Vol. 76 (2) 2024

ARTICLES

Fish Abundance and Mesozooplankton Resource: a study on Sprattus sprattus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Actinopterygii: Clupeidae) in the Romanian Black Sea Waters

Elena Bișinicu1*, George-Emanuel Harcotă1,2, Luminița Lazăr1, Victor Niță1, Aurelia Țoțoiu1
& George Țiganov1

More info

*1National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, Constanta, Romania
2University of Bucharest, Doctoral School in Ecology, Bucharest, Romania

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb76.2.002732

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Abstract
Food availability influence the state of fish stocks, with effects on the demographics, composition and productivity of fish populations. In the spring seasons of 2018–2020, expeditions were carried out in order to collect data for Sprattus sprattus agglomerations, mesozooplankton community and S. sprattus stomach content analysis. Throughout the whole study period, it was shown that the fodder mesozooplankton component recorded high concentrations in the areas where fish had high catch values, promoting the best possible development of fish stocks. The analysis of S. sprattus stomach content highlighted the high consumption of copepods and meroplanktonic elements, with copepods being intensively consumed in 2019 and 2020. Fish productivity is directly associated with the presence or absence of mesozooplankton, which can have a cascading effect on fish stocks.

Key words
Fish stock, copepods, meroplankton, sprat, stomach content

How to Cite
Bișinicu Е., Harcotă G.-E., Lazăr L., Niță V., Țoțoiu A. & Țiganov G. 2024. Fish Abundance and Mesozooplankton Resource: Sprattus sprattus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Actinopterygii: Clupeidae) in the Romanian Black Sea Waters. Acta zoologica bulgarica 76 (2) 215-224.

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