The use of parasites as biological tags allowed the identification of 3 stocks of Argentinean sandperch, Pseudopercis semifasciata (Cuvier), in the Argentine Sea. A total of 100 specimens caught in 3 zones: Villa Gesell (37°15′S, 57°23′W; n=20), Miramar (38°03′S, 57°30′W–38°44′S, 58°44′W; n=30) and Península Valdes (42°00′–42°45′S; n=50), were examined and 28 parasite species were found, 15 of them being new host records. Both univariate and multivariate analyses identified discrete stocks in each zone. The observed differences were not related to the host size or sex. Each locality was characterized by its own indicator species. Villa Gesell was typified by unidentified cestode plerocercoids, Corynosoma cetaceum and Hysterothylacium sp., Miramar by Heterosentis sp. and Pseudoterranova sp. and Península Valdes by A. simplex s.l. Fishes from both northern localities shared gnathiid pranizae, Corynosoma australe and Grillotia sp. as indicators, whereas Miramar and Península Valdes shared only Trifur tortuosus. The most distant localities showed no indicator species in common. Discriminant analyses of parasite assemblages agreed with populational comparisons in identifying the same set of biological tags, whereas some differences in the identity of indicator species were obtained by similarity analysis. However, the 3 approaches were congruent in identifying Grillotia sp., C. australe and C. cetaceum as indicators of northern localities, and A. simplex s.l. as related to Patagonian waters. Differences among zones could be enhanced by the sedentary habits, limited dispersal and high site fidelity of P. semifasciata, and their spawning in rocky outcrops, which are isolated environments.

This paper presents the spatial indicators used in the European project FISBOAT. These are statistics intended to capture spatial patterns of fish populations, using fish density data collected during scientific surveys. To handle diffuse population limits, indicators are designed not to depend on arbitrary delineation of the domain. They characterize the location (centre of gravity and spatial patches), occupation of space (inertia, isotropy, positive area, spreading area and equivalent area) and microstructure. Collocation between different populations is summarized by a global index of collocation. These spatial indicators have the potential to be used in a monitoring system to detect changes in spatial distribution. They could be helpful for relating the spatial distribution properties of fish stocks to their dynamics, their habitats, or to climate change.

A comparative study, using biological indicators, was conducted in Mali where two man-made reservoirs (Selengue and Manantali) are particularly suited for investigating the impact of fishing effort on the fish assemblage: these two ecosystems have relatively similar morphological, edaphic and environmental properties but are subjected to radically different levels of fishing exploitation (low at Manantali, high at Selengue). The comparison is based on a three-month survey of commercial fisheries, focusing on fishing activities and catches on the two reservoirs.

The results show that some indicators are useful for evaluating fishing impacts. Among these indicators are: fishing effort which is much higher at Selengue (22 800 fishing trips per month) than at Manantali (3000), catches per unit effort (lower at Selengue than at Manantali following a ratio ranging from 1.5 to 4 according to the gears used), annual yields per ha higher at Selengue (100 kg ha−1) than at Manantali (27 kg ha−1), the average fish lengths in the catches (16.2 cm at Selengue compared to 23.6 cm at Manantali) and the maximum lengths of the targeted species generally smaller at Selengue (10 to 30 cm) than at Manantali (30 to 50 cm). By contrast, a second class of indicators exhibit values that are contrary to expectations: the species richness (52 compared to 36), the species diversity (I sh = 4.02 compared to 3.24) and evenness (0.76 compared to 0.69) were higher at Selengue where 4 species accounted for 50% of the landings compared to only 2 species at Manantali (9 species compared to 7 for 80% of the landings). The trophic structure of the landings is higher (37% primary consumers compared to 49% at Manantali) as well as the mean trophic level (2.74 compared to 2.54 at Manantali).

Even if a good understanding of the two fisheries can explain the unexpected trends of the second class of indicators which increase with fishing effort, it clearly appears from this study that only the first class of indicators is robust and can be used for comparative studies across ecosystems.

