Comparison of Some Morphometric Traits and Protein and Fat Content of Gilthead Seabream (Sparus auratus) Farmed in Tunisian Fish Farms and Wild from the Al-Hamama Coast – Libya During Winter 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the proximate composition of gilthead seabream (Sparus auratus) sourced from two distinct environments: wild populations from the Libyan Mediterranean coast and farmed populations from Tunisian aquaculture. Specifically, the research compares protein and fat content. In winter 2024, about 10 specimens were collected during the winter of 2024, and morphometric traits including total length, trunk length, and total weight were measured. The results showed that farmed fish exhibited significantly higher values for total length (28.44 cm), total weight (364.55 g), and trunk length (17.54 cm) compared to wild specimens (24.94 cm, 248.64 g, and 14.34 cm, respectively). Proximate analysis revealed that farmed fish had higher protein (22.30%) and lipid content (4.10%) than wild fish (19.40% and 3.14%, respectively), with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). These findings highlight the influence of controlled aquaculture conditions on the nutritional quality of gilthead seabream, suggesting that aquaculture farming provides enhanced growth and better nutritional value compared to wild-caught fish.