Monitoring of weekly catch per unit effort (CPUE) and some biological features of bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix Linnaeus, 1766) captured from southern Black Sea coasts of Turkey

Abstract

In this study, changing of catch per unit effort (CPUE) and length composition of bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix Linnaeus, 1766) caught in southern Black Sea was monitored during the period of 8 weeks in October and November 2012. A total of 2255 kg bluefishes were captured by pelagic trawl at the end of the 32 hauls. The length-weight relationships of bluefish were established as W=0.0037L3.3067 (positive allometric growth). The catch per unit effort (CPUE) and mean length were fixed as 14.43 kgh-1 and 17.5±0.03 cm, respectively. Differences between CPUE values of each weeks were found statistically significant (P<0.05). The highest and lowest mean total lengths of bluefish were determined 18.9±0.08 cm (October) and 16.2±0.10 cm (November) respectively. It is determined that changing in size composition of the caught fishes is depending on time. Also, it can be expressed that fishing period affects catch per unit effort in bluefish fisheries.