31 research outputs found
Thunnus thynnus
No full text<p> Thunnus thynnus <i>(Linnaeus, 1785)</i> –</p> <p> <i> Bluefin tuna, <i>蠗蠈蠗蠗ινος τ蠈νος/蠈ρ蠗υνος</i> </i></p> <p> It is the emblematic tuna, the largest fish in the Mediterranean. Bluefin tuna is a cosmopolitan, highly migratory, a schooling fish, able to tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions (Arrizavalaga <i>et al.</i> 2015). Its presence, feeding and reproduction is strongly influenced by these environmental conditions, such as the temperature and salinity of the water, and for this reason its migration trajectories fluctuate from year to year (Druon <i>et al.</i> 2011; Fromentin <i>et al.</i> 2014). Its current absence from the Black Sea, which on literary and historical evidence appears as a rich fishing ground and also possibly a reproduction area in the past, is the result of such changing conditions (including industrial pollution) since the 1970s (Mackenzie & Mariani 2012).</p> <p> The maximum reported length of bluefin tuna exceeds 4 m and its maximum reported weight is 726 kg, (although there exist unverified reports by fishermen for individuals of 900 kg; Mather <i>et al.</i> 1995). Bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean reach maturity when approximately four years old (at 110-120 cm 2, 25- 30 kg; Fromentin 2006) and that is the age/size at which we expect them to perform their first reproduction migration. Tuna exhibit a rapid growth in the first years, but they keep growing all through their life, which may reach 30 years. There is a standard correlation between their age and length/weight (Arena <i>et al.</i> 1980). A bluefin tuna has a high metabolic rate, which allows it to maintain its body temperature in a wide range of environments and also to achieve very high swimming speeds. As a result, its blood is copious and bright red, being rich in oxygen.</p> <p> Spawning of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, especially in the eastern basin, has been a much-debated issue. It is generally agreed that it takes place in the warm waters (> 24°C) of specific and restricted locations: around the Balearic Islands, Sicily, Malta, Cyprus (Fromentin 2006), all well-known tuna-fishing areas in antiquity (Curtis 1991: 116-118, 129), as well as the Black Sea in the past (Piccinetti & PiccinettiMarfin 1993). It usually occurs in May-June (Heinisch <i>et al.</i> 2008; Damalas & Megalofonou 2012). The exact spawning grounds, i.e., the locations towards which the reproduction migrations head, are still not well known. Bluefin tuna form dense schools on the reproductive leg of their migration and less dense ones after spawning and on their return trip to their feeding grounds. Young individuals feed mostly on zooplankton and older ones prey on schools of small pelagic fish and on cephalopods, such as squid (Sarà & Sarà 2007). Both juveniles and adults move through the water column; the older bluefin tuna can reach as deep as 500-1000 m (e.g., Brill <i>et al.</i> 2002). It is agreed that bluefin tuna tend to aggregate and feed along ocean fronts, where food availability is highest (Druon <i>et al.</i> 2011).</p> <p>2. Length figures refer to “fork length”, from the tip of the nose to the point where the tail divides into two parts.</p> <p> The frequency, timing and movements of bluefin tuna in the Aegean are reported from several sources, of different dates. Often there is no correspondence between their findings (Ninni 1922; Athanasopoulos 1923, 1924, 1926; Belloc 1961; Lefkaditou <i>et al.</i> 1988). Modern data (post-1980s) on bluefin tuna populations in the Aegean are relatively few compared to other Mediterranean areas. According to the most recent of these reports, bluefin tuna in the Aegean tend to appear in larger numbers at certain areas on their migrating route(s) (e.g., the Chalkidiki peninsula, northern gulf of Euboea, Sporades), but there is a diffused presence of tuna in other zones, such as Dodecanese or Lesvos (Lefkaditou <i>et al.</i> 1988). However, Ninni (1922) reported that tuna migrated north towards the Black Sea in two groups. The largest of them skirted the coasts of Asia Minor and the adjacent islands, including the Dodecanese, and the smaller group crossed the channel between Euboea and the mainland to enter the Pagasetic Gulf. The bluefin tuna schools were denser just off the Bosporus straits and along the Marmara Sea (Di Natale 2015 and references therein). The exact timing of the fishing for bluefin tuna in various locations in the Aegean varies considerably, but it roughly occurs in spring (spawning migration) and in autumn (feeding migration).</p> <p> Most of the available reports are based on data provided by modern fishing vessels, which use fishing gear that is either very large (e.g., large nets several hundred meters long, and long lines several kilometers long) or recently introduced in the area (e.g., Japanese pole and line fishing for bluefin tuna in the Kavala Gulf after the 1980s, Lefkaditou <i>et al.</i> 1988). These vessels have access both to spawning and to feeding bluefin tuna. Although relevant data map the timing and geographic distribution of bluefin tuna in the Aegean, not all of them can be used as a predictive tool in research on tuna fishing in antiquity, where the available technology posed certain restrictions as to which fishing grounds and resources could be accessed. Certain observations, however, are useful. Medium-sized bluefin tuna (30-100 kg), for instance, are found off many of the Aegean coasts throughout the year, while large tuna (over 150 kg) are abundant only from April to September (Mather <i>et al.