Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The use of otolith shape to determine stock structure of Engraulis encrasicolus along the Tunisian coast

  • CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN ECOSYSTEMS
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Engraulis encrasicolus is of great economic importance in the Mediterranean. However, little is known about its stock structure. Otolith shape analysis has been successfully used for fish stock identification. In this study, the stock structure of anchovy caught off the open sea and the coastal area of the Gulf of Tunis, lagoon of Bizerte and Lake of Ichkeul were investigated using otolith shape. Otolith shape was determined by Fourier analysis and then compared among specimens sampled from different areas with forward stepwise canonical discriminant analysis. Significant differences in otolith shape between the open sea and inshore anchovy groups were detected. Otolith shape of anchovy collected in the Lake of Ichkeul was distinct from the other groups. This finding suggests a clear discreteness of the open sea and the continental groups. The data highlighted the potential for using otolith shape analysis for anchovy stock identification, as well as the role of oceanographic features in determining stock separation. These findings will have major implications for anchovy fisheries management in Tunisia. By using a precautionary approach and considering the three areas as separate stocks, fisheries management strategies should be adjusted to achieve optimum sustainable production from each stock and to avoid decreases in genetic variety.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bacha, M., S. Jemaa, A. Hamitouche, K. Rabih & A. Rachid, 2014. Population structure of the European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, in the SW Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean:evidence from otolith shape analysis. International Council of the Exploration of the Sea of Marine Science 71: 2429–2435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Begg, G. A. & J. R. Waldman, 1999. An holistic approach to fish stock identification. Fisheries Research 43: 35–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Begg, A. G., K. D. Friedland & J. B. Pearce, 1999. Stock identification and its role in stock assessment and fisheries management: an overview. Fisheries Research 43: 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bejaoui, B., D. Ferjani, N. Zaaboub, A. Chapelle & M. Moussa, 2010. Caractérisation hydrobiologique saisonnière de la lagune de Bizerte (Tunisie). Journal of Water Science 23: 215–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bembo, D. G., G. R. Carvalho, N. Cinagolani & T. J. Pitcher, 1996. Allozymic and morphometric evidence for two stocks of the European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus in Adriatic waters. Marine Biology 126: 529–538.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ben Abdallah, L. & A. Gaamour, 2004. Répartition géographique et estimation de la biomasse des petits pélagiques des côtes tunisiennes. MedSudMed Technical Documents 5: 28–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ben M’Barek, N. & N. Slim-Shimi, 2002. Evolution des paramèters physico-chimiques deseaux du lac Ichkeul après la réalisation des aménagements hydrauliques (Tunisie). Proceedings of International Symposium and Workshop on Environmental Pollution control and waste Management EPCOWM2002: 20–27.

  • Borsa, P., 2002. Allozyme, mitochondrial-DNA, and morphometric variability indicate cryptic species of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 75: 261–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borsa, P., A. Collet & J. D. Durand, 2004. Nuclear-DNA markers confirm the presence of two anchovy species in the Mediterranean. Compte Rendus Biologies 327: 1113–1123.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouchenak-khelladi, Y., J. D. Durand, A. Magoulas & P. Borsa, 2008. Geographic structure of European anchovy: a nuclear-DNA study. Journal of Sea Research 59: 269–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brandhorst, W., 1977. Les conditions du milieu au large de la côte tunisienne. Bulletin de l’Institut National scientifique et Technique d’Océanographie et de pêche de Salammbô 4: 129–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke, N., D. Brophy & P. A. King, 2008. Shape analysis of otolith annuli in Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus); a new method for tracking fish population. Fisheries Research 91: 133–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cadrin, S. X. & K. D. Friedland, 1999. The utility of image processing techniques for morphometric analysis and stock identification. Fisheries Research 43: 129–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campana, S. E. & J. M. Casselman, 1993. Stock discrimination using otolith shape analysis. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 50: 1062–1083.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canas, L., C. Stransky, J. Schlickeisen, M. Paz Sampedro & A. Celso Farina, 2012. Use of the otolith shape analysis in stock identification of anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius) in the Northeast Atlantic. International Council of the Exploration of the Sea Journal of Marine Science 69: 250–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardinale, M., P. Doering-Arjes, M. Kastowsky & H. Mosegaard, 2004. Effects of sex, stock, and environment on the shape of known-age Atlantic cod (Gadusmorhua) otoliths. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61: 158–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cury, P., A. Bakun, R. J. M. Crawford, A. Jarre, R. A. Quiñones, L. J. Shannon & H. M. Verheye, 2000. Small pelagics in upwelling systems: patterns of interaction and structural changes in ‘‘wasp-waist’’ ecosystems. International Council of the Exploration of the Sea Journal of Marine Sciences 57: 603–618.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeVires, D. A., C. B. Grimes & M. H. Prager, 2002. Using otolith shape analysis to distinguish eastern Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean stocks of king mackerel. Fisheries Research 57: 51–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedland, K. D. & D. G. Reddin, 1994. Use of otolith morphology in stock discriminations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 51: 91–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaamour, A. & S. Khemiri, 2010. Evaluation of growth differences in populations of Sardinapilchardus (Walbum, 1792) from two regions along the Tunisian Coasts. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 51: 101–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaamour, A., L. Ben Abdallah, S. Khemiri & S. Mili, 2004a. Etudes de la biologie et de l’exploitation des petits pélagiques en Tunisie. MedSudMed Technical Documents 5: 48–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaamour, A., S. Khemiri, S. Mili & L. Ben Abdallah, 2004b. L’anchois (Engraulis encrasicolus) des côtes nord de la Tunisie : reproduction et exploitation. Bulletin de l’Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer de Salammbô 31: 17–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Salas, C. & P. Lenfant, 2007. Interannual variability and intraannual stability of the otolith shape in European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus (L.) in the Bay of Biscay. Journal of Fish Biology 70: 35–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hindili, K., 2003. Atelier sur la gestion du bassin versant de l’Ichkeul. Rapport de mission, 28–29 janvier 2003. http://Whc.unsesco.org.

