Michele Luca Geraci

CNR IRBIM

The mantis shrimp Rissoides pallidus (Giesbrecht, 1910) is a rarely reported crustacean species in the Central Mediterranean Sea. In December 2020, during a trawl survey off Mazara del Vallo harbor (Strait of Sicily), two specimens of R. pallidus were captured on coastal detritus and coastal terrigenous mud bottoms at about 132 and 152 m depths. Ad...

In recent years there has been a growing interest in assessing incidental catches of protected species caught by commercial fishing. The CNR-IRBIM, in collaboration with ISPRA, has monitored some trawlers operating in the GSA 16 in the period 2022-2023, in accordance with the monitoring program 'Fishery-dependent data collection MADIT-D03-03, MICIT...

This poster showcases an attempt to address the discard reduction using a guarding net in the small-scale fisheries of Egadi Islands MPA (Western Sicily, Central Mediterranean Sea). Key results were shown, with important resultant data. We also shared some concluding remarks.

Between September and October 2021, a total of seven adult specimens (five females and two males) of Umbrina ronchus Valenciennes, 1843 were caught in the waters off Portopalo di Capo Passero and Porto Empedocle (the southeastern coast of Sicily). This was the first record of this species in the Strait of Sicily and the deepest record of this speci...

The mantis shrimp Rissoides pallidus (Giesbrecht, 1910) is among the rarely reported crustacean species in the Central Mediterranean Sea. In December 2020, during a trawl survey off Mazara del Vallo harbour (Strait of Sicily), two specimens of R. pallidus were captured on coastal detritus and coastal terrigenous mud bottoms at about 132 and 152 m d...

Environmental pollution, particularly in the marine environment, has become a significant concern due to the increasing presence of pollutants and their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. This study focuses on the bioaccumulation of trace elements in the muscle tissue of the blackmouth catshark (Galeus melastomus) from different areas...

Il gambero rosa, Parapenaeus longirostris (DPS), il nasello Merluccius merluccius (HKE), la triglia di scoglio, Mullus surmuletus (MUR) la triglia di fango, Mullus barbatus (MUT) e lo scampo, Nephrops norvegicus (NEP) sono le principali specie bersaglio delle strascicanti siciliane che operano nel Mar Mediterraneo centrale (GSA 16). Considerato lo...

Introduction Most Mediterranean fish stocks are overexploited owing to high fishing efforts and poor exploitation patterns. Demersal trawl fisheries are considered the most impactful fishery type because of the high quantities of unwanted catch that is then routinely discarded at sea. Methods In the present study, two types of by-catch reduction d...

Stock assessments routinely evaluate the status of commercially harvested species, but seldom account for the possible mortality of released or escaping fish. This study presents a method for estimating the escape survival of the red mullet (Mullus barbatus) from demersal trawling in the Central Mediterranean Sea. Fish escaping from the trawl coden...

Discards remain among the main negative impacts of fishing activities, and their reductions are strengthened by the European Common Fisheries Policy (European Regulation 1380/2013). Trammel net fisheries appear more sustainable compared with other fishing techniques, especially from an ecological viewpoint. Despite this, reports show that trammel n...

This poster showcases the behavioural features of juvenile pelagic Atlantic horse mackerel as affected by artificial light wavelengths. There were three major objectives, and the research approach was as per publication. Key results were shown, with important resultant data. We also shared some concluding remarks.

Gli elasmobranchi sono un'importante componente del bycatch della pesca a strascico, comunemente venduti nei mercati locali. Secondo le valutazioni della Lista Rossa della IUCN, il 46% degli squali e delle specie affini sono classificati come "In pericolo di estinzione", "In via di estinzione" o "Vulnerabili". Per molte specie di elasmobranchi, ino...

To enrich spatio-temporal information on the distribution of alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, a collective effort by 173 marine scientists was made to provide unpublished records and make them open access to the scientific community. Through this effort, we collected and harmonized a dataset of 12,64...

On July 7 th 2018 a specimen of Mediterranean dealfish (Trachipterus trachypterus Gmelin 1789) was caught in the shallow waters of Selinunte (in the SouthWestern coast of Sicily) by trammel net. It was a female in maturing phase and the gonadosomatic index resulted as 1.1%. The specimen measured 1638 mm in total length and weighed about 2480 g. The...

ISSN: 0001-5113 AADRAY ACTA ADRIAT., 63 (2): 231-240, 2022 SHORT COMMNICATION On July 7 th 2018 a specimen of Mediterranean dealfish (Trachipterus trachypterus Gmelin 1789) was caught in the shallow waters of Selinunte (in the SouthWestern coast of Sicily) by trammel net. It was a female in maturing phase and the gonadosomatic index resulted as 1.1...

Holothurians or sea cucumbers are key organisms in marine ecosystems that, by ingesting large quantities of sediments, provide important ecosystem services. Among them, Parastichopus regalis (Cuvier, 1817) is one of the living sea cucumbers in the Mediterranean actively fished for human consumption mainly in Spain, where it is considered a gastrono...

