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International audience; The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was introduced in Southeast Asia, such as in Thailand, in the mid-1960s for aquaculture purposes (Pullin et al., 1997; De Silva et al., 2004). The species was later promoted for aquaculture development in the early 1990s in Lao PDR (Garaway et al., 2000). In Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), like in other countries, this exotic species is well established due to its self-reproduction (De Silva et al., 2004; CABI, 2018) facilitated by its particular life history traits and plasticity (Ishikawa et al., 2013). The species was then suspected to be introduced in the seventies in Laos and subsequently in the Nam Theun watershed where the NT2 Reservoir was impounded in 2008. Population parameters of this alien fish were investigated using the FiSAT II software with the most popular methods of bioparameters assessment to check their interchangeability within a same stock and the same year 2016. The length-at-age data analysis (using otoliths analysis, N = 258) gave slightly different results with the length frequency distribution analysis of fish landings (11 820 individuals). Furthermore, experimental fishing data provided irrelevant parameters due to insufficient representativeness of the sample size. The growth parameter K was estimated to be 0.23 year−1, with asymptotic length L∞ = 52.5 cm based on the length frequency distribution analysis with the fish landing data. According to these landing data, the total, natural and fishing mortality were Z = 1.41 year−1, M = 0.30 year−1 and F = 1.11 year−1. The exploitation rate E = 0.79 is over the Emax = 0.594 obtained by relative yield and biomass per recruit. This estimated stock of 165 tons (more than 700 000 tilapias) was characterized by high mortality (no population growth). These results showed that the population is overfished with too many juveniles caught (L50 = 210.4 mm; 50% mature stages at 295 mm). To maximize the yield per recruit, increase the biomass and sustain this fishery, enlarging the gillnet mesh size of the gill-net is recommended. This example highlights the variability of the parameters calculated from different methods and thus weaken worldwide and even inter-site comparisons. Despite this issue, the Growth Performances Indices (φ′) gathered into the literature can serve as baseline and confirmed the wide phenotypic plasticity of the species due to environmental factors. Analyses revealed difference between fast growing domesticated fish rose for aquaculture with φ′ higher to the tilapia growing in natural and challenging environments.; Le Tilapia du Nil (Oreochromis niloticus) a été introduit en Asie du sud-ouest, notamment en Thaïlande, dans le milieu des années 1960, à des fins d’aquaculture. Ce n’est que dans les années 1990 que cette espèce a été introduite au Laos pour ce même objectif. Cette espèce exotique, de par sa capacité de reproduction naturelle induite par ses traits d’histoire de vie et sa plasticité phénotypique, est bien établie au Laos, ainsi que dans d’autres pays asiatiques. Cette espèce présente dans le bassin versant de Nam Theun aurait ainsi colonisé le réservoir de Nam Theun 2 (NT2) lors de sa mise en eau en 2008, avec également des actions sporadiques d’empoissonnements. Les paramètres de la population du réservoir de NT2 ont été étudiés en recourant à FiSAT II avec les méthodes d’évaluation des bio-paramètres les plus populaires pour vérifier leur interchangeabilité dans un même stock et pour une même année (2016). L’analyse de la relation taille-âge, via l’analyse de 258 otolithes, a donné des résultats légèrement différents de l’analyse des fréquences de tailles issues des débarquements réalisées sur 11 820 individus. Les données issues des pêches expérimentales ont quant-à-elles fournis des résultats non pertinents de par le faible effectif des échantillons. La croissance (k) a été estimée à 0,23 cm an−1 avec une longueur asymptotique (L∞) de 52,5 cm. Selon les données de débarquements la mortalité totale, naturelle et par pêche étaient respectivement de 1,41, 0,30 et 1,11 an−1. Le taux d’exploitation (0,79) était supérieur au taux d’exploitation maximal (0,594) obtenu par le rendement relatif et la biomasse par recrue. Le stock estimé de 165 tonnes (plus de 700 000 individus) était caractérisé par une mortalité élevée. Ces résultats ont montré que la population était surexploitée et que de nombreux juvéniles étaient capturés (L50 = 210,4 mm; 50% mature à 295 mm). Pour maximiser le rendement par recrue, augmenter la biomasse, et soutenir la pêche, il est recommandé d’augmenter la taille des mailles des filets de pêche. Cet exemple met en évidence la variabilité des paramètres calculés à partir de différentes méthodes ce qui sous-entend que les comparaisons avec les autres populations dans le monde, mais également inter-sites sont difficiles. Toutefois les indices de performance de croissance (φ′) relevés dans la littérature peuvent servir de référentiel et confirmer la grande plasticité phénotypique de cette espèce selon les facteurs environnementaux. Les analyses ont révélé que les populations aquacoles présentaient une croissance plus rapide que celle des populations vivant dans les environnements naturels contraignants.

