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In a global framework of growing concern for food security and environmental protection, the selection of food products with higher protein content and lower environmental impact is a challenge. To assess the reliability of different strategies along the food supply chain, a measure of food cost through the environmental impact-protein content binomial is necessary. This study proposes a standardized method to calculate the Green Protein Footprint (GPF) index, a method that assesses both the environmental impact of a food product and its protein content provided to consumers. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used to calculate the environmental impact of the selected food products, and a Life Cycle Protein Assessment (LCPA) was performed by accounting for the protein content along the supply chain. Although the GPF can be applied to all food chain products, this paper is focused on European anchovy-based products for indirect human consumption (fishmeal) and for direct human consumption (fresh, salted and canned anchovies). Moreover, the circular economy concept was applied considering the valorization of the anchovy residues generated during the canning process. These residues were used to produce fishmeal, which was employed in bass aquaculture. Hence, humans are finally consuming fish protein from the residues, closing the loop of the original product life cycle. More elaborated, multi-ingredient food products (salted and canned anchovy products), presented higher GPF values due to higher environmental impacts. Furthermore, the increase of food loss throughout their life cycle caused a decrease in the protein content. Regarding salted and canned products, the packaging was the main hotspot. The influence of the packaging was evaluated using the GPF, reaffirming that plastic was the best alternative. These results highlighted the importance of improving packaging materials in food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Humboldt Current System (HCS) has the highest production of forage fish in the world, although it is highly variable and the future of the primary component, anchovy, is uncertain in the context of global warming. Paradigms based on late 20th century observations suggest that large‐scale forcing controls decadal‐scale fluctuations of anchovy and sardine across different boundary currents of the Pacific. We develop records of anchovy and sardine fluctuations since 1860 AD using fish scales from multiple sites containing laminated sediments and compare them with Pacific basin‐scale and regional indices of ocean climate variability. Our records reveal two main anchovy and sardine phases with a timescale that is not consistent with previously proposed periodicities. Rather, the regime shifts in the HCS are related to 3D habitat changes driven by changes in upwelling intensity from both regional and large‐scale forcing. Moreover, we show that a long‐term increase in coastal upwelling translates via a bottom‐up mechanism to top predators suggesting that the warming climate, at least up to the start of the 21st century, was favorable for fishery productivity in the HCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blue shark, Prionace glauca (L.), is one of the most abundant pelagic sharks, and determining their feeding habits is important for understanding the ocean ecosystem. Generally, stomach contents analysis has been used to evaluate its feeding habits; however simply analyzing stomach contents reveals short-term feeding habits. In this study, we examined feeding habits of blue sharks in the Northwestern Pacific based on results of both stomach contents and stable isotope analyses. The most dominant species and taxonomic group in the stomach were identified as anchovy and Oegopsida species, respectively. Mean δ13C and δ15N values of blue sharks were 18.5‰ and 12.1‰, respectively, which were higher than those of the prey items. Estimated proportional distribution of prey species varied according to discrimination factors used for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios. Proportion of neritic or mesopelagic nekton, such as anchovy and lanternfish, was higher than that of other prey items including squids. We conclude that blue sharks capture prey ranging from neritic to mesopelagic animals through diel vertical migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the initial effect of introducing a cooperative catch shares allocation system (CCS) on the technical efficiency of artisanal vessels operating in pelagic fisheries in south-central Chile. The voluntary nature of the system implies that some fishermen adopted the CCS and others did not, generating in the latter a natural control group for evaluating the effect of the regulation. We used the stochastic frontier model to estimate technical inefficiency and a difference-in-difference approach to identify the effect of the regulatory change on the performance of vessels that joined the CCS, while controlling for the behavior of the vessels that remained in the "common pool system." The introduction of cooperative catch shares in the sardine and anchovy fishery reduced technical efficiency in the vessels that adopted the CCS, on average. However, the impact on fisherman's technical efficiency was heterogeneous depending on the characteristics of the fishermen's organization. This suggests that the way in which fishermen organized affected their performance. Organizations that showed evidence of cooperation among members improved the technical efficiency of its members' vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Using a process spanning less than 10 days, a novel technique combining two-stage autolysis and external koji fermentation for the rapid preparation of low-salt anchovy sauce is presented. High-efficiency autolysis of anchovy was achieved by two-stage autolysis, and the second-stage autolysis exhibited a significantly positive effect on the improvement of hydrolysis yield and recovery of anchovy proteins. During the external koji fermentation of hydrolysates from two-stage autolysis, the optimum amounts of added water and salt were determined to be 20% and 8.0%, respectively. By investigating the effect of fermentation time on the biochemical and sensory changes of anchovy sauce, the optimal fermentation time was 8 days. The prepared anchovy sauce had an umami taste, was rich in free glutamate, and contained taurine and γ-aminobutyric acid. In addition, it contained 0.890 g/100 mL amino acid nitrogen (AAN), 1.886 g/100 mL total nitrogen, and 9.76% NaCl. Meanwhile, the recovery of total nitrogen (RTN) was 63.89%. