Acronym NA
Category
Fisheries
Title GRANDI PELAGICI: Valutazione degli impatti ecotossicologici da contaminanti vecchi ed emergenti, studi di biologia ed ecologia delle popolazioni mediterranee di pescespada, tonno rosso ed alalunga. - Large pelagic species: Evaluation of ecotoxicological impacts of old and emerging contaminants, studies of biology and ecology of Mediterranean populations of swordfish, bluefin tuna and albacore Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Franco Andaloro Coordinator email franco.andaloro@isprambiente.it
Coordinator institution
ISPRA - Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Italy)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2007 End year 2010 Funding (€) € NA Website NA Summary Mediterranean large pelagic fishes, such as swordfish (Xiphias gladius), bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and albacore (Thunnus alalunga), are overfished and, at the same time, are potentially subject to serious hazard due to their exposure to POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutant) and to the bioaccumulation of these pollutants in the trophic web. The objective of our Operational Unit is to carry out experimental studies for the evaluation of pollutant accumulation in fishery resources. Therefore, among our specific goals, data were collected on the direct relationship between contaminant level and biomarker response in top predators (large pelagic fish) in order to improve our knowledge on swordfish, bluefin tuna and albacore dietary habits (in terms of diet composition), to the purpose of pinpointing prey/predator relationship and identifying the key species involved in pollutant accumulation. Two types of analysis were relied on in order to avoid an overestimation of prey resistance to digestion (e.g. cephalopod beaks): qualitative analysis performed on both fresh and accumulated preyed items, and quantitative analysis performed only on the fresh portion of the stomach content. Frequency of occurrence (%F), percentage number (%N), percentage weight (%W), index of relative importance expressed in percentage points (%IRI) and the dietary coefficient (Q) were calculated for each taxonomic category. Multivariate techniques, using PRIMER6&PERMANOVA+ software, were applied to detect differences in the diet composition of the three target species. Moreover, the correspondence analysis was performed to graphically represent these differences. The analysis of stomach content was carried out on a total of 166 swordfish samples (FLJL 65-225 cm), 60 bluefin tuna (FL 52-262 cm) and 50 albacore (FL 57-87 cm). Trophic behaviour of the three pelagic fishes indicate a selectivity towards few prey categories, as also evidenced by the limited trophic niche width and low competition between these predators. Thus can be mainly related to the vertical movements that they exhibit in the water column. This study has evidenced differences in the pollutant concentration trend in prey and predators. These differences have been shown for emerging contaminants such us polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) that is a family of flame retardants. PBDE are lipophilic and persistent compounds and lipid composition of preys could determine a low or high affinity to the POPs. Moreover feeding behaviour and gastric digestion rate may affect the amount of contaminants ingested. Finally the most important prey involving in pollution transfer to top predators can be identified as follows: (1) Cephalopods are regarded as key species in many marine ecosystems and represent an essential link in marine trophic chains as they are preyed upon by many top marine predators such us swordfish, bluefin tuna and albacore. They showed high values of POPs belonging to the PBDE, PCB and DDT; (2) Ceratoscopelus maderensis (Madeira lantern fish) is a batipelagic fish belonging to the Myctophidae family that feeds on copepods and adult or larval forms of other planktonic crustaceans; concentration levels of PBDE are very high and may have an origin from a contamination of deep habitats or can be caused by the feeding behaviour of the species that preys on crustaceans that became a vector of pollutants. The identified key-species are usually mesopelagic species that carry out vertical migration and are considered as link between the deep and surface water layers, so, they can play a role in both energy and pollutants transfer.
Goals:
(1) Experimental studies for the evaluation of eco-toxicological impacts produced by existing and emerging pollutants in fishery resources; (2) Biology and ecology studies of swordfish, bluefin tuna and albacore in the Mediterranean Sea.
Keywords
Impacts;
Swordfish;
Tuna;
Fish;
Food web;
Diets;
Toxic substances;
Marine Region
48
South Tyrrhenian Sea (GSA 10)
1
Marine Region Map