An additional session of the Working Group on Stock Assessment of Demersal Species (WGSAD) dedicated to giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea; ARS) and blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus; ARA) in the eastern–central Mediterranean was held online on 8–11 February 2022. The main objective of this meeting was to advance the assessment of the...

On July 2018, one specimen of Ichthyococcus ovatus (Cocco, 1838) was caught in the Strait of Sicily during the International Bottom Trawl Survey in the Mediterranean (MEDITS). The adult I. ovatus measured 49 mm in total length and weighed 1.44 g. In this context, the presently reported study constitutes the first and deepest record of an adult of I...

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays), which have peculiar and vulnerable life-history traits, are highly threatened by fishing activities. Indeed, between 53% and 71% of Mediterranean elasmobranch species are at risk of extinction. In this context, using the abundance MSY (AMSY) model, the present study provides an assessment of 20 batoids and 16 shark...

In this preliminary study we tested the efficiency of artificial lights during a selectivity survey carried out, in September 2017, of the SW Sicilian coast. The targeted species were deepwater rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris Lucas, 1846; DPS) and European hake (Merluccius merluccius Linneus, 1759; HKE). A total of 18 repeated nocturnal hauls...

The length–weight relationships (LWRs) of 52 species (14 never reported before) of fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods living on the shelf and upper slope off Southern Sicily are provided. Data were collected in the framework of the International bottom trawl survey in the Mediterranean (MEDITS) in the South of Sicily (Central Mediterranean), cover...

The economic performances of four trawling fleets (those of the Sicilian cities of Trapani, Sciacca, Licata and Porto Palo di Capo Passero) operating in the coastal waters along the southern coast of Sicily (geographical Subarea 16), and potentially affected by the establishment of the Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs), were analysed. The main econ...

The effect of artificial lights mounted on the headrope trawl net on the catch of deep water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), and Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) was tested in a survey carried out on-board a commercial trawler off the SW Sicilian coast. A total of 18 repeated nocturnal hau...

Cephalopods, including octopuses, squids, and cuttlefishes, are exploited by both bottom trawl and small-scale fisheries (SSF) in most of the Mediterranean areas. Bottom trawl fisheries regard cephalopods as a valuable bycatch, whereas for SSF, they are among the main target species. Cephalopods account for a relatively small proportion of the tota...

Batoid species play a key role in marine ecosystems but unfortunately they have globally declined over the last decades. Given the paucity of information, abundance data and the main life history traits for batoids, obtained through about three decades of bottom trawl surveys, are presented and discussed. The surveys were carried out in two areas o...

Skates are characterised by conservative body morphology which hampers identification and leads to frequent taxonomic confusion and market mislabelling. Accurate specimen classification is crucial for reliable stock assessments and effective conservation plans, otherwise the risk of extinction could be unnoticed. The misclassification issue is evid...

In November 2015 an immature male individual of great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus 1758), was caught as by-catch by a bottom trawler in the Strait of Sicily, in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The shark, reaching 266 cm in length and weighing 290 Kg, was identified and measured by means of a video provided by fishers. This record is...

The silver scabbardfish Lepidopus caudatus is a mesopelagic species living on the shelf and slope down to 600 m in temperate seas all around the world. In the Mediterranean, the species is caught mainly by longlines with a marked seasonality. In the early 90s in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea), a new fishery targeting L. caudatus w...

Sono ormai celeberrime le location dove il mitico commissario Salvo Montalbano si reca a gustare prelibati manicaretti a base di pesci, crostacei e molluschi, senza profferire parola, negli intermezzi delle sue intricate indagini poliziesche. Sia gli amanti della fiction di Andrea Camilleri sia i numerosi turisti che si recano da “Enzo a mare” (Pun...

In November 2015 an immature male individual of great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus 1758), was caught as by-catch by a bottom trawler in the Strait of Sicily, in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The shark, reaching 266 cm in length and weighing 290 Kg, was identified and measured by means of a video provided by fishers. This record is...

An additional record of the non-indigenous species (NIS) Seriola fasciata from the southern coast of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea) is here described in this note. The catch record is the first in the area and confirms the key role of the area for NIS spreading. In addition, an updated map of its spatial distribution is provided as well as a di...

The detection of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts (GIT) of marine organisms has been recognized as among a major detrimental consequence of global plastic pollution. The effect of bioaccumulation may be potentially dangerous for food web transfer and consequently for human health. Several observational studies have been carried out in a...

ICES Working Group on Innovative Fishing Gear (WKING) seeks to prepare ICES advice on the progress that has been made, or impact arising from innovative gear within European waters. In order to prepare the report described in Article 31.1 of Regulation 2019/1241, the EU DG-MARE seeks ICES advice on the progress that has been made, or impact arising...

