Tracking Changes in Fish Diversity in the South-Eastern Adriatic Sea (Albania) Based on Local Ecological Knowledge

Abstract

Evidence from the last two centuries has identified changes in the biodiversity of the Mediterranean basin triggered by the arrival of new species. Compared to the central and northern areas, the southern part of the Adriatic Sea, specifically the Albanian coast, has been less studied. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of new/non-native fish species on the north Albanian coast in order to provide the first data on their presence. Data collection was carried out from March to August 2019 using LEK (Local Ecological Knowledge) protocol in five different locations along the northern part of the Albanian coast. The research followed a predefined methodology previously successfully applied in different countries of the Mediterranean basin by using a semi-structured questionnaire. During this study, 9 new and non-native species were recognized by the fishers, while only 5 of them have shown an evident abundance increase based on their respective catches in recent years. Results suggest that some of the analyzed species, such as blue crab Callinectes sapidus and bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix, represent important members of the fish fauna in north Albania coastal waters (including the lagoons). Future studies regarding the assessment of their impact and management strategies are highly recommended.