Juvenile Rockfish Research Articles

A trap with a twist: evaluating a bycatch reduction device to prevent rockfish capture in crustacean traps

Abstract Favaro, B., Duff, S. D., and Côté, I. M. 2013. A trap with a twist: evaluating a bycatch reduction device to prevent rockfish capture in crustacean traps. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70:114–122. Bycatch, or the incidental capture of non-target species, occurs in fisheries around the world, with often detrimental ecological consequences. Bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) that increase catch specificity have been used successfully in some fisheries, and the development of such devices remains an important component of the global effort to reduce bycatch rates. We tested novel devices designed to exclude juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) from traps used to catch spot prawns (Pandalus platyceros), a commercially important species in British Columbia, Canada. The devices included reductions in trap opening sizes and novel bent-tunnel openings. Reducing trap opening size did not affect bycatch rates of rockfish or other non-target fish species. In contrast, bent-tunnel BRDs eliminated rockfish bycatch, and two of the bent-tunnel variants also excluded other fish species. However, prawn catch rates were reduced in all modified gear, and large prawns were often excluded more than small prawns. Videos recorded in situ revealed that prawn attempts to enter traps took longer and were more likely to fail in BRD-equipped than in unmodified traps. We conclude that bent-tunnel BRDs have the potential to be useful, but improvements are needed to increase prawn catch to levels similar to that of unmodified traps.

Evaluating the behavioral impairment of escaping fish can help measure the effectiveness of bycatch reduction devices

The behavior of roundfish excluded from an ocean shrimp (Pandalus jordani) trawl with a deflecting grid was studied using underwater video. The main study objective was to evaluate the condition of escaping eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus), a species considered “threatened” under the United States Endangered Species Act. Observed behaviors were quantified in relation to a proposed model of an ideal trawl escapement based on an actively swimming fish avoiding contact with the grid. This model of avoidance-based escapement assumed that a roundfish in excellent condition would, (1) maintain distance from the grid, (2) avoid physical contact with the grid, (3) maintain a forward swimming orientation, and (4) maintain an upright vertical orientation. Of the species and size classes of fish encountered, large eulachon (approximately 170–240mm total length) came closest to the proposed model of avoidance-based escapement, indicating less behavioral impairment than other species. Small eulachon (<150mm) were not frequently encountered. Almost 80% of the large eulachon maintained an upright vertical orientation throughout their escape and exited the trawl in a forward-swimming orientation. Large eulachon maintained distance from the deflecting grid better than the other species encountered (P<0.001) and typically showed no contact or only minimal contact with it (63%). Only about 20–30% of the large eulachon showed behaviors indicating fatigue, such as laying on or sliding along the grid. In contrast, both adult and juvenile Pacific hake (Merluccius productus) frequently showed signs of fatigue, including sliding along or laying on the grid, exiting the trawl in physical contact with the grid or failing to maintain an upright vertical orientation throughout their escape. Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) and juvenile rockfish (Sebastes) were intermediate in their escape behavior between Pacific hake and large eulachon. They more frequently maintained an upright vertical orientation throughout their escape than Pacific hake, but also showed signs of fatigue, such as sliding along the grid or exiting the trawl in physical contact with the grid. Our data suggest that observing escape behaviors provides additional useful information to evaluate the effectiveness of bycatch reduction devices in reducing fishery-related mortality rates.

A simple method to quantify fish behavior by forming time-lapse images

In this paper, we propose a simple method for quantifying fish behavior by sampling frames from the video recording of swimming fish and combining them into a time-lapse composite image. Fish speed was measured by using a variant of particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments method. To demonstrate this method, we perform two tests to determine whether juvenile rockfishes (Sebastes inermis) prefer blue LED (light emitting diode) or white LED. In the first test, the fishes are exposed to both lights simultaneously, and their attraction for light is judged by a statistical analysis of their swimming directions in the time-lapse image. In the second test, the fishes are exposed to each light separately, and their attraction for light is determined by their swimming speed toward each light. In both tests, we found that fishes exhibited a strong attraction for blue light. Analysis of swimming direction for 20 fishes showed that 12 fishes were attracted to the blue LED and 5 fishes for the white LED in the first test. By the second test, average swimming speed toward blue LED was 7.45cm/s and 3.78cm/s for white LED. It is thought that the composite image method is readily applicable to many fields.

