High Fish Densities Research Articles

Development and use of an acoustic device to estimate size distribution of catfish in commercial ponds.

With increasing seafood demand, aquaculture remains a major industry in the United States. Channel catfish pond management strategies are compromised by high fish densities with large size distributions that result from years of continuous culture without a total harvest. Recent work has been presented on the Aquascanner SONAR system, which evaluates the total population of a pond but is less effective in determining the size distribution. One method to provide the size distribution is to pull a sub sample seine net across a pond to obtain a sample of the fish and manually weigh them in a time-consuming process. The work presented here attempts to use acoustic backscatter to determine the size distribution of the fish in lieu of the manual weight measurements. After being collected by the sub sample net, the fish are allowed to swim back into the pond through a restrictive pipe and are pinged acoustically to determine their target strength and thus size. The design of the system, size estimation method and results from several pond studies will be discussed. [Work supported by the USDA, SRAC.]

Enclosure Study on Phytoplankton Response to Stocking of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in a Eutrophic Tropical Reservoir in South China

AbstractA 10‐week enclosure experiment was conducted in the dry season (October to December) to assess the impact of fish stocking on water quality and phytoplankton community at three stocking levels of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) (0, 16 and 50 g m–3) in a shallow, eutrophic tropical reservoir (Guangdong, South China). The nanophytoplankton (< 20 μm) accounted for 60 ± 5% of total biomass and Scenedesmus quadricauda was the predominant species (size: 16.5 ± 5 µm, relative biomass 27 ± 10%). Phytoplankton biomass was markedly suppressed in high fish stocking level and the grazing effect of silver carp on the nanoplankton was significant from the sixth week to the end of the experiment. The high fish density treatment significantly increased water transparency and somewhat reduced total phosphorus. Indirect effects of silver carp on the phytoplankton community involved excretion of nitrogen that favored small species of Chlorophyta. Colonial Cyanobacteria were reduced in the high fish treatment, but enhanced in the low fish treatment.Our results suggest that the widespread practice of harvesting fish from October to December in reservoirs of South China releases phytoplankton from consumption by filter‐feeding fish, and consequently prompts algal blooms. Conversely, harvesting fish just before monsoon, around the time of restocking with small fish, would make more sense since no interruption in grazing pressure would occur. This would help to control excessive phytoplankton biomass just before monsoon. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Testing Predictions of Stream Landscape Theory for Fish Assemblages in Highly Fragmented Watersheds

Predictions of stream landscape theory were tested with common agency fishery data in watersheds heavily fragmented by dams and barriers; large stream fragments support higher species diversity, more abundant populations, and a greater range of fish sizes. Study watersheds discharge to the Hudson River in New York USA, drain rocky and high relief landscapes, and have numerous mill dams and stream barriers. Stream fragments with fish collections ranged from 0.3 km to 119 km in contiguous length. Larger stream fragments had more diverse fish communities but not higher fish densities nor a wider range of fish sizes. However, almost all large stream fragments were supporting reproduction and rearing of the dominant stream species (brown trout Salmo trutta, brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis) while small fragments had no evidence of providing this fish community support. Therefore, consistent with the fundamental basis of stream landscape theory, large stream networks provide support for more species and more secure populations. The study supports the concept that diverse fish communities and secure populations benefit from access to a wide range of stream habitats.

A comparison between fish assemblages in mangrove forests and on intertidal flats at Ungwana Bay, Kenya

Fish assemblages of mangrove forest patches and adjacent intertidal flats in Ungwana Bay were compared using stake-net sampling in the mangrove forest and intertidal flat habitats between December 2002 and November 2003. Four forest sites were compared with paired intertidal flat sites with either sand or mud substrata. Distinct ichthyofaunal differences were found between the habitats. Pooled data indicated a significantly higher fish density and biomass in the forests compared to the intertidal flats. Mean fish densities were 0.2–2.7 fish m−2 in the forest and 0.1–2.1 fish m−2 on the flats. Thirty-five species were sampled, eight of which occurred exclusively in the forest and six were limited to the intertidal flats. However, species exclusive to either the forest or intertidal flats contributed <1% towards the total number of fish sampled. Anchoviella commersonii dominated the forest habitat and Pellona ditchela the open intertidal flats. Cluster analysis grouped fish assemblages into two groups, based primarily on whether the substratum was sand or mud, rather than on mangrove forest or open flat habitats. This study represents a component of a larger project on artisanal mangrove fisheries within the area.