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Populations of sardine, anchovy, and other forage species can fluctuate to low levels due to climate variability and fishing, leading to indirect effects on marine food webs. In the context of recent declines of sardine ( Sardinops sagax) and anchovy ( Engraulis mordax) in the California Current, we apply an end-to-end Atlantis ecosystem model that is spatially explicit, includes trophic interactions, and allows high and low recruitment regimes (production of juveniles). Our simulations suggest that depleted sardine populations, whether caused by fishing or natural cycles, may lead to declines in predator groups such as dolphins and large piscivorous flatfish (e.g. California halibut Paralichthys californicus ). Birds exhibited more moderate declines, and California sea lions ( Zalophus californianus ) exhibited relatively weak declines. The Atlantis ecosystem model also predicted indirect positive effects of sardine depletion, primarily for prey species such as zooplankton. Overall our model predicted moderate declines in most predators during simulated severe declines in sardine and anchovy, illustrating the important buffering role provided by forage species other than sardine and anchovy. This ‘buffered response’ is weaker than what would be suggested by another ecosystem model (Ecosim), as predicted by diet information and a global synthesis of Ecosim models (the PREP equation). One limitation of the Atlantis model is that it did not include processes that might give rise to localized depletion of sardine at scales relevant to central place foragers, such as birds and pinnipeds. This analysis will contribute to a collaborative multi-model approach that evaluates the role of sardine in the California Current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are adjusted to predict monthly landings of anchovy (Engraulis ringens) and sardine (Sardinops sagax) in northern Chile (18°21'-24°00'S). Fishing effort (FE), landings and twelve environmental variables are considered from 1980 to 2012. External validation for the best models using all variables showed an R2 of 95% for anchovy and 99% for sardine, with an efficiency of 0.94 and 0.96, respectively. The models were simplified by considering only FE and sea surface temperature (SST) from NOAA satellites (SST-NOAA). Using these variables, very similar fits were achieved, comparing with the previous models, maintaining their predictive capacity. Downscaled SST for A2 climate change scenario (2015-2065) obtained by statistical regionalization from the Community Climate System Model (CCSM3) from National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and three FE scenarios (2010-2012 average, + 50% and - 50%), were used as inputs for ANN simplified models. For A2 future climate change scenario (2015-2065) using 2010-2012 average FE as inputs, anchovy and sardine landings would increase 2.8% and 19.2% by 2065 respectively. With FE variations (-50%), sardine landings show the highest increase (22.6%) by 2065 when FE is decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated a shift in the spatial distribution of wintering anchovy ( Engraulis japonicus) and its relationship with water temperature, using data collected by bottom trawl surveys and remote sensing in the central and southern Yellow Sea, during 2000-2015. Our results indicate that the latitudinal distribution of wintering anchovy varied between years, but there was no consistent pattern in the direction of change (north or south). Wintering anchovy did not move northward with increasing water temperature. However, the latitudinal distribution of wintering anchovy correlated well with 10°C and 11°C isotherms. The results of both a one-step and a two-step generalized additive model indicated that water temperature was associated with both presence and biomass of wintering anchovy. This paper is the first to systematically examine the relationship between anchovy distribution and water temperature using a variety of techniques. All the findings confirm the impact of water temperature on wintering anchovy distribution, which has important implications for the continued management of the anchovy resource and the enhancement of marine fishery resources in the Yellow Sea, especially as the climate changes. However water temperature only partly explains the species distribution of anchovy, and stock characteristics also affect fishery distribution. Therefore, other factors should be considered in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the Engraulidae (anchovies) fuel large fisheries around the globe, helping to fulfil demands for food. On the other hand, unpredictable catches that are a very common occurrence with respect to this family can have drastic consequences on economies of different countries. Like many other fisheries, the Black Sea anchovy fishery is a very good example of a fishery greatly affected by abrupt peaks and troughs in landings. In this work, the existing knowledge on the species' overwintering behavior and exploitation patterns along the south coast of the Black Sea is re-evaluated with respect to recent observations. The strong seasonality and very short fishing season are noted as the main characteristics regulating development of the fishery over time. Climatic variability may sometimes generate favorable overwintering conditions outside areas where anchovy aggregations are usually expected, resulting in a temporal shift in overwintering grounds. As most fishing activity takes place on these grounds, low catches in some years are more likely to have been due to fishing the wrong areas, rather than stock decline. This is particularly the case when geopolitical developments have reshaped the fishery, such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, whose fishing fleet once dominated the anchovy fishery. Such irregularities pose considerable management challenges, in particular stock management. Some significant harvest control strategies applied to various anchovy stocks are reviewed and discussed with respect to peculiarities of the Black Sea anchovy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intraspecific structure of the European anchovy ( Engraulis encrasicolus) was studied on the basis of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene ( cytb) fragment variability in 84 individuals from seven localities of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The data on haplotype and nucleotide diversity and the values of neutrality tests suggested expansive growth of anchovy populations in the Azov-Black Sea basin. All samples from anchovy populations demonstrated a high level of haplotype diversity ( Hd = 0.962). Two dominant haplotypes were identified, the frequencies of which were not directional, and they were present in all localities. Sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytb gene fragment showed no differentiation between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea subspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information gathering can reduce critical uncertainties and, consequently, lead to better decisions on conservation and exploitation of fisheries. Such decisions might improve the fishing opportunities or lower their variability. However, information gathering comes at a cost. The concept of the expected value of information is based on the idea that decisions will be more accurate if the decision maker has more information. The objective of this work is to use this concept to measure and understand the economic value of fishery research surveys using the mathematical theory of the expected value of information. The Bay of Biscay anchovy fishery is used as an example, given the importance of the surveys in the assessment and management in this fishery. The paper provides a measure of the value of information obtained by research surveys. It also analyses the properties