Okan Akyol

Occupational health of Turkish Aegean small-scale fishermen.

BACKGROUND Fishing has always been a dangerous occupation, and numerous factors have a direct or indirect impact on the health of fisherman. AIMS To examine the health, safety and working conditions of small-scale fishing fleets in the Turkish Aegean Sea coasts. METHODS Data were obtained from a questionnaire distributed to a random sample of small-scale fishermen along the Aegean Sea coast. Data collection took place between September 2009 and January 2010. RESULTS Out of 5714 Aegean Sea small-scale fishermen, 1166 from 76 fishing ports participated. Twenty-nine per cent of fishermen did not have any social security cover. The most prevalent health problems (using International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision [ICD-10]) found were musculoskeletal problems (e.g. discopathies, muscular strain, rheumatism) and eye, ear-nose, digestive and urinary system problems. Alcohol consumption was high (68%) in fishermen and 72% reported that they smoked more during fishing trips. Health problems appeared to be associated with a number of factors including migrant status, income satisfaction, rank, type of fishing and cumulative work per year. CONCLUSIONS In Turkey, small-scale fishermen experience a significant number of health problems and have unhealthy lifestyles. Interventions designed to improve working conditions of small-scale fishermen could help to reduce the number of occupational injuries, which in turn may impact positively on their health. Prevention policies to reduce alcohol and tobacco consumption should also be developed.

Reproductive biology of Eledone moschata (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) in the Aegean sea (Izmir Bay, Turkey)

Reproductive properties of Eledone moschata from the north-eastern Aegean Sea are reported for the first time. A total of 471 specimens was collected during monthly samplings from December 2004 to November 2005. The mantle lengths of the species were between 4.5 and 15.0 cm with an average of 8.1 cm ±0.15 for 204 males, and between 2.7 and 14.0 cm with an average of 7.8 cm ±0.12 for 267 females. The annual sex ratio (males: females) of the sampled specimens was 1:1.31. Maturity stages were recorded on a monthly basis in both sexes. The highest monthly percentage of mature females (21%) and males (46%) was recorded in January 2005 and June 2005, respectively. The monthly and seasonal gonadosomatic index (GSI) results indicated that E. moschata shows two annual reproduction peaks for each sex. For males, the first spring peak occurs in March–June and the second, autumn peak is in November. For females, the first summer peak occurs in May–June and the second, winter peak is in January, respectively. On the other hand, the reproductive season extends from November to July with two peaks in the Aegean Sea. Total oocyte stock varied from 273 to 2896 with a mean of 836 ±193 oocytes. The mean size of the oocytes was 6.26 ±0.10 mm. The maximum oocyte size found was 10.7 mm. The mean length of spermatophores was of 13.66 ±0.08 mm (range: 7.3–18.3) and their average number was 52 ±6 (range: 6–172).

Turkish driftnet fishery for albacore, Thunnus alalunga (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Scombridae), and incidental catches in the eastern Mediterranean

Albacore, Thunnus alalunga (Bonnaterre, 1788), is a highly migratory epipelagic oceanic species, found mainly in midwater to depths of 100 m, which has a cosmopolitan distribution in all tropical and temperate oceans. As the albacore is a globally important target species, it accounts for close to 200 000 t annually (Golani et al. 2006). The GFCM-ICCAT Expert Consultation Meeting in Bari in 1990 indicated that albacore in the Mediterranean should be considered as a separate stock. Moreover, genetic analyses are currently being carried out to confirm or refute the existence of a separate Mediterranean stock (Anonymous 1995). Driftnet, longline, hand line, and troll are the main gears used and albacore are also occasionally caught by French purse-seiners, by the Spanish coastal artisanal fleet, and by the sport fishery (Anonymous 1995). The driftnet fishery for albacore tuna in the north-east Atlantic developed in the late 1980s, and France introduced the use of driftnets in this fishery in 1986, followed by Ireland in 1990 and the UK in 1991 (Ross and Isaac 2004). Although various countries (including France, Ireland, Portugal, and the UK in the Atlantic, Spain in Gibraltar and Italy in the Mediterranean, and in minimal extent France) were fishing with albacore driftnets until the mid1990’s (Anonymous 1995), the driftnet fishery has been abandoned in all these countries since then. However, Oceana and MarViva (Cornax and Pardo 2009) identified 93 illegal driftnetters in Italy and the main ports used for this fishing in Morocco during 2008. In the early 2000s, the European Union and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) enforced a recommendation prohibiting the use of driftnets in the Mediterranean followACTA ICHTHYOLOGICA ET PISCATORIA (2012) 42 (2): 131–135 DOI: 10.3750/AIP2011.42.2.06

A new maximum size for Eledone moschata (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae)

A specimen of the musky octopus, Eledone moschata , of 188 mm mantle length and 1414 g total body weight, was caught on 12 February 2007 by trammel net in Izmir Bay. The given sizes are the maximal for this species at the present time.

