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Environmental Drivers of Fishing Success in the Aegean Sea: A Multiyear Analysis

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at Edge University have conducted a comprehensive study to assess the effects of environmental and lunar factors on the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of purse seine fisheries in the Aegean Sea. The four-year study, which collected data from 2017 to 2023, employed a generalized linear model to standardize CPUE values and considered various temporal and environmental factors. The results highlighted significant variability in CPUE across years, months, and moon phases, with the highest CPUE observed during January and the last quarter lunar phase, while April and the full moon phase exhibited lower catch rates.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study evaluated the effects of sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), sea surface chlorophyll-a concentration (SSC), and lunar phases on the CPUE of purse seine fisheries in the Aegean Sea.
  • Results indicated significant variability in CPUE across years, months, and moon phases, with the highest CPUE observed during January and the last quarter lunar phase.
  • SSC had a significant negative effect on CPUE, whereas SST and SSS showed no statistically significant influence.
  • The decline in CPUE over the study period suggests increasing pressure on fish stocks, highlighting the importance of monitoring environmental changes for effective fisheries management.
  • This study contributes to filling the knowledge gap on the impacts of SST and SSC on purse seine fishing in the Aegean Sea, offering insights for future fisheries policies and conservation efforts.
  • The research was conducted from 2017 to 2023, involving a purse seine vessel operating in & Idot;zmir Bay.
  • The study used a generalized linear model (GLM) to standardize CPUE values and considered various temporal and environmental factors.

Statistics:

  • The study collected data over a period of 4 years, from 2017 to 2023.
  • CPUE was observed to vary significantly across years, with the highest CPUE observed during January and the last quarter lunar phase (55.2 units).
  • The lowest CPUE was observed in April and the full moon phase (21.5 units).
  • SSC had a significant negative effect on CPUE, with a decline of 12.5 units per 1 unit increase in SSC.

Sources:

  • Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 2025;25(11). Central Fisheries Research Inst, PO Box 129, Trabzon, 61001, Turkiye.
  • Edge University, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Science, Dept Fishing Technol & Seafood Proc Technol, Bornova Izmir, Turkiye.
  • NewsRx. Researchers from Edge University Report Recent Findings in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (Environmental Drivers of Fishing Success: a Multiyear Analysis of Purse Seine Cpue In the Aegean Sea). Life Science Weekly. November 4, 2025; p 5930.

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