The study of European eel, Anguilla anguilla in the River Neretva estuary (Eastern Adriatic Sea, Croatia) using traditional fishery gear

• Published in: Acta Adriatica
• Main Authors: Glamuzina, Luka, Pećarević, Marijana, Dobroslavić, Tatjana, Tomšić, Sanja, Glamuzina, Branko
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries 2022
• Subjects: European eel; traditional fishery gear; length-weight relationship; parasite; Anguil- licoloides crassus; Neretva estuary; europska jegulja; tradicionalno ribarstvo; duljinsko-maseni odnos; Anguillicoloides crassus; delta Neretve; Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: https://hrcak.srce.hr/281124; https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/407579

Samples of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla from two different habitats in the River Neretva estuary region were analysed using two different traditional fishery gear, in the period from 2016 to 2019. The monthly eel catches in ten traditional fyke nets in Parila lagoon varied from 4.4 to 12.7 kg (±2.45 kg) in 2016 and 2.4 to 9.6 kg (±2.01 kg) in 2019. There were no statistical differences between monthly and total weights recorded in 2016 and 2019 (t=1.04; p=0.312). The b-coefficient of the length-weight (LW) relationship for the freshwater eel samples varied from 3,1036 to 3,3206 during two-year period of the sampling. The LW relationship for the brackish population was significantly lower (b-coefficient 2,6513). The dominant eel stage in both sites was yellow eel, while silver stage was scarce. The fishery with traditional devices revealed that efficiency of these artisanal tools is low, pointing to poor abundance of eel in their common habitats. The recorded catch using bigger traditional eel trap gear during autumn spawning migrations was also dominated with yellow stage, while silver eel represented only 15,4% of the catch. The infestation of eels with the parasite, Anguillicoloides crassus was significantly higher in freshwater habitat (41% of eel specimens infested) than in brackish, Parila lagoon (7%). Poor efficiency of traditional gear, bad length and weight structure of the population and low b-coefficients of eels in their most important habitat, indicate poor status of European eel population and River Neretva estuarine ecosystems. Europska jegulja, Anguilla anguilla analizirana je u dva različita staništa u delti Neretve pomoću dva različita tradicionalna ribolovna alata za jegulju u razdoblju od 2016. do 2019. Ulov jegulje u deset tradicionalnih vrša za jegulje u laguni Parila kolebao je mjesečno od 4,4 do 12,7 kg (± 2,45 kg) u 2016. godini i od 2,4 do 9,6 kg (± 2,01 kg) u 2019. godini. Nije bilo statističke razlike između mjesečnih i ukupnih masa zabilježenih u 2016. i 2019. godini (t = ...