Egg Deposition and Development of Eggs and Larvae of Bigmouth Sculpin (Hemitripterus bolini)

The Bigmouth Sculpin, Hemitripterus bolini, is a cottoid fish in the family Hemitripteridae found throughout the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska to British Columbia, Canada, and northern California. Hemitripterids have internal gametic association with external fertilization as their mode of reproduction. With this strategy, spermatozoa are stored in the micropyle of eggs within the ovary after gamete transfer to the female and eggs are not fertilized until immersed in seawater. Female H. bolini deposit their eggs into at least 4 species of sponges. We collected eggs from Barrel Sponge (Halichondria lambei), Clay-Pipe Sponge (Aphrocallistes vastus), Boot Sponge (Acanthascus dawsoni), and Tree Sponge (Mycale loveni) in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. In contrast to its congeners, there has been little research on H. bolini, particularly any focusing on aspects of early life history stages. In this study, we describe the development of H. bolini eggs and larvae from newly-hatched stages to juveniles, and include general observations of osteology. The descriptions of larvae and juveniles are based on examination of 32 specimens, 5 of which were differentially cleared and stained to examine osteological development. Larvae hatch at a large size (13 to 14 mm SL) in an advanced stage of development. Postflexion occurs at approximately 20 mm SL, and transformation to the juvenile stage begins at about 31 mm SL. Larvae are heavily pigmented through late flexion, when pigmentation becomes reduced. Postflexion larvae and juveniles are also heavily pigmented. Ossification of most skeletal elements does not occur until postflexion. The description will help distinguish H. bolini from other hemitripterids and sympatric larvae of the family Agonidae that are similar in appearance but generally smaller and more slender-bodied at all developmental stages. The behavior of egg deposition in sponges, in conjunction with the use of sponges by other fishes such as juvenile rockfish and invertebrates such as Golden King Crabs (Lithodes aequispina) as refuge habitat, suggests that sponge grounds may provide essential fish habitat for H. bolini and other species.

Estimating the impacts of fishing on dependent predators: a case study in the California Current

Juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) are important prey to seabirds in the California Current System, particularly during the breeding season. Both seabird breeding success and the abundance of pelagic juvenile rockfish show high interannual variability. This covariation is largely a response to variable ocean conditions; however, fishing on adult rockfish may have had consequences for seabird productivity (e.g., the number of chicks fledged per breeding pair) by reducing the availability of juvenile rockfish to provisioning seabird parents. We tested the hypothesis that fishing has decreased juvenile rockfish availability and thereby limited seabird productivity over the past 30 years. We quantified relationships between observed juvenile rockfish relative abundance and seabird productivity, used fisheries stock assessment approaches to estimate the relative abundance of juvenile rockfish in the absence of fishing, and compared the differences in seabird productivity that would have resulted without rockfish fisheries. We examined the abundance of juvenile rockfish and the corresponding productivity of three seabird species breeding on Southeast Farallon Island (near San Francisco, California, USA) from the early 1980s to the present. Results show that while the relative abundance of juvenile rockfish has declined to approximately 50% of the estimated unfished biomass, seabirds achieved 75-95% of the estimated un-impacted levels of productivity, depending upon the species of bird and various model assumptions. These results primarily reflect seabirds with "conservative" life histories (one egg laid per year) and may be different for species with more flexible life history strategies (greater reproductive effort). Our results are consistent with the premise that the impacts of local rockfish fisheries on seabird productivity are less than impacts that have occurred to the prey resources themselves due to ocean climate and the ability of seabirds to buffer against changes in prey availability through prey-switching and other behavioral mechanisms.