Nous registres de dues espècies rares, Calappa tuerkayana Pastore, 1995 (Decapoda, Calappidae) i Parasquilla ferrussaci (Roux, 1828) (Stomatopoda, Parasquillidae), del canal de Sicília (Mediterrani central). El cranc calàpid Calappa tuerkayana (Pastore, 1995) i la galera Parasquilla ferussaci (Roux, 1828) són dues espècies de crustacis escassament...

Five specimens of the invasive American blue crab Callinectes sapidus were caught from October 2018 to December 2019 off the Mazara del Vallo harbour, Strait of Sicily. This note documents further records of the species in the Strait of Sicily and its settlement in the area. In addition, an update of the spatial distribution of C. sapidus in the Me...

The high variability of trammel fisheries, due to a marked seasonality in target species and fishing activities needs to be investigated with high spatial and temporal resolution. The present study focuses on trammel net fishery in SW Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea) identifying and characterizing the main métiers in relation to some key aspects...

Abundance, composition, and distribution of macro-litter found on the seafloor of the Strait of Sicily between 10 and 800 m depth has been studied using data collected by bottom trawl surveys MEDITS from 2015 to 2019. Three waste categories based on the items use were considered: single-use, fishing-related and generic-use. Over 600 sampling sites,...

Background. Atlantic horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus (Linnaeus, 1758), is among bento-pelagic species subject to discard within deep-water rose shrimp fisheries, and how such species would react to light wavelength is therefore important, to be consistent with the Common Fishery Policy (CFP). Despite the existing literature currently available,...

An unusual catch of mature specimens of Pagellus acarne (Risso, 1827) off the south coast of Sicily (Quadro Bank, central Mediterranean Sea) on October 2016 allowed to improve the ongoing knowledge on the age structure of spawners and other reproductive aspects of the species. A sample of 104 (32 female and 72 male) specimens was examined. Females...

Plastics are widely diffused in the oceans and their ingestion by marine organisms is raising concern for potentially adverse effects. The risk of harmful interactions with marine plastic pollution depends on the biology of the species as well as the distribution and abundance of the different plastic types. The aim of this study was to assess the...

This short note describes the first record of the Norwegian skate, Dipturus nidarosiensis (Storm, 1881), in the Strait of Sicily. A male specimen of 95.6 cm total length and 3466 g weight was caught on December 2017 during a bottom trawl survey at a mean depth of 551 m. Information on biometric, sexual maturity, stomach content, and age estimation...

This study presents data of two adult female tope sharks, Galeorhinus galeus (Linnaeus 1758) that were tagged in the northeast Atlantic and recaptured in the central Mediterranean Sea. The sharks were tagged in Scotland in 2009 and Ireland in 2015 and were recaptured off the south coast of Sicily in 2014 and 2017, respectively. The specimen capture...

Single-species Gadget models were used to assess the effects of using a sorting grid mounted on the traditional trawl net used by Sicilian trawlers to exploit the deep-water rose shrimp in the Strait of Sicily. The main commercial by-catch species of this fleet is the European hake (Merluccius merluccius), often caught at sizes well below the minim...

A reference collection of 173 vertebrae (90 males and 83 females) was used for the estimation of age and growth of Lesser Spotted Dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula L., 1758) by growth rings analysis of vertebrae. Vertebrae were prepared by the removal of adhering material with a solution of bleach, and were aged with the coloration of red Alizarin and...

One hundred and six specimens of the Por’s goatfish, Upeneus pori Ben-Tuvia & Golani (1989), a Lessepsian species native to the Western Indian Ocean, were collected from bottom trawlers’ catches from 2012 to 2016 on the deep shelf off the southern coast of Lampedusa Island (Strait of Sicily, Central Mediterranean Sea). Since it first appeared in Is...

The bony fish Lophotus lacepede (Giorna, 1809) and Zu cristatus (Bonelli, 1819) are the two species rarely recorded within the Mediterranean basin, usually reported as accidentally captured in depth (mesopelagic) fishing operations. In the current work, we present the first record of L. lacepede and Z. cristatus in fishing catches from southwestern...

Four specimens of the northern brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives, 1891, a West Atlantic species, were unexpectedly caught by bottom trawlers along the South coast of Sicily between Porto Empedocle and Mazara del Vallo (Central Mediterranean). The dispersal and transport of shrimp eggs and larvae via surface water circulation is suggested as the lik...

Four specimens of the northern brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives, 1891, a West Atlantic species, were unexpectedly caught by bottom trawlers along the South coast of Sicily between Porto Empedocle and Mazara del Vallo (Central Mediterranean). The dispersal and transport of shrimp eggs and larvae via surface water circulation is suggested as the lik...

Sea food products such as crustacea at postharvest are known to exhibit quality decline. However, to help strengthen solutions toward improving its product development and shelf quality, a number of chemical-free preservative technologies have evolved. Among these include modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) that in combination with other preservati...