A new record of Lagocephalus guentheri (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae) from the north-eastern Aegean Sea

The family Tetraodontidae (pufferfishes) consists of about 184 species (Matsuura, 2015), of which four are known as Lessepsian migrants in the Mediterranean Sea (Golani, Öztürk, & Başusta, 2006). Among the pufferfishes, the genus Lagocephalus is widely distributed in warm shallow waters of the world (Matsuura, Golani, & Bogorodsky, 2011); four species, namely L. lagocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), L. spadiceus (Richardson, 1844), L. sceleratus (Gmelin, 1788) and L. suezensis Clark & Gohar, 1953, are well-known in the Mediterranean, especially in the eastern basin (Golani et al., 2006). Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 is closely related to L. spadiceus and L. gloveri Abe & Tabeta, 1983 from the Red Sea. Distinguishing characters are given by Matsuura et al. (2011). L. guentheri has been reported for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea off Alexandria, Egypt, in 2015 (Farrag, El-Haweet, Akel, & Moustafa, 2016). We report here a new record from the Aegean Sea. On 1 December 2015, a specimen of L. guentheri (Figure 1) was captured by commercial bottom trawl (44 mm stretched mesh size) from Çandarlı Bay (38°53’N, 26°53’E, Figure 2) at a depth of 50 m. The specimen was fixed in 5% formaldehyde solution and stored in the fish collection of the Ege University Fisheries Faculty, Izmir, Turkey (ESFM-PIS/2015-10). Diagnostic features of the specimen were examined under a magnifying glass and all measurements were made with a digital caliper and are

Severe Case of Lordosis-Kyphosis-Ankylosis in Mullus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758 (Teleostei: Mullidae) Collected from the Northern Aegean Sea, Turkey

This study aimed to identify skeletal deformities in Mullus barbatus collected from a natural population from northern the Aegean Sea, Turkey. Lordosis, kyphosis, and ankylosis were detected. Assessment of abnormality in the studied specimen was carried out by the morphological diagnosis and also by using radiography. The case studied was not fatal as it occurred in an adult individual. The possible causes for such deformity are discussed. Further studies are needed to relate specific pollutants with the observed types of deformity.

The effect of the lunar phase on the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of the Turkish swordfish longline fishery in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Background. The swordfish, Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758, is a pelagic and highly migratory species distributed in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. Swordfish fishing has been carried out in the Mediterranean with longlines, gillnets, harpoons, and traps since the Roman times. Although information is available on the influence of the lunar phase on the catch per unit effort (CPUE) for the swordfish longline fishery in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the data concerning the Mediterranean is rather limited. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the lunar phase and the swordfish CPUE, based on data from Turkish longline fisheries, targeting swordfish in the eastern Mediterranean during the 2008–2016 fishing seasons. Material and methods. We monitored randomly the daily fishing activity of longliners based at the ports of Fethiye and Özdere during 2008–2016. A total of 86 surveying operations were carried out, including 79 in the area between Fethiye and Alanya, the remaining ones were in Özdere in the southern Aegean coasts along the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The effect of the lunar phase on the swordfish catch rates, expressed in terms of kg · 1000 hooks–1, was examined by means of the Generalized Additive Modelling (GAMs) techniques. Results. The observed CPUE rates ranged from 0 to 700 kg · 1000 hooks–1. The mean swordfish CPUEs in the dark and light periods of the lunar cycle were equal to 178.10 ± 19.01 and 175.27 ± 19.56 kg · 1000 hooks–1, respectively. Although no significant differences among phases of the Moon were found (P > 0.05), CPUEs differed significantly between years (P < 0.05). Conclusion. It seems that the mechanism linking swordfish CPUE variations with the lunar cycle involves several factors, making difficult the identification of direct relations. Further studies are needed to better clarify the impact of the lunar phase on the longline gear, considering also additional parameters, such as light transition, prey abundance, physico-chemical characteristics of the marine environment, and the soak time of the gear.

Technical characteristics of deep-sea rod and reel for groupers in Fethiye (Aegean Sea)

Bu calisma, Fethiye yoresinde derinsu orfozlari icin kullanilan bir olta tipinin teknik ozellikleri ve avlama yontemini ilk kez rapor etmektedir. Bu yontem bolgede sadece iki balikci teknesi tarafindan kullaniliyorken, bircok amator balikci yildan yila bu balikciliga katilmaktadir.

Consecutive repetition of lordosis-kyphosis in silverside Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 collected from a wild population in Homa Lagoon, Izmir, Turkey

Abstract The incidence of severe consecutive repetition of lordosis-kyphosis involving three flexions was reported in a specimen of the atherinid fish Atherina boyeri Risso. The values for the angles lay between the lines passing through the sides of the vertebral column and enclosing the curvatures, and the depth of the curvatures of the angles was obtained. Also, the ratio of the vertebral column to the fish total length of deformed and normal specimens of this species was calculated. Possible causes for these anomalies are discussed.

First record of an Indo-Pacific gaper, Champsodon vorax (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Champsodontidae), from the Aegean Sea, Turkey

A specimen of Champsodon vorax Günther, 1867, of 113 mm SL, was caught on 6 September 2014 with a bottom trawl from the entrance of the Bay of Izmir, north-eastern Aegean Sea at a depth of 65 m. The presently reported study constitutes the fi rst record for the Aegean Sea but also the fourth record for the Mediterranean Sea. The specimen described in this paper is the largest individual reported to date from the Mediterranean. As it is evident from the spatial dynamics of all successive records of C. vorax in the Mediterranean this gaper seems to be a rapidly expanding species. It disperses both westwards and northwards.