COMPOSIZIONE STRUTTURALE E DINAMICA DEL PESCATO NEL LAGO DI ACQUATINA

The fish assemblages of the Stagno di Acquatina were studied from April 2006 to September 2007 and 65 species, 32 families, and 52 genera were determined. The more frequent species are: Atherina boyeri (32,9 %), Anguilla anguilla (15,5 %), Carcinus aestuarii (13,0 %), sparidae (6,1 %), mugilidae (6,0 %), the penaeid shrimp Melicertus kerathurus (5,4 %) and than Sciaena umbra (2,5 %), Palaemon serratus (2,5 %) and the family gobidae (2,3 %). The remaining 13,7 % is represented by fishes, crustaceans and molluscs; crustaceans are 22 % of the production. The fishery by fike-nets (production per hour) varied from a minimum of 3,4 g in winter to a maximum of 49,3 g in spring, with an average of 18,7 g. The study proved some populations are distributed according to an ecological gradient: C. aestuarii was significantly caught close to the connection with the sea; population of grey mullet, mainly Liza aurata, Liza saliens and Chelon labrosus, on the opposite, were catched far from the sea connection. In the fishery assemblage the marine species are represented almost exclusively by fry, that emphasizes the role of the Stagno di Acquatina as a natural nursery.