ECOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF MYTILUS GALLOPROVINCIALIS FROM THE ROMANIAN BLACK SEA COAST

References: 14th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2014, www.sgem.org, SGEM2014 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7105-14-8 / ISSN 1314-2704, June 19-25, 2014, Book 3, Vol. 2, 569-576 pp

ABSTRACT
The aim of the paper is to emphasize the role of Mytilus galloprovincialis (mussel) in the marine ecosystem and economy in the way of sustainable development and exploitation. The paper presents the general biochemical (moisture, mineral and organic substance, protein, lipid and carbohydrate contents) and ecological aspects of mussels from the four areas for the development and exploitation of mollusks in the Romanian coastal area which are designated according to the requirements of implementing the EU legislation in Romania, the EU “Shellfish Waters” Directive No. 2006/113/EC. The biochemical analysis of the soft tissue indicated high organic substance and protein contents, which represent very important elements with economic significance. In 2006, M. galloprovincialis was the dominant species in all areas analyzed, being relatively evenly distributed and represented by young individuals in three of the four areas of shellfish growth, over 60% of individuals having the length below 25 mm. In 2009, in mussels from the sedimentary substrate very young individuals predominated only in area 2 (30%), in areas 3 and 4 their share in the population being very low (5% in area 3 and 2% in area 4). In 2012, the mussels had a uniform distribution along the Romanian coast, so the species recorded the highest abundances and biomasses in the north, an area which in the past used to record the lowest values The population structure showed the predominance of the young individuals. The biomass and abundance are influenced by the low salinity in the northern part of the Romanian Black Sea coast due to the Danube river influence.

Keywords: Mytilus galloprovincialis, Black Sea, ecology, biochemistry, EU legislation