The role of macroinvertebrates and fish in regulating the provision by macrophytes of refugia for zooplankton in a warm temperate shallow lake

Summary1. The zooplankton often undergoes diel horizontal migration (DHM) from the open water to the littoral of shallow lakes, thus avoiding predators in the former. This behaviour has functional impacts within the lake, as it enhances zooplankton survival, increases their control of phytoplankton and tends to stabilise the clear water state. However, most of the evidence supporting this migration pattern comes from cold north temperate lakes, and more evidence from tropical and subtropical areas, as well as from southern temperate areas, is needed.2. We conducted a field study of the diel horizontal and vertical migration of zooplankton, and the horizontal distribution of potential predatory macroinvertebrates and fish, over two consecutive days in the summer in a temperate lake in the southern hemisphere. We took zooplankton samples at two depths, at three sampling stations (inside beds of aquatic macrophytes, at their edge and in open water) along three transects running from the centre of a bed of Ceratophyllum demersum to open water. At each sampling station, we also took samples of macroinvertebrates and fish and measured physical and chemical environmental variables.3. Zooplankton (pelagic cladocerans, calanoid copepods and rotifers) avoided the shore, probably because of the greater risk from predators there. Larger and more vulnerable cladocerans, such as Diaphanosoma brachyurum and Moina micrura, were two to four times more abundant in open water than at the edge of or inside beds of macrophytes, respectively, by both day and night. Less vulnerable zooplankton [i.e. of medium body size (Ceriodaphnia dubia) or with the ability to swim fast (calanoid copepods)] were distributed evenly between open water and the edge of the plant beds. Small zooplankton, Bosmina huaronensis and pelagic rotifers, showed an even distribution among the three sampling stations. Accordingly, no DHM of zooplankton occurred, although larger organisms migrated vertically inside C. demersum stands.4. Macrophytes contained high densities of predatory macroinvertebrates and fish. The predator assemblage, composed of large‐bodied macroinvertebrates (including odonates and shrimps) and small littoral fish, was permanently associated with submerged macrophytes. None of these groups moved outside the plant beds or changed their population structure (fish) over the diel cycle.5. Submerged macrophyte beds do not represent a refuge for zooplankton in lakes where predators are numerous among the plants, implying a weaker top‐down control of phytoplankton biomass by zooplankton and, consequently, a more turbid lake. The effectiveness of macrophytes as a refuge for zooplankton depends on the associated assemblage of predatory macroinvertebrates and fish among the plants.

Recruitment variation in a stream galaxiid fish: multiple influences on fry dynamics in a heterogeneous environment

Summary1. The relative importance of density‐dependent and density‐independent processes in explaining fluctuations in natural populations has been widely debated. In particular, the importance of larval supply and whether it may control the type of regulatory processes a population experiences has proved contentious.2. Using surveys and field experiments conducted in streams in Canterbury, New Zealand, we investigated how variation in the survival of non‐migratory Galaxias vulgaris fry was affected by density‐dependent and density‐independent processes and how this variation influenced recruitment dynamics.3. Fry populations with high settlement densities experienced a 70–80% reduction in population size from density‐related mortality during the first fourteen days after peak settlement but thereafter the influence of density‐dependent processes on fry was weak. The impact of environmental conditions on fry populations was dependent on fry size and the magnitude of the perturbation, such that flooding effects on fry survival were most severe when fry were small.4. In streams not affected by flooding, the size and density of introduced trout (Salmo trutta and Oncorhynchus mykiss) were the most significant factors determining the abundance of eventual recruits. A field experiment manipulating brown trout access to fry populations revealed that trout as small as 110 mm may be capable of greatly reducing and possibly preventing galaxiid recruitment.5. Overall, the results indicated density‐dependent population regulation was only possible at sites with high native fish densities because trout were likely to be suppressing the number of potential recruits at sites with low native fish numbers. Whilst density‐dependent processes had a strong effect on fry survival following the period of peak fry abundance, density‐independent processes associated with flow and predatory trout influences on fry survival largely determined recruitment variability among galaxiid populations. Focusing conservation efforts on improving habitat to increase fry retention and reducing the impacts of trout on galaxiids would ensure more native fish populations reached their potential abundance.