</i> 1995: 66, 67). It seems likely that the first category represent fish that feed in the area, while the second category are fish on the reproductive run, visiting the area to spawn.</p> <p> Besides the time of the year and the inshore or offshore location of fishing operations, the lunar phase appears to be another important factor in tuna fishing. It has been observed that the probability of catching bluefin tuna exhibits a periodicity that coincides with the lunar circle and is linked to their predatory behavior. Fishermen in the Aegean refer to certain rich catches as the “full moon of May tuna” (Damalas & Megalofonou 2012). Additionally, Greek and Turkish fishermen at the beginning of 20th century, echoing Aristotle (<i>HA</i> 598b), reported that bluefin tuna migrate keeping their right eye towards the coast (Ninni 1923), so that their schools move anti-clockwise along the coasts. This observation is crucial to the prediction of their occurrence in different locations, and also to the construction of tuna fishing gear (see “Implications of Scombridae physiology to their fisheries in antiquity ”). Also relevant to the nature of tuna fisheries in the area (in terms of location and fishing gear) is the observation that, if a tuna school is encountered in the shallow coastal areas, it is more likely to be a large one (Damalas & Megalofonou 2012).</p>Published as part of <i>Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, pp. 23-37 in Anthropozoologica 56 (2)</i> on pages 26-27, DOI: 10.5252/anthropozoologica2021v56a2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4486342">http://zenodo.org/record/4486342</a>
Sarda sarda sarda (Block 1793
No full text<p> Sarda sarda <i>(Block, 1793)</i> –</p> <p> <i> Atlantic bonito, <i>ρ委蠗ι/παλαμ委δα</i> </i></p> <p> Atlantic bonito is a migratory schooling fish that reaches a maximum length of 85-91.4 cm, depending on location and a maximum weight of 5 kg. Its common length and weight are 50 cm and 2 kg. (Valeiras & Abad 2006a). Little is known about the physiology and behavior of this species. The best-studied area is the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Atlantic bonito is also found in the Aegean. Bonitos migrate along the coasts over very large distances; tagged individuals have been located in the Black Sea and later in the Western Mediterranean.The issue of its spawning grounds in the area of Eastern Mediterranean is still uncertain. In the Mediterranean and the Aegean, the spawning season is from May to July (Valeiras & Abad 2006a). Bonitos from the Aegean Sea move through the Marmara into the Black Sea for reproduction in spring and back to the Aegean in autumn, from September onwards, but it appears that there are bonito schools that do not migrate to the Sea of Marmara or the Black Sea at all (Demir 1963; Yoshida 1980). For their migration routes within the Aegean some information is provided by Papanastasiou (1976: 502, 503), citingAnaniadis 1970: 298), though without distinguishing between <i>Sarda sarda</i> and <i>Katsuwonus pelamis</i> 3. Adult bonitos prey on schooling sardine, anchovy, mackerel, white bait and other small pelagic fishes.</p> <p> Bonitos are exploited by coastal fisheries, often artisanal. Their catches are locally very important in economic terms (e.g., Black Sea, Devedjian 1926: 16-23; Oray <i>et al.</i> 1997; Zengin <i>et al.</i> 2005) and they are systematically used for processing.</p>Published as part of <i>Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, pp. 23-37 in Anthropozoologica 56 (2)</i> on pages 28-29, DOI: 10.5252/anthropozoologica2021v56a2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4486342">http://zenodo.org/record/4486342</a>
Scomber colias
No full text<p> Scomber colias <i>(Gmelin, 1789)</i> 4 –</p> <p> <i> Chub mackerel, <i>蠗ολι蠈ς</i> </i></p> <p>The maximum length for chub mackerel is 64 cm and its maximum weight is 2.9 kg, while commonly they may be about 30 cm long (Froese & Pauly 2019). In the Aegean Sea, these sizes appear to be considerably lower (Papanastasiou 1976: 508). Chub mackerel are found both in the Aegean and in the Southern Black Sea (Hernández & Ortega 2000: 9). They school with other pelagic fish such as other members of their genus or sardines (Froese & Pauli 2019). Adults stay near the seafloor during the day and ascend to the surface at night; thus, they are often caught at nighttime, attracted by lights. In the Aegean, they approach the coast in summer. Schools comprise fish of similar size; those of adults are more compact and structured (Collette & Nauen 1983). Spawning season is in summer. In the Black Sea, spawning is reported to take place from June to August, and in the Sea of Marmara from May to July (Hernández & Ortega 2000: 13, table 3, with references).</p>Published as part of <i>Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, pp. 23-37 in Anthropozoologica 56 (2)</i> on page 29, DOI: 10.5252/anthropozoologica2021v56a2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4486342">http://zenodo.org/record/4486342</a>
Fish-eating in Greece from the fifth century B.C. to the seventh century A.D. : a story of impoverished fisherman or luxurious fish banquets?