Lagoon fish communities often consist of complex assemblages of numerous species, difficult to manage with conventional stock assessment models. Useful data are still lacking for evaluating the importance of man-made disturbance and reference situations are missing, especially in developing countries. As a consequence, by analysing data collected 20 years ago in two of the six sectors of the Ebrie lagoon (Ivory Coast), this study aims to evaluate the impact of fishing effort on fish assemblages. These two sectors (V and VI), located far from the inlet, have similar physical, chemical, biological and fish fauna characteristics. The major difference lies in the fishing intensity: sector VI has a low fishing intensity (fishing for personal consumption using only individual gear), whereas sector V is heavily fished (professional fishing with both individual and collective gear, particularly beach seines which result in a considerably higher fishing effort). Comparisons between the two sectors were based on two complementary scientific approaches: a 3-year commercial fisheries survey (1978-1980) and a 1-year experimental survey (1981). The impact of fishing on fish assemblages is analysed through the main characteristics of fish populations and communities. The results show that there were major changes including an increased catch yield (37.5-189 kg ha–1 y–1), a lowering of fish diversity in catches, of fish biomass (100-20 kg ha–1), of average catch length (22.6-14.6 cm) and of trophic level of catches (26-58.5% of herbivore/detritivore species in total catches). Such results are quite unusual because they occurred even in non-overfished ecosystems: the fish assemblage was deeply modified in sector V compared to the lightly fished adjacent sector VI, even though fishing effort in sector V was only high but at a reasonable level. These data must be completed by similar studies in tropical lagoons with variable levels of fishing intensity in order to understand fish assemblage re-organization when submitted to stresses of different intensity.

Dix lacs du Rwanda ont été caractérisés à partir des résultats de nombreuses pêches expérimentales standardisées. L'analyse en composantes principales et l'analyse de regroupement appliquées sur les captures des espèces de poissons montrent que les différentes espèces se rangent le long d'un continuum sur une structure curvilinéaire indiquant une augmentation du nombre d'espèces d'amont en aval du réseau fluviatile Nyabarongo-Akagera. La classification des lacs montre l'existence de trois groupes : les lacs d'altitude, pauvres en espèces, les lacs de la vallée de la Nyabarongo, moins pauvres, et les lacs de la dépression de l'Akagera, à plus grande biodiversité. Cette disposition des peuplements de poissons et des lacs montre l'importance de la rivière Nyabarongo- Akagera dans l'écologie des écosystèmes lentiques rwandais.

The energy budget of all fish populations was estimated in two small tributaries of the Paraná River (Paraná, Brazil). Total energy consumed by fish in the Caracu and the Agua do Rancho Rivers was 4.1 and 1.8 MJ m−2 y−1, and food items consumed were 2284 and 994.5 g wet weight m−2 y−1, respectively. The gross (K1) and net (K2) ecological efficiency coefficients were very low, but 43.2 and 59.6% of the total fish diet in these two streams, respectively, consisted of plant detritus. In both fish communities, omnivorous (opportunist) species dominated and specialists were rare. Although the Caracu River was more affected by human activity than was the Agua do Rancho, ecological efficiency coefficients calculated for the dominant fish populations were not significantly different.

Ce travail visait une exploration des populations piscicoles installées dans six bras morts de la Garonne entre Toulouseet la confluence de la Gimone. L'adaptation de la méthode d'Echantillonnage Ponctuel d'Abondance (E.P.A.) par pêcheélectrique d'une part, et l'utilisation de filets monofilament de fond et de surface, d'autre part, ont permis d'établirles indices écologiques et les associations d'espèces. Les profils de distribution des espèces ont été mis en relation avec les caractéristiques de milieu relevées en parallèle. Les résultats font apparaître un peuplement piscicole diversifié et différent selon les bras morts et ce d'autant plus qu'il existe une communication importante à l'aval avec le fleuve. Larépartition spatiale des espèces principales présente deux groupements différents. Dans les bras morts, les zones profondes sur substrat de graviers favorisent les gardons, brèmes, ablettes, rotengles et black-bass. Les bordures à faible pente, peu profondes et colonisées par la végétation aquatique accueillent les espèces benthophages et d'autres carnassiers (perches et perche-soleil).