Geographic, seasonal and bathymetric distribution of demersal fish species in the eastern Mediterranean

Summary The distributional abundance of three demersal fish species, Merluccius merluccius, Mullus barbatus and Lophius budegassa, was studied as a function of sampling season, bathymetry and geographic area. Data were collected during research trawl surveys in the Aegean and Ionian seas under the same sampling scheme, thereby allowing comparisons to be made on the mean regional densities in numbers and biomass of these three commercially important species in Greek waters. Results indicated that European hake, M. merluccius, demonstrated a wide bathymetric and geographic distribution, with specimens encountered in all regions between 20 and 500 m depth, although density was found to be highest usually between 101 and 200 m. The mean regional density of hake was observed to vary seasonally, being higher mainly in winter. Red mullet, M. barbatus, was distributed in shallow water depths (