  • Ivanova, P. P. & I. S. Dobrovolov, 2006. Population-genetic structure on European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus, Linnaeus, 1758) (Osteichthyes: Engraulidae) from Mediterranean Basin and Atlantic Ocean. Acta Adriatica 47: 13–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwata, H. & Y. Ukai, 2002. SHAPE: a computer program package for quantitative evaluation of biological shapes based on elliptic Fourier descriptors. Journal of Heredity 93: 384–385.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Javor, B. & N. L. R. Vetter, 2011. Otolith morphometrics and population structure of Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) along the west coast of North America. Fishery Bulletin 104: 402–415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karahan, A., P. Borsa, A. Cemal Gucu, I. Kandemir, E. Ozkan, Y. AkOrek, S. Can Acan, E. Koban & I. Togan, 2014. Geometric morphometrics, Fourier analysis of otolith shape, and nuclear-DNA markers distinguish two anchovy species (Engraulis spp.) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Fisheries Research 150: 45–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khemiri, S., A. Gaamour, F. J. Meunier & L. Zylberberg, 2007. Age and growth of Engraulis encrasicolus (Clupeiforme:Engraulidae) in the Tunisian waters. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 48: 259–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khemiri, S., M. Labonne, A. Gaamour, J. M. Munaron & E. Morize, 2014. The use of otolithchemistry to determine stock structure of Sardina pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus in Tunisian Coasts. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 55: 21–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristoffersen, J. B. & A. Magoulas, 2008. Population structure of anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus L. in the Mediterranean sea inferred from multiple methods. Fisheries Research 91: 187–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhl, E. P. & C. R. Girardin, 1982. Elliptical Fourier features of a closed contour. Computer Graphics and Image Processing 18: 236–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L’Abee-Lund, J. H., 1988. Otolith shape discriminates between juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., and brown trout, Salmo trutta L. Journal of Fish Biology 33: 899–903.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lattuca, M. E., I. E. Lozano, D. R. Brown, M. Renzi & C. A. Luizon, 2015. Natural growth, otolith shape and diet analyses of Odontesthes nigricans Richardson (Atherinopsidae) from southern Patagonia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 166: 105–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legua, J., G. Plaza, D. Perez & A. Arkhipkin, 2013. Otolith shape analysis as a tool for stock identification of the southern blue whiting, Micromesistius australis. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research 41: 479–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lleonart, J. & F. Maynou, 2003. Fish stock assessments in the Mediterranean: state of the art. Scientia Marina 67: 37–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lombarte, A. & J. Lleonart, 1993. Otolith size changes related with body growth, habitat depth and temperature. Environmental Biology of Fishes 37: 297–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C. L., F. Morat, R. Lecomte-Finiger & P. Keith, 2011. Otolith shape analysis for three Sicyopterus (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Sicydiinae) species from New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Environmental Biology of Fishes 93: 209–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magoulas, A., N. Tsimenides & E. Zourus, 1996. Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny and reconstruction of the population history of a species: the case of the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). Molecular Biology and Evolution 13: 178–190.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morais, P., J. Babaluk, A. T. Correia, M. A. Chicharo, J. L. Campbell & L. Chicharo, 2010. Diversity of anchovy migration patterns in an European temperate estuary and in its adjacent coastal area: implications for fishery management. Journal of Sea Research 64: 295–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morat, F., Y. Letourneur, D. Nerini, D. Banaru & I. E. Batjakas, 2012. Discrimination of red mullet population (Teleostean, Mullidae) along multi-spatial and ontogenetic scales within the Mediterranean basin on the basis of otolith shape analysis. Aquatic Living Resources 25: 27–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul, K., R. Oeberst & C. Hammer, 2013. Evaluation of otolith shape analysis as a tool for discriminating adults of Baltic cod stocks. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 29: 743–750.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petursdottir, G., G. A. Begg & G. Marteinsdottir, 2006. Discrimination between Iceland cod (Gadus morhua L.) populations from adjacent spawning areas based on otolith growth and shape. Fisheries Research 80: 182–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quignard, J. P., T. Hamdouni & J. Zaouali, 1973. Donnéespréliminairessur les caractèresbiométriques des anchois Engraulis encrasicolus (Linné, 1758) des côtes de Tunisie et du lac Ichkeul. Revue des Travaux de l’Institut des Pêches Maritime 37: 191–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishnan, K. V., L. Yuxuan, K. V. Jayalakshmy, L. Ming, R. M. Brian & X. Songguang, 2012. Application of otolith shape analysis in identifying different ecotypes of Coilia ectenes in the Yangtze Basin, China. Fisheries Research 125: 156–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsay, J. & B. Silverman, 2005. Functional data analysis. Springer, New York.