International audience; In the current study, ten elements contents (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Cd, Pb and Hg) have been measured in muscle and liver of four pelagic fish species (Engraulis encrasicolus, Sardina pilchardus, Scomber japonicus and Trachurus trachurus) from the northwest African coast (South Atlantic Moroccan coast), collected during summer and autumn seasons (July and December 2013, respectively). Significant differences in metal contents were found between the different species (p \ 0.05). Metals levels were also much higher in liver than those recorded in muscle tissues. The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cd, Co, Cu and Pb were significantly higher in mackerel liver (p \ 0.05).While, in muscle, anchovy presents a higher content of Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni and Pb. A high level of cadmium was recorded in liver of the different species which can be attributed to an anthropogenic source (phosphate industry) and to natural sources (upwelling activities). The main concentration of toxic elements (Cd, Pb and Hg) recorded in the four edible muscles of pelagic fish species, under study, were below the established values by the European Commission Regulations and show that their effect on the consumers health can be considered as negligible.

This study examines the effects of increasing salinity on fish assemblage structure in the Casamance Estuary, Senegal, using a series of indices. The study data were derived from commercial fishery surveys conducted between April and July 2005. Analysis of within-trophic-group diversity in the Casamance Estuary shows a significant drop in the diversity of apex predators in the upper, more saline reaches of the estuary. By contrast, primary consumers adapted well to salinity changes and exhibited higher taxonomic diversity in the upper reaches of the estuary than in the lower reaches. The findings also indicate decreases in average sizes of the landed species and the trophic levels among fish catches in the direction of the upper reaches. However, the catch per unit effort (CPUE) was globally higher in the upstream area of the estuary as compared with the downstream area. This increasing CPUE trend from the lower towards the upper reaches is attributed to (i) the high primary productivity in the upper Casamance Estuary; (ii) the increasing abundance of euryhaline fish species in an upstream direction; and (iii) ‘telescoping’ of the food chain through the presence of mostly herbivorous fishes in the upper reaches. Such a situation likely facilitated high fish production in the upstream area of the estuary, though multimetric indices indicated unfavourable living conditions for many fish taxa in this area. Keywords : biological indicators, Casamance Estuary, ecosystem monitoring, fishery statistics, inverse hypersaline estuary, Senegal, taxonomic diversity

WOS:000433550600003; International audience; The high demand for fish products has led to important economic issues including the emergence of new markets, especially in developing countries where fishing represents an important economic sector and the main source of animal protein for local communities. The worldwide fisheries have overall passed their peak and many stocks are overfished despite the increasing efforts towards the developpement of fisheries assessment and management tools using global and analytical models. These complex models used for fisheries management, especially in many developing countries, require large amounts of data whose collection and analysis are very costly and expensive. The current studies of the effects of overexploitation on fish communities use an indicator-based approach as an alternative to improve the assessment and management of the fisheries resources. This latter approach is cheaper, simpler and more efficient to establish a link between disruption and its effect on a biotic component. The currently most commonly used indicators have provided successfully results in many studies cases carried out on fish communities. Thus, management approaches based on indicators in the recent years has improved our understanding of the structure and functioning of ecosystems, and therefore, facilitated the interpretation of biological phenomena.

International audience; The presence of tropical species has been reported in Atlantic-European waters with increasing frequency in recent years. Unfortunately, the history of their migrations is not well understood. In this study, we examined the routes and timing of fish migrations in several ecosystems of the East Atlantic Ocean, combining several publicly available and unpublicized datasets on species occurrences. The species studied were those noted as exotic or rare outside their previous known area of distribution. We used sea surface temperature (SST) data obtained from 30 years of satellite observation to define three distinct time periods. Within these periods, temperature trends were studied in six ecosystems: the North Sea, the Celtic Sea, the South European Atlantic Waters, the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Current, and the Guinea Current. We also incorporated bathymetry data to describe the distribution of species. Measurement across a relatively large spatial extent was made possible by incorporating the capabilities of GIS. While SST increased consistently over time in all of the ecosystems observed, the change in number of species differed among ecosystems. The number of species in the middle regions, such as the South European Atlantic Shelf and the Western Mediterranean Sea, tended to increase over time. These regions received numbers of species from the lower or the upper latitudes according to season. Of all of the species observed in the recent period, seven species from the Canary Current tended to be found in the Western Mediterranean Sea, and six species from these two regions extended their distributions to the South European Atlantic Shelf. Twelve species from the Canary Current moved seasonally to the Guinea Current. In the northern regions, 13 species moved seasonally in the North Sea and the Celtic Seas, and 12 of these species reached the South European Atlantic Shelf. This study presents a picture of routes and timing of species migration at the biogeographical scale. It shows how species have shifted their area of distribution (mostly northward) along the Eastern Atlantic ecosystems or have increased their depth ranges probably to remain within their preferred temperature range in response to long-term and seasonal environmental changes.

