Spatiotemporal variation of shallow water fish assemblages along the coastline of Çanakkale, Turkey

Objective: To determine the shallow water fish species richness of Çanakkale and to analyse the spatiotemporal variations of these fish assemblages. Methods: Samplings were carried out monthly with a beach seine between January and December 2007. Samples were collected from 6 stations (No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Stations 1 and 4 located in the Çanakkale Strait, 2 and 5 in North Aegean Sea, 3 and 6 in Sea of Marmara. Results: A total of 112 fish species were sampled and the two most common species were Atherina boyeri and Pomatoschistus marmoratus. A total of 93 species were sampled in the Çanakkale Strait, 85 in the Aegean Sea, and 77 in the Sea of Marmara. Shannon diversity index was the highest in the Aegean Sea. Dominant species were caused significant differences of both regional and seasonal fish assemblage fluctuations. Species richness and abundances decreased significantly in winter. Although more species were caught at night and a greater abundance of fishes was obtained during the day, no significant differences were found between day and night in terms of species richness and abundance. Conclusions: The results supported the biogeographical differences between the Aegean Sea, the Çanakkale Strait and the Sea of Marmara in terms of the shallow water fish community. The inventory in the current study can serve as baseline data prior to management strategies to ensure sustainable conservation of the area.