Tracking changes in fish abundance across the coast of the Levant :a local ecological knowledge study -

Abstract

In the past few decades, new methodologies have risen to compliment classical scientific methods; one of these methods is Local Ecological Knowledge. LEK is the information people have accumulated about the natural environment they live in. We used LEK to detect changes encountered in fishery landings along the Lebanese coast between 1970 and 2013. Our results have indicated a clear decline in native fish species of commercial importance, such as Serranidae, Sparidae and Mullidae. They have also showed a decline in invasive fish species (Lessepsian migrants) that have acquired over the years economic value (e.g. Upeneus moluccensis, U. pori, Scomberomorus commerson). On the contrary, the population size of other fish species seems to have increased. These species were non-indigenous Indo-Pacific fishes that have invaded recently the eastern Mediterranean. They underwent a population explosion and have not acquired yet commercial importance. The comparison with published scientific information and scientific observation were consistent with our results. The use of the LEK method turned out to be valuable in obtaining reliable data and assessing changes in fisheries landing.