Overview of the available biological information on demersal resources of the Strait of Sicily

Biological information on the demersal resources of the Strait of Sicily collected during the trawl surveys carried out routinely in the Strait since 1985 is presented. Data concern bottoms of 10 m down to 800 m depth. A total of 143 species or higher taxa, whose density indices (DI; N/km2) and biomass indices (BI, kg/km2) are available for the whole study area, are recorded in the IRMA-CNR data base. More detailed information (i.e. size composition, sex ratio, gonad maturity and demographic parameters) are available, although with temporal gaps, for 18 target species: Helicolenus dactylopterus, Lepidorhombus boscii, Merluccius merluccius, Mullus barbatus, M. surmuletus, Pagellus erythrinus, Peristedion cataphractum, Phycis blennoides, Galeus melastomus, Mustelus mustelus, Raja clavata, Scyliorhinus canicula, Aristaeomorpha foliacea, Nephrops norvegicus, Parapenaeus longirostris, Eledone cirrhosa, E. moschata, Illex coindetii.