of these values, considering the methodology used, and examines the circumstances under which such calculations are adequate. The sources of subjectivity inherent to this methodology and to the general concept of information signals in the fishery assessment and management are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventeen polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (dioxins) as well as twelve dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) congeners were analysed in the seafood samples (prawn, squid, fish, processed seafood and dried anchovy). The average sum of dioxins and dl-PCBs in the seafood samples were 2.577 WHO2005-TEQ (pg g-1 fw). Mean exposure to dioxins and PCBs (in pg TEQ kg-1 body weight day-1) was assessed to be 0.333 and 0.643, respectively in the adult population (aged 18-59 years). Although the monthly dietary exposure of female was higher than male, but there is no significant difference found between the genders. Adults from rural area were reported to have the highest monthly exposure to dioxins and PCBs. Across the ethnicity, the highest exposure was found among the Malay, followed by Chinese and Indian. The daily, weekly and monthly exposure to all groups of the population were lower in comparison with the corresponding tolerable limits. However, the results obtained in this study indicated that there is a health risk to high consumer (those who consumes the amount of food corresponding to the 97.5th percentile of the consumption data) and caution of reducing the consumption of seafood should be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to optimize the processing conditions of coating for preventing oxidation using response surface methodology (RSM) and to investigate the quality improvement of coated boiled-dried anchovy. RSM showed that the optimum ultrafiltrates from the second rockfish skin gelatin hydrolysate (FGH) concentration (%) and pre-drying time (min) for boiled anchovy were 4.6% and 180 min, respectively. Immediately after drying, the peroxide value (POV) and TBA value of the coated boiled-dried anchovy were significantly lower than those of the uncoated anchovy. In both coated and uncoated boiled-dried anchovies, the POV and TBA values increased during storage, whereas the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio of the boiled-dried anchovy decreased. Variation in these values was lower for the coated samples than for the uncoated samples. Thus, the coating on boiled-dried anchovy may be effective for preventing lipid oxidation. Practical applications This manuscript addresses the problem of lipid oxidation in boiled-dried anchovy. The boiled-dried anchovy are important dried seafood in Korea. However, the quality of boiled-dried anchovy quickly decreased by lipid oxidation during processing, storage and distribution. This study has focused on the suppression of lipid deterioration in boiled-dried anchovy. According to the results of this study, lipid deterioration of the boiled-dried anchovy suppressed by coating invisible edible film from fish gelatin hydrolysates. Therefore, invisible edible film from fish gelatin hydrolysates could be used for the suppression of lipid deterioration in dried fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human impacts (e.g., fishing, pollution, and shipping) on pelagic ecosystems are increasing, causing concerns about stresses on marine food webs. Maintaining predator-prey relationships through protection of pelagic hotspots is crucial for conservation and management of living marine resources. Biotic components of pelagic, plankton-based, ecosystems exhibit high variability in abundance in time and space (i.e., extreme patchiness), requiring investigation of persistence of abundance across trophic levels to resolve trophic hotspots. Using a 26-yr record of indicators for primary production, secondary (zooplankton and larval fish), and tertiary (seabirds) consumers, we show distributions of trophic hotspots in the southern California Current Ecosystem result from interactions between a strong upwelling center and a productive retention zone with enhanced nutrients, which concentrate prey and predators across multiple trophic levels. Trophic hotspots also overlap with human impacts, including fisheries extraction of coastal pelagic and groundfish species, as well as intense commercial shipping traffic. Spatial overlap of trophic hotspots with fisheries and shipping increases vulnerability of the ecosystem to localized depletion of forage fish, ship strikes on marine mammals, and pollution. This study represents a critical step toward resolving pelagic areas of high conservation interest for planktonic ecosystems and may serve as a model for other ocean regions where ecosystem-based management and marine spatial planning of pelagic ecosystems is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the monthly variability of anchovy (Engraulis ringens) in northern Chile, related with the environmental effect of sea surface temperature on the landings of the fishery. In order to achieve that goal, a variant of the autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic (ARCH) model is proposed, in which an additional covariate is included (sea surface temperature) and missing values are considered. To estimate the parameters of the model we use a least square type estimation procedure. The proposed model considers monthly data from the anchovy fishery in northern Chile from 2010 to 2020 with the sea surface temperature as an environmental exogenous variable. The results show the good performance of the model and its capability to further represent the anchovy variability by means of its estimated conditional variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small pelagic fish are among the most ecologically and economically important marine fish species and are characterized by large fluctuations all over the world. In the Mediterranean Sea, low catches and biomass of anchovies and sardines have been described in some areas during the last decade, resulting in important fisheries crises. Therefore, we studied anchovy and sardine body condition variability, a key index of population health and its response to environmental and anthropogenic changes. Wide temporal and spatial patterns were investigated by analyzing separately data from scientific surveys and fisheries in eight Mediterranean areas between 1975 and 2015. Results showed that anchovy and sardine body condition as well as maximum size in some areas sharply decreased in most Mediterranean areas along years (except in the Northern Alboran Sea). Despite this general pattern, well-marked environmental differences between sub-regions were highlighted by several analyses and variations in body condition were not found to be homogeneous over all the Mediterranean Sea. Further, other analyses revealed that except for the Adriatic where major changes towards a lower body condition were concomitant with a decrease in river runoffs and chl- a concentration, no concomitant environmental regime shift was detected in other areas. Together, these analyses highlighted the current poor body condition of almost all small pelagic fish populations in the Mediterranean. Yet, global environmental indices could not explain the observed changes