This study was carried out throughout 10 fishing seasons between 2002 and 2018 to monitor the population and stock variations of Engraulis encrasicolus (L., 1758) on the south-eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey. Asymptotic length (L∞), growth constant (K) and growth performance indexes (φ) were calculated to be between 12.86 and 15.79 cm, 0.69 and 0.99, 2.10 and 2.29, respectively. Theoretical birth ages were determined to range between (to) −0.15 and −0.27, the maximum ages (tmax) ranged between 3.03 and 4.35, total mortality rates (Z) between 2.19 and 2.66, natural mortality rates (M) between 0.93 and 1.26, the fishing mortality rate (F) between 0.93 and 1.47, and the optimum fishing mortality rate (Fopt.) between 0.37 and 0.62. Fishing mortality rates (F) were estimated to be higher than the optimum fishing mortality rates (Fopt). Z/K ratios were determined to range between 1.91 and 3.43. Current exploitation rates (Ecurr.) were calculated to range between 0.42 and 0.62. The first recruit lengths (Lr) and first capture lengths (Lc50) were estimated to range between from 5.25–7.75 and from 7.66–8.74 cm, respectively. The first maturity lengths (Lm50) of E. encrasicolus ranged between 8.57 and 10.53 cm. The maximum sustainable exploitation levels (Emax) were determined to range between 0.72 and 0.83. These data indicate that if current levels of fishing pressure continue, anchovy stocks will collapse in the near future.

In this research age composition, sex-ratio, growth, survival, mortality and exploitation rates were determined in the south-eastern Black Sea region of Turkey during the 2010–2011 fishing season. Anchovy in the age group 2 was the most abundant (64.06%), followed by age groups 1 (33.12%), 3 (1.80%) and 0 (1.02%). Mean length and weight of the total sample, males and females, were 11.63 ± 0.02 cm, 9.98 ± 0.04 g; 11.39 ± 0.03 cm, 9.40 ± 0.07 g; and 11.98 ± 0.02 cm, 10.73 ± 0.05 g, respectively. The mean condition factor was CF = 0.63 and the sex composition was 61.27% female, 34.40% male and 4.33% unidentified. Equations describing the relationship between length and weight, age and length, and age and weight were derived as W = 0.011 × L2.742, L(t) = 16.368*(1–e−0.425*(t +1.35)) and W(t) = 23.516*(1 –e–0.425*(t+1.35))2,747, respectively. The survival (S), instantaneous total mortality (Z), annual mortality (A), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) rates were found to be S = 5.8%, Z = 2.84 yr–1,, A = 94.2%, M = 0.66 yr−1, and F = 2.18 yr–1, respectively. The exploitation rate was calculated as 0.77, which is higher than the optimum exploitation level.

The seasonal growth pattern and size composition of the European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus caught by mid-water trawl and purse seine was studied in the southern Black Sea between October 2010 and April 2011. Total length (TL) and size distribution of females caught by purse seine was higher than males and females obtained from mid-water trawl (P < 0.05). The seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters, computed from monthly length–frequency distributions, were estimated as asymptotic length to which the fish grow (L∞) = 13.01 cm TL, growth-rate parameter (K) = 0.993 year−1, amplitude of the sinusoidal growth oscillations (C) = 0.800, and the time of the year when the growth rate is slowest, the winter period (WP) = 0.298 for males and as L∞ = 13.69 cm TL, K = 1.249 year−1, C = 0.950, and WP = 0.151 for females caught by mid-water trawl. The seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters for anchovy obtained from purse seine fishing in the Rize region were estimated as L∞ = 14.00 cm TL, K = 0.800 year−1, C = 0.980, and WP = 0.212 for males and as L∞ = 13.93 cm TL, K = 0.994 year−1, C = 0.725, and WP = 0.319 for females. The period of slowest growth for males and females estimated between February and April, which is the period with a relatively low water temperature and consequently anchovy in the southern Black Sea have a seasonal growth pattern.

While fishing resources available to fishermen are becoming increasingly scarce, management actions that regulate these resources are becoming more restrictive, to such an extent that some fisheries remain closed for years. The anchovy fishery in the Bay of Biscay, which was closed for 5 years, from 2005 to 2009, is one of the most important sources of revenue for the Basque pelagic purse-seiner fleet. Throughout the course of this closure the fleet was forced to find alternative revenue streams. In the present study, the fishing alternatives were analysed before and during the anchovy fishery closure, defining an adaptability indicator to measure the ability of the fleet to cope with fisheries closures. Four differently-behaved segments were found within the purse-seiner fleet. Only one of these segments managed to maintain the same level of turnover during the anchovy closure, while the others could not reach a minimum level of adaptability. Compensation of the fishery closure through financial aid was studied, analysing the impact that public aid had on the profit of each segment and on the adaptability indicator.