Essential Habitat Identification for Age‐0 Rockfish along the Central Oregon Coast

AbstractThe habitat needs of nearshore juvenile rockfish Sebastes spp. have rarely been studied but are an essential component of habitat identification for management. We investigated the relationships between habitat type, species composition, and growth of juvenile rockfish after settlement into nearshore reefs and estuaries in central Oregon. We identify and prioritize essential fish habitat (EFH) for blue rockfish S. mystinus and black rockfish S. melanops caught by minnow traps and by scuba divers with hand nets. Species were confirmed through genetic analysis. Our nearshore samples were dominated by blue rockfish, while estuary samples contained almost exclusively black rockfish. Settlement patterns suggest that black rockfish had a strong preference for anthropogenic habitat (docks, pilings, jetties) within the Yaquina Bay estuary. Growth was not significantly different among habitats or sampling years for either black rockfish or blue rockfish. We identify estuaries as EFH for black rockfish juveniles along the central Oregon coast and confirm nearshore reef areas as EFH for blue rockfish juveniles. Small sample sizes of juvenile yellowtail rockfish S. flavidus and widow rockfish S. entomelas suggest that estuaries are also important for these species.

Bycatch of rockfish and other species in British Columbia spot prawn traps: Preliminary assessment using research traps

Abstract The spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) trap fishery in British Columbia is endorsed by conservation organizations owing to the assumption of minimal bycatch. However, reported capture of juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) in prawn traps has raised concern due to declines in abundance of many rockfish stocks. We document the bycatch observed in a 10-year (1999–2008) fishery-independent research survey that employed traps that are similar to the traps used in the commercial spot prawn fishery. Research traps produced 0.16–0.20 kg of non-target catch per kg of spot prawn catch, with bycatch consisting mainly of a variety of molluscs, non-target crustaceans, echinoderms, and fish. The overall rate of rockfish catch was low—0.015 rockfish per trap. The annual rate of rockfish bycatch has increased since 2004, to 0.039 rockfish per trap in 2008, while catch rates of other species have remained relatively constant. Our results confirm that spot prawn traps produce a low amount of bycatch by weight. However, they also suggest that rockfish mortality due to prawn trapping should be quantified in the commercial prawn fishery to determine how this source of mortality may affect rockfish stocks. Furthermore, research into bycatch reduction technology to improve trap selectivity, and thus reduce rockfish bycatch, would be desirable.

Ontogenetic Shifts in Diets of Juvenile and Subadult Coho and Chinook Salmon in Coastal Marine Waters: Important for Marine Survival?

AbstractSuccessfully shifting to a more piscivorous diet may be an important factor in the growth and survival of juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch and Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha during their first summer in the northern California Current. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis of diets by size showed several distinct groupings as the salmon grew during their first marine summer. These size‐based diet differences were clearly driven by increased rates of piscivory for both species. Fish prey composition, feeding intensity, and fish prey–predator length ratios all significantly increased for coho salmon at approximately 240 mm fork length when they changed from diets dominated by juvenile rockfishes Sebastes spp., the larvae of crabs Cancer spp., and adult euphausiids to one of predominantly juvenile forage fish. As Chinook salmon grew, they gradually increased the proportional contribution (by weight) of fish prey in their diets—from 55% in the smallest length‐class examined (80–100 mm) to 95% in the largest one (&gt;375 mm). Chinook salmon fed in the same marine environments as coho salmon and consistently ate more and longer fish prey at a given size than coho salmon but had lower overall feeding intensity, perhaps owing to a higher level of prey selection. Relating subsequent interannual adult salmon returns to juvenile diets showed mixed results. During lower‐survival years, coho salmon ate fewer and smaller fish prey, while subyearling Chinook salmon had less total food and more empty stomachs. We did not find consistent trophic patterns for yearling Chinook salmon in relation to their ultimate survival.

Biodiversity and rockfish recruitment in sponge gardens and bioherms of southern British Columbia, Canada

In the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound, British Columbia, colonies of individual cloud sponges, growing on rock (known as sponge gardens) receive resource subsidies from the high biodiversity of epifauna on adjacent rock habitats. Bioherms are reefs of glass sponges living on layers of dead sponges. In the same area as the sponge gardens, newly discovered bioherms in Howe Sound, BC (49.34.67 N, 123.16.26 W) at depths of 28- to 35-m are constructed exclusively by Aphrocallistes vastus, the cloud sponge. The sponge gardens had much higher taxon richness than the bioherms. The sponge garden had 106 species from 10 phyla, whereas the bioherm had only 15 species from 5 phyla. For recruiting juvenile rockfish (quillback, Sebastes maliger), the food subsidy of sponge gardens appears to be missing on bioherms of cloud sponge, where biodiversity is relatively low. While adult and subadult rockfishes (S. maliger, S. ruberrimus, S. proriger, and S. elongatus) were present on bioherms, no evidence for nursery recruitment of inshore rockfishes to bioherms was observed, whereas the sponge gardens supported high densities of newly recruited S. maliger, perhaps owing to the combination of both refuge and feeding opportunities. These results indicate that sponge gardens form a habitat for early stages of inshore S. maliger, whereas A. vastus bioherms are associated only with older juvenile and adult rockfishes.

Effects of dietary carbohydrate to lipid ratios on growth and body composition of juvenile and grower rockfish,Sebastes schlegeli

Two feeding trials were conducted to determine the optimal dietary carbohydrate to lipid (CHO:L) ratio for juvenile and grower rockfish. Triplicate groups of juvenile (initial mean weight 3.6 g) and duplicate groups of grower (initial mean weight 166 g) were fed the five isonitrogenous (51% CP) and isoenergetic (4.0 kcal g−1) diets with the different CHO:L ratios (0.4–5.6 g:g) for 8 weeks respectively. The survival of juvenile and grower was above 93% and was not affected by the dietary CHO:L ratios. Weight gain of juvenile fed the diets with CHO:L ratios of 0.8 and 1.6 was significantly higher than that of the fish fed diets with CHO:L ratios of 2.8 and 5.6 (P<0.05). The feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio of juvenile fed the diet with CHO:L ratio of 5.6 were the lowest among all groups (P<0.05). The daily feed intake of juvenile fed the diet with a CHO:L ratio of 5.6 was significantly higher than that of the other groups (P<0.05). The condition factors of juvenile fed the diets with CHO:L ratios of 0.8 and 1.6 were significantly higher than that of 5.6 (P<0.05). The crude lipid content of whole body, liver and viscera of juvenile decreased as the dietary CHO:L ratio increased, and the opposite was found for the moisture content. Weight gain, feed efficiency, daily feed intake, protein efficiency ratio and condition factor of grower were not affected by the dietary CHO:L ratio. Hepatosomatic and viscerasomatic indexes of grower were significantly influenced by dietary CHO:L ratio (P<0.05). Significant differences were observed in the lipid content of whole body and viscera of grower. Dietary CHO:L ratios significantly affected the major fatty acid composition of whole body in both juvenile and grower. The contents of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 linearly decreased as the dietary CHO:L ratio increased, whereas the 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 contents increased. Based on growth, feed efficiency and body composition, the optimal dietary CHO:L ratio was 1.6 for juvenile rockfish fed isonitrogenous (51% CP) and isoenergetic (4.0 kcal g−1) diets, and starch could partially replace lipids in the diets with CHO:L ratios ranging from 0.4 to 5.6 for grower.

Recent and Historical Spatial Distributions of Juvenile Rockfish Species in Rocky Intertidal Tide Pools, with Emphasis on Black Rockfish

AbstractUnderstanding the full complement of habitats used by juvenile fish is essential for species management and the protection of habitat. This study evaluated the distribution of juvenile rockfish Sebastes spp. in northern Pacific rocky intertidal habitats. Observations were made along the northern California and Oregon coasts in an attempt to better define the geographical extent of intertidal habitat use. Juvenile rockfish were observed in rocky intertidal habitats ranging from MacKerricher State Park, California, to Ecola State Park, Oregon. Museum collections were also searched to examine the historical ranges of rocky intertidal use by juvenile rockfish. A total of 12 species of juvenile rockfish were identified in rocky intertidal habitats, black rockfish S. melanops being the dominant species identified. Our observations, along with museum records, showed that juvenile rockfish, especially black rockfish, use rocky intertidal habitats over a large geographic range.

A multivariate stock–recruitment function for cohorts with sympatric subclasses: application to maternal effects in rockfish (genus Sebastes)

I present a multivariate stock–recruitment function (MSRF) for calculating recruitment when a cohort comprises sympatric subclasses. Sympatric subclasses emerge when there are closely interacting subgroups occupying a very similar niche, but whose ecology dictates distinct mortality rates. Examples include multispecies complexes of juvenile rockfish ( Sebastes spp.) in the California current and juvenile salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) in streams following different life history strategies. I derive an MSRF and apply it to the ecology of larval and juvenile rockfish with maternal effects. In several species of rockfish, older mothers produce superior larvae. This is called a maternal effect. For these species, larval and juvenile cohorts comprise several sympatric subclasses, each with a distinct mortality rate related to the age of their mothers. I apply this model to data for black rockfish ( Sebastes melanops ) in California and Oregon and find the recruitment estimates based on data from a declining population may overestimate productivity of a recovering population if maternal effects are neglected. The MSRF proves to be a flexible framework for studying recruitment in the presence of sympatric subclasses.

Carry‐over effects in a Pacific seabird: stable isotope evidence that pre‐breeding diet quality influences reproductive success

1. Understanding the interactions between different periods of the annual cycle in migratory animals has been constrained by our inability to track individuals across seasons. In seabirds, virtually nothing is known about how diet quality during the non-breeding period, away from the breeding grounds, might influence subsequent reproductive success. 2. We used stable nitrogen (delta(15)N) and carbon (delta(13)C) isotopes to evaluate the effects of non-breeding diet quality on the timing of breeding and egg size in a population of Cassin's auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) breeding on Triangle Island, British Columbia. Adult feathers are grown during two different periods of the annual cycle, which allowed us to estimate diet quality from the previous fall (October-November) and pre-breeding (February-March) period. 3. We found that the estimated proportion of energetically superior copepods (Neocalanus spp.) in the pre-breeding diet tended to be higher in females that bred earlier and laid larger eggs, whereas energetically poor juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) were dominant in the pre-breeding diets of females that bred later and laid smaller eggs. We detected no effect of fall diet quality on breeding date or egg size, and no effect of pre-breeding diet quality on breeding date in males. 4. Pre-breeding diet quality was not related to body condition measured 1-2 days after laying, which suggests that females may need to attain a threshold condition before they initiate breeding and successfully rear young. 5. Our results suggest that changes in climatic conditions during the pre-breeding period may have severe consequences for reproductive success by influencing breeding date and egg size. Our work emphasizes the importance of determining how events are linked throughout the annual cycle for understanding the fitness and population dynamics of migratory animals.

Trophic and fishery interactions between Pacific hake and rockfish: effect on rockfish population rebuilding times

