Intensive sea urchin harvest rescales Paracentrotus lividus population structure and threatens self-sustenance.

ABSTRACT: The harvest of the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus is intensively practiced in some regions of the Western Mediterranean Sea. The removal of the largest individuals can determine an overall reduction in population size and a size class truncation that can lead to a drastic drop the self-sustenance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the variability of the population reproductive potential across 5 years in one of the main harvest hotspots of Sardinia (Western Mediterranean Sea). The breeding stock consists of commercial and under-commercial size individuals which were sampled on a monthly basis to estimate their GonadoSomatic Index (GSI) and the Individual Gamete Output (IGO). In addition, the reproductive potential of the population-Total Gamete Output (TGO)-was calculate

SUBMITTER: Ruberti N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10666612 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature