Larimichthys Polyactis Research Articles

Stock Assessment of Small Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) Off the Coast of China Using Per-Recruit Analysis Based on Bayesian Inference

This paper presents a framework for quantifying uncertainty in per-recruit analysis for small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) fisheries in China, in which credible estimates of life history parameters from Bayesian inference were used to generate the distribution for a quantity of interest. Small yellow croakers were divided into five spatial groups. The status of each group was examined using a yield-per-recruit (YPR) model and a spawning stock biomass-per-recruit (SSBPR) model. The optimal length at first capture (Lcopt) was proposed to recover the biomass. The maximum observed age in the current stocks (3 years) and the maximum recorded age (≥20 years) were adopted in per-recruit analysis. Our results suggest that the framework can quantify uncertainty well in the output of per-recruit analysis for small yellow croaker. It is suited to other fish species. The SSBPR at FMSY (SSBPRMSY) is a better benchmark than the spawning potential ratio (SPR) at FMSY because SSBPRMSY had a unimodal distribution. The SSBPR analysis can lead to a more conservative Lcopt than the YPR analysis. The key factor influencing the assessment conclusions may be the growth parameters rather than the natural mortality rate for a stock with a younger maximum age. Overfishing likely occurred for all groups and recruitment overfishing may not occur if the maximum age is maintained at 3 years. Increasing lengths at first capture to the recommended values can help this population recover. However, Fcur is too high for small yellow croakers to attain the maximum recorded age. Both reducing fishing mortality rate and increasing length at first capture are needed to attain the maximum recorded age.

Inter-annual otolith growth pattern of adult small yellow croaker in the East China Sea and its response to environmental changes

Inter-annual otolith growth pattern of adult small yellow croaker in the East China Sea and its response to environmental changes

Genomic survey to evaluate the genomic differences between Larimichthys polyactis , L. crocea and their hybrids

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The sequence data have been deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA) under the accession numbers SRR10389543-SRR10389546. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

Microplastic pollution in Larimichthys polyactis in the coastal area of Jiangsu, China

We investigated microplastics (MPs) pollution in 349 Larimichthys polyactis specimens from the coastal area of Jiangsu Province, China. The MP abundance in L. polyactis was 1.03 ± 1.04 items/individual and 0.95 ± 0.92 items/10 g (wet weight). The MP abundance in specimens from the Haizhou Bay fishing ground was slightly higher than that in specimens from the Lvsi fishing ground. Spearman's correlation showed that MP abundance was positively correlated with body length when expressed as items/individual, but not items/10 g. The abundance in the gastrointestinal tract was slightly higher than that in the gills, but the differences were not significant for either measurement index. The MPs predominantly ingested by L. polyactis were <1 mm, fibrous, blue and had a cellophane composition. The MP pollution in L. polyactis in the coast of Jiangsu Province is at a medium to low level, as compared with other regions of China.

Population structure and resource change of Larimichthys polyactis in spring in Zhoushan fishery spawning ground protection area, China

We investigated population structure, resource density changes of Larimichthys polyactis and its relationship with environmental factors in spring, based on the survey data of bottom trawl in adjacent sea areas of Zhoushan fishery spawning ground protection area from 2014 to 2019. The results showed