Abundance, size and habitat relation of reef fish on biogenic structures (structure-forming invertebrates) at Anacapa Island, southern California

A biogenic structure ecosystem of extensive worm tubes of Chaetopterus sp. harbouring different fish species was investigated at Anacapa Island, southern California to determine the numerical abundance, species composition, body size, and seasonality of the ichthyofauna associated, and their relation with the worm patch size. Bimonthly, a 30-m swimming transect and a quadrat-based survey estimated the length of each fish, the type of habitat it occupied, and the worm tube patch size-class. Larger worm mats harboured higher densities of fish, mainly the dominants Rhinogobiops nicholsii and Chaenopsis alepidota, which live inside the worm tube patches. Fish population density varied between the ‘inside’ and ‘edge’ of Chaetopterus beds as smaller and younger individuals were hindered from reaching the middle of the patch by larger, older and territorial individuals. The prevalence of positive and significant correlations between the abundance of smaller individuals of R. nicholsii and specific habitat features (e.g. edge) suggests that the abundance and distribution of juveniles might be habitat-dependent besides intraspecific competition between older and younger individuals. There was a decreasing density of R. nicholsii at greater than 20 cm away from worm tubes and there were no individuals beyond 6 m away from structure. Chaenopsis alepidota was not recorded when the patch size was less than 50% tube coverage. Our results revealed that complex habitat structure had a positive influence on the abundance of juvenile and adult of C. alepidota and R. nicholsii, and suggest that these structured areas are preferentially utilized, which contributes to its patchy distribution pattern. The presence of biological structures in low-relief sedimentary habitats can have critical functional significance even for reef fish. These important habitat features may need to be identified and protected.

Reef Fishes of Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles: Assemblage Structure across a Gradient of Habitat Types

Saba Bank is a 2,200 km2 submerged carbonate platform in the northeastern Caribbean Sea off Saba Island, Netherlands Antilles. The presence of reef-like geomorphic features and significant shelf edge coral development on Saba Bank have led to the conclusion that it is an actively growing, though wholly submerged, coral reef atoll. However, little information exists on the composition of benthic communities or associated reef fish assemblages of Saba Bank. We selected a 40 km2 area of the bank for an exploratory study. Habitat and reef fish assemblages were investigated in five shallow-water benthic habitat types that form a gradient from Saba Bank shelf edge to lagoon. Significant coral cover was restricted to fore reef habitat (average cover 11.5%) and outer reef flat habitat (2.4%) and declined to near zero in habitats of the central lagoon zone. Macroalgae dominated benthic cover in all habitats (average cover: 32.5 – 48.1%) but dominant algal genera differed among habitats. A total of 97 fish species were recorded. The composition of Saba Bank fish assemblages differed among habitat types. Highest fish density and diversity occurred in the outer reef flat, fore reef and inner reef flat habitats. Biomass estimates for commercially valued species in the reef zone (fore reef and reef flat habitats) ranged between 52 and 83 g/m2. The composition of Saba Bank fish assemblages reflects the absence of important nursery habitats, as well as the effects of past fishing. The relatively high abundance of large predatory fish (i.e. groupers and sharks), which is generally considered an indicator of good ecosystem health for tropical reef systems, shows that an intact trophic network is still present on Saba Bank.

Fractal measures of habitat structure: maximum densities of juvenile cod occur at intermediate eelgrass complexity

Habitat patchiness is known to alter the relation of a population to both its predators and its prey. We developed a biologically interpretable measure of habitat complexity to test whether juvenile fish density depends on degree of patchiness. In Newfoundland coastal waters, juvenile fish species, including Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, are associated with eelgrass Zostera marina. How- ever, the association of density with eelgrass cover is dependent upon site and the scale of analysis. We tested for non-monotonic relationships (with an intermediate optimum) between 5 spatial charac- teristics of eelgrass and density of 3 juvenile (Age-0) fish species: Atlantic cod, Greenland cod G. ogac, and white hake Urophycis tenuis. We used aerial photography to determine eelgrass perimeter and area measurements at multiple scales, fractal dimensions of perimeter (DP) and area (DA), and a measure that combines perimeter and area complexity at these scales (βP/A). Fish densities were esti- mated at each site using a seine net. We found parabolic relationships between βP/A and density for all 3 species, indicating highest fish densities at sites of intermediate patchiness and edge regularity. Furthermore, we determined that βP/A provided a less ambiguous estimate of spatial configuration than other measures. This intermediate maximum may reflect a trade-off, whereby eelgrass sites of intermediate spatial complexity provide juvenile fish with both optimal protective cover and oppor- tunity to feed. This pattern may apply to any species requiring open areas in which to forage as well as shelter to offset predation risk.