International audience; To preserve ecosystem services of tropical reservoirs that provide food and income for local populations, it is necessary to monitor fish population temporal dynamics, stock, and yield fishing. The aim of this review is to provide information to who monitor fish populations in tropical reservoirs. The topics, investigative methods, observation scaling, and metrics used in publications since 1960's were inventoried. Temporal and spatial variations in fish population and fish production were the primary topics. Since 2000, studies on trophic structures and fish biological parameters have appeared. Experimental fishing with gillnets has been the technique most often used, but others include hydroacoustics for fish stock assessments and modeling to characterize trophic structures. Annual and seasonal scaling approaches dominated, as well as longitudinal/transversal gradient sampling, which permitted the characterization of fish colonization processes and the detection of halieutic resource overexploitation. For modeling approaches, the entire reservoir was considered. The calculated metrics varied depending on the investigation method. Species richness, number of individuals, and biomass per unit effort were the most common metrics for the different topics. Trophic level, effectiveness, and consumption rate were specific to trophic structure. To monitor reservoir fish populations, it is necessary to have an eco-systemic approach.

International audience; The Canary Current Large Ecosystem is characterized by a major, nutrient-rich up-welling of deep, cold oceanic waters, which stimulates high biological productivity that results in an abundance of both pelagic and demersal fishery resources. In this area, the Moroccan coast is also under direct anthropogenic activities influences such as phosphates industries. Several observations indicate that variations of the upwelling activities observed in the recent years would generate the remobilization of the contaminants. Our study deals with the metallic concentrations in the otoliths of 3 fish species of economic interest ( Merlucius merlucius, Pagellus acarne, Sardina pilchardus) along the Moroccan coast. The fishes were collected in markets in june 2012 for the northern part of Morocco (during the maximum of the upwelling activity) and in November 2012 for the southern part. Concentrations were measured by ICP-MS on transects from nucleus to the edge of otoliths to characterize environmental variations or accumulations linked to ecophases and growth. For each species, 5 fishes were analyzed in 7 locations from North to south of the Moroccan Atlantic coast. First results indicate that the concentrations are highly variable in hake transects, and on the other hand, transects in seabreams seem very stable regardless of location. Transects in sardines indicate different patterns depending on the locations and, some of them, clearly show the upwelling signature.

International audience; A comparative study of fish assemblages of a marine protected area and an exploited area was carried out in the Sine Saloum estuary (Senegal, West Africa). Data were collected at these two sites between 2008 and 2011. The two areas are morphologically similar, and comparison of the physicochemical parameters (salinity, transparency, temperature and percentage of saturation of dissolved oxygen) showed that the water masses are similar. The bio-ecological indicators and ecological, trophic and size structures were also compared. Given the environmental similarity of the two sites, their differences in bio-ecological characteristics and fish assemblage organization can be explained by the protection status of the MPA. The species richness and fish abundance per sampling unit were higher in the exploited site, but the mean trophic level and the observed maximum size of individuals were higher in the MPA. Although slightly higher for the MPA, the differences observed for biomass and average size between the two sites were not significant. The beta diversity in the MPA was higher than in the exploited site. The fish assemblage was dominated in terms of abundance by two pelagic herbivores Ethmalosa fimbriata (80%) and Sardinella maderensis (12.3%) and in terms of biomass by E. fimbriata (37.4%) and a benthic predator, Arius latiscutatus (23.7%). The assemblage of the MPA had a marine affinity characterized by the presence of piscivorous or generalist predators; large individuals were not uncommon. In the exploited site, the fish assemblage was relatively stable, dominated in abundance by E. fimbriata (33.4%) and S. maderensis (32.8%). In terms of biomass, a species of mullet, Liza dumerili, ranked first (26.2%), followed by E. fimbriata (22.4%) and S. maderensis (14.9%). The assemblage in the exploited site had a more estuarine affinity, dominated by detritivorous or phytophagous herbivores. Individuals observed there were mostly of small or medium size. This study confirms that the establishment of MPA is an effective tool for restoring marine biodiversity and trophic structure of fish assemblages.