and the general decrease in condition might more likely come from regional environmental and/or anthropogenic (fishing) effects. A prolonged state of poor fish body condition, together with an observed reduced size and early age-at-maturity may have strong ecological, economic and social consequences all around the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the incidence of H. morrhuae in salted-ripened anchovy products was assessed. Moreover, the microbial biochemical activity possible related with sensorial and physicochemical changes that takes place during the process was explored. A type strain of H. morrhuae (ATCC 17082) was used as reference and a detailed phenotypic characterization of the species was carried out. Samples of salted-ripened anchovy taken from barrels at the end of ripening (78) and fillets of salted-ripened anchovy (22) were analysed for microbial counts and isolation of presumptively H. morrhuae colonies. Cluster analysis of the biochemical tests revealed that none of the 38 isolated strains with colony morphology and cell arrangement similar to the type strain would be classified as H. morrhuae. However, a number of the isolated strains were very closely related with the H. morrhuae type strain, for which it could correspond other species of the genus Halocuccus. A remarkable result is that a high percentage of the isolates were proteolytic and/or lypolitic, capable to decarboxylase amino acids and produce indol and H2S. These activities, depending on the intensity, can be directly related with the expected physicochemical changes that occur during ripening or even with quality loss and spoilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic acids (lactic, acetic, succinic, propionic, formic and butyric acid) production by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were investigated in various fish infusion broth (anchovy, sea bass, tilapia and trout) and MRS broth (control) by using HPLC method. Significant differences were found in organic acid levels ( P < 0.05) among bacterial strains. Succinic acid formation was the highest by LAB whilst acetic acid was produced at the lowest levels. The highest lactic acid production was observed with Lactobacillus lactis subsp . lactis and Pediococcus acidilactici in anchovy infusion broth, with values of 2403 and 2345 mg/L, respectively. Acetic acid production was 822 and 803 mg/L by Lactobacto acidophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp . lactis in anchovy infusion broth, respectively while succinic acid production ranged from 142 mg/L by Lb. delbrueckii subsp . lactis in sea bass infusion broth to 9231 mg/L by Lb. lactis subsp . lactis in MRS broth. Propionic acid formation by Pc. acidilactici was 3747 mg/L in sea bass infusion broth whereas Lb. lactis subsp. cremoris produced less than that in MRS broth. The result of the study indicated that LAB strains had a great ability to produce succinic acid. Also other organic acid production varied significantly depending on bacterial strains and growth medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuarine tapertail anchovy ( Coilia nasus) is a highly commercial and valuable anadromous fish species in China. Due to the complex anadromous life cycle, it remains difficult to assess the degree of connectivity among groups of C. nasus in the Yangtze River, its connecting lakes, and adjacent seas. In this study, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) was used to analyze the element composition in the otolith nucleus region of C. nasus specimens from the Yangtze River Estuary, Poyang Lake, and Nantong coastal waters in the estuary adjacent to the Yellow Sea. The content ratios of seven elements (Na, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Sr, and Ba) to Ca in the nucleus indicated a close relationship among C. nasus specimens collected from the Yangtze River Estuary (Spring group), Poyang Lake, and Yellow Sea, suggesting a possible connectivity mechanism for anchovies in the three water bodies. Poyang Lake, Yangtze River, and Yellow Sea seem to be the natal lake, migration pathway, and feeding ground, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the potential use of olive oil-lemon juice emulsions containing different levels of lemon juice (0, 25, 35, and 50% v/v) as a flavoring, preservative, and antioxidant agent in marinated anchovy. The phenolic content and antioxidant activity of lemon juice, olive oil, and olive oil-lemon juice sauces as well as chemical, oxidative, and sensorial changes of marinade samples were analyzed. Increasing the level of lemon juice in sauces retarded the chemical and oxidative changes of marinated anchovy. However, increasing the level of lemon juice more than 35% in sauces led to a decrease in sensorial acceptability. Chemical and oxidative qualities of all the sauced samples were in the limit of deterioration during 100 days of storage. Although marinated anchovy samples treated with sauce containing 50% lemon juice had a significant inhibitor effect on chemical and oxidative deterioration, samples treated with sauce containing 35% lemon juice received the highest overall acceptability score. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An increase in enviromental pollution may lead to mercury toxicity of fish origin due to the accumulative nature of methylmercury in fish. The main sources of human exposure to organic mercury compounds are contaminated fish and other seafoods. This descriptive study was planned to determine mercury levels in anchovy and in hair samples from individuals with different fish consumption habits, and to evaluate those individuals in terms of toxic effects. For that purpose, we analyzed 100 anchovies from the Black Sea and 100 anchovies from the Sea of Marmara, and assessed 25 wholesale workers in fish markets and 25 cleaning firm employees from both Ankara and Istanbul. Mercury levels in samples were measured using a cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Participants were examined neurologically and mini mental state examination was applied to evaluate their cognitive functions. Mercury levels in fish were found to be below the national and international permitted levels. There was no statistically significant relation between mercury levels and the sea from which fish were caught. Hair mercury levels for all participants were within permitted ranges. However, hair mercury levels in both cities increased significantly with amount and frequency of fish consumption. A significant correlation was determined at correlation analysis between levels of fish consumption and hair mercury levels in the fishmongers and in the entire group (r = 0.32, p = 0.025; r = 0.23, p = 0.023, respectively). Neurological examination results were normal, except for a decrease in deep tendon reflexes in some participants in both cities. There was no correlation between Standardized Mini Mental State Examination results and hair mercury levels. We conclude that establishing a monitoring system for mercury levels in fish and humans will be useful in terms of evaluating potential neurotoxic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing reporting of Anisakiasis in humans at the world level and this disease has become a concern for the public health and for the fish and derived