At-sea movement patterns and diving behavior of Peruvian boobies Sula variegata in northern Peru

GPS loggers and time-depth recorders were used to characterize the foraging behavior of the sexually dimorphic Peruvian booby Sula variegata on 2 islands in northern Peru. We evaluated whether (1) its foraging behavior differed from tropical boobies and temperate gannets (the Peruvian boobies feed in areas of enhanced productivity and high fish density), and (2) females and males exploited different foraging habitats as a consequence of size dimorphism. Birds foraged only during daylight hours, 1 to 3 times a day, in trips of short duration (median = 1.8 h). Overall, 92% of the total foraging time was spent flying. They fed exclusively on anchovetas Engraulis ringens, which were captured in shallow dives (median = 2.5 m, max = 8.8 m) with a dive median rate of 11 dives h–1 (max = 37 dives h–1). The median foraging range was 25 km (max = 68 km), whereas the median total distance traveled was 69 km (max = 179 km). Foraging site fidelity was high, and the orientation of foraging flights in any given day was similar among birds that departed at the same time. There were no sex-specific differences in 13 of 15 foraging variables; however, females dived slightly deeper and spent a larger proportion of time sitting on the water. We speculate that (1) the foraging behavior of Peruvian boobies contrasts with that of their tropical and temperate relatives as a result of the proximity and predictability of food sources, elevated energetic demands of the brood (up to 4 chicks) and high prey encounter rate in the Peruvian upwelling system, and (2) the lack of spatial segregation between sexes may be related to the attraction of birds to feeding aggregations that are formed in the vicinity of the colonies. Once the foraging patches are localized, females dive deeper because of passive mechanisms associated with a heavier mass.

Community structure and diel migration of zooplankton in shallow brackish lakes: role of salinity and predators

Diel horizontal migration (DHM), where zooplankton moves towards macrophytes during daytime to avoid planktivorous fish, has been reported as a common migration pattern of zooplankton in shallow temperate freshwater lakes. However, in shallow eutrophic brackish lakes, macrophytes seem not to have the same refuge effect, as these lakes may remain turbid even at relatively high macrophyte abundances. To investigate the extent to which macrophytes serve as a refuge for zooplankton at different salinities, we introduced artificial plants mimicking submerged macrophytes in the littoral zone of four shallow lakes, with salinities ranging from almost freshwater (0.3) to oligohaline waters (3.8). Furthermore, we examined the effects of different salinities on the community structure. Diel samples of zooplankton were taken from artificial plants, from areas where macrophytes had been removed (intermediate areas) and, in two of the lakes, also in open water. Fish and macroinvertebrates were sampled amongst the artificial plants and in intermediate areas to investigate their influence on zooplankton migration. Our results indicated that diel vertical migration (DVM) was the most frequent migration pattern of zooplankton groups, suggesting that submerged macrophytes were a poor refuge against predation at all salinities under study. Presumably, this pattern was the result of the relatively high densities of small planktivorous fish and macroinvertebrate predators within the submerged plants. In addition, we found major differences in the composition of zooplankton, fish and macroinvertebrate communities at the different salinities and species richness and diversity of zooplankton decreased with increasing salinity. At low salinities both planktonic/free-swimming and benthic/plant-associated cladocerans occurred, whilst only benthic ones occurred at the highest salinity. The low zooplankton biomass and overall smaller-bodied zooplankton specimens may result in a lower grazing capacity on phytoplankton, and enhance the turbid state in nutrient rich shallow brackish lakes.

