The first aim of programme was the estimate of catches and relative fishing effort of Sicilian fleets operating in Dolphin-fish fishery, by Fish Aggregating Device (FADs), in waters near the Maltese dolphin-fish fishing area, also using FADs. Waters between Malta and Sicily's South-Eastern coast and waters between Malta and the Pelagie Islands was the study area. The programme started on 20th August 2001 with the Frame Survey (FS). All Sicilian ports whose fleets work by FADs in the study area were identified, and the relative fishing boats were listed. on basis of information gathered during the fs we have chosen sample ports in a reasoned way. in each sample port, the catch effort surveying (CES) started with interviews at landing (three time per week: Monday; Wednesday; Friday), in the last week of august. in the two ports of the Pelagie Islands (Lampedusa and Linosa) the CES was carried out by census in space and time (catch effort survey, CES). Moreover, monthly samples of Dolphin-fish have been bought in Porto Palo di Capo Passero and in Linosa to carry out the biological and biometric parameters. In addition, at Linosa catch samples were measured at landing (total length) to study population structure. The 2001 and 2002 fishing seasons started in July so a sample of dolphin-fish was bought in July 2002. An "ad hoc" database has been made for filing of all data of FS, CES and biological and biometric parameters. In the Pelagie Islands during the 2001 FADs fishing season only 8 boats were active from the Linosa port. At December 31st 2001, 61 sampling days and 60 interviews were carried out in Sicily whilst in the Pelagie Islands were carried out 37 fishing days and totally the 8 fishing boats caught 47,981 Kg in 127 fishing trips. From the Sicilian ports (Marzamemi, 5 boats, Porto Palo di Capo Passero, 12 boats, Pozzallo, 7 boats, Licata, 7 boats) in the 2001 fishing season 31 boats were active. The total catch in the sample ports was 80,814 Kg. So totally the catch of Italian FADs fleet in the area was 128,795 Kg. The project was extended until September 2002 to collect July samples in the ports that begin fishing before August. So in Porto Palo di Capo Passero in July 2002, 42 specimens of Dolphin-fish were collected. Because these specimens were very small, it was difficult to extract the otholits in order to read daily growth increments. Totally the project involved 1 Physicist, 4 Fishery Biologists, 3 Technicians, and 3 Field Operators.
Study to improve the knowledge of the dolphin-fish fishery in the South - East of Sicily
Leonardo Cannizzaro
2002
Abstract
The first aim of programme was the estimate of catches and relative fishing effort of Sicilian fleets operating in Dolphin-fish fishery, by Fish Aggregating Device (FADs), in waters near the Maltese dolphin-fish fishing area, also using FADs. Waters between Malta and Sicily's South-Eastern coast and waters between Malta and the Pelagie Islands was the study area. The programme started on 20th August 2001 with the Frame Survey (FS). All Sicilian ports whose fleets work by FADs in the study area were identified, and the relative fishing boats were listed. on basis of information gathered during the fs we have chosen sample ports in a reasoned way. in each sample port, the catch effort surveying (CES) started with interviews at landing (three time per week: Monday; Wednesday; Friday), in the last week of august. in the two ports of the Pelagie Islands (Lampedusa and Linosa) the CES was carried out by census in space and time (catch effort survey, CES). Moreover, monthly samples of Dolphin-fish have been bought in Porto Palo di Capo Passero and in Linosa to carry out the biological and biometric parameters. In addition, at Linosa catch samples were measured at landing (total length) to study population structure. The 2001 and 2002 fishing seasons started in July so a sample of dolphin-fish was bought in July 2002. An "ad hoc" database has been made for filing of all data of FS, CES and biological and biometric parameters. In the Pelagie Islands during the 2001 FADs fishing season only 8 boats were active from the Linosa port. At December 31st 2001, 61 sampling days and 60 interviews were carried out in Sicily whilst in the Pelagie Islands were carried out 37 fishing days and totally the 8 fishing boats caught 47,981 Kg in 127 fishing trips. From the Sicilian ports (Marzamemi, 5 boats, Porto Palo di Capo Passero, 12 boats, Pozzallo, 7 boats, Licata, 7 boats) in the 2001 fishing season 31 boats were active. The total catch in the sample ports was 80,814 Kg. So totally the catch of Italian FADs fleet in the area was 128,795 Kg. The project was extended until September 2002 to collect July samples in the ports that begin fishing before August. So in Porto Palo di Capo Passero in July 2002, 42 specimens of Dolphin-fish were collected. Because these specimens were very small, it was difficult to extract the otholits in order to read daily growth increments. Totally the project involved 1 Physicist, 4 Fishery Biologists, 3 Technicians, and 3 Field Operators.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
