The determination of organic and inorganic pollutants in fish samples is a complex and demanding process, due to their high protein and fat content. Various novel sorbents including graphene, graphene oxide, molecular imprinted polymers, carbon nanotubes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been reported for the extraction and preconcentration of a wide range of contaminants from fish tissue. MOFs are crystalline porous materials that are composed of metal ions or clusters coordinated with organic linkers. Those materials exhibit extraordinary properties including high surface area, tunable pore size as well as good thermal and chemical stability. Therefore, metal-organic frameworks have been recently used in many fields of analytical chemistry including sample pretreatment, fabrication of stationary phases and chiral separations. Various MOFs, and especially their composites or hybrids, have been successfully utilized for the sample preparation of fish samples for the determination of organic (i.e., antibiotics, antimicrobial compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc.) and inorganic pollutants (i.e., mercury, palladium, cadmium, lead, etc.) as such or after functionalization with organic compounds.

Low-cost plant-based sources used in aquaculture diets are prone to the occurrence of animal feed contaminants, which may in certain conditions affect the quality and safety of aquafeeds. Mycotoxins, a toxic group of small organic molecules produced by fungi, comprise a frequently occurring plant-based feed contaminant in aquafeeds. Mycotoxin contamination can potentially cause significant mortality, reduced productivity, and higher disease susceptibility; thus, its timely detection is crucial to the aquaculture industry. The present review summarizes the methodological advances, developed mainly during the past decade, related to mycotoxin detection in aquafeed ingredients, namely analytical, chromatographic, and immunological methodologies, as well as the use of biosensors and spectroscopic methods which are becoming more prevalent. Rapid and accurate mycotoxin detection is and will continue to be crucial to the food industry, animal production, and the environment, resulting in further improvements and developments in mycotoxin detection techniques.

The devil firefish Pterois miles (Bennett 1828) is recognized as one of the 100 worst invasive alien species (IAS) in the Mediterranean Sea with significant socioeconomic and ecological implications. A total of 363 individuals were collected between April 2021 and March 2022 from the Levantine Sea (the Eastern Mediterranean), aiming to assess the current progression of the population. The male to female ratio (1:1.03) did not significantly depart from 1:1, with length–weight relationships exhibiting positive allometric growth. Five age groups were identified, with the third and fourth age groups being the predominant (74% of the population). The highest reproductive intensity was observed during summer followed by autumn. The onset of sexual maturity (L₅₀) for the total population was estimated at 22.44 cm in total length (2.1 years). The asymptotic length was estimated at 45.35 cm for the total population, with males growing larger than females. Longevity was estimated at 14.4 years for the total population. The inflection point was estimated at 4.31 years for the total population. Length with a 50% probability of capture (LC₅₀) was estimated at 23.03 cm, with the respective age (t₅₀) of 2.2 years. The exploitation rate (E = 0.48) indicated that the population is underexploited. The optimum (F_opt) and target (F_lim) fishing mortality were higher in comparison with the present fishing mortality (F = 0.41), indicating a potential for commercial exploitation of the species.

This study investigates the age, growth, and mortality of the common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) in the Central Aegean Sea, providing critical insights into its population dynamics and sustainability. A total of 589 specimens were analyzed, identifying nine age cohorts with mean total lengths ranging from 13.18 cm to 32.94 cm. Growth parameters, estimated using the von Bertalanffy growth model, yielded an asymptotic length (L∞) of 39.53 cm and a growth coefficient (k) of 0.16 year⁻¹, indicating moderate growth rates. The population exhibited non-isomorphic growth (b = 2.49, R² = 98.4), suggesting slower weight gain relative to length. Mortality estimates indicated natural mortality (M) at 0.321 year⁻¹, total mortality (Z) at 0.52 year⁻¹, and fishing mortality (F) at 0.2 year⁻¹, resulting in an exploitation rate (E) of 0.38. The fishing mortality at maximum sustainable yield (FMSY) was estimated at 0.33, with an exploitation rate at MSY (EMSY) of 0.51, suggesting that the population is currently harvested sustainably but close to the threshold of overexploitation. These findings provide essential reference points for fisheries management and highlight the need for continuous monitoring to ensure the long-term sustainability of P. erythrinus in Greek waters.

As aquafeed formulations include more plant-based materials, mycotoxin contamination is becoming relevant for fish farming. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) frequently occur in fish feeds and may impair fish performance and health. This study evaluated the impact of DON and FB1 on growth and health parameters in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Fish were fed ad libitum for seven weeks with six diets assessed in triplicate: DON A (300 ppb), DON B (2000 ppb), DON C (5000 ppb), FB1 A (5 ppb), FB1 B (10 ppb), FB1 C (40 ppb). The highest contamination levels significantly reduced feed intake, body weight, total length, and biomass, while body weight was also reduced in the lowest FB1 treatment. The feed conversion ratio increased in exposed fish, whereas the specific growth rate decreased in DON B, DON C, FB1 A, and FB1 C. Both mycotoxins altered hematological profiles, immune-related enzymatic activities, and liver morphology. DNA damage increased with exposure level and was greatest at the highest DON concentration. Overall, this study shows that short-term dietary exposure can impair seabream performance and health, supporting stricter mycotoxin monitoring in fish feeds and research on chronic exposure, recovery, and species-specific safety thresholds.