Ecological restoration in eutrophic Lake Wuli: A large enclosure experiment

A large-scale enclosure experiment for lake restoration was carried out in Lake Wuli, a northern bay of shallow and eutrophic Lake Taihu in China. The large enclosure with an area of 10 ha was set up in the littoral zone and was bordered by waterproof fabric which did not cover the sediments. Multiple approaches were used and included fish removal, piscivorous fish stocking, shoreline reconstruction, aquatic macrophyte planting, benthic macro-animal stocking, and silver carp cultivation in pens for reduction of cyanobacteria. The results showed that the coverage of aquatic macrophytes increased from 0% to 45.7%. Mean concentrations of TN and TP inside the enclosure from May 2004 to May 2008 were 22.2% and 26.0% of those outside, respectively. Secchi depth was 0.40 m outside the enclosures and 0.75 m inside. However, responses of phytoplankton to the restoration project lagged behind improvement of water quality and reestablishment of aquatic plants. The phytoplankton biomass gradually decreased after the third year of the restoration. Stocking piscivorous fish and planting submerged macrophytes could not increase zooplankton biomass and enhance graze pressure on phytoplankton, most likely due to high omnivorous fish density and lower nutrition inside the enclosure. Higher grazing pressure of zooplankton on phytoplankton was observed in May and October every year. Zooplankton to phytoplankton biomass ratios were significantly negatively correlated with phytoplankton biomass outside ( r = −0.440, p < 0.01) and inside the enclosure ( r = −0.336, p < 0.05) from February 2004 to March 2007. Therefore, phytoplankton biomass inside and outside the enclosure was lower in May and October. Higher grazing pressure of zooplankton on phytoplankton in spring may result in occurrence of the clear-water phase that facilitated growth of submerged macrophytes in the littoral in Lake Wuli, and a clear-water state and improved water quality would likely be sustained throughout the year after reestablishment of submerged macrophytes.

Effects of Submerged Vegetation on Water Clarity Across Climates

A positive feedback between submerged vegetation and water clarity forms the backbone of the alternative state theory in shallow lakes. The water clearing effect of aquatic vegetation may be caused by different physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms and has been studied mainly in temperate lakes. Recent work suggests differences in biotic interactions between (sub)tropical and cooler lakes might result in a less pronounced clearing effect in the (sub)tropics. To assess whether the effect of submerged vegetation changes with climate, we sampled 83 lakes over a gradient ranging from the tundra to the tropics in South America. Judged from a comparison of water clarity inside and outside vegetation beds, the vegetation appeared to have a similar positive effect on the water clarity across all climatic regions studied. However, the local clearing effect of vegetation decreased steeply with the contribution of humic substances to the underwater light attenuation. Looking at turbidity on a whole-lake scale, results were more difficult to interpret. Although lakes with abundant vegetation (>30%) were generally clear, sparsely vegetated lakes differed widely in clarity. Overall, the effect of vegetation on water clarity in our lakes appears to be smaller than that found in various Northern hemisphere studies. This might be explained by differences in fish communities and their relation to vegetation. For instance, unlike in Northern hemisphere studies, we find no clear relation between vegetation coverage and fish abundance or their diet preference. High densities of omnivorous fish and coinciding low grazing pressures on phytoplankton in the (sub)tropics may, furthermore, weaken the effect of vegetation on water clarity.

The Effects of Varied Densities on the Growth and Emigration of Adult Cutthroat Trout and Brook Trout in Fenced Stream Enclosures

ABSTRACT. We evaluated the effects of various density treatments on adult fish growth and emigration rates between Bonneville cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki utah and brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis in stream enclosures in Beaver Creek, Idaho, We used 3 density treatments (low, ambient, and high fish densities) to evaluate density-related effects and to ensure a response. Intraspecific ambient-density tests using cutthroat trout only were also performed. Results indicated an absence of cage effects in the stream enclosures and no differences in fish growth between ambient-density stream-enclosure fish and free-range fish. Brook trout outgrew and moved less than cutthroat trout in the stream enclosures, especially as density increased, In all 3 density treatments, brook trout gained more weight than cutthroat trout, with brook trout gaining weight in each density treatment and cutthroat trout losing weight at the highest density. At high densities, cutthroat trout attempted to emigrate more frequentl...