Several species of overfished Pacific rockfish (genus Sebastes) are incidentally caught in the fishery targeting Pacific hake Merluccius productus. Juvenile rockfish also comprise a small amount of Pacific hake diets. We used 2-species, age-structured models to estimate how prey selectivity by Pacific hake, life history and population structure of rockfish, spatiotemporal overlap, and fishery closures might affect the time required to rebuild overfished rockfish populations to 40% of unfished spawning stock biomass. As prey selectivity increased, rebuilding time increased moderately for widow rockfish S. entomelas and darkblotched rockfish S. crameri, and more sharply for canary rockfish S. pinniger. Darkblotched rockfish were the least sensitive to Pacific hake predatory selectivity, which was likely related to their rarity in Pacific hake diets, not their stochastic reproductive success. Spatiotemporal overlap between rockfish and Pacific hake also increased rebuilding times, primarily because of higher rockfish bycatch, not predation. Early fishery closures and Pacific hake predation had an interactive effect that prolonged widow and canary rockfish rebuilding times, partly as a function of model assumptions and partly because fishery closures led to increased predation on juvenile rockfish. Because an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management involves considering the influence of ecological factors on fish populations, models that examine interactions between depleted species and predatory species are essential. In this case, it appears that overfished rockfish rebuilding times can be significantly affected by the dynamics of a key predator, but also that the predatory effect can be mitigated by effective bycatch control.

Forage fish of the Pacific Rim as revealed by diet of a piscivorous seabird: synchrony and relationships with sea surface temperature

We tested the hypothesis of synchronous interannual changes in forage fish dynamics around the North Pacific Rim. To do this, we sampled forage fish communities using a seabird predator, the rhinoceros auklet ( Cerorhinca monocerata ), at six coastal study sites from Japan to California. We investigated whether take of forage fishes was related to local marine conditions as indexed by sea surface temperature (SST). SST was concordant across sites in the eastern Pacific, but inversely correlated between east and west. Forage fish communities consisted of anchovy ( Engraulis spp.), sandlance ( Ammodytes spp.), capelin ( Mallotus spp.), and juvenile rockfish ( Sebastes spp.), among others, and take of forage fish varied in response to interannual and possibly lower-frequency oceanographic variability. Take of primary forage species were significantly related to changes in SST only at the eastern sites. We found synchrony in interannual variation of primary forage fishes across several regions in the eastern Pacific, but no significant east–west correlations. Specifically in the Japan Sea, factors other than local SST or interannual variability may more strongly influence forage fishes. Predator diet sampling offers a fishery-independent, large-scale perspective on forage fish dynamics that may be difficult to obtain using conventional means of study.

Effects of night lighting on growth of juvenile rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli, in sea cages

Journal of Applied IchthyologyVolume 24, Issue 3 p. 354-355 Effects of night lighting on growth of juvenile rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli, in sea cages C. W. Park, C. W. Park Marine Ranching Laboratory, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, AnsanSearch for more papers by this authorH. S. Yoon, H. S. Yoon Aquaculture Program, Fisheries and Ocean Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, KoreaSearch for more papers by this author C. W. Park, C. W. Park Marine Ranching Laboratory, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, AnsanSearch for more papers by this authorH. S. Yoon, H. S. Yoon Aquaculture Program, Fisheries and Ocean Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, KoreaSearch for more papers by this author First published: 08 May 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2008.00916.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume24, Issue3June 2008Pages 354-355 RelatedInformation

Effects of dietary macronutrient level and feeding frequency on growth and body composition of juvenile rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli)

An 8-week feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different dietary macronutrient level and feeding frequency on the growth, feed utilization, and body composition of juvenile rockfish. Triplicate groups of fish (body weight of 4.1 g) were fed the experimental diets containing either high levels of carbohydrate (HC, 35%), lipid (HL, 13%), or protein (HP, 55%) at different feeding frequencies (twice daily, once daily, and once every 2 days). Weight gain was affected by feeding frequency but not by dietary composition. Weight gain of fish fed the diets once every 2 days was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of other groups. Daily feed intake and energy intake were affected by both dietary composition and feeding frequency. Daily feed intake of fish fed the HC diet was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of fish fed the HL and HP diets at the same feeding frequency. Feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio were affected by both dietary composition and feeding frequency and decreased with increasing feeding frequency in the same dietary composition. Feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio of fish fed the HC diet were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of fish fed the HL diet at the same feeding frequency. Whole-body lipid content of fish fed the HL diet was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of fish fed the HC and HP diets at the same feeding frequency. These results indicate that an increase of dietary lipid level compared with dietary carbohydrate level may have the advantage of a protein-sparing effect at same feeding frequency, and a once-daily feeding regime is more effective than twice daily or one feeding every 2 days to improve growth performance of juvenile rockfish grown from 4 to 21 g.

