Catch per Unit Effort and Mortality Rates of Two Sparid Species, Pagellus acarne and Pagellus erythrinus from Bottom Trawl Fishery in Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea

This study was carried out by using experimental trawl surveys in Izmir bay (Aegean sea) with seasonal basis between 2007 and 2009. A total of 707 specimens of P. acarne sampled were ranged from 7 cm (7.5 g) to 19.8 cm (137.5 g) with average 12.4 +/- 0.06 cm FL (35.2 +/- 0.57 g) while a total of 11 27 P. erythrinus specimens were also ranged from 4.6 cm (1.8 g) to 22.3 cm (247.8 g) with average 13.1 +/- 0.09 cm FL (50.8 +/- 1.02 g). The maximal CPUE was found in Autumn (0.53 +/- 0.14 kg h(-1)) for P. acarne while in Spring (1.29 +/- 0.47 kg h(-1)) for P. erythrinus. The high exploitation rates (E = 0.65 year(-1) for P. acarne and E = 0.61 year(-1) for P. erythrinus) indicates the over-fishing on both Pagellus populations in the Aegean sea.