No full textFish-eating in Greece from the firth century B.c. to the seventh century A.D. A story of impoverished fishermen or luxurious fish banquets? The focus of this PhD thesis is fish-eating in Classical Greece. Fish-eating is here perceived as a field of human activity which integrates economic, social and ideological aspects of past societies in Greece. Research into fishing and fish-eating in Classical Greece has been shaped by two major factors: the ab"lmdance of references to fish in ancient Greek literature and the dearth of physical evidence (mostly fish bones) from archaeological excavations, due to the conventional collection methods employed W1til recently. Both these factors have been accepted W1critically and, as a result, relevant research has been either partial or W1satisfactory. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the multiple dimensions of fishing and fish-eating in Classical Greek societies: fish as food, fishing as an occupation, fish-eating as an arena for social distinction and fish as an ideological symbol are some of the diverse, yet interconnected aspects of fishing and fish-eating. This investigation will approach the topic by combining an array of different evidence (e.g. fish remains, literary works, related artifacts) in order to explore the variety of ways in which fish consumption took place in Classical Greece. This variety is viewed as a feature inherent in any society, and a result of the specific combination of historical developments and material, social, and ideological conditions. In order to achieve the above goals, the current study evaluates critically the ideas and methodologies of paleo-economic studies and those developed in the field of Classics, and then seeks alternative, more insightful approaches to the past, aided by anthropological thinking. It takes advantage of developments in the field of the anthropology of consumption and of ideas about food and the senses. Through the study of Classical fish-eating, this thesis aims to contribute to recent attempts to formulate theoretical frameworks and methodologies for the incorporation of such issues within archaeological research.</p
Auxis rochei
No full text<p> Auxis rochei <i>(Risso, 1810)</i> –</p> <p> <i> Bullet tuna, <i>Κοπ维νι/τορν苇τα</i> </i></p> <p> Maximum length for bullet tuna is around 50 cm and maximum weight is around 1.9 kg, depending on the fishing area they come from (Valeiras & Abad 2006b). Common length in the Aegean is 36-38 cm. It is widely distributed in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Bullet tuna are preyed upon by tuna, sharks and dolphin fish. They have a strong schooling behavior and they form large schools of similar sized individuals. They are often confused with <i>Auxis thazard</i>, which are morphologically similar (but rather uncommon in the Aegean). In the summer they swim near the surface and approach land, while in the winter they move to deeper waters. They are mostly caught with surface gear (Valeiras & Abad 2006b; Papanastasiou 1976: 498, 499).</p> <p> In the Aegean (especially its eastern coasts) the spawning period is reported to be from May to September with the peak observed in June, July and August (Bök & Oray 2001; Kahraman <i>et al.</i> 2010: 6816). Bullet tuna is caught in all parts of the Aegean, the only restricting factor being the accessibility of certain areas to the dominant fishing gear (in this case, the round nets called gri-gri in Greek and Turkish) (Koli & Platis 1998: 33). In the spring catches, most of the fish are 34-36 cm in length, while the smallest ones are 28-30 cm. In summer catches the most common size is 18-20 cm long, while some individuals can be very small indeed (10-12 cm) Koli & Platis 1998: 64, 65).</p>Published as part of <i>Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, pp. 23-37 in Anthropozoologica 56 (2)</i> on page 29, DOI: 10.5252/anthropozoologica2021v56a2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4486342">http://zenodo.org/record/4486342</a>
Scomber scombrus
No full text<p> Scomber scombrus <i>(Linnaeus, 1758)</i> –</p> <p> <i> Atlantic mackerel, <i>σ蠗ουμπρ委</i> </i></p> <p>The maximum length for Atlantic mackerel is 60 cm and its maximum weight is 3.4 kg, while commonly it is about 30 cm (Froese & Pauli 2019). Atlantic mackerel, one of the smaller members of the Scombridae family, are cosmopolitan migratory and schooling fish that approach the coast twice a year, in spring and in autumn, when they swim near the sea surface. In the winter, they move to deeper waters. Springcaught Atlantic mackerels are very lean as opposed to the late summer-autumn catches, which are much fatter and suitable for preservation. In the Aegean they are caught from March to August. The rest of the year they are also occasionally caught, but in much smaller numbers. Atlantic mackerel is also found in the Black Sea (Papanastasiou 1976). They are prey to several larger Scombridae.</p>Published as part of <i>Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, pp. 23-37 in Anthropozoologica 56 (2)</i> on page 29, DOI: 10.5252/anthropozoologica2021v56a2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4486342">http://zenodo.org/record/4486342</a>
Fish-eating in Greece from the fifth century B.C. to the seventh century A.D. : a story of impoverished fisherman or luxurious fish banquets?
