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¹ King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Marine Science, Marine Biology Department, 80207, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
² Arab Academy for Science and Technology, Fisheries Technology and Aquaculture Faculty, Alexandria, Egypt DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v12_4_01 Viewed : 4389 - Downloaded : 3862 This study highlighted the occurrence of a pelagic longline fishery targeting albacore in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea off Egypt. Species selectivity of the fishing method was assessed. Catch per unit effort “CPUE”, size frequency and lengthweight relationship were estimated for the target species. This fishing method was found to be highly selective for albacore, where its catch represented about 93.5% of the total landed catch. The major by-catch species were swordfish Xiphias gladius (2.5%) and the little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus (2.4%). Skipjack Katsuwonus pelamis, dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus, Bigeye thresher Alopias superciliosus, and oilfish Ruvettus pretiosus represented collectively, 1.5% of the total landed catch. The fork length of albacore ranged from 54 to 138 cm, with an average of 79.1±7.2 cm. Total weight ranged from 4 t 40 kg with an average of 8.8±7.2 kg. The length-weight relationship was determined to be W = 5.26 x 10^-5 L^2.75 (W in kg, L in cm). The CPUE for albacore ranged from 7 to 22 fish / 1000 hooks for the different fishing trips, with an average CPUE of 12 fish/1000 hooks (SE±4.4). Keywords : Eastern Mediterranean, longline, albacore, Thunnus alalunga, by-catch, selectivity, CPUE