History of hydroacoustic surveys of small pelagic fish species in the European Mediterranean Sea


Published: Dec 27, 2021
Keywords:
Acoustic survey Mediterranean Sea small pelagic anchovy sardine MEDIAS.
IOLE LEONORI
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7673-1684
VJEKOSLAV TIČINA
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3686-9563
MARIANNA GIANNOULAKI
TAREK HATTAB
MAGDALENA IGLESIAS
ANGELO BONANNO
ILARIA COSTANTINI
GIOVANNI CANDUCI
ATHANASSIOS MACHIAS
ANA VENTERO
STYLIANOS SOMARAKIS
KONSTANTINOS TSAGARAKIS
DANIJELA BOGNER
MARCO BARRA
GUALTIERO BASILONE
SIMONA GENOVESE
TEA JURETIĆ
DENIS GAŠPAREVIĆ
ANDREA DE FELICE
Abstract

The study of small pelagic fish by hydroacoustic methods in the Mediterranean Sea began in the Adriatic in the 1950’s. Since 2009, internationally coordinated, extensive, regular surveys have been conducted in the framework of the MEDIAS - Mediterranean International Acoustic Surveys – action, under the EU Data Collection Framework, to provide inputs for the management of small pelagics, particularly European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and European sardine (Sardina pilchardus). The surveys cover EU Mediterranean waters and monitor the distribution and abundance of small pelagic species using a common protocol. The hydroacoustic surveys, historically conducted by each Country separately, have since been standardized and harmonized. This is a review of the evolution of the surveys from the beginning up to the present and discusses the future prospects. It reports the historical time series of anchovy, sardine and other small pelagics in different areas and describes the spatial and temporal distribution of small pelagic species in decadal maps of the major areas of their distribution in the European Mediterranean Sea. Furthermore, it discusses the use of MEDIAS data for stock assessment purposes, the collection of auxiliary information for an ecosystem-based management approach, the need for further standardization and future challenges.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Special Issue MEDIAS
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Author Biography
IOLE LEONORI, CNR IRBIM
ANCONA
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