In this study, catch composition and catch efficiency of the species captured from the Beymelek lagoon on the western Mediterranean coast of Turkey in 2007-2008 season were investigated. The highest catch rates of the species caught with gill nets and fishing trap, existing lagoon system were gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L., 1758) 75.4%, thick-lipped mullet (Chelon labrosus Risso, 1827) 11.3%, sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L., 1758) 5.2%, striped mullet (Mugil cephalus L., 1758) 5.1%, grey mullet (Liza ramada Risso, 1810) 1.7%, striped seabream (Lithognathus mormyrus L., 1758) 0.8%, white grouper-dusky grouper (Epinephelus aeneus-Epinephelus marginatus) 0.5% and white seabream (Diplodus sargus L., 1758) 0.1%. The average lengths of the fishes, which had the highest catch rates,such as seabream, thick-lipped mullet, sea bass, striped mullet and grey mullet, were 23.3±0.41 cm, 31.4±0.71 cm, 30.3±1.13 cm, 34.6±1.11 cm and 30.1±0.18 cm respectively. The amount of fish per unit area obtained from the Beymelek lagoon was determined as 21.3 kg/ha.

Seasonal growth and reproduction biology of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus were studied in the Beymelek lagoon, southwestern coast of Turkey between July 2009 and September 2010. The seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters were obtained by Hoenig method using the LFDA (Length Frequency Distribution Analysis) for each sex. The LFDA analyses showed that male crabs had higher L ∞ and lower K and higher Φ' values (L ∞ =230.1 mm, K=0.860 year-1) than females (L ∞ =181.9 mm, K=1.064 year-1). Seasonal variation of growth for females (C=0.93) were found stronger than males (C=0.29). The slowest growth period started in October (WP=0.79) for females and in January (WP=0.06) for males. Ovigerous females were appeared in the population in February and peaked in August and September. The spawning period of C. sapidus was between July and September. The length of maturity of 50% was estimated as 118.5 mm length for females.