Note sur les biomasses pélagiques évaluées par écho-intégration dans la zone équatoriale du Golfe de Guinée: premiers résultats

An Echo-Integration survey on the equator made during he GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment indicated an important biomass in the layer 0/100m. The changes of that biomass have been connected to hydrological conditions. Measurements of target strength have been made, and the biggest schools have been measured

Biologie de Ethmalosa Fimbriata (Bowdich) en Côte d'Ivoire. 3 - Étude des Migrations en Lagune Ebrié

Spawning of bonga (Ethmalosa fimbriata Bowdich) takes place in polyhalin waters (Sppt. > 5ppt.). Migrations of young fish were studied by the mean of length data observed in different points of the lagoon from the artisanal fishery. Bonga remain 4 months in the hatchery (6 cm), before they expand in the whole lagoon until the age of 9/10 months. After this expansion phase, the fishes come back to the spawning fields (spawning length: 14/15 cm). Postspawning fishes leave the lagoon. Between birth and spawning, bonga are not affected by salinity changes, but reproduction occurs only in waters where salinity is higher than 5ppt

Biologie de Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich) en Côte d'Ivoire. 2 - Étude de la croissance en lagune par la méthode de Petersen

Ethmalosa growth curves (calculated by the least squares method) were determined from weekly samplings in Ebrié Lagoon. In order to obtain more accurate results than with a modal decomposition, the author used directly the modal values of the samples. One-year-old ethmalosa is about 15 cm long (fork length). For older fish, growth data seem to be disturbed by migrations: fish measuring >25 cm do not appear in the lagoon. Ethmalosa would spend the first year of its life in the lagoon, where it hatches and reproduces, and would migrate to the sea during its second year

Statistiques de pêche en lagune Ebrié (Côte d'Ivoire): 1976 et 1977

In the Ebrié lagoon fishes are mostly caught by means of 6 kinds of fishing gear: small and large mesh gillnets (respectively 1.5-2 and 6.5-8 inches stretched mesh), cast-nets and multi-hooked lines for individual fishermen, and beach seines and ring-nets for collective fishing. Statistical data gathered during 1977 allowed an estimation of total catches: about 6700 tons. The bulk of the catch, 4800 tons, came from beach nets and ring nets, the contribution of which is nearly the same. Individual fishing gear, small mesh gillnets repesenting the main part, account for 25 to 30% of total catch; about 1900 tons for year 1977. Six species, or species groups, comprise more than 85% of the catch. In the Abidjan area, where marine influence is the more noticeable, ring nets are more numerous and their catches increased since 1975. On the other hand, fish captures in unsalted and brackish waters seem to show a stagnancy and a decrease in fish lengths; this phenomenon is probably in connection with beach-seine excessive fishing effort and/or their small meshes (one inch stretched)

Hydrography and Jack Mackerel stock in the South Pacific

The study on Hydrography and Jack Mackerel stock (Trachurus murphyi) in the South Pacific is currently one year underway. The main achievement consisted of collecting detailed datasets on Chilean, Peruvian and European fisheries activities and information on the hydrographical / biochemical and environmental conditions present in the South Pacific. The hydrographical and environmental datasets are based on the analyses of available acoustic information collected on-board survey and fishing vessels and satellite imagery data. Jack Mackerel habitat models are being developed based on these datasets. These models will be used to produce maps of the potential habitat of Jack Mackerel, on the basis of which different stock structure hypotheses will be tested. The models developed so far are able to accurately represent the distribution of Jack Mackerel as observed by fishing and surveying activities, although some additional investigations are needed to improve the statistical fits. Good fits with hydrographical conditions have been found. The models are not yet ready to be used for testing stock structure hypotheses, but this should be the case in the near future. During the first year of the project, an extensive literature review on Jack Mackerel has also been conducted, and a synthesis has been written, giving an overview on the species biology, ecology and stock structure. The literature suggests that a meta-population structure can be seen as a potential stock structure hypothesis. The literature review also contributed to identify environmental variables that should be crucial to define the suitable habitat of Jack Mackerel. Previously published results indicate, among others, temperature and dissolved oxygen ranges in which Jack Mackerel is able to survive. Finally, a framework to derive reference points for Jack Mackerel, assuming the single stock structure as used within the SPRFMO assessment, has been developed and made available to the SPRFMO Science Committee for review. Analyses of the assessment results within this framework indicate that the fishing mortality corresponding to maximum sustainable yield might be at around 0.15 per year with a corresponding spawning stock biomass of around 10 million tonnes. Different harvest control rules have been evaluated and show little risk to overexploitation in the medium and long term, although these result heavily rely on strong incoming year classes. The tools to evaluate sustainable management options for the Jack Mackerel population, when a stock structure other than a single one is assumed, are currently under development. The design of scenarios to be tested depend on the results of the habitat modelling exercises. Therefore, preliminary results will only become available early 2014