Distribution and spatial structure of pelagic fish schools in relation to the nature of the seabed in the Sicily Channel (Central Mediterranean).

Hydroacoustic data collected during two echosurveys carried out in the Sicily Channel in 1998 and 2002 were analysed to investigate the distribution and spatial structure of small pelagic fish species in relation to the sedimentological nature of the sea bottom. The study was carried out on two contiguous areas (labelled ZONE 1 and ZONE 2) of the continental shelf off the southern coast of Sicily, characterised by different dominant texture, ‘sand’ for ZONE 1 and ‘clayey-silt’ for ZONE 2. Simultaneous information on small pelagic fish schools and the seabed was obtained using a quantitative echo-sounder (SIMRAD EK500) that measures echoes due to the scattering from both fish schools and the…