Lagoon fish communities often consist of complex assemblages of numerous species, difficult to manage with conventional stock assessment models. Useful data are still lacking for evaluating the importance of man-made disturbance and reference situations are missing, especially in developing countries. As a consequence, by analysing data collected 20 years ago in two of the six sectors of the Ebrie lagoon (Ivory Coast), this study aims to evaluate the impact of fishing effort on fish assemblages. These two sectors (V and VI), located far from the inlet, have similar physical, chemical, biological and fish fauna characteristics. The major difference lies in the fishing intensity: sector VI has a low fishing intensity (fishing for personal consumption using only individual gear), whereas sector V is heavily fished (professional fishing with both individual and collective gear, particularly beach seines which result in a considerably higher fishing effort). Comparisons between the two sectors were based on two complementary scientific approaches: a 3-year commercial fisheries survey (1978-1980) and a 1-year experimental survey (1981). The impact of fishing on fish assemblages is analysed through the main characteristics of fish populations and communities. The results show that there were major changes including an increased catch yield (37.5-189 kg ha –1 y –1 ), a lowering of fish diversity in catches, of fish biomass (100-20 kg ha –1 ), of average catch length (22.6-14.6 cm) and of trophic level of catches (26-58.5% of herbivore/detritivore species in total catches). Such results are quite unusual because they occurred even in non-overfished ecosystems: the fish assemblage was deeply modified in sector V compared to the lightly fished adjacent sector VI, even though fishing effort in sector V was only high but at a reasonable level. These data must be completed by similar studies in tropical lagoons with variable levels of fishing intensity in order to understand fish assemblage re-organization when submitted to stresses of different intensity.

International audience; Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), in addition to their important role in the conservation of critical habitats and vulnerable species, are now also used in a context of ecosystem-based fisheries management. The aim of this study was to assess the observed changes in the fish population structure in the years following a fishing ban. The experiment took place in the Bamboung bolong, a small bay in the Sine Saloum estuary in Senegal, West Africa. The protection of this zone was undertaken with local fishermen support, and a formal MPA was created in 2004. The survey of the fish assemblages was initiated in 2003, the year before the fishing ban, and went on until 2007, with 12 sampling sites being monitored three times per year.In this paper, we describe and analyze the evolution of the fish assemblage during this five years' experimental period. Some changes have been highlighted on which the effect of the fishing ban was shown. After the fishing ban, an increase of total biomass and of maximal fish length has been registered. In the same time, the number of species has increased and the percentage of large and/or iconic species targeted by fishing has also increased. The community structure has been modified, with more small fish, more big fish (new large species and more large individuals in the original species) and fewer medium sized fish. The contribution of marine affinity species has increased in depend of the estuarine part of the assemblage. Finally, the trophic structure has been modified with an overall increase of the mean trophic level, resulting from an increase of the percentage of generalist or piscivorous predators and a sharp decrease of herbivorous and detritivorous low trophic level species. Marine predators which numbers and size were reduced by fisheries are again important components of the system. We argue that despite the intrinsic variability of the tropical estuarine environments, the introduction of a total ban on fishing in such estuarine zones can substantially improve the health status of the fish assemblage.

The factors affecting fish yields in lagoons were studied through the stability, species composition and size structure of the yields at high and low fishing intensities, respectively, in Togo and the Ivory Coast. Heavy fishing was followed by the development of a plateau phase resulting from a reorganization of species assemblage. In such a state, exploitation produced only a few dominant species for which average catch lengths were small; which were generally herbivorous and exhibited a continuous reproduction, sometimes a lowering of the age at first sexual maturity, permitting a faster turnover. Even if total catches did not collapse, fish biomass and catch per unit effort decreased when fishing effort increased. One option for management could be to locate the level of fishing effort on the plateau such that fishermen can be at least financially independent and provide sufficient fish for local subsistence.

L'histoire recente des peuplements ichtyologiques du Delta Central du Niger au Mali est marquee, entre autres, par deux periodes de secheresse survenues en 1973 et 1984, un accroissement important de l'effort de peche depuis les annees 1960 et la construction d'un barrage hydro-electrique mis en service en 1984. A des degres divers, ces evenements sont venus perturber le cycle biologique des poissons qui reposait sur une adaptation des especes aux cycles hydrologiques des fleuves Niger et Bani. La secheresse provoque ainsi une reduction des surfaces en eau et une baisse de la duree d'inondation qui divisent par quatre les surfaces moyennes inondees dans l'annee. De 1968 a 1989, la diminution des captures est evaluee a 45000 tonnes passant ainsi de 90000 a 45000 tonnes. Dans le meme temps, malgre la baisse des prises totales, on observe une augmentation des rendements a l'hectare qui passent de 40 kg en 1968 a 120 kg en 1989. Ce phenomene est a rapprocher de l'abaissement de l'âge moyen des poissons (69% des individus peches ont moins d'un an) du a une augmentation de la mortalite par peche et de la mortalite naturelle plus forte en cette periode de secheresse. Cette augmentation de productivite s'accompagne egalement d'une rarefaction de certaines especes comme Gymnarchus niloticus, Polypterus senegalus, Gnathonemus niger dont les reproduction sont infeodees aux zones d'inondation et d'especes comme Cithorinus cithorus et Clarotes laticeps qui se distinguent par une frequentation intensive des plaines d'inondation. Dans le meme temps, on assiste a un developpement de certaines familles comme les Cichlides et les Clariides qui presentent dans les deux cas de fortes resistances a l'anoxie. D'une maniere generale, les especes presentant des âges de premiere maturite faibles (inferieurs a 1 an) et plusieurs periodes de reproduction dans l'annee sont celles qui sont actuellement les mieux representees dans les peuplements