No full textEThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo
Euthynnus alletteratus
No full text<p> Euthynnus alletteratus <i>(Rafinesque, 1810)</i> –</p> <p> <i> Little tunny, Black skipjack, <i>τονν维蠗ι/蠗αρβο蠉νι</i> </i></p> <p> The little tunny is a schooling migratory fish, which is found all over the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It occurs in inshore waters, but occasionally it can be found in offshore waters too. In the Mediterranean, it can reach a maximum length of about 1 m and a maximum weight of 12 kg, but its common length is 85 cm (Valeiras & Abad 2006c). In the northern Aegean and on the north coast of Cyprus it is generally smaller, with sizes and weights most commonly ranging from 45-80 cm and 2.5-7 kg respectively (Kahraman 2005). Little is known on the migration of this species. In the Mediterranean, spawning takes place from May to July. It is caught by coastal fisheries, often artisanal, from February to June (Valeiras & Abad 2006c). Fishing efforts in eastern Mediterranean (Aegean and Cyprus) peak in April and May (Kahraman 2005). Its flesh is suitable for preservation (e.g., salting, canning) and it is often used as a substitute for the pelamid (<i>Katsuwonus pelamis</i> Linnaeus, 1758) (Papanastasiou 1976: 499, 500).</p>Published as part of <i>Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, pp. 23-37 in Anthropozoologica 56 (2)</i> on page 28, DOI: 10.5252/anthropozoologica2021v56a2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4486342">http://zenodo.org/record/4486342</a>
Katsuwonus pelamis
No full text<p> Katsuwonus pelamis <i>(Linnaeus, 1758)</i> –</p> <p> <i> Skipjack tuna, <i>Κατσουβ蠈νεια παλαμ委δα/ λα蠗苇ρδα/τονοπαλαμ委δα</i> </i></p> <p> This is a highly migratory, cosmopolitan species, which forms large schools in warm/temperate waters. These often follow larger animals, such as whales and sharks. Their maximum recorded fork length is 110 cm and maximum recorded weight is 34.5 kg. Common length of mature individuals is 80 cm. It is absent from the Black Sea, but its status in the Mediterranean and in the Aegean more specifically is very unclear. ICCAT records (ICCAT 2006 -2016) state that this species does not occur in the Mediterranean or the Black Sea. However, its presence is mentioned in various publications and in some of them it is described as common (for several cases in the Aegean Sea, see Papakonstantinou 1988: 136). Papanastasiou (1976: 500-503, based on Ananiadis 1970: 298, who, nevertheless, refers to <i>Sarda sarda</i> which is also called παλαμ委δα in Greek) suggests that spawning in the Greek Seas and along the North African coast takes place from April to September. Referring to both skipjack tuna and Atlantic bonito, which share the common name <i>pelamid,</i> he provides a migration calendar, which describes specific fishing grounds in particular months of the year, where they are caught by purse-seines and tuna traps (<i>thynneia</i>). Smaller individuals have more tender meat. In the Turkish market, pelamids (<i>Katsuwonus</i> and <i>Sarda</i>) are known with different names depending on their weight (palamite: 0.5-1 kg; bonito: 2-4.5 kg; torik: 4.5-7 kg; lackerdit: over 7 kg), even though they are not distinct taxonomically (Papanastasiou 1976: 502, 503).</p>Published as part of <i>Mylona, Dimitra, 2021, Catching tuna in the Aegean: biological background of tuna fisheries and the archaeological implications, pp. 23-37 in Anthropozoologica 56 (2)</i> on page 28, DOI: 10.5252/anthropozoologica2021v56a2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4486342">http://zenodo.org/record/4486342</a>
