Sarda sarda (Block, 1793) –

Atlantic bonito, ρίϗι/παλαμίδα

Atlantic bonito is a migratory schooling fish that reaches a maximum length of 85-91.4 cm, depending on location and a maximum weight of 5 kg. Its common length and weight are 50 cm and 2 kg. (Valeiras & Abad 2006a). Little is known about the physiology and behavior of this species. The best-studied area is the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Atlantic bonito is also found in the Aegean. Bonitos migrate along the coasts over very large distances; tagged individuals have been located in the Black Sea and later in the Western Mediterranean.The issue of its spawning grounds in the area of Eastern Mediterranean is still uncertain. In the Mediterranean and the Aegean, the spawning season is from May to July (Valeiras & Abad 2006a). Bonitos from the Aegean Sea move through the Marmara into the Black Sea for reproduction in spring and back to the Aegean in autumn, from September onwards, but it appears that there are bonito schools that do not migrate to the Sea of Marmara or the Black Sea at all (Demir 1963; Yoshida 1980). For their migration routes within the Aegean some information is provided by Papanastasiou (1976: 502, 503), citingAnaniadis 1970: 298), though without distinguishing between Sarda sarda and Katsuwonus pelamis 3. Adult bonitos prey on schooling sardine, anchovy, mackerel, white bait and other small pelagic fishes.

Bonitos are exploited by coastal fisheries, often artisanal. Their catches are locally very important in economic terms (e.g., Black Sea, Devedjian 1926: 16-23; Oray et al. 1997; Zengin et al. 2005) and they are systematically used for processing.