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The fish fauna of three North African lagoons: specific inventories, ecological status and production

  • NORTH AFRICAN COASTAL LAGOONS
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Abstract

This paper examines the ecological and biological status of fisheries in three coastal lagoons in the southern Mediterranean region: Merja Zerga in Morocco, Ghar El Melh in Tunisia and Lake Manzala in Egypt. Despite similarities in some ecological characteristics, the three lagoons’ respective fisheries show differences in specific composition, in population structure and in their production both in qualitative and quantitative aspects. Thus, in Merja Zerga and Ghar El Melh the fish fauna shows a marine affinity where grey mullet and eels dominate the fish production. In Lake Manzala the ichthyofauna displays a more freshwater affinity with tilapia the dominant group of species. Otherwise, overall fish production at the three sites is regulated by variations in fishing activities, local environments and seasonal conditions. A decrease in fish production was noted over recent years and this is attributed to deteriorating ecological conditions. A variety of factors are implicated including sea communication problems, reduction of the continental (fresh) water supply and increase of pollution causing eutrophication. In addition, over fishing with a continuing increase of fishing effort units, contributes to fisheries decline.

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Acknowledgements

The MELMARINA Project was financed by the EU Framework V INCO-Med Programme (Grant ICA3-CT2002-10009). The authors acknowledge the assistance of all the partner institutions in the project. Local authorities in each North African country supported this work in particular through the provision of fisheries data. The assistance of Fisheries Offices and Environmental Agencies in Casablanca, Tunis and Cairo is much appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Aquaculture, INSTM – 28, Rue de 2 Mars 1934, Salammbô, 2025, Tunis, Tunisia

    M. M. Kraïem & L. Chouba

  2. Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Institute Scientifique, University Mohamed V Charia Ibn Batota, Rabat, BP703, Morocco

    M. Ramdani

  3. Department of Marine Resources, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, 23 Josef Burrows Tito St. El Nozha, Al Gadida, P.O. Box 1654, Cairo, Egypt

    M. H. Ahmed

  4. Wetland Research Unit/Environmental Change Research Centre, UCL Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    J. R. Thompson & R. J. Flower

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  1. M. M. Kraïem
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Correspondence to M. M. Kraïem.

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Guest editors: J. R. Thompson & R. J. Flower

Hydro-ecological Monitoring and Modelling of North African Coastal Lagoons

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Kraïem, M.M., Chouba, L., Ramdani, M. et al. The fish fauna of three North African lagoons: specific inventories, ecological status and production. Hydrobiologia 622, 133–146 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-008-9679-3

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