product trade. Humans acquire the infection by the ingestion of live larvae present in raw or almost raw (e.g., marinate, salted) fish products if the processing is insufficient to devitalize the worms. The aim of this study was to asses a dry salting process in killing Anisakis pegreffii larvae in naturally infected European anchovies ( Engraulis encrasicolus ) and to evaluate the quality assessment. The results show that a dry salting process with a salt concentration of 21% in all parts of the anchovy fillets devitalize A. pegreffii larvae in a 15 day period. The finished product showed a good panel acceptance and anchovies reached a good quality grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anchovy and sardine are small pelagic species occupying similar geographic areas in the Bay of Biscay (North-East Atlantic). Their biomass is strongly dependent on recruitment, making the annual assessment of TAC (Total Allowable Catch) a risky strategy due to uncertainty in predicting the magnitude of recruitment. Monitoring these resources more often and throughout their life cycle could allow management strategies to be adjusted based on observations which indicate the level of recruitment. In order to achieve a more frequent monitoring, an innovative data collection strategy involving a partnership between fishermen and scientists, was developed in 2009 and 2010 called “pilot sentinel surveys”. This paper details the partnership, the information such a partnership can provide and how it can be useful for adaptively managing such resources. The method was based on short surveys undertaken by commercial vessels several times per year, in two spatially limited “key areas” known to be potential recruitment habitats. Acoustic surveys and fishing operations enabling biological sampling, were combined in each key area. Only one scientist was on board and an ad hoc sampling strategy was adopted during each survey by the Captain–Scientist team depending on the local conditions. This partnership allowed scientists to benefit from fishermen’s experience and therefore adopt a sampling strategy which was optimized in time and space. The sentinel survey data were complemented with data collected during annual spring acoustic surveys carried out by the research vessel (RV) Thalassa. The RV was accompanied by commercial vessels allowing additional fishing operations and acoustic echo interpretation to be performed. This experiment showed that the sentinel observations in limited areas cannot provide reliable abundance indices, but are adequate to provide significant biological information on the seasonal progress of the life cycle of each species, such as growth, timing of in-coming recruitment and migration pattern. In addition, these “pilot sentinel surveys” significantly improved the mutual understanding between fishermen and scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2007, the biomass of sardine and anchovy in the NW Mediterranean has remained persistently low, whereas the biomass of the commercially low-valued sprat has exploded. Also, simultaneous decreases in condition, size, and/or age of these populations were observed. Altogether, this resulted in a drop in landings of small pelagics. To understand the amplitude of these events and to provide a baseline scenario against which current changes can be compared, we compiled exceptionally long landing series (1865-2013) of sardine, anchovy, and mackerel for different subregions of the southern French coast. We characterized the fluctuations of these landings and compared these with environmental drivers (sea surface temperature, Rhône river discharge, North Atlantic Oscillation, Western Mediterranean Oscillation—WeMO, and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation—AMO), using different time-series analyses. We also collated historical data to infer qualitative changes in fishing effort over time. A fishing effort related increase in landings was observed around 1962 for all three species, although current sardine landings have dropped below levels observed before this period. Sardine and anchovy landings were, respectively, positively and negatively related to the AMO index and anchovy landings were also positively related to the WeMO. We finished by discussing the potential role of the environmental variables and fishing on long-term fishery landings trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish eggs of successive stages of embryonic development, which were identified as belonging to specimens of Commerson's anchovyStolephorus commersonniithrough comparative molecular techniques, were collected from Leqing Bay, Zhejiang, China. Some eggs were reared artificially to obtain samples of successive developmental stages of larvae. The fertilized eggs ofS. commersonniiare ellipsoidal and non-adhesive. The surface of the egg membrane is smooth and the perivitelline space is narrow. There is a single oil globule in the irregularly segmented yolk. Newly hatched larvae are transparent and devoid of pigments. Development of the larvae occurs in the following sequence: 8 h after hatching, the anus unfolds; 12 h after hatching, the pectoral fins emerge; 24 h after hatching, the liver and branchial arches emerge, and the alimentary canal differentiates into the oesophagus and intestinal canal; 30 h after hatching, the eyes become pigmented; 36 h after hatching, the upper and lower jaws become distinct; 42 h after hatching, the stellate melanophores emerge; 72 h after hatching, the postlarval developmental stage begins with the emergence of the dorsal fin. Based on the morphology of eggs and larvae ofS. commersonnii, a taxonomic key to fish eggs of the Clupeidae and Engraulidae off China is established to provide an efficient and convenient way to identify the egg specimens. The fish eggs of the Clupeidae and Engraulidae off China could be identified to some extent by the buoyancy, shape and diameter of eggs, the number of layers in the egg membrane, the size of the perivitelline space, the number and diameters of oil globules, and the distribution of pigments. Meanwhile, their prelarvae could be identified by the number and diameters of oil globules, the distribution of pigments, the location of the anus and the number of myomeres. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

