Effects of environmental factors and food availability in Northern Aegean sea on the cultivation of Mediterranean Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

Abstract

This study used two different collectors made of polypropylene (PP) rope and polyethylene (PE) fishing net to determine Mediterranean mussel's settlement, growth, condition index (CI), meat yield (MY) and shell thickness index (STI) during the period spent between June 2017 and November 2018. With this regard, chlorophyll a, water temperature, salinity, pH and particulate matter were defined through water samples that were collected on monthly basis triplicate. The mean chlorophyll a level was recorded as 0.32 ± 0.31 μg/L, while water temperature was 19.73 ± 5.14°C, salinity was 35 ± 2.070‰, pH was 8.12 ± 0.04, and TPM was 14.91 ± 10.48 mg/L. As a result of the cultivation period of 8 months spent following the first intense grip, the length of the mussels is measured as 31.79 ± 6.20 mm. Based on the Pearson correlation analysis results, the most important environmental parameter affecting Mediterranean mussels growth in length on PP rope collectors is the temperature (p < .05). The STI and CI were determined to be related with environmental temperature parameters, while no determinations could be obtained concerning the correlation of MY with environmental parameters. Assessment of Mediterranean mussels’ growth rate in PP rope collectors proved significant differences (p < .05) between March and November 2018. As no Mediterranean mussels are observed on PE fishing nets during the samplings performed throughout the study period, it is determined that PE fishing nets are not suitable collector types for Mediterranean mussel cultivation.