International audience; The utility of taxonomic and functional approaches in assessing the structure of fish communities is tested in the hypersaline estuary of the Casamance river using data from surveys of commercial fisheries conducted between April and July of 2005. Both taxonomic and functional diversity decrease from downstream to upstream regions of the estuary. In terms of species composition, marine-estuarine species (33.3-46.3%, depending on the site) and estuarine species of marine origin (29.3-41.7%) dominate the exploited population in the Casamance estuary. In contrast, the proportion of strictly estuarine species observed upstream is twice that observed downstream. Quantitative analysis based on biomass landed distinguishes two groups in the population: (1) a group of species that is dominant downstream, containing primarily terminal predators and secondary consumers categorised as marine species that are occasional or accessory in estuaries, estuarine marine species, and estuarine species of marine origin; and (2) a group of species characteristic of the upstream region, dominated by a few species (Sarotherodon melanotheron, Tilapia guineensis, and Mugil cephalus) mainly of strictly estuarine and/or herbivorous categories and Elops lacerta, a carnivore fish. The outcomes of the two approaches are similar, and both indicate that the fish community in this estuary is under the influence of strong environmental disturbance. However, the scales at which the specific and functional approaches most reliably reflect environmental conditions are different. The taxonomic approach, i.e., the use of specific biomass is more appropriate at the ecosystem scale and therefore more accessible to local human communities, whereas the functional approach is better suited to regional and sub-regional studies because of the change in species composition from one environment to another.

International audience; To investigate the changes in the fish assemblage of the Sine Saloum estuary (Senegal) over a 10-year period, it was surveyed during a complete hydrological cycle (three principal hydro-climatic seasons) first in 1992 and then in 2002-2003. The sampling protocol for the two surveys was identical, using the same sampling technique, the same collection periods, and the same sampling stations. The Sine Saloum is an inverse estuary in terms of its salinity gradient. It is affected by the intense drought that has occurred in this biogeographic region for more than 50 years. The estuary is also subjected to high fishing pressure. The second data-collection period followed a few years of higher recorded rainfall (approximately 35% higher than in 1992) and was characterized by increased fishing pressure (over 50% higher than in 1992). For the two study periods, the same set of indicators were calculated, including fishing indicators (catches, density, yields), size-based indicators (size structures, mean length, maximum observed length, size spectra), ecological indicators (richness, species diversity, K-dominance models, ABC curves, ecological categories) and trophic indicators (mean trophic level, trophic composition of catches). Overall, the main changes in the estuary's fish assemblage between 1992 and 2002 were (1) a loss in total biomass (40% less) for an equivalent species richness (approximately 55 species); (2) a decrease in the maximum observed lengths for many species (mean decrease of 17%); and (3) a decrease in the mean trophic level (more than 0.11 units). Analysis by bio-ecological and trophic category showed that the main species concerned were benthophagous species and, to a lesser degree, generalist predator species from marine origin that inhabit the estuary more or less permanently

Les pecheries du delta central du Niger font l'objet d'une exploitation intensive depuis de nombreuses annees. L'analyse des debarquements de poisson pendant les deux dernieres decennies laisse apparaitre de fortes fluctuations dans la production qui decroit regulierement de 87 000 t en 1969–70 a 37 000 t en 1984–85. Deux causes peuvent etre evoquees pour expliquer ce phenomene : l'apparition de la secheresse en Afrique et/ou l'augmentation de la pression de peche. Dans le premier cas, les captures annuelles et l'indice d'inondation des plaines, calcules en fonction du cycle hydrologique du delta (de juillet a juin), sont bien correles, ce qui s'explique a posteriori par la composition des captures qui s'effectuent a 69 % sur des poissons de moins de 1 an. Dans le second cas, certains elements suggerent qu'il y a eu une intensification importante de la pression de peche sans que celle-ci puisse etre chiffree. La chute des captures totales ne semble pourtant pas due a une mauvaise exploitation des ressources. Les difficultes ressenties par les pecheurs : reduction des prelevements individuels qui passent de 1 900 kg/an en 1966 a 740 kg/an en 1989, necessite de diversifier les activites en pratiquant l'agriculture ou de migrer vers les lacs de barrage ou a l'etranger, seraient donc dues a des phenomenes naturels (secheresse) ayant entraine par la suite des complications d'ordre sociologique et economique. De fait, la reduction des zones en eau provoque une diminution des sites exploitables et l'emergence de conflits entre villages ou familles pour l'acces a la ressource. Par ailleurs, un certain relâchement du controle des autorites traditionnelles lie a un accroissement demographique important aurait provoque une augmentation du nombre de pecheurs en vingt ans de l'ordre de 20 000 personnes (43 000 en 1966 contre 63 000 en 1989) conduisant a un partage difficile des captures par ailleurs en baisse.

