UNCOVERING THE ECOLOGY AND FISHERY OF PAGELLUS BOGARAVEO (BRÜNNICH, 1768) (OSTEICTHYES: SPARIDAE) IN THE MINOR ISLANDS OF SICILY THROUGH LOCAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to address the lack of information on the ecology and fishery of blackspot seabream Pagellus bogaraveo (Brünnich, 1768) in the minor islands of Sicily. Historical data on fishing practices, spatial distribution of fishing areas and gears were collected using Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) questionnaires. The results indicate that blackspot seabream is mainly caught using handlines (54.5%) and longlines (45.5%) in depths ranging from 50 to 350 meters on rocky bottoms. The number of fishing boats that targeted blackspot seabream with handlines and longline recorded a similar pattern with a peak in the 1980s and a progressive decline in the years until 2020/2021. The catch has been decreasing since the 1970s, with current values only slightly more than one-third of the catch recorded in the 1970s. The valuable insights obtained on fishing practices and ecology of blackspot seabream, highlights the importance of incorporating LEK into scientific research.