Effects of Depth, Season and Mesh Size on the Catch and Discards of Whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus) Gillnet Fishery in the Southern Black Sea, Turkey

In this study, factors (depth, season and mesh size) influencing the catch and discards of whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus) gillnet fishery on the Black Sea coasts of Turkey were investigated. A total of 19 species were identified and the target species, whiting (Merlangius merlangus euxinus), dominated 87.56% of the total catch and followed by red mullet (Mullus barbatus) with 6.32%. While 82.02% of the total catch had commercial value, 17.98% was discarded. The percentage of the discarded red mullet and whiting under MLS (