Abstract
Due to their sensitivity to climate forcing that may alter their abundance and distribution, small pelagic fish are important ecological indicators of the state of the California Current System. They are schooling, planktivorous fish that provide forage for higher trophic levels. We describe the life cycle histories and patterns of distribution of sardine, anchovy, and mackerel species occupying the waters along the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula (Mexico). The links between the physical and biological forcing and the structure and condition of their habitats, their patterns of movement, productivity, and stock structure (where information is available) are described in relation to the fisheries. We have used the catches as a proxy for the history of the different stocks, while recognizing that fisheries-derived information is biased by the operational scale and only covers areas where fish are available. We have relied mainly on studies of sardines to evaluate the validity of the principal paradigms in fisheries oceanography. We describe how the environment can structure a population by relating an example given by the spatiotemporal variability of the northern and southern stocks of Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) and Pacific mackerel (Scomber japonicus) from 2000 to 2014. During this period, the northern stocks showed a marked tendency to contract southwards, as far south as Magdalena Bay, in response to the regional cooling that began in the previous decade. It appears that the combined effects of fishing and climate change may sufficiently alter habitat characteristics so that both the distribution and productivity of a population are shifted.
Highlights
The aim of this paper is to explore patterns of distribution and life histories of small pelagic fishes along the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula (Mexico) in the context of regional circulation of the California Current System (CCS)
We begin with a description of the physical setting of the CCS, followed by more general aspects of how the life cycle of the species is coupled to ocean climate to determine their patterns of abundance and distributions, and we describe the concept of stocks and demographic characteristics that distinguish each of these subpopulations
We have presented a review of the life cycle, distribution, and relationship to ocean climate conditions of four species of small pelagic fishes along the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula
Summary
The aim of this paper is to explore patterns of distribution and life histories of small pelagic fishes along the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula (Mexico) in the context of regional circulation of the California Current System (CCS). Climate variability over seasonal to interdecadal time scales acts to modify the physicochemical and biological characteristics of the habitat occupied by these species. Their mobility allows them to move their spawning grounds both in time and space and to select favorable areas for spawning to ensure reproductive success to sustain their populations. Special interest is given to Pacific sardine and Pacific mackerel since they are subject to active management in the Baja California fisheries and show important variation in catches over the scales of months to several decades, and they have suffered historical population collapses in the 20th century
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