New estimates of abundance of northern anchovy ( Engraulis mordax ) are developed from California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) data on egg and larval densities for the period 1951–2011. Previous estimates utilizing mean density over the CalCOFI area show a hyperstability bias because of the nearshore concentration of CalCOFI stations and the tendency of the anchovy population to contract into this area when abundances are low. New abundance estimates weight sample egg and larval densities to the local area represented by that sample, and then sum contributions to obtain total abundance. We develop total egg and larval abundance estimates for January and April, form a combined index, and calibrate it to the absolute biomass estimates produced by the Daily Egg Production Method in the early 1980s. Anchovy spawning biomass was very low, 10,000–20,000 Metric Tons (MT), in the early 1950s when CalCOFI sampling began. Abundance increased and fluctuated between 0.5 and 2 million metric tons from 1960 through 1990. After 1990, spawning biomass fluctuated around 200,000 tons, briefly increased during 2005–2006, then declined substantially over four years to below 20,000 tons from 2009 to 2011. CalCOFI ichthyoplankton data collected after 2011 are not yet available for analysis, but continuous underway egg sampling conducted during CalCOFI cruises indicates continued low abundance and very limited spawning through 2015 in both southern and central California. The recent collapse of anchovy abundance occurred in the absence of a significant fishery. Present annual catches of a few thousand tons are small by historical comparison, but the exploitation rate may now be relatively high given the low stock abundance. The decline in anchovy abundance coincides with recent die-offs and reproductive failures of anchovy-dependent predators in the ecosystem (e.g., sea lions and pelicans). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I exploit a 2009 reform that introduced individual fishing quotas (catch shares) for Peruvian anchovy-the largest fishery in the world-to assess the causal impact of production quotas on within-firm productivity and market prices. Unique features of the data allow me to create two alternative counterfactuals: (i) anchovy fishing operations in a region of the country that was mandated to implement quotas with a delay, and (ii) variation in quota allocations across ships. I find that quotas do not increase within-asset or within-firm productivity in quantities. Instead, a 200% increase in anchovy prices benefits extraction firms through higher revenues, consistent with two mechanisms enacted by individual fishing quotas: more orderly industry operations reducing excess supply and an increase in bargaining power of extraction firms with respect to fish-processing. Several market characteristics across geographies differentially affect market prices after the quota regime. Supplementary evidence on fewer operational infractions, higher product quality, and a lower banking delinquency observed during the quota regime suggests the existence of efficiency gains rather than purely rent transfers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the present study, we have chosen a fish Stolephorus commersonnii which is abundant in whitebait catches along Kerala coast. This fish is reported to contain higher content of essential amino acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and minerals. The medicinal values of this species have not been reported and remain unexplored. Hence, there is a necessity to explore their uses and to conduct the pharmacological studies to ascertain their therapeutic properties. Based on literature search, no study has been carried out to scientifically validate the fish S. commersonnii possesses hepatoprotective property. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of the S. commersonnii. Materials and Methods: The fish was purchased from the fish market, Ernakulam, Kerala, India. The fish were kept on ice until processed in the lab. Fish is washed and cleaned properly. The tissue is homogenized and extracted with chloroform: methanol solvent system. The extract is transferred to a dark glass container and stored in a freezer. The preliminary analysis of fish extract was carried out by simple qualitative methods. The hepatoprotective activity of Stolephorus commersonnii (SC) extract at 300 mg/kg is carried out in isoniazid induced hepatotoxic model. The albino rats of either sex were used for these studies. Results: The results of hepatoprotective study revealed that the SC extract showed a liver protective action against isoniazid induced toxicity. Conclusion: The present study suggests that the extract of S. commersonnii fish has therapeutic potential in the management of drug induced liver toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anisakid nematodes belonging to the species Anisakis pegreffii are distributed in a wide variety of fishes from the Mediterranean Sea and they are known to cause the human zoonosis anisakiasis. The present study investigated, for the first time, the response of A. pegreffii larvae (identified to species level by allozymes and mtDNA cox2 sequence analysis) to the storage temperature of European anchovies, Engraulis encrasicolus . The larval motility of A. pegreffii was studied in 1300 fish specimens, captured from a highly infested area (FAO 37.2.1, 43°8′N, 14°16′E), maintained under different temperatures (2 °C, 5 °C, 7 °C), and examined at different time intervals (immediately after fishing, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h). Parasitological analysis was carried out with the UV-press method. The results showed that the increase of infection values with A. pegreffii in the fillets of anchovies was statistically positively related to the increase of the temperature (at 5 °C and 7 °C) and time of storage (after 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h). Accordingly, a significant statistical correlation between the increasing of the worm burden in the fillets and a decreasing of A. pegreffii in the viscera was observed. In contrast, those fish constantly maintained at 2 °C showed no statistically significant variation in infection either in the viscera or the fillets, after 24, 48 and 72 h. In the same batches of anchovies, larvae of the non-zoonotic nematode parasite Hysterothylacium aduncum (identified to the species level by ITS rDNA sequences analysis) were found, but they were never observed infecting the musculature of the anchovies. Our results suggest that temperature plays an important role in the post-mortem motility of A. pegreffii larvae in anchovies. In addition, the presence of A. pegreffii in the fillets inspected immediately after their capture indicates that intra-vitam migration may also occur. As a consequence, the importance of the adoption of rules to prevent human anisakiasis, as the deep freezing to −20 °C for 24 h, was underlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anadromous Japanese Grenadier AnchovyCoilia nasusis a commercially important fish that is mainly distributed in the Yangtze River and its estuarine area. Two trials were performed to determine the effect of acute salinity stress on the survival of earlyC. nasuslarvae at 0 d posthatch (DPH) and 2 DPH. The salinity treatments for these two trials were 0.4, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25‰. A third trial compared the growth of juveniles in 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18‰ salinity. Larvae could only tolerate a limited range of salinity (<5‰). Salinity challenge significantly affected the survival of earlyC. nasuslarvae. When salinity was changed, even a low concentration of 2.5‰ could adversely affect earlyC. nasuslarvae. The growth of juveniles was also influenced by salinity. High salinity (>12‰) caused low survival, and low salinity (<6‰) caused poor growth. The optimum salinity for the survival and growth ofC. nasusjuveniles ranges from 6‰ to 12‰. Received November 30, 2014; accepted April 29, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) has been identified as an important driver for fluctuation of fish populations on the eastern Pacific Ocean. However, the relationship between changes in fish