International audience; The adaptive mechanisms on the early life stages of fishes to hypersaline stress are still poorly understood and probably determine the resistance of a population to disruption, compared with other less plastic species. The Casamance River in Senegal is an ideal location to test the adaptation to salinity as a dam was built in 1998 to exclude saline water intrusion. This lowered the salinity from 70 to 5 upstream and 60 downstream. The salinity influence on the growth in the early life of three West African fish species (Ethmalosa fimbriata, Sarotherodon melanotheron, and Tilapia guineensis) was studied using the width of microstructures in the otoliths and the individual migratory behaviour analysed from strontium (Sr) to calcium (Ca) ratios in the otoliths. The Sr:Ca ratio was quantified along individual transects measured from the posterior edge of the otolith to the core. The fishes were sampled on both sides of the dam that separated water with low salinity upstream from metahaline and hyperhaline water downstream. The results showed that salinity has different influence on the growth of each species. Ethmalosa fimbriata has the highest growth during the first 180 days in the freshwaters, indicating growth inhibition in the hyperhaline areas. For the two other species no growth difference were found. The Sr/Ca ratio varied widely, in Tilapia and Sarotherodon from below the dam. Individual life histories were more heterogeneous than upstream and showed a crossing of the dam for some individuals which could reach half of the fishes analysed. On the contrary in E. fimbriata, despite the large range of salinity, identical Sr/Ca profiles were found both upstream and downstream. This indicated that Sr/Ca ratio was not appropriate to evaluate life history patterns linked to salinity for this specie.

Fish communities living within the artificial reservoirs of Manantali and Selingue in Mali are compared after the monitoring of small-scale fishery landings over 13 months (May 2002–June 2003). The fishing pressure constitutes the main difference of these two similar reservoirs. The effects of fishing on the structure of the fish communities are analyzed by using fish size spectra and derived indicators. In Selingue Reservoir, the fishing gears mostly target smaller species (mean length of 165 mm) than in Manantali Reservoir (mean length of 210 mm). Unlike in Selingue, the size structure does not change between seasons in Manantali. In Selingue, fishing practices that target the fish recruitment of the year constitute a structuring factor of the fish sizes observed in the catches. In spite of similar values of the slopes of the global fish communities’ size spectra between the two reservoirs, they clearly display an intense exploitation at Selingue. Then, size-based spectra indicators represent a potential tool for assessing the impact of fishing on fish communities in small-scale fisheries.

A comparative study, combining three different assessment methods (fish gillnet sampling, artisanal fisheries surveys and hydroacoustics) was conducted in Mali where two man-made reservoirs (Selingue and Manantali) are particularly suited for investigating the impact of fishing effort on the fish assemblage. These two ecosystems have relatively similar areas, edaphic and environmental properties but are subjected to different levels of fishing exploitation (low at Manantali, high at Selingue). The comparison is based on two indicator parameters: the abundance indices and the size spectra distributions, obtained by the three methods at two contrasting hydrological seasons (April and October). The results were compared first between the two seasons, and then between the two lakes. The present work is based on two main hypotheses: (1) that there is a higher fish abundance in October associated with smaller overall sizes, after spawning; (2) a lower abundance and smaller sizes in the Selingue reservoir than in Manantali, because of the much higher fishing pressure in Selingue. The relevance of each method to the selected indicators is discussed. On the one hand, the three methodologies on the whole gave similar conclusions and they also complement each other. On the other hand, some results do not match the hypotheses because of biases due to difficulties and technical limitations of each method in such ecosystems (shallow water with vegetation and stumps of former forests).

The West-African neighbouring Gambia and Saloum estuaries function in different ways, the first being normal (saltier waters in the lower river, salinity range 0-38) and the second being inverse (saltier waters in the upper river, salinity range 36-90). The common cichlid species Sarotherodon melanotheron was collected in both systems over 16 months (June 2001 to September 2002) at five locations. We quantified reproductive traits from macroscopic examination of the gonads, oocyte counts and measurements, and growth from interpretation and measurements of an otolith sub-sample. There was a clear seasonal cycle of reproduction in the estuaries with a peak at the beginning of the wet season (May-July). Size at maturation was smaller in the more saline environment, the Saloum, for both females (170 mm in Gambia and 131 mm in Saloum) and males (162 and 113 mm respectively). The relative fecundity was lower and the oocyte size was bigger in the freshwater location of the Gambia river. Growth, estimated by counting the annual opaque zones on whole otoliths, was reduced in the hypersaline environment of the Saloum (L ∞ = 198 mm, K = 0.26). Differences are less obvious between the growth in the Gambia (L ∞ = 238 mm, K = 0.21) and that in the Saloum with a salinity of less than 60 (L ∞ = 244 mm, K = 0.22). All these observations suggest that S. melanotheron is able to withstand saltier environments by limiting its growth, reducing the size-at-maturity, and changing its fecundity, but the most profound changes are only visible in hypersaline conditions.

