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Characterization of fish assemblages and population structure of freshwater fish in two Tunisian reservoirs: implications for fishery management

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Abstract

To monitor and assess the state of Tunisian freshwater fisheries, two surveys were undertaken at Ghezala and Lahjar reservoirs. Samples were taken in April and May 2013, a period when the fish catchability is high. The selected reservoirs have different surface areas and bathymetries. Using multi-mesh gill nets (EN 14575 amended) designed for sampling fish in lakes, standard fishing methods were applied to estimate species composition, abundance, biomass, and size distribution. Four species were caught in the two reservoirs: barbel, mullet, pike-perch, and roach. Fish abundance showed significant change according to sampling sites, depth strata, and the different mesh sizes used. From the reservoir to the tributary, it was concluded that fish biomass distribution was governed by depth and was most abundant in the upper water layers. Species size distribution differed significantly between the two reservoirs, exceeding the length at first maturity. Species composition and abundance were greater in Lahjar reservoir than in Ghezala. Both reservoirs require support actions to improve fish productivity.

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Acknowledgments

This work is part of a collaborative project involving the Technical Centre of Aquaculture and the Higher Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Bizerte, Tunisia, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS, Chrono-Environnement 6249), Besançon.

We would like to thank Becher Ammami and Ahmed Kassab who contributed to the success of the fishing surveys. We are also very grateful to Messeher Akkari and Ghaith Zneigi for their help which considerably improved the manuscript. We thank the anonymous reviewers whose comments have helped to greatly improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité de recherche: Exploitation des Milieux Aquatiques, Institut Supérieur de Pêche et d’Aquaculture de Bizerte, Errimel, B.P.15, 7080, Bizerte, Tunisia

    Sami Mili

  2. Laboratoire Milieu Marin, Centre la Goulette, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM), La Goulette, Tunisia

    Rym Ennouri, Amel Dhib & Hechmi Missaoui

  3. Centre Technique d’Aquaculture, 5, rue du Sahel Montfleury, 1009, Tunis, Tunisia

    Houcine Laouar

  4. Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France

    Lotfi Aleya

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  1. Sami Mili
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Correspondence to Lotfi Aleya.

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Mili, S., Ennouri, R., Dhib, A. et al. Characterization of fish assemblages and population structure of freshwater fish in two Tunisian reservoirs: implications for fishery management. Environ Monit Assess 188, 364 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5364-6

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