Estimation and reconstruction of shore-based recreational angling fisheries catches in the Greek Seas (1950-2010)

Abstract

The present work aims to estimate the shore-based recreational angling fisheries catches per species and Greek subarea that are not recorded by the official authorities in order to have a better picture of the total fish biomass that is removed out of the Greek Seas. Shore-based recreational fishers (n = 406) from three coastal areas of Greece (Ionian Sea and northern and central Aegean Sea) were surveyed in 2008-2009 and in 2012, respectively, in terms of the frequency and duration of fishing per year, species caught and catch in weight. Shore-based recreational angling catches increased from 187 tn in 1950 to slightly over 2500 tn in 2010. The species dominating the catches varied with area. Overall, 48 species participated to the total catches, four of which (European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax, annular seabream Diplodus annularis, white seabream Diplodus sargus sargus and gilthead seabream Sparus aurata) contributed more than 40.0% of the total.