Preliminary Results of Investigation of Demersal Resources on Montenegrian Cost (Medits Protocol)

Abstract

The MEDITS survey programme (International bottom trawl survey in the Mediterranean) intends to produce basic information on benthic and demersal species in term of population distribution as well as demographic structure, on the continental shelves and along the upper slopes at a global scale in the Mediterranean Sea, through systematic bottom trawl surveys. Although this project started in 1993, Adriatic sea was included not until 1996 Of all Adriatic countries, Montenegro was included last, in 2007. Therefore, the first MEDITS survey was performed in June 2008. Total catches from Montenegrin MEDITS survey showed abundance and biomass mean indices of 7678 N/km2 and 381 kg/km2, respectively. The species Merluccius merluccius was the most abundant and densiest species in the entire area of Montenegrin waters.