SANBI

Rationale

Global

Lithognathus mormyrus is widespread and is common in some parts of its range. However, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, there is some indication that the size structure of populations is affected by overfishing and may indicate possible future population declines. It has also been declining in the Canary Islands and FAO fish landings from Angola also indicated some decline. Elsewhere, it is not a targeted species and its distribution overlaps in marine protected areas in parts of its range. It is therefore listed as Least Concern. However, because of increasing fishing pressures, close monitoring of this species is recommended.

Europe

In Europe, this species is widespread and common in parts of its range. Its distribution overlaps with marine protected areas. It is listed as Least Concern. However, because of increasing fishing pressures, close monitoring of this species is recommended.

Distribution

Lithognathus mormyrus is widely distributed in the eastern Atlantic from southwestern France (Bay of Biscay) to South Africa, including the Canary Islands and Madeira (Wirtz et al. 2008), Cape Verde Islands and Sao Tome-Principe. This species also occurs in Mozambique in the western Indian Ocean. It is present in all of the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Marmara, but is not found in the Black Sea. It has also been collected from Israel (Red Sea) and the Azov Sea (Carpenter in press, Pajuelo et al. 2002, Heemstra and Heemstra 2004). This species occurs to 150 m depth (Carpenter in press).

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

Lithognathus mormyrus is common in the eastern and southern Mediterranean Sea, but less common in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. It is also common in eastern Atlantic and the two populations of this species present a sharp Atlantic-Mediterranean genetic separation (Bargelloni et al. 2003). Recent research in Israel indicates that current individuals are smaller than those known from historical museum specimens, and most specimens currently caught are one year old and mature (M. Goren pers. comm.). This same trend is observed in Turkey (K. Bizsel and B. Yokes pers. comm.).

In a study by Akyol and Ertosluk (2010), captures from the sea-cage farms along the coast of the Turkish Aegean Sea were determined with the use of a special cage trap and trammel net. Hand or longlines and underwater harpoons, although rare, were also in use. This species was dominant and accounted for 0.7% of the total weight of one fish farm from 2004–2008.

FAO catch statistics from 1996 to 2006 for the Mediterranean ranged from 718 tonnes to 1,135 tonnes and were fairly stable over this period, with five countries reporting catch data. Elsewhere, in Angola, there was a very significant decline in catch from 3,353 tonnes in 2006 to 223 tonnes in 2007.

FAO capture production figures in 2012 were: Algeria nine tonnes; Angola 2,030 tonnes; Croatia nine tonnes; Cyprus five tonnes; France (NE Atlantic) 101 tonnes; Italy 568 tonnes; Mauritania 213 tonnes; Morocco 127 tonnes; Portugal (NE Atlantic) 34 tonnes; Slovenia six tonnes; Spain 151 tonnes; Senegal 21 tonnes; Syrian Arab Republic three tonnes; and Tunisia 352 tonnes.

Threats

Catches of L. mormyrus have been declining in the Canary Islands during the past few years (Pajuelo et al. 2002) and in Angola (FAO catch landings). Fishing effort in the Mediterranean has increased (Vitale et al. 2011), especially in the eastern Mediterranean. In a study assessing the factors affecting mortality of L. mormyrus caught and released in a recreational fishery in the Balearic Islands, this species exhibited higher mortality rates (33%) compared to Diplodus annularis, with over 90% of the catch under the minimum legal size. Deep-hooking was the strongest predictor of mortality (Alos et al. 2009).

Uses and trade

Lithognathus mormyrus is fished throughout its range and is present throughout the year, but does not sustain an important fishery. This species is caught with line gear, bottom trawls, beach seines, trammel nets and traps (Canary Islands) (Carpenter in press).

In the Canary Islands, this species is one of the main target species of the demersal small-scale fishery (Pajuelo 1997). It is caught at depths between 10 to 100 m mainly with traps. It is captured all year round with seasonal differences in landings (Pajuelo et al. 2002). In the Mediterranean (Strait of Sicily), it is one of the principal target species and mainly caught using both trammel and gill nets throughout the year, but fishing methods, areas and price vary according to season. The growth in tourism over the past decades has brought about a higher demand for this and other sparid species, mostly in the warm seasons. Consequently, the fishing effort of the artisanal fleet has increased (Vitale et al. 2011)

Although fairly commonly caught by shore anglers along the Southeastern Cape and Southwestern Cape coasts using light tackle, they are generally not targeted due to their small size. This species was a component of the beach-seine fishery in False Bay until the prohibition of night fishing in the 1990s. Shore-angling catches have decreased in False Bay since the late 1980s which may be due to decline or a change in distribution (Richardson and Lamberth 2013).

Conservation

There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for L. mormyrus but in South Africa, it is included in the total daily bag limit for recreational and subsistence fishers of ten fish per person per day for unlisted species (Richardson and Lamberth 2013). Lithognathus mormyrus occurs in several marine protected areas within its range (World Database of Protected Areas, accessed 11 March 2014). It is recommended that more genetic research be done for the management of this species. Strategies, such as promoting the use of more selective gears that reduce the capture of undersized fish (Fabi et al. 2002) and the use of circle hooks and implementing gentler release techniques, should be considered in managing these species (Alos et al. 2009). In South Africa, it probably receives some protection in the Tsitsikamma National Park and the De Hoop Marine Reserve, as well as in other MPAs along the Southeastern and Southwestern Cape coast where fishing is prohibited (Mann and van der Elst 2000). In South Africa, L. mormyrus is not an important target species due to its small size; however, size and bag limits should be implemented and direct management in the subsistence shore fishery is probably most needed (Richardson and Lamberth 2013).

References

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