Overview of a Keystone Small Pelagic Fish in the North-Western Black Sea: Biometry, Age and Stock Status of Horse Mackerel Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner, 1868)
2025
Cătălin Păun | Aurelia Țoțoiu | George Țiganov | Mădălina Galațchi | Magda Nenciu | Victor Niță
As a semi-pelagic fish with commercial value, Mediterranean horse mackerel, Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner, 1868), is highly important both for the ecosystem, as a link between trophic levels, and for fisheries and local livelihoods. This study investigates the T. mediterraneus stock along the Romanian coast for more than 10 years (2014&ndash:2024), reporting the following data on its bio-ecological characteristics and stock status: size, age, sex ratio, and estimated biomass. Horse mackerel at the Romanian coast revealed an initially slower growth rate followed by acceleration in later years, which may reflect local ecological influences such as resource availability, environmental conditions, or selective pressure. The spatial distribution of the species along the Romanian shelf indicates a clear pattern of coastal aggregation, highlighting the need for targeted and precautionary fisheries management measures, aiming to ensure a sustainable stock.
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