Survival rates of Black Sea Trubot (Scophthalmus maeoticus Pallas, 1811) captured by bottom turbot gillnets in different depths and fishing seasons between 1999 and 2004

Abstract

A study was performed between 1999 and 2004 in order to determine the survival rates of Black Sea Turbot (Scophthalmus maeoticus Pallas, 1811) captured by bottom turbot gillnets from different depths (DI:<30 m, D2:31-50 m, and D3:>51 m) and seasons in Sinop Region (Black Sea, Turkey). The mean survival rates were found as to be 53.36±8.551%, 80.63±5.166%, 92.80±4.353 % on Di:<30 m, D2: 31-50 m, and D3:>51 m, respectively and they were significantly (P<0.05) different from each other. A linear relationship was observed between fishing depth and survival rate, and described as follows y 0.9145x 30.505, where ymean survival rates and xfishing depths (r0.79). The mean survival rates were found as to be 71.12±5.941%, 85.20±4.331%, 81.019.618 % and 85.05±10.735% in winter, spring, summer and autumn, respectively. And they were not significantly different from each other (P>0.05). The results suggest that the survival rates of turbot are not related to fishing soak time or season but strongly related to fishing depths. And the captured turbot breeders might have high survival captured by gillnet more than 51 m in turbot culture.