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sammari, C. & S. Gana, 1995. Revue de l’hydrodynamisme au large des côtes Tunisiennes. Bulletin de l’Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer de Salammbô 22: 10–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartzlose, R. A., J. Alheit, A. Bakun, T. R. Baumgartner, R. Colette, R. J. M. Crawford, W. J. Fletcher, Y. Green-Ruiz, E. Hagen, T. Kawasaki, D. Lluch-Belda, S. E. Lluch-Cota, A. D. Mac Call, Y. Matsuura, M. O. Nevarez-Martinez, R. H. Parrish, C. Roy, R. Serra, K. V. Shust, M. N. Ward & J. Z. Zuzunaga, 1999. Worldwide large-scale fluctuations of Sardine and Anchovy populations. South African Journal of Marine Science 21: 289–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinovcic, G., 1998. The population dynamics of the juvenile anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus (L.) under the estuarine conditions (Novigrad Sea-Central eastern Adriatic). Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes 35: 273–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinovcic, G., 2000. Anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758): Biology, population dynamics and fisheries case study. Acta Adriatica 41: 3–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanakis, E., N. Tsimenides & E. Zouros, 1989. Genetic differences between populations of sardine, Sardina pilchardus, and anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Journal of Fish Biology 35: 417–437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stransky, C., A. G. Murta, J. Schlickeisen & C. Zimmerman, 2008. Otolith shape analysis as a tool for stock separation of horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean. Fisheries Research 89: 159–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tracey, S. R., J. M. Lyle & G. Duhamel, 2006. Application of elliptical Fourier analysis of otolith form as a tool for stock identification. Fisheries Research 77: 138–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trojette, M., A. Ben Faleh, M. Fatnassi, B. Marsaoui, N. E. H. Mahouachi, A. Chalah, J. P. Quignard & M. Trabelsi, 2015. Stock discrimination of two insular populations of Diplodus annularis (ACTINOPTERYGII: PERCIFORMES: SPARIDAE) along the coast of Tunisia by analysis of otolith shape. Acta Ichtyologica et Piscicatoria 45: 363–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turan, C., 2006. The use of otolith shape and chemistry to determine stock structure of Mediterranean horse mackerel Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner). Journal of Fish Biology 69: 165–180.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vieira, A. R., A. Neves, V. R. Sequeira, B. Paiva & L. S. Gordo, 2014. Otolith shape analysis as a tool for stock discrimination of forkbeard (Phycis phycis) in the Northeast Atlantic. Hydrobiologia 728: 103–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vignon, M. & F. Morat, 2010. Environmental and genetic determinant of otolith shape revealed by a nonindigenous tropical fish. Marine Ecology Progress Series 411: 231–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zarraonaindia, I., M. Iriondo, A. Albaina, M. A. Pardo, C. Manzano, W. S. Grant, X. Irigoien & A. Estonba, 2012. Multiple SNP markers reveal fine-scale population and deep phylogeographic structure in European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L.). PLoS ONE 7: 1–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zengin, M., S. Saygin & N. Polat, 2015. Otolith shape analyses and dimensions of the anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus L. in the Black and Marmara Seas. Sains Malaysiana 44: 657–662.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zorica, B., G. Sinovcic & V. CikesKec, 2010. Preliminary data on the study of otolith morphology of five pelagic fish species from the Adriatic Sea (Croatia). Acta Adriatica 51: 89–96.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank O. Jarboui and Karima Fadhlaoui-Zid for providing samples. Special thanks to Sarra Boubich and Chaima Ben Souissi for their help in otolith shape analysis by the software “ShapeVer.1.3”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Sciences and Technologies of Sea, 28 rue 2 Mars 1934, Salammbô, Tunisia

    Sana Khemiri, Adel Gaamour, Lotfi Ben Abdallah & Samia Fezzani

Authors
  1. Sana Khemiri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adel Gaamour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lotfi Ben Abdallah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Samia Fezzani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sana Khemiri.

Additional information

Guest editors: Angelo Bonanno, Othman Jarboui, Salem Wniss Zgozi, Roberta Mifsud & Luca Ceriola / Marine Ecosystems, and Living Resources in the Central Mediterranean Sea

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Khemiri, S., Gaamour, A., Ben Abdallah, L. et al. The use of otolith shape to determine stock structure of Engraulis encrasicolus along the Tunisian coast. Hydrobiologia 821, 73–82 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3305-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3305-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation