Observations on the ecology of Hepsetus odoe, Bloch, 1794 (Pisces: Hepsetidae) in Epie Creek floodplain, Niger Delta, Nigeria

The distribution, abundance, age and growth, the food and feeding habits, condition factor and reproduction of Hepsetus odoe in the Epie Creek Floodplain (Nigeria) was studied. H. odoe occur in the creek, swamp channel and lake. It is a very common, abundant and one of the major commercial species. A total of 457 specimens weighing 76.90 kg were caught during the period of investigation. The catches were more abundant in the dry season than in the wet season. The total length ranged from 10 cm to 46 cm while the weight varied between 50 g and 900 g. Six distinct components or year classes were observed using Bhattacharya's method. A growth exponential value 'b' was 3.35 with condition factor, 'k' values ranging from 0.69 to 0.83. The main diets of Hepsetus odoe were fish, including crustaceans (shrimps) and insects. The mean fecundity was 6060 plus or minus 358 eggs (range 2,769 to 6.667 eggs). The ova diameter of H. odoe was found to range from 2.2 mm to 2.6 mm with overall mean = 2.4 plus or minus 0.1)

Bestimmung von künstlichen Radionukliden in Konsumfisch

The identification of artificial radionuclides in fish involves some diffculties, because the quantities of these nuclides are very low (10-16 to 10-10 g/kg). The procedures have to be done very carefully. The sample preparation, the radiochemical analyses and the final preparation of the samples for the detection of the radioactivity of strontium-90, plutonium-238, -239, -240 and americium-241 are briefly described. The levels of artificial radioactivity in some species of fish from the North Sea are shown. The additional exposure to radiation by artificial radionuc1ides by ingestion of fish amounts only to about 0,02 % of the mean exposure to natural radiation. Nevertheless further monitoring of radioactivity should be continued in order to ensure that changes can be detected in time.

Erster Einsatz von Trenngittern in der kommerziellen Garnelenfischerei

Comparative fishing trials were conducted in the river Elbe estuary using 9 m commercial brown shrimp beam trawls. To avoid the bycatch of fish a metal sorting grid of the Nordmöre type was used. The elliptical grid was constructed of 6 mm stainless steel bar with a spacing of 20 mm between the bars and housed in a cylindrical frame of 800 mm diameter. It was installed in the extension piece just in front of the codend. The inclination of the grid was 45 degrees. A fish outlet was provided in the upper panel of the trawl at the upper edge of the grid. A series of 8 tows of 15 min duration at a towing speed of 3 kns was done. For evaluation the catch of the main codend was compared to the portion of the catch escaped through the grid. The presence of the grid caused a 97.4 % reduction of the catch of lump sucker, a 90.6 % reduction of the catch of sea scorpion, a 79.3 % reduction of the catch of cod, a 58.8 % reduction of the catch of armed bullhead, a 39.6 % reduction of the catch of dab, a 34.7 % reduction of the catch of flounder, a 32.3 % reduction of the catch of smelt, a 19.8 % reduction of the catch of plaice and a 14.5 % reduction of the catch of brown shrimp.

Fischartbestimmung von Caviar durch Protein- und DNA-Analyse

Deutscher Caviar, made from roe of lumpfish or capelin, gives species specific patterns in protein electrophoresis. The same techniques can be used to differentiate caviar from salmon and trout. The differentiation of sturgeon caviar (beluga, osietra, sevruga) is possible by isoelectric focusing, but not by SDS-PAGE. PCR-based methods of DNA-analysis for identification of the origin of sturgeon caviar are under development.

Einfluß von Eis- und Tiefgefrierlagerung/Auftauen auf die Länge von Seefischfilets

The objective was to study the influence of biological and processing conditions on the evaluation of a conversion factor between fillet length and fish size. This paper presents changes of the length and weight of skinless fillets from various marine fish species in relation to the ice storage time and to the deep freezing / thawing process. The biochemical changes during rigor mortis lead to considerable reduction in length of skinless fillets during ice storage and deep freezing / thawing of fillet blocks. The investigations were undertaken during various cruises of the FFS „Walther Herwig III“.

Dokumentation eines Einstroms von warmem salzhaltigem Wasser in das Bornholmbecken im Oktober 1996

The Institute for Baltic Fisheries, Rostock, performed three research cruises with different aims in autumn (September - November) 1996. The area of investigation ranged from the southern Kattegat, the Belts, the Arkona Sea to the Bornholm Basin. With a CTD memory probe hydrographical data were sampled after many trawl stations from the surface to the bottom. These data document a saltwater inflow in the deeper water of the Bornholm Basin at the beginning of November.

Vergleich von Ausbeutefaktoren und Eislagerqualität zwischen Kliesche (Limanda limanda) und Scholle (Pleuronectes platessa) aus der Nordsee

North Sea plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) and dab (Limanda limanda) were experimentally stored in ice for 6 days during the 181th cruise of the FRV “Wather Herwig III”. It could be demonstrated that both flat fish species showed the same storage properties and were of a comparable quality until the end of the storage experiment. The quality of both species was determined by sensory assessment of the quality grade, by measuring of the impedance using the German Fischtester VI and the Icelandic RT- tester and pH- and TVB- N- measurements. The average length of North Sea dab is generally small (female: 18,5 ± 3,9 cm; male: 17 ± 2,9 cm), therefore it seemed to be more efficient to process fish portions (eviscerated, head, tail, fins and part of belly flaps removed). The yield by manually processed filets or fish portions from dab is about 30 or 62 %, respectively

Die Verwendung von Zusatzstoffen bei Krebstieren unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Phosphaten. Eine Literaturübersicht

Die Krebstiere erfreuen sich sowohl national als auch international wachsender Beliebtheit bei den Verbrauchern. Mit der Intensivierung von Aufzucht- und Fangmethoden sowie mit der Anpassung der Verarbeitungstechnologien an die Erfordernisse des Exports und der dafür notwendigen Sicherung einer gleichmäßigen, möglichst hohen Qualität der Krebstiererzeugnisse gelangen in verstärktem Umfang Zusatzstoffe zum Einsatz, denen die Überwachungsorgane, Verbraucher und ihre Schutzorganisationen immer häufiger kritisch begegnen (Hermes 1995). Im folgenden soll versucht werden, in einem kurzen Überblick den gegenwärtigen Sachstand darzustellen.

Erste Ergebnisse zum Verlauf der Laichsaison von Dorschen in der westlichen Ostsee 1997

Investigations concerning the intensity and duration of spawning seasons of cod stocks are parts of the work of the reproductions ecology of commercial fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. The Institute of Baltic Fisheries Rostock has sampled and analysed data for this goal since 1992. The first data analyses for the spawning season 1997, sampled in the areas Kiel Bay, Mecklenburg Bay and Arkona Sea showed that the process of the spawning season is different compared to the years before. The spawning process starts earlier than the other years in Kiel Bay and Mecklenburg Bay. The results show that a high proportion of the spawning stock was part of the spawning process in this area. The Arkona Sea cod are regarded by ICES definition as belonging to the western cod stock. In this ICES sub-division only a low number of spawned cod was observed in March, the main spawning time of the western cod stock. Opposite to the theory of the stock units intensive spawning activities were observed in June as in the years before in the Arkona Sea.

Ursachen für wechselnde Selektionseigenschaften von Schleppnetzsteerten - Bericht über das EU-Forschungsprogramm VARSEL

Die Hoffnung, daß sich Fischbestände mit Hilfe von technischen Maßnahmen, wie der Festsetzung einer Mindeststeertmaschenöffnung, in Größe und Zusammensetzung regulieren lassen, ist in Kreisen der ischereiadministration und -wissenschaft weit verbreitet. Irritierend wirkt aber die Tatsache, daß von zwei oder mehr unabhängigen Untersuchern selten oder nie identische Ausleseeigenschaften bei der gleichen Maschenöffnung festgestellt werden. Bereits bei der Untersuchung eines einzigen Steerts, hinter dem gleichen Schleppnetz an einem Fangplatz eingesetzt, ergeben sich für die einzelnen Hols erhebliche Unterschiede, die nur durch die mehrfache Wiederholung des gleichen Experiments einigermaßen auszugleichen sind. Das bedingt einen erheblichen Aufwand für Selektionsuntersuchungen, bzw. bedingt die Varianz ihrer Ergebnisse. Während einer Forschungsschiffsreise können selten mehr als zwei oder drei verschiedene Konfigurationen geprüft werden. Für die eigentlich notwendige Wiederholung zu anderer Zeit und an anderem Ort fehlen in der Regel die Mittel.

Zur Fang- und Bestandssituation von Hering und Sprott in der Ostsee

Information is given on the landings of herring and sprat in the Skagerrak/Kattegat and Baltic Sea. Based on assessment units used by the ‘Herring Assessment Working Group for the Area South of 62° N’ and the ‘Baltic Fisheries Assessment’ working group, the total landings are shown for the years 1974 to 1996. Further the quarterly landings for 1996 are listed on national basis by area/Sub-Division. In addition an actual description of the national fleets operating in the Skagerrak/Kattegat and Baltic Sea is given. At least the actual stock development and the catch options estimated by the corresponding working groups for different assessment units is presented.

Perspektiven für die wichtigsten von der deutschen Fischerei genutzten Bestände für 1996

This article informs about the current status and development of fish stocks which are•of commercial importance for all branches of the German fisheries in the•entire North Atlantic. The information is based to a large extent on the reports of the Advisory Committee on Fishery Management (ACFM)of the International Council of the Sea(ICES) and in close connection with the results of scientific investigations of different institutes in Europe dealing with fish including the Institute for Sea Fisheries in Hamburg.

Der Einsatz von Flüssigrauch: eine neue Technologie Teil 3: Untersuchungen zur Lagerfähigkeit von mit Flüssigrauch hergestellten vakuumverpackten Räucherfischprodukten

The investigations showed that the shelf life of traditional smoked and vacuum-packed gutted mackerels, mackerel and herring fillets is similar to the corresponding vacuum-packed products smoked with liquid smoke. The storage temperature was 5 ± 0,5 °C. Under experimental conditions the storage time was 26 days for smoked gutted mackerels and more than 30 days for smoked fillets. Storage times of 20 to 25 days for these products are recommended. The microbiological and chemical results showed no differences between both technologies.