Habitat characteristics of juvenile cowcod, Sebastes levis (Scorpaenidae), in Southern California

We characterized habitat requirements of juvenile cowcod, Sebastes levis, using information from surveys conducted aboard the manned research submersible Delta. We conducted 303 dive surveys on rocky banks and outcrops in water depths between 28 and 365 m in southern and central California, covering 483 km (963,940 m2) of seafloor. We counted 549,263 fishes from at least 134 species; 216 individuals were juvenile cowcod, S. levis, of 45 cm or less in total length (TL). Juvenile cowcod occupied depths between 52 and 330 m and demonstrated ontogenetic shifts in their habitat associations. Small fish (5–20 cm TL) lived primarily among cobbles or cobbles and small boulders. As fish grew, they moved into high-relief rock habitats, including boulder fields and rock ridges. Small cowcods were found with pygmy, Sebastes wilsoni, and swordspine, Sebastes ensifer, rockfishes. Larger juveniles often associated with juvenile bocaccio, Sebastes paucispinis, juvenile widow rockfish, Sebastes entomelas, and squarespot rockfish, Sebastes hopkinsi. Our study resulted in a characterization of seafloor habitats on a small spatial scale that is relevant to juvenile cowcod nursery areas, which is important when considering effective management strategies for this overfished species.

Habitat-based submersible assessment of macro-invertebrate and groundfish assemblages at Heceta Bank, Oregon, from 1988 to 1990

Exploitation of groundfish off the U.S. Pacific coast reached maximum levels during the 1990s, resulting in severe declines in at least nine species of groundfish. From 1988 to 1990, we used the 2-man submersible Delta to make 42 dives and run replicate visual belt transects at six stations ranging from 67–360 m in depth at Heceta Bank on the outer continental shelf of Oregon. We identified four major habitats and associated benthic macroinvertebrate and groundfish assemblages: (1) shallow rock ridges and large boulders (< 100 m deep) dominated by basket stars, juvenile rockfishes, yelloweye rockfish, and lingcod; (2) mid-depth small boulder-cobbles (100–150 m) dominated by crinoids, brittle stars, rosethorn, pygmy/Puget sound, and canary rockfishes; (3) deep cobble (150–200 m) dominated by crinoids, brittle stars and various small rockfish species, and (4) deep mud slope (> 200 m) dominated by fragile urchins, sea cucumbers, shortspine thornyhead, and flatfishes. Although substantial interannual variation in groundfish abundance among seafloor types was evident in the 12 most abundant and/or commercially important fish taxa sampled, high variance resulted in statistically significant differences among years only in juvenile rockfishes. These data provide a baseline for future comparisons exploring long-term change this continental-shelf ecosystem.

Temperature effects on low-light vision in juvenile rockfish (Genus Sebastes) and consequences for habitat utilization

The absolute low-light sensitivity of four congeneric species of rockfish (genus Sebastes) was studied from analysis of electroretinograms measured in living fish. The purpose was: (1) to determine if temperature sensitive noise in rod photoreceptors affects the absolute limit to low-light sensitivity at environmentally realistic temperatures and light levels, and (2) to examine whether interspecific variations in habitat utilization within rockfish communities correlate with differences in visual sensitivity. It was found that the low-light sensitivity of individual retinae is inversely dependent on temperature, decreasing tenfold with a 10 degrees C increase in temperature. While in all four species, temperature had a similar effect on sensitivity, the absolute sensitivity levels were different. The four species could be divided into two groups based on measured sensitivity. Kelp and olive rockfish form a high-sensitivity group capable of responding to light levels approximately 50-fold lower than blue and black rockfish. The sensitivity groups correlated with reported diel activity patterns; the high-sensitivity group forages nocturnally, whereas members of the low-sensitivity group are quiescent during twilight and night and forage during the day.