Title:
Three year collection of pelagic fishery data in accordance with the Regulation 199/2008 (Tender # 03/2014, DFMR)
Duration:
ca 3 years (April 2014 – January 2017)
Funded by:
Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the Republic of Cyprus)
Project partners:
Marine & Environmental Research (MER) Lab Ltd, Cyprus
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (A.U.Th.), Department of Biology, Greece
El Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia (IEO), Spain
Project Description:
MER Lab Ltd and A.U.Th., were assigned by the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR) of Cyprus, (after tender competition), the implementation of the public tender 03/2014 “Collection of pelagic fishery data in accordance with the Regulation 199/2008”.
Dr Konstantinos Ganias of the Ichthyology Laboratory, Department of Biology of A.U.Th. was coordinating the Project and carried out histological and statistical analysis of the large pelagic fish.
Dr Victoria Ortiz de Zarate of IEO, was responsible for the age determination of 35 individuals Thunnus alalunga collected in 2014 by reading the first spine of the dorsal fin.
MER’s team collected biological fisheries data from: (i) boats during their regular commercial activities, and (ii) from fisheries repacking units. During samplings the following were carried out:
- Information will be recorded on sampling, vessels and hauls characteristics
- Total weight of catches (including discarded species)
- Biometric measurements of species caught and discarded (Length, Weight)
- Sex and maturity (Gonad sub-samples will be collected for histological analysis)
- Collection of first spine of the dorsal fin of Thunnus alalunga for age determination
Furthermore, MER carried out all the statistical analyses of the pelagic fish (verified by Dr. Ganias) and prepared the annual reports that were delivered to the National Authorities.
Contact information of project coordinator
Dr Konstantinos Ganias: +30 2310998760
Email: kganias@bio.auth.gr