Oceanic Distribution, Behaviour, and a Winter Aggregation Area of Adult Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.

Andrew Douglas Taylor,Kyoko Ohashi,Jinyu Sheng,Matthew Kenneth Litvak,Brian R Mackenzie

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152470

Andrew Douglas Taylor, Kyoko Ohashi + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152470

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Apr 4, 2016
Citations: 19	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Dalhousie University, Mount Allison University

Abstract

Seasonal distribution of adult Atlantic sturgeon was examined using pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) and ultrasonic transmitters deployed in the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada. Seven MK10 PSATs programmed for release in June 2012 and seven MiniPAT PSATs programmed for release in February and April 2013 were deployed in August 2011 and 2012, respectively. Eleven of 14 PSATs surfaced and transmitted depth and temperature data archived for the duration of their deployment (121–302 days). Among these eleven PSATs, five were recovered and 15-sec archival data was downloaded. Following exit from the Saint John River in the fall, tagged fish occupied a mean monthly depth of 76.3–81.6 m at temperatures as low as 4.9˚C throughout the winter before returning to shallower areas in the spring. The majority of ultrasonic detections occurred in the Bay of Fundy, but fish were detected as far as Riviere Saint-Jean, Quebec, approximately 1500 km from the Bay of Fundy (representing long-distance migratory rates of up to 44 km/day). All PSATs were first detected in the Bay of Fundy. Tags that released in February and April were found 5–21 km offshore of the Saint John Harbour, while tags that released in June were first detected in near shore areas throughout the Bay of Fundy. The substrate at winter tag release locations (estimated from backward numerical particle-tracking experiments) consisted primarily of moraines and postglacial mud substrate with low backscatter strength, indicative of soft or smooth seabed. Based on the proximity of winter tag release locations, the consistent depths observed between fish, and previous research, it is suspected that a winter aggregation exists in the Bay of Fundy. This study expands the understanding of the marine distribution and range of Atlantic sturgeon on the east coast of Canada.

Highlights

Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus Mitchill, 1815 are a large, migratory anadromous fish that are distributed from Florida, United States of America (USA), to Labrador, Canada [1, 2]
A pop-up satellite archival tag (PSAT) that was attached to an Atlantic sturgeon in the Hudson River in July 2007 released in the Minas Basin in June 2008 [19], indicating that Atlantic sturgeon engage in large coastal movements
Of the 14 PSATs attached to Atlantic sturgeon (Table 1), 11 reported to the Argos satellite system

Summary

Introduction

Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus Mitchill, 1815 are a large, migratory anadromous fish that are distributed from Florida, United States of America (USA), to Labrador, Canada [1, 2]. While in the marine environment Atlantic sturgeon form mixed-stock aggregations along the Mid-Atlantic Bight [12,13,14,15] and at a known foraging area in the summer in the Minas Basin, in the Bay of Fundy, Canada [16]. The summer aggregation in the Minas Basin consists of 6,000–14,000 Atlantic sturgeon sub-adults and adults [17] This aggregation is comprised primarily of Atlantic sturgeon from the nearby Saint John River (~60%), but with substantial contribution from the Kennebec River, Maine (34–36%), a small proportion from the Hudson River, New York (1–2%), and less than 1% from southern US populations [18]. A pop-up satellite archival tag (PSAT) that was attached to an Atlantic sturgeon in the Hudson River in July 2007 released in the Minas Basin in June 2008 [19], indicating that Atlantic sturgeon engage in large coastal movements

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