Fish fauna analyses in Danube Delta (Romania) Izmail, Ukraine 05 to 10 of October 2014 Aurel Năstase, Ion Năvodaru NIRDEP - ”Danube Delta” National Institute for Research and Development ROMANIA Innovative Instruments for Environmental Analysis in North Western Black Sea Basin (Black Sea e-Eye)

Supporting GA1 - Monitoring physical-chemical and biological parameters of surface aquatic systems in North-Western Black Sea Basin for developing 4 research initiatives based on physical-chemical and biological indicators related to the quality of surface aquatic systems in North Western Black Sea Basin 4 paperback reports on the findings and results on the research initiatives on physical-chemical and biological indicators related to the quality of surface aquatic systems in North Western Black Sea Basin. report on correlation between determined present and historical pollution. a shared database (common knowledge database) used in Indicator Monitoring component. 4 software solutions/tools and functional (Information Portal, Portal for communication and social network among researchers, BI component, Indicator Monitoring component) 5 essential environmental reports for policy makers Supporting GA1 - Monitoring physical-chemical and biological parameters of surface aquatic systems in North-Western Black Sea Basin for developing 4 research initiatives based on physical-chemical and biological indicators related to the quality of surface aquatic systems in North Western Black Sea Basin 4 paperback reports on the findings and results on the research initiatives on physical-chemical and biological indicators related to the quality of surface aquatic systems in North Western Black Sea Basin. report on correlation between determined present and historical pollution. a shared database (common knowledge database) used in Indicator Monitoring component. 4 software solutions/tools and functional (Information Portal, Portal for communication and social network among researchers, BI component, Indicator Monitoring component) 5 essential environmental reports for policy makers OBJECTIVES FOR FISH FAUNA INVESTIGATION

Fish sampling Area  4 the most representative lakes in 4 complex-lakes

Materials and methods N o. Monitoring water bodies GPS N latitude GPS E longitude Fish sampling methods 1 Danube Delta - Lake Furtuna ° °3 sampling expedition x 12 stations with North gillnets + 3 stations with electric fishing 2 Danube Delta - Lake Isac ° °3 sampling expedition x 12 stations with North gillnets + 3 stations with electric fishing 3 Danube Delta - Lake Merhei ° °3 sampling expedition x 12 stations with North gillnets + 3 stations with electric fishing 4 Danube Delta - Lake Rosu ° °3 sampling expedition x 12 stations with North gillnets + 3 stations with electric fishing

 fishing (electric and gillnets) – sorting – measuring –recording Materials and methods

 Historical data ( )  Project data: 3 expedition May – July – September 2014  Parameters analyzed: species composition, relative abundance (NPUE) and relative biomass (CPUE), Shannon-Wiener index, Evenness index - equitability (E).  Ecological status classification for WFD – Expert judgment  One out all out principle for classification  Set up thresholds for 5 WFD classes (bad, poor, moderate, good, high) for tested parameters in DD lakes  Others parameters required by WFD to be tested are: age structure and prey-predators relationship.  Historical data ( )  Project data: 3 expedition May – July – September 2014  Parameters analyzed: species composition, relative abundance (NPUE) and relative biomass (CPUE), Shannon-Wiener index, Evenness index - equitability (E).  Ecological status classification for WFD – Expert judgment  One out all out principle for classification  Set up thresholds for 5 WFD classes (bad, poor, moderate, good, high) for tested parameters in DD lakes  Others parameters required by WFD to be tested are: age structure and prey-predators relationship. Materials and methods

Working threshold (limits) proposed for ecological classification based on fish parameters (expert judgment) Results StatusColorsClassCPUE (n)BPUE (g)HE BadRedI<25<500<1<0.3 PoorOrangeII ModerateYellowIII GoodGreenIV HighBlueV>600>10000>2.2>0.8 CPUE= catch per unit effort (individuals number/unit effort) BPUE= biomass per unit effort (grams/unit effort) H= diversity index (Shannon-Wiener) E= equitability index (Evenness)

Historical data results One out all out principle Historical data results One out all out principle Results Lake/Year FurtunaCPUE=40BPUE=4571 IsacH=1.76CPUE=92.4 MerheiE=0.601CPUE=45 RosuCPUE=437CPUE=115

