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The present work examines the spatio-temporal biomass trends of Mullus barbatus and Mullus surmuletus in the Mediterranean Sea through the analysis of a time series of data coming from the Mediterranean International Trawl Surveys (MEDITS), accomplished annually from 1994 to 2015. The biomass of both species showed clear declining trends below 150 to 200 m depth, which were steeper in the case of M. barbatus. Increases in temporal biomass trends were observed for M. barbatus from 2008 onward in most geographic sub-areas (GSAs), while stability was mostly observed for M. surmuletus. For both species, dynamic factor analysis revealed similarities among neighbouring GSAs and the subsequent cluster analysis identified two major GSA groups corresponding to the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean. Overall, the results suggested that the combined effects of fishing and environmental conditions determine species abundance variations, but the relative importance of each component may vary among areas.

Knowledge on fish stock units and their boundaries is still poor in the Mediterranean despite the relevance of this information for developing accurate stock assessment and effectively managing fisheries. The aim of this work is to identify parasite species that might serve as biological tags for discrimination of red mullet stocks Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus , off the northern and southern coasts of Sicily (central Mediterranean). Stephanostomum sp. metacercariae were selected as good biological tags for M . barbatus and M. surmuletus . Specimens caught in the Strait of Sicily showed a high level of metacercariae infections while no infected fish was found in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Furthermore, cestode larvae (order Trypanorhyncha), and adult and larval digeneans were considered suitable as biological tags for stock discrimination in M. surmuletus , presenting statistically different epidemiological levels between the two areas. Results suggest a likely occurrence of distinct populations of red mullets in two areas of the central Mediterranean on the basis of parasite infestations.

In recent years, the presence and migration of PAEs in packaging materials and consumer products has become a serious concern. Based on this concern, the aim of our study is to determine the possible migration potential and speed of PAEs in benthic fish stored in vacuum packaging, as well as to monitor the storage time and type as well as polyethylene (PE) polymer detection.As a result of the analysis performed by µ-Raman spectroscopy, 1 microplastic (MP) of 6 µm in size was determined on the 30th day of storage in whiting fish muscle and the polymer type was found to be Polyethylene (PE) (low density polyethylene: LDPE). Depending on the storage time of the packaging used in the vacuum packaging process, it has been determined that its chemical composition is affected by temperature and different types of polymers are formed. 10 types of PAEs were identified in the packaging material and stored flesh fish: DIBP, DBP, DPENP, DHEXP, BBP, DEHP, DCHP, DNOP, DINP and DDP. While the most dominant PAEs in the packaging material were determined as DEHP, the most dominant PAEs in fish meat were recorded as BBP and the lowest as DMP. The findings provide a motivating model for monitoring the presence and migration of PAEs in foods, while filling an important gap in maintaining a safe food chain.

Red mullet, Mullus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758, is a very important target species of high commercial value for small-scale fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea. The distribution of the species is wide encompassing the North-Eastern Atlantic (from Scandinavia to Senegal), the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. Climatic differences across its range could trigger specific bioenergetic demands due that ectothermic aquatic species exploit heat exchange with the external environment to regulate metabolic activities and adaptation. Mitochondrial OXPHOS (mtOXPHOS) genes are particularly involved in these processes and they have been studied in the last decades as a system that is subject to selection under determined environmental constraints. Based on the above considerations, the purpose of this work were to analyze the nucleotide sequences of the Cytochrome Oxidase I ( COI ) and Cytochrome b ( Cytb ) OXPHOS genes in seven Mediterranean populations of M. barbatus , living within a latitudinal range between the North Adriatic, the Strait of Sicily in the South, the Ionian Sea in the East and the Balearic Sea in the Western Mediterranean. The aims were to assess the genetic diversity in the studied populations and to detect the presence of positive selection on the two-target protein-encoded genes using tests of recombination and selection based on different models of evolution. The diversity indices indicated higher values of haplotype diversity in the Adriatic populations than in the remaining populations for both genes. Furthermore, a very high number of COI and Cytb private haplotypes was found in almost of populations. Signature of pervasive positive selection by FUBAR and episodic positive selection by MEME were exclusively detected in COI gene. Our results support the need to manage red mullet populations as separate sub-populations with distinct gene pools.

The ingestion of synthetic microfibers, the most prevalent type of microplastics in marine environments, and tural fibers was assessed in Engraulis engrasicolus and Mullus barbatus, two commercially important fish species in the Mediterranean Sea. Microfibers were isolated from the fish gastrointestil tract using a 10% potassium hydroxide solution. For the microfiber characterization, the evaluation of specific morphological features using a light microscope, coupled with the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) alysis of a subsample of isolated particles, was applied. The prelimiry results showed the occurrence of microfibers in 53 and 60% of European anchovy and Red mullet, respectively. A mean of 6.9 microfibers/individual was detected in anchovies, while on average Red mullet samples contained 9.2 microfibers/individual. The most common colors of fibers in both species were black, blue, and transparent. Visual characterization of fibers allowed the classification of 40% of the items as synthetic microfibers. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the visual classification by fiber morphology. Microfibers were made of different typologies of polymers, represented by cellulose, cotton, and polyester. These findings confirm as the wide distribution of fibrous microplastics, and tural microfibers may impact both pelagic and deep-sea trophic webs. Despite the presence of microfibers in fish species poses a potential risk to human health, the literature is scarce regarding studies on the uptake by commercial marine fish mostly due to methodological issues. The visual characterization, corroborated by spectroscopic techniques, may be useful to differentiate synthetic and tural fibers, representing a fast and easy method to assess fibrous microplastic pollution in commercially important fish species.

The red mullet ( Mullus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758) is a keynote species for the Bulgarian Black Sea ecosystem and fisheries; nevertheless, existing knowledge on population status is very scarce. The present study was intended to assess the health status and adaptive potential of M. barbatus populations inhabiting the Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea. Our findings revealed that populations of M. barbatus are exposed to a variety of anthropogenic and environmental stressors. The species’ status was assessed using representative genetic, morphological, biochemical and chemical biomarkers from specimens obtained in the research area’s northern and southern regions. Based on mtDNA markers, genetic analysis revealed low haplotype and nucleotide diversity, typically observed in overexploited or “threatened” populations. Examining the morphology of the specimens revealed no discernible pattern of differentiation. Except for aluminium and chrome, metal and PAH concentrations in fish were below the regulatory thresholds. The specimens from the southern region ingested more microplastics than those from the northern region. The majority of specimens collected from the southern region also exhibited elevated levels of oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defence, which can be interpreted as an early indication that they had reached the limits of their adaptive potential. Further research on the composite effects of the stressogenic environment on the Black Sea biota are critically needed, as well as the introduction of new indicators and thresholds at molecular and cellular levels for adequate monitoring of both the ecological state of the marine environment and its biota.

Background Red mullet ( Mullus barbatus ) is a key species in Mediterranean fisheries, yet its stock structure and population dynamics remain poorly understood due to a lack of comprehensive genomic resources. This study provides the first high-quality reference genome for M. barbatus and a comprehensive set of SNP markers to investigate its population structure and adaptive potential across the Mediterranean. Results Using the newly generated chromosome-level reference genome, we re-analyzed a Mediterranean-wide reduced-representation genomic dataset. Our analysis reveals a panmictic population structure with strong genetic connectivity across the species’ range, likely driven by extensive larval dispersal and multigenerational gene flow. Despite minimal genome-wide differentiation, outlier analysis identified candidate loci under directional selection, linked to key biological processes such as ontogeny and environmental adaptation. Conclusions This study presents the first genomic resource for M. barbatus , providing valuable insights into its genetic structure and adaptive mechanisms. While the identification of loci under selection offers promising leads, these findings are preliminary due to the limited genomic coverage of the dataset. Nonetheless, they pave the way for future genomic studies to explore how M. barbatus adapts to environmental and anthropogenic pressures. These results hold significant implications for the sustainable management of Mediterranean fisheries, especially in the context of climate change and conservation.

Every day the consumer must choose a food product rather than others based on its quality; for fishery products the main quality parameter is freshness. Implementation of the Quality Index Method (QIM) in the fish industry provides information on fish quality; therefore, it is important for effective quality and process magement in the production of high-quality fish products. The present study aims to validate the shelf- life study of fresh red mullet (Mullus barbatus) stored in ice previously presented by Özyurt in 2009 through Torry scheme in cooked filet and microbiological evaluation. Next, this revised scheme was applied to determine the shelf-life. It included seven descriptors and varies from 0 to 15 points. The use of a modified QIM scheme showed a good correlation between the quality index and days of storage time, with a R2 value of 0.9698. In fact, all the subjects examined reached the end of their commercial life, or the day of sensory rejection, in 9-10 days with a Quality Index of 13.83.

Red mullet (Mullus barbatus), a prominent fish species in the Mediterranean Sea, is a fish with a particular abundance of unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients, including a substantial quantity of minerals. The nutritive quality parameters (lipid quality indices, fatty acid profiles, and mineral content, along with proximate composition) of 75 red mullet samples collected from five distinct locations (L1–L5) in the North and South Euboean Gulf, Euboea Island (Evia), Greece, were examined. It was hypothesized that the different habitats may have an impact on each fish’s chemical composition. Proximate composition (protein, ash, moisture, fat, and minerals) and bioactive compound determination (total carotenoids, and vitamins A, E, and C) were conducted on the lyophilized fish samples. The protein and lipid content of the wet fillet varied substantially from 10.8 to 14.3 and 13.2 to 16.8% w/w, respectively. The samples exhibited statistically non-significant variation in the total SFAs and MUFAs (p > 0.05). The level of total PUFAs was above 30% in all the samples and no significant differences were observed between them. However, arachidonic acid (20:4 ω-6) was only detected in fish samples from two locations (i.e., L1 and L3). The concentrations of Fe, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Ag, Sr, Li, and Zn varied significantly (p < 0.05) in relation to the size of the fish samples. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were detected at the northern location (L5), indicating a possible negative correlation between size and arsenic concentration. The varied mineral composition and fatty acid content of the samples can be attributed to their distinctive biological characteristics (i.e., length and weight) and dietary environments.

This study examines the abundance, biomass and total length (TL) of Mullus barbatus from small-scale and industrial (trawl) fishing sites from the Gulf of Antalya using bottom trawl hauls over a one year period. 116 hauls were sampled between 25 and 200 m in depth. The overall mean abundance and biomass were 8361.03 individual/km 2 and 299.75 kg/km 2 , respectively. The maximum TL was 25.7 cm, the minimum TL was 6 cm, and mean TL was 13.59 cm. The abundances and biomass of Mullus barbatus from small-scale fishing sites were higher than the bottom trawling sites, which may likely be due to higher fishing pressure. The highest abundance and biomass were found at 50 m depth, decreasing with increasing depth, and the lowest values were found in summer, then increased through autumn and winter. The highest percentage of the smallest size class of fish (6.0–8.4 cm) was found in summer and the highest percentage of the largest size class (21.0–25.9 cm) of fish were found in winter. The mean total length of 14.3 cm for Mullus barbatus in small-scale fishing sites, whereas in trawl sites, it decreased to 12.1 cm. From these findings, we advise that Mullus barbatus should be caught with small-scale fishing gear types such as gillnets and trammel nets, which are better for the stock’s health.