Recreational Fishing and Biodiversity in Mostaganem: Species Richness, Trophic Level, and Ecological Status of the Population Caught

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of recreational fishing on the marine ecosystem in the Mostaganem region, through the assessment of targeted and captured biodiversity, based on annual monitoring, using different statistical tools. The results show a wide range of species caught by boaters, with a total of 79 species belonging to 38 families and 24 orders, dominated by bony fish (86%). Biodiversity varies seasonally, due to the opportunistic behavior of boaters in targeting species according to their availability in the fishing grounds by using different gears and techniques at different seasons of the year. These boaters mainly target predators at high trophic level and high economic value, in order to maximize their income, which has negative effects on the top of the food chain, thereby creating a cascading effect on species at a lower trophic level. Thus, 12% of these species are classified as endangered or vulnerable, indicating considerable risks to fisheries resources and the marine ecosystem and its sustainability, suggesting effective management measures to ensure the sustainability of this recreational activity by minimizing environmental impacts.