New Evaluation of Postovulatory Follicle Degeneration at High-Temperature Regimes Refines Criteria for the Identification of Spawning Cohorts in the European Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Wide fluctuations in abundance arising from variations in reproductive success are characteristic of many marine fish populations, including several pelagic fish species. The European anchovy is an economically and ecologically important resource, representing one of the most abundant species of the total Mediterranean fishery production. According to recommendations by the European Union, management plans should improve estimates of model parameters or biomass evaluation to provide a sustainable stock exploitation. The proportion of females spawning per day is one of the main parameters, including ichthyoplankton methods, for spawning biomass evaluation and is usually assessed by the postovulatory follicle (POF) method. Because of POF resorption rate is species-specific and influenced by residence temperature, the application of this method needs validation for species and area. This manuscript aimed to evaluate the resorption rate of postovulatory follicles in European anchovy in the central Mediterranean Sea, describing each degeneration stage based upon its histological features and estimating the duration of each POF stage in relation to water temperature experienced by the target species during the spawning peak. The provided results should allow for methodological advances in estimating the spawning biomass and in studying of reproductive output fluctuations, particularly for sustainable exploitation purposes. ABSTRACT: Accurate stock assessment estimates of fish resources are essential in fishery management. Wide fluctuations in abundance arising from variations in reproductive success are characteristic of many marine fish populations, including multiple spawner species. The proportion of females spawning per day is crucial in the application of egg production methods for spawning biomass evaluation and, usually, is assessed by postovulatory follicle (POF) method. Describing each degeneration stage of POF based upon its histological features allows for obtaining an aging key for postovulatory follicles. The commercially valuable European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) was selected as a case study, which breeds during the summer in temperate waters (24 °C–25 °C). A collection of ovary slides, sampled in the central Mediterranean Sea during the spawning peak, provided a 24 h cycle coverage. These observations allowed us to evaluate the duration of each POF stage at water temperature experienced by anchovy in the study area. Present results demonstrated the POF degeneration progress at a faster rate than reported by previous investigations, carried out in cooler oceanic waters. Furthermore, the present study displayed the presence of two anchovy spawning cohorts sampled along a 24-h cycle. Therefore, this study not only provides useful insight for more accurate POF degeneration evaluation in temperate waters, but also suggests that current estimates should be complemented with validation studies according to different temperature regimes.