Demographic explosion of the brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives 1891 (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in the central and northern Adriatic: implications for ecosystems and fisheries
Published: February 14 2025
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Penaeus aztecus Ives 1891 is an invasive species of western Atlantic origin that has become established in different areas of the Mediterranean Sea. This study highlights a recent demographic explosion of this alien species in the Adriatic Sea. A considerable number of individuals (more than 20 per fishing vessel out of a total of 36 surveyed) were captured by trawling at San Benedetto del Tronto on 30 September 2024, the first fishing day following a 30-day fishing moratorium. Additional unusually high catches in other areas of the central and northern Italian Adriatic Sea occurred in the same period, further confirming a clear recent population surge of this species in the Adriatic. Our results suggest a rapidly growing population in this region of the Mediterranean. We discuss the possible causes of this sudden population increase, as well as the ecological and socio-economic impacts that the species may have on the region in the coming years.
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Demographic explosion of the brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives 1891 (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in the central and northern Adriatic: implications for ecosystems and fisheries. (2025). Natural History Sciences. https://doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2025.841
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