Actual data results May-July-September 2014 Still working Actual data results May-July-September 2014 Still working Results No. Species (scientific name,old name and author)Species (scientific name,old name and author) ImportanceEcological classification Commercial valueCommercial value OriginOrigin Preference for currentPreference for current SalinitySalinity Adult feedAdult feed Tolerance tohabitat degradationTolerance tohabitat degradation Tolerance to low oxygenTolerance to low oxygen 1Abramis brama L. 1758**nstag-reodulcomnitole 2Alburnus alburnus L. 1758*nreo-stagdulcomnitole 3Alosa tanaica (A. caspia nordmanni) Antipa 1906*nmigreuriomniintointer 4Hypophthalmichthys (Aristichthys) nobilis Richardson, 1845**estag-reodulczoopltole 5Aspius aspius L. 1758**nreo-stagdulcihtiointo 6Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810*nstageuribenttole 7Blicca bjoerkna L. 1758*nstag-reodulcomnitole 8Carassius carassius L.1758**nlimndulcomnitole 9Carassus gibelio L. 1758**neurydulcomnitole 10Cobitis sp. L. 1758neurydulcbentinter 11Cyprinus carpio L. 1758***nstag-reodulcomnitole 12Clupeonella cultriventris Nordmann, 1840*nmigreurizoopltole 13Esox lucius L. 1758***nlimndulcihtiointotole 14Gymnocephalus cernuus (Acerina cernua)L. 1758nlimndulcbenttole 15Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Valenciennes, 1844***estag-reodulcfitotole 16Knipowitschia caucasica Berg,1916nlimneuribentinto 17Lepomis gibbosus L.1758elimndulcomnitole 18Leucaspuis delineatus Heckel, 1843nlimndulcomniinto 19Leuciscus idus L. 1758**nreodulcomniinter 20Misgurnus fossilis L. 1758nlimndulcbenttole 21Neogobius fluviatilis Pallas, 1814nstag-reodulcomnitole 22Babka (Neogobius) gymnotrachelus Kessler, 1857nlimneuribentinto 23Neogobius melanostomus Kessler, 1857nstag-reoeuribentinto 24Perca fluviatilis L. 1758**nstag-reodulcihtiotole 25Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877elimndulcihtiotole 26Petroleuciscus borysthenicus Kessler 1859nlimndulcomniinto 27Proterorhinus semilunaris (marmoratus) Pallas 1811nlimneuribentinto 28Pseudorasbora parva Temmink & Schlegel, 1842estag-reodulcomnitole 29Pungitius platygaster Kessler, 1859nlimndulcomniinto 30Rhodeus amarus Bloch 1782nlimndulcerbiintotole 31Rutilus rutilus L. 1758**neurydulcomnitole 32Sander lucioperca (Stizosteidon lucioperca) L. 1758***nstag-reoeuriihtiotole 33Scardinius erythrophthalmus L. 1758**nstag-reoeuriomnitole 34Silurus glanis L. 1758***nstag-reodulcihtiotole 35Syngnathus abaster Risso, 1826nlimneurizoopltole 36Tinca tinca L. 1758**nlimndulcomniintointer 37Umbra krameri Walbaun, 1792nlimndulcomniinto TOTAL205 Note. Symbol used: 1 = presence, Food values; * = reduced food value, ** = second food value, *** = high food value; Origin: n = native, e = exotic; Preference for current: eury = eurytope, migr = migratory, limn = limnophilic, reo = rheophilic, stag = stagnant; Adult feed: omni = omnivores, ihti = piscivorous, zoopl = zooplanctivorous, bent = bentivorous, herbi = herbivore, plankton = planctonophagous; Salinity: dulc = freshwater, euri = euryhaline; Tolerance of habitat degradation and low oxygen: tole = tolerant, into = intolerant, inter = intermediary.

 Species richness: differ by season  Still working for completing September, when we will put together all data.  Species richness: differ by season  Still working for completing September, when we will put together all data. Results

 deploying innovative research initiatives focused on the fish analysis.  4 the most representative lakes in 4 complex-lakes of Danube delta was sampled with 2 complementary methods (base is gillnets fishing) in spring, summer and autumn 2014, but comparative with the past ( ).  In this presentation are currently exposed only historical data analyses, with little actual information which will put together very soon.  For analysis were used following parameters: fish species composition, relative abundance (CPUE) and relative biomass (BPUE), Shannon-Wiener index (H), Evenness index - equitability (E).  Possibility in this project to one step more for Danube Delta lakes to elaborate by experts judgements appropriate limits to the reality for all 5 classes (bad, poor, moderate, good, high=very good) for tested parameters, but others parameters may be use in the future.  Using “one out all out” principle in period: Fortuna 2010 and Merhei 2013 are Poor, Rosu 2012 and Isac 2013 are Moderate, rest having Good status.  till September 2014 fish fauna from lakes of Danube delta is composed by 37 fish species, more than ½ are commercial species, but 5 are exotic fish species, mostly are limnophilous (stagnophilous), freshwater, omnivores species.  fish diversity (species richness) seasonally differ in lakes being high in spring and low in summer, due to spawning migration between lakes and river and catching eficiency.  deploying innovative research initiatives focused on the fish analysis.  4 the most representative lakes in 4 complex-lakes of Danube delta was sampled with 2 complementary methods (base is gillnets fishing) in spring, summer and autumn 2014, but comparative with the past ( ).  In this presentation are currently exposed only historical data analyses, with little actual information which will put together very soon.  For analysis were used following parameters: fish species composition, relative abundance (CPUE) and relative biomass (BPUE), Shannon-Wiener index (H), Evenness index - equitability (E).  Possibility in this project to one step more for Danube Delta lakes to elaborate by experts judgements appropriate limits to the reality for all 5 classes (bad, poor, moderate, good, high=very good) for tested parameters, but others parameters may be use in the future.  Using “one out all out” principle in period: Fortuna 2010 and Merhei 2013 are Poor, Rosu 2012 and Isac 2013 are Moderate, rest having Good status.  till September 2014 fish fauna from lakes of Danube delta is composed by 37 fish species, more than ½ are commercial species, but 5 are exotic fish species, mostly are limnophilous (stagnophilous), freshwater, omnivores species.  fish diversity (species richness) seasonally differ in lakes being high in spring and low in summer, due to spawning migration between lakes and river and catching eficiency. Summaries

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