The effects of chronic confinement stress (1, 5 and 10 days) and of periodic blood sampling oil somatic growth and the structure and growth of otoliths was studied in Oreochromis niloticus. During the Study, the plasma concentrations of cortisol were measured at various times during the application of stress: they were significantly higher in confined fish than in control Fish (mean +/- S.D. 3.40 +/- 0.47 v. 1.26 +/- 0.62 ng ml(-1), P< 0.05) LIP to 5 days after the start of a 10 day stress period. The somatic growth (standard length, L-S, and mass) was affected by the confinement and by the sampling (from 16.21 +/- 1.07 to 14.64 +/- 1.15 cm for L-S, and from 173.31 +/- 33.14 to 110.50 +/- 29.48 g for mass). But the confinement masked the effect of the sampling on somatic growth. Tetracycline was injected at the start of the experiment to mark the otoliths, and showed that the short and long duration confinements led to,I clear check in the pattern of primary increments in the otoliths. The number of primary increments deposited during the resting periods that followed each period of confinement was always less than the number of days that these periods lasted. No relation was found between the duration of confinement and the structure of the resulting checks. These results Suggest that there is a disruption in the laying down of primary increments during periods of confinement resulting in an underestimation of their number compared to the actual number of days of growth. These results call into question the use of otolith primary increments as a means of estimating the age of Nile tilapia that have experienced periods of stress. (C) 2004 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

The common West African bonga shad represents a large part of the fish biomass in 2 neighbouring estuaries that function in different ways. The Gambia estuary has a normal salinity gra- dient, while the Saloum has an inverse gradient. Bonga shad Ethmalosa fimbriata were collected in both ecosystems during a 16 mo period (June 2001 to September 2002) at 5 locations, to investigate the role of salinity on life history traits. The main traits were studied at a spatio-temporal scale: reproduction from macroscopic examination of the gonads, oocyte counting and measuring, and growth from interpreta- tion and measurements of a sub-sample of otoliths. Analysis of genetic differentiation at 3 intronic and 1 anonymous nuclear gene loci was also carried out to investigate differences between estuaries and among locations. The results did not show any allelic frequency heterogeneity between populations, in- dicating that populations of both estuaries represent 1 single panmictic unit, and that selection is not sig- nificantly acting on these loci. Hence, the response of the different traits to environmental variation may primarily represent phenotypic plasticity. The seasonal cycle of reproduction was clearer in the Saloum, occurring during a long period (January to August). The calculated size at maturity was reduced for both sexes in the upper Saloum, where the salinity was highest. The relative fecundity and the oocyte size were larger in the Saloum. On the otoliths, translucent zones, formed each year at the end of the rains (September to October), were used to estimate the age in months. Growth rates were reduced in the hypersaline environment of the Saloum, whereas growth differences were smaller between the Gam- bia and the pooled Saloum data, with a salinity 60 psu) affects the growth, reduces the size-at-maturity and increases the fecundity of E. fimbriata.

International audience; Results of an annual survey of fishing activities and catches in the Gambia estuary (200 km long), carried out from June 2001 to May 2002, indicated that fishing effort targets mainly (66% of fishing trips) shrimps. As a result of the globalisation of fish markets, the fishery has become a quasi mono-exploitation of shrimp for exporting. At the opposite, fishing activities focusing on fish were low and carried out with large and medium mesh drift nets, gill nets and surrounding nets (17% of fishing trips), handlines and longlines (15%). The annual catch, estimated at 2350 tonnes for the estuarine part of the River Gambia, consisted of 1800 t of fish and 550 t of shrimp. Stownets were the most efficient gear accounting for 50% of the total production (550 t of shrimp and 600 t of fish) while other significant techniques were mainly drift nets (21%), longlines (11%) and gillnets (5%). Fish catches were composed with 55 fish species among which 16 species accounted for 90% of the annual catch. The average catch length of these first sixteen species was 295 mm, clearly demonstrating that fishing for fish was targeting large fish. The effects of the targeted shrimp exploitation resulted in a low fishing effort for fish leading to low fish landings and consequently to an under exploitation of fish resource in the Gambia estuary.; Impacts d'une exploitation spécialisée de la crevette (Penaeus notialis) sur les captures de poisson dans l'estuaire de la Gambie. Les résultats d'un suivi annuel des activités de pêche et des captures dans l'estuaire de la Gambie (200 km de long), mené de juin 2001 à mai 2002, montrent que l'effort de pêche était principalement concentré sur l'exploitation de la crevette (66 % des sorties de pêche). Suite à la mondialisation des marchés, la pêcherie a évolué vers une quasi mono exploitation de la crevette, les produits étant destinés à l'exportation. A l'inverse, les activités ciblant le poisson étaient faibles et menées à l'aide de filets dérivants, dormants ou encerclants à larges ou moyennes mailles (17 % des sorties de pêche), de lignes à main et de palangres (15 %). Les captures annuelles, estimées à 2350 tonnes pour la partie estuarienne du fleuve Gambie, comprenaient 1800 t de poisson et 550 t de crevette. Les filets à crevettes étaient les plus efficaces capturant 50 % de la production totale (550 t de crevette et 600 t de poisson). Les autres engins intervenant significativement dans les captures étaient principalement les filets dérivants (21 %), les palangres (11 %) et les filets dormants (5 %). Les prises de poisson étaient composées de 55 espèces parmi lesquelles les seize premières représentaient 90 % des captures annuelles. La moyenne des tailles de capture de ces seize espèces était élevée (295 mm), indiquant clairement que l'effort de pêche se concentrait sur des espèces et/ou individus de grande taille. Les conséquences de la forte spécialisation des pêcheries sur la crevette se traduisent par un faible effort de pêche sur le poisson conduisant à de faibles captures totales et en définitive à une sous exploitation de la ressource en poisson dans l'estuaire.