population and climate oscillations on a decadal time scale in the Northwest Pacific is still unclear due to the lack of reliable long-term time series data. In the present study, a time series of Engraulis japonicus (Japanese anchovy) populations was reconstructed using the density of sedimentary fish scales in the Yellow Sea basin. E . japonicus populations and the PDO index showed similar patterns on a decadal time scale. Our results confirm that climate is a major driver of ecological changes on a decadal time scale, and indicate that suitable sea water temperature might be the main forcing of anchovy migration. This work also demonstrates the potential of predicting changes in fish population based on climate records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L.) oil emulsion characterization and to optimize the anchovy oil microencapsulation process by spray drying. Response surface methodology was employed to study the effects of inlet air temperature (160-190C), peristaltic pump rate (20- 40%) and ratio of coating to oil (2/1-4/1) on the oil particle size, microencapsulation efficiency (MEE), peroxide value (PV), bulk density, Carr index (CI) and dry matter. The inlet air temperature showed a significant (P < 0.05) influence on the MEE, PV and CI of samples. The peristaltic pump rate and ratio of coating to oil affected significantly (P < 0.05) only the MEE and PV. The optimal drying condition for microencapsulation of anchovy oil was found as 164C the inlet air temperature, 25% the peristaltic pump rate and 4/1 the ratio of coating to oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using numerical simulations of the mixed common sardine and anchovy fishery of central-southern Chile, this article studies the effects of the distribution of administrative costs between the government and the fishing industry in an individual transferable quota system. Consistent with recent theoretical results, the analysis indicates that the presence and distribution of the administrative costs can have important impacts on the performance of an individual transferable quota system. The numerical simulations reveal significant and non-monotonic effects on the optimal paths of transferable quotas, biomass, quota price, size of the active fishing fleet, and the value of the fishery. While the effects of the distribution of administrative costs are complicated in the case study under analysis, the results suggest that it is likely optimal for the industry and government to share the administrative costs in this fishery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, forms the basis of Italian small pelagic fisheries in the Adriatic Sea. The strong dependence of this stock on environmental factors and the consequent high variability makes the dynamics of this species particularly complicated to model. Weekly geo-referenced catch data of anchovy obtained by means of a Fishery Observing System ( FOS) from 2005 to 2011 were referred to a 0.2 × 0.2 degree grid (about 20 km2) and associated with the environmental parameters calculated by a Regional Ocean Modelling System, Adria ROMS. Generalized Additive Mixed Models ( GAMM) with and without random effects were used to identify a relationship between abundance in the catch and oceanographic conditions. The outcomes of models with no random effects, with random vessel effects and with the random vessel and random week-of-the-year effects were examined. The GAMM incorporating a random vessel and week-of-the-year effect were selected as the best model on the basis of the Akaike information criteria ( AIC). This model indicated that catches (abundance) of anchovy in the Adriatic Sea correlate well with low temperatures, salinity fronts and sea surface height, and allowed the identification of areas where high concentrations of this species are most likely to occur. The results of this study demonstrate that GAMM are a useful tool to combine geo-referenced catch data with oceanographic variables and that the use of a mixed-model approach with spatial and temporal random effects is an effective way to depict the dynamics of marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe and document an end-to-end model of anchovy and sardine population dynamics in the California Current as a proof of principle that such coupled models can be developed and implemented. The end-to-end model is 3-dimensional, time-varying, and multispecies, and consists of four coupled submodels: hydrodynamics, Eulerian nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton (NPZ), an individual-based full life cycle anchovy and sardine submodel, and an agent-based fishing fleet submodel. A predator roughly mimicking albacore was included as individuals that consumed anchovy and sardine. All submodels were coded within the ROMS open-source community model, and used the same resolution spatial grid and were all solved simultaneously to allow for possible feedbacks among the submodels. We used a super-individual approach and solved the coupled models on a distributed memory parallel computer, both of which created challenging but resolvable bookkeeping challenges. The anchovy and sardine growth, mortality, reproduction, and movement, and the fishing fleet submodel, were each calibrated using simplified grids before being inserted into the full end-to-end model. An historical simulation of 1959–2008 was performed, and the latter 45 years analyzed. Sea surface height (SSH) and sea surface temperature (SST) for the historical simulation showed strong horizontal gradients and multi-year scale temporal oscillations related to various climate indices (PDO, NPGO), and both showed responses to ENSO variability. Simulated total phytoplankton was lower during strong El Nino events and higher for the strong 1999 La Nina event. The three zooplankton groups generally corresponded to the spatial and temporal variation in simulated total phytoplankton. Simulated biomasses of anchovy and sardine were within the historical range of observed biomasses but predicted biomasses showed much less inter-annual variation. Anomalies of annual biomasses of anchovy and sardine showed a switch in the mid-1990s from anchovy to sardine dominance. Simulated averaged weights- and lengths-at-age did not vary much across decades, and movement patterns showed anchovy located close to the coast while sardine were more dispersed and farther offshore. Albacore predation on anchovy and sardine was concentrated near the coast in two pockets near the Monterey Bay area and equatorward of Cape Mendocino. Predation mortality from fishing boats was concentrated where sardine age-1 and older individuals were located close to one of the five ports. We demonstrated that it is feasible to perform multi-decadal simulations of a fully-coupled end-to-end model, and that this can be done for a model that follows individual fish and boats on the same 3-dimensional grid as the hydrodynamics. Our focus here was on proof of principle and our results showed that we solved the major technical, bookkeeping, and computational issues. We discuss the next steps to increase computational speed and to include important biological differences between anchovy and sardine. In a companion paper (Fiechter et al., 2015), we further analyze the historical simulation in the