance. PCA revealed that the observed differences were mainly from posterior morphometric measurements of the fish. The patterns of morphological differentiation suggested that there is limited exchange of individuals among areas to homogenize populations phenotypically from the Black and Aegean seas to Eastern Mediterranean sea

Two new fish records for the Turkish seas: Round stingray Taeniura grabata and skate stingray Himantura uarnak (dasyatidae)

WOS: 000074235100010

Otolith Biometry - Total Length Relationships in the Population of Hazar Bleak, Alburnus heckeli (Battalgil, 1943) Inhabiting Lake Hazar, Elazig, Turkey

ONAY, HATICE/0000-0003-3463-7360; BASUSTA, ASIYE/0000-0002-9903-1418WOS: 000328301100043In this study, the relationships between Eolith biometry-total fish length of 110 Hazar bleak, Alburnus heckeli (Battalgil, 1943) (Cyprinidae) specimens from Lake Hazar were examined. Total length and weight of specimens ranged between 8.8 and 110 cm and between 4.4 and 13.80 g, respectively. the length, breadth and weight of otoliths of each specimen were measured which were respectively 1.48-2.86 mm, 1.02-2.43 mm and 0.0005-0.002 g. There was strong relationship between the otolith length and total length of fish

Comparison of two different types of basket trap on fish catches in Iskenderun Bay

WOS: 000230905400024The present study aimed to determine the relative catch efficiencies of two different fish traps in Iskenderun Bay. Trap model A had an entrance supported by a hoop, whilst the entrance of model B was unsupported. Fieldwork was carried out in Pirinclik-Madenli Bight (Iskenderun Bay) between 15 July and 15 November 2001. Forty basket traps were set each day during the 124-day study period. Overall 1242 individuals, 16 species and 11 families of fish and commercial invertebrates were recorded. The total biomass was 317.73 kg. Fishing effort, irrespective of trap models was 0.25% and the highest catch weight was in August, September and October. The amount of by-catch (0.04 kg) and discards (0.07 kg) were quite low

Proximate composition and fatty acid profile of shabbout (Barbus grypus Heckel) caught from the Ataturk Dam Lake, Turkey

Shabbout (Barbus grypus;Cyprinidae) is an omnivorus, fast growing, highly appreciated and one of the main candidate fish species for aquaculture in the Tigris and Euphrates fluvial system. The nutritional quality of this wild species is still unknown and consequently this study was designed to investigate the proximal composition and fatty acid profile of Shabbout filet, and to note whether this species is suitable for fish farming in the area. Samples of two mature males and six females at different stages of maturity, obtained from local fishermen between May and June, were used in the study. Significant differences in proximate composition were observed among the samples, the moisture, ash, lipid and protein contents being 70.8 - 76.1%, 1.4-2.4%, 2.0-5.3% and 15.0-21.6% wet weight, respectively. Variations in lipid content between genders were detected, with significantly higher lipid levels in males. Maturity stage of fish is considered one of the reasons for intra-specific variation in the proximate composition, especially in the case of lipids. Thus, the differences observed among shabbout females in the present study might be attributed to variations in the stage of maturity. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were the highest fatty acid group followed by saturated (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the flesh of all the samples. PUFA content of shabbout ranged between 19.2% and 26.1% being docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6?3), linoleic acid (LA, C18:2?6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5?3) and eicosatrienoic acid (C20:3?3), the most important PUFAs. According to the present results in ?3 series, shabbout is a good source for EPA and DHA as well as for the ratios ?3/?6 (2.4 - 4.8) and ?6/?3 (0.2 - 0.4) that were found to be within the recommended limits for human nutrition