A comparative study, using biological indicators, was conducted in Mali where two man-made reservoirs (Selengue and Manantali) are particularly suited for investigating the impact of fishing effort on the fish assemblage: these two ecosystems have relatively similar morphological, edaphic and environmental properties but are subjected to radically different levels of fishing exploitation (low at Manantali, high at Selengue). The comparison is based on a three-month survey of commercial fisheries, focusing on fishing activities and catches on the two reservoirs. The results show that some indicators are useful for evaluating fishing impacts. Among these indicators are: fishing effort which is much higher at Selengue (22 800 fishing trips per month) than at Manantali (3000), catches per unit effort (lower at Selengue than at Manantali following a ratio ranging from 1.5 to 4 according to the gears used), annual yields per ha higher at Selengue (100 kg ha −1 ) than at Manantali (27 kg ha −1 ), the average fish lengths in the catches (16.2 cm at Selengue compared to 23.6 cm at Manantali) and the maximum lengths of the targeted species generally smaller at Selengue (10 to 30 cm) than at Manantali (30 to 50 cm). By contrast, a second class of indicators exhibit values that are contrary to expectations: the species richness (52 compared to 36), the species diversity (Ish = 4.02 compared to 3.24) and evenness (0.76 compared to 0.69) were higher at Selengue where 4 species accounted for 50% of the landings compared to only 2 species at Manantali (9 species compared to 7 for 80% of the landings). The trophic structure of the landings is higher (37% primary consumers compared to 49% at Manantali) as well as the mean trophic level (2.74 compared to 2.54 at Manantali). Even if a good understanding of the two fisheries can explain the unexpected trends of the second class of indicators which increase with fishing effort, it clearly appears from this study that only the first class of indicators is robust and can be used for comparative studies across ecosystems.

The direct effects of reproduction (energy expenditure for gametogenesis) were studied in gonadectomized Oreochromis niloticus females, incapable of reproducing. The indirect effects of reproduction were studied in intact females that had either mouth brooded their eggs or not. In gonadectomized females the slowing of growth observed in the marginal zone of their otoliths coincided with the time of gonad regeneration. The responses were very varied in the group of intact females. In these females, there was less otolith growth and more checks were observed on the otoliths. The results showed that reproduction influenced-the growth of fish and their otoliths leading to a significant underestimate of the number of primary increments during this period of life.

Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, initial age 12 days, were given an unrestricted (NR) or restricted (R) ration over 93 days which resulted in fish of very different sizes although the body condition factor (K) and the viscero-somatic index (IV) remained almost unchanged. In a second stage (64 days) each group (NR & R) was divided into three subgroups that were subjected to 0 (NR0, R0), 15 (NR15, R15) and 30 (NR30, R30) days of food restriction, respectively. The impact of the different treatments on the somatic growth during the second stage of the experiment had an effect, with a highly significant difference between the mean ± S.D. masses (MT) in the different subgroups (NR0= 115.0 ± 26.6 g; NR15 = 94.8 ± 24.9 g; NR30 = 56.3 ± 28 g; R0 = 76.4 ± 20.1 g; R15 = 72.l ± 17.6 g; R30 = 43.6 ± 17.2 g). Similarly, K and IV decreased. Irrespective of the initial feeding condition, the width of the otolith microincrements started to decrease at the end of the first or second day of restricted feeding. In the subgroups given a restricted food ration for 30 days (NR30 and R30), this decrease reached a plateau at about day 30, which was maintained even when the restriction had ended. This slowed growth did not lead to any marked halt in microincrement formation, since there were no significant differences (ANOVA; P>0.05) in the numbers of increments counted in the various subgroups. The results show that in 153 day old fish, a period of severe food restriction, even if prolonged (15 to 30 days), had no influence on the timing of the laying down of microincrements but only affected their growth.