Comparison of bonito (Sarda sarda Bloch, 1793) fish and fishing methods in the Black Sea Osman Samsun, Hakan Aksu
Coast ans seas
Abstract
Abstract
Different prohibitions and restrictions regarding time, location, and minimum catchable size for bonito (Sarda sarda Bloch, 1793) fishing in the Black Sea are prominently featured in Communiqué No. 6/1 and previous communiqués regulating commercial fisheries. However, different opinions and suggestions regarding the fishing of this fish are being brought to the agenda. Bonito fishing methods include bonito hooks, bonito gill nets, seine nets, and bonito purse seines. Additionally, bonito fishing is also carried out using midwater trawls without gates, towed by two boats. This study investigates the effects of five different fishing methods on bonito fishing to ensure the sustainability of bonito stocks and to establish a profitable fishing process with the most appropriate rules and restrictions within a legal framework. The aim is to present this information to the regulatory authorities. In this study, the quantities and compositions of bonito caught using 5 different fishing gear were analyzed in the field, along with their market values, compliance with existing bans and restrictions, and any violations, as the primary data. Fishing with a jig, the simplest method for catching bonito, is permitted starting August 15th, and numerous small fishermen and amateur anglers are intensively catching many small bonito weighing 150-200 grams, which have not yet reached the minimum catch size limit of 25 cm. The edible meat content of these fish is also considerably lower than that of bonito weighing between 500-1000 grams. In recent years, bonito fishing with mid-water trawls has increased in mesh size up to 80 cm on the wings and shoulders of the nets, allowing for faster net pulling and thus enabling smaller bonito to escape the nets. In some fishing seasons, the large quantities of bonito below the minimum catchable size limit caught with jig and purse seines negatively impact the sustainability of these fish stocks. Legal restrictions and regulations should be revised according to the characteristics of all fishing gear and the migration and growth characteristics of bonito.
Keywords: Bonito fish, Purse seine fishing, Stream nets, Seine nets, Bonito jigging, Sustainable aquaculture