context of the various hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the sardine and anchovy cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3-D full life cycle population model for the North Aegean Sea (NAS) anchovy stock is presented. The model is two-way coupled with a hydrodynamic–biogeochemical model (POM–ERSEM). The anchovy life span is divided into seven life stages/age classes. Embryos and early larvae are passive particles, but subsequent stages exhibit active horizontal movements based on specific rules. A bioenergetics model simulates the growth in both the larval and juvenile/adult stages, while the microzooplankton and mesozooplankton fields of the biogeochemical model provide the food for fish consumption. The super-individual approach is adopted for the representation of the anchovy population. A dynamic egg production module, with an energy allocation algorithm, is embedded in the bioenergetics equation and produces eggs based on a new conceptual model for anchovy vitellogenesis. A model simulation for the period 2003–2006 with realistic initial conditions reproduced well the magnitude of population biomass and daily egg production estimated from acoustic and daily egg production method (DEPM) surveys, carried out in the NAS during June 2003–2006. Model simulated adult and egg habitats were also in good agreement with observed spatial distributions of acoustic biomass and egg abundance in June. Sensitivity simulations were performed to investigate the effect of different formulations adopted for key processes, such as reproduction and movement. The effect of the anchovy population on plankton dynamics was also investigated, by comparing simulations adopting a two-way or a one-way coupling of the fish with the biogeochemical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide an option for the reutilization of high-salinity anchovy fishmeal wastewater (FMW), generated during the anchovy fishmeal manufacturing processes, its potential for biodegradation was assessed in 1-l five-neck flasks using a halotolerant and proteolytic microbial consortium. During the first 41 h of biodegradation, the pH, DO, ORP, and dry-sludge weight decreased as the total cell number of the microbial consortium increased steadily; the COD/TN ratios remained between 4.0 and 5.5, respectively, indicating the stable metabolic degradation of organic matter. The ORP tended to increase after 41 h, and the unpleasant fishy smell disappeared once positive ORP values were achieved. The removal percentages of COD and TN were 59.0 and 54.4 %, respectively, and the dry-sludge weight decreased from 115.5 to 68.0 g, with a degradation rate of 0.59 g h, during the 80 h experiment. The supernatant from the culture of the anchovy FMW at 70 h (culture supernatant) was phytotoxin-free, and the level of total amino acids was 8.04 g 100 g, comparable to that of commercial fertilizers. In hydroponic cultures containing red bean and barley, the culture supernatant demonstrated a good fertilizing ability. The culture supernatant also exhibited a high degree of antioxidant activity, with a 52.3 % hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity and 0.16 reducing power (at OD 700 nm). Moreover, the culture supernatant inhibited DNA damage from hydroxyl radicals, enhancing the reutilization value of anchovy FMW. This report presents the first description of high-salinity anchovy FMW possessing a high reutilization value potential both for agriculture and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geostatistical techniques were applied and a series of spatial indicators were calculated (occupation, aggregation, location, dispersion, spatial autocorrelation and overlap) to characterize the spatial distributions of European anchovy and sardine during summer. Two ecosystems were compared for this purpose, both located in the Mediterranean Sea: the Strait of Sicily (upwelling area) and the North Aegean Sea (continental shelf area, influenced by freshwater). Although the biomass of anchovy and sardine presented high interannual variability in both areas, the location of the centres of gravity and the main spatial patches of their populations were very similar between years. The size of the patches representing the dominant part of the abundance (80%) was mostly ecosystem- and species-specific. Occupation (area of presence) appears to be shaped by the extent of suitable habitats in each ecosystem whereas aggregation patterns (how the populations are distributed within the area of presence) were species-specific and related to levels of population biomass. In the upwelling area, both species showed consistently higher occupation values compared to the continental shelf area. Certain characteristics of the spatial distribution of sardine (e.g. spreading area, overlapping with anchovy) differed substantially between the two ecosystems. Principal component analysis of geostatistical and spatial indicators revealed that biomass was significantly related to a suite of, rather than single, spatial indicators. At the spatial scale of our study, strong correlations emerged between biomass and the first principal component axis with highly positive loadings for occupation, aggregation and patchiness, independently of species and ecosystem. Overlapping between anchovy and sardine increased with the increase of sardine biomass but decreased with the increase of anchovy. This contrasting pattern was attributed to the location of the respective major patches combined with the specific occupation patterns of the two species. The potential use of spatial indices as auxiliary stock monitoring indicators is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the fish community structure in Omura Bay, an enclosed bay in the East China Sea, were investigated using long-term fishery landing data over the past five decades (1965-2006). We confirmed that the fish community structure in Omura Bay showed three conspicuous regimes during the study period. Anchovies dominated in the pelagic domain with abundant and various demersal fish species in the first phase (1965-1978). Demersal fish declined remarkably with the dominance of sardines in the pelagic domain during the second phase (1979-1987), and the fish community was simplified with the return of anchovies and no recovery of demersal fish in the third phase (1988-2006). These changes were significantly related with periodic large-scale climate changes and cumulative regional-scale human impacts. The replacement of sardine/anchovy caused by a climate regime shift in the North Pacific contributed to the fish community regime shifts in Omura Bay. Moreover, habitat degradation such as depletion of dissolved oxygen combined with climate-induced changes in food web systems resulted in a rapid reduction in demersal fish. Contraction of the habitat volume due to an increase in oxygen-restricted water simplified the fish community structure and eventually reduced fishery landings in Omura Bay. These findings demonstrate that long-term fish community responses to large-scale climate changes and regional-scale human impacts can be observed in a coastal enclosed bay, providing useful information for fisheries management in areas with climate and human-induced changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]