Does hypoxia have population-level effects on coastal fish? Musings from the virtual world

Hypoxia is often associated with increasing nutrient loadings and has clear mortality effects on sessile organisms, but its population effects on mobile organisms in coastal environments are uncertain. The evidence for hypoxia having population level effects is laboratory experiments, many examples of localized effects in nature, a few population-level examples, fish kills, and intuition. Despite the perception by many people, none of these provide conclusive evidence of widespread population responses to hypoxia. We synthesize the results from seven ecological simulation models that examined how low dissolved oxygen (DO) affected fish at the individual, population, and community levels. These models represent a variety of species, simulate the dynamics at a range of temporal scales and spatial scales, and impose a variety of subsets of possible DO effects. Several patterns emerged from the accumulated results. First, predicted responses were large in simpler models, and small to large in more complex models. Second, while the main effects of increased hypoxia were generally small to moderate, there were instances of relatively large indirect effects and interaction effects. Indirect effects involved growth and mortality responses due to altered spatial distribution (rather than due directly to DO) and food web interactions. Interaction effects were larger responses to hypoxia when other factors were at certain levels (e.g., responses at low versus high fish densities). Interactions also occurred when the predicted responses were larger than would be expected by the sum of the separate effects. Third, accurate information on exposure and degree of avoidance of low DO were critical unknowns. Our interpretations should be viewed as suggestive rather than definitive. The patterns described were based on a collection of modeling results that were not designed to be compared to each other. A quick look at other models seems to confirm our patterns, or at minimum, does not contradict our patterns. Quantifying the effects of hypoxia on fish populations, whether large or small, is critical for effective management of coastal ecosystems and for cost-effective and efficient design of remediation actions. The potential for interaction and indirect effects complicates field study and management. Improving our predictions of the effects of hypoxia on fish populations and communities has moved from a computational issue to a biological issue. We seem to be making progress on monitoring and modeling movement behavior, but progress is slower in food web theory and empirical research and in quantifying interspecific interactions and habitat quality in terms of process rates that relate to population dynamics.

Importance and seasonal availability of terrestrial invertebrates as prey for juvenile salmonids in floodplain spring brooks of the Kol River (Kamchatka, Russian Federation)

AbstractEnergy and resource fluxes between terrestrial and aquatic habitats of river flood plains can have reciprocal influences on food webs. Floodplain spring brooks may contain high densities (&gt;1 m−2) of juvenile fish even when aquatic food resources appear to be low. A likely explanation is the allochthonous energy subsidy from riparian vegetation (e.g. leaves, invertebrates). To quantify this relationship in a rich salmon river ecosystem, we measured the temporal and spatial flux of terrestrial invertebrate and aquatic food resources in relation to diets of the two most abundant salmonid species in two spring brooks within early (&lt;20 years) and late (&gt;50 years) successional riparia on an expansive coastal flood plain of the Kol River, Kamchatka.Standing crops of benthic invertebrates and density of drifting invertebrates (dry mass) were fairly low (&lt;4 g m−2 and &lt;1 mg m−3, respectively) at both sites, but annual average terrestrial invertebrate input among sites was 22.2 ± 0.1 mg m−2 day−1. On average 68% of the coho salmon diet was of terrestrial origin, contrasting with 13% for Dolly Varden char at both sites, thus showing resource partitioning. Diet varied temporally and spatially with prey availability. Specifically, larvae of a weevil (Curculionidae) feeding on willow catkins were a dominant diet item for coho in the spring but only at the early successional site; Dolly Varden also ate these weevils but aquatic invertebrates continued to dominate their diets, further demonstrating behavioural segregation. The results show the importance of channel‐floodplain connectivity to management and conservation of salmon rivers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Climatic forcing of zooplankton dynamics is stronger during low densities of planktivorous fish

We analyze interannual variation in zooplankton biomass in the southwestern Barents Sea in spring (May) and summer (June‐July) 1959–1993. Using a threshold modeling approach, we quantify spatial, climatic, and across‐season autoregressive effects under contrasting regimes of low and high densities of planktivorous fish (capelin and herring). Main findings: (1) zooplankton biomass is mainly influenced by capelin feeding, first in the offshore parts of the western Barents Sea in spring and subsequently farther east and north in summer, whereas direct effects of herring are quantitatively less important; (2) effects of climate are stronger during the zooplankton increase phase in spring than in summer and are better predicted using the North Atlantic Oscillation index than using reconstructed sea surface temperature and Atlantic water influx; (3) regional anomalies in zooplankton biomass persist from spring to summer but not from summer to the subsequent spring, indicating that the observed fluctuations have little effect on next year's dynamics; and (4) effects of climatic variation and planktivorous fish interact: climatic (and autoregressive) effects are mainly evident when and where the effect of feeding is weak. Zooplankton dynamics thus appear to be under shifting top‐down and climatic control, the relative importance of the two processes varying spatially, seasonally, and interannually.

Assessing habitat specific fish assemblages in estuaries along the Portuguese coast

Estuaries consist of a complex mosaic of many distinctive habitat types. Each one may perform several vital functions in the functioning of the whole system and although its value is often based on species density patterns, functional relationships between them also need to be examined. Spatial patterns of estuarine habitat use by fish assemblages were determined within and among nine estuarine systems along the Portuguese coast. Fish sampling surveys were conducted in May and July 2006, covering the full estuarine gradient. All the different habitat types were sampled in each estuarine system with a beam trawl. Estuarine habitats were mapped with GIS and habitat specific associated fish assemblages were described based on several community descriptors, namely richness ( S), evenness ( J′), and diversity ( H′) and on an ecological and feeding guilds classification. A canonical correspondence analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between estuarine habitats and fish assemblages in this set of estuaries. The intertidal and subtidal soft substratum habitats corresponded to the largest areas in all the estuaries and presented higher number of species. Nevertheless the highest mean density of fish was registered at the salt marsh habitat, which occupies smaller areas within each estuary. The fact that small vegetated habitats like salt marsh and seagrass supported high densities of fish may be an indication of the important role these habitats play in the whole system functioning. Differences in fish assemblage structure were found with latitude and between habitats amongst and within estuaries. Some of the fish species were found to be particularly associated with certain habitat types, which might indicate that each estuarine habitat may be related with specific fish assemblages regardless the estuary. The present work provides valuable information for management by identifying the most important habitats for species conservation and predicting the possible effects of habitat disturbance or destruction, namely by climate change and anthropogenic pressures.

Changes in the catch composition of artisanal fisheries attributable to dolphin depredation in a Mediterranean marine reserve

AbstractRocklin, D., Santoni, M-C., Culioli, J-M., Tomasini, J-A., Pelletier, D., and Mouillot, D. 2009. Changes in the catch composition of artisanal fisheries attributable to dolphin depredation in a Mediterranean marine reserve. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 699–707. There is increasing evidence from previous studies, and from fishers’ observations, that coastal dolphins use fishing nets as an easily accessible feeding source, damaging or depredating fish caught in the nets. This study investigates the impact of dolphin depredation on artisanal trammelnets by analysing the catch composition of 614 artisanal fishing operations in the Bonifacio Strait Natural Reserve (France). Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) attacked, on average, 12.4% of the nets and damaged 8.3% of the catch. However, attacked nets were characterized by statistically significantly higher catch per unit effort than unattacked ones. Catch composition also differed significantly after dolphin attacks; bentho-pelagic fish were more represented and reef-associated fish less represented. Our results suggest that (i) dolphins are attracted by high fish densities in the fishing area and/or nets, and (ii) their attacks induce specific fish-avoidance behaviour, according to the fish position in the water column. Although dolphins depredate a small part of the catch, damage to nets, not yet assessed in this area, could weaken the benefits that reserves can provide to artisanal fisheries.

The vertical separation of fish in the aft end of a demersal trawl

Abstract Krag, L. A., Holst, R., and Madsen, N. 2009. The vertical separation of fish in the aft end of a demersal trawl. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 772–777. Two multi-compartment separator frames were used to study the vertical separation of some commercially important fish species in the aft end of a trawl, with the aim of separating cod (Gadus morhua) from other species. A non-linear multinomial model with random effects was used to analyse the data and to compare the performance of the two frames. The vertical distribution of cod in the aft end of the trawl was close to uniform, whereas haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), whiting (Merlangius merlangus), plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), and lemon sole (Microstomus kitt) showed more uneven distributions. The use of guiding bars in the separator frame significantly (p &lt; 0.05) increased the catch of cod, plaice, and lemon sole in the upper compartment. The vertical separation of cod was density-dependent; high densities of fish resulted in a more uniform distribution of cod. The species separations found differ from those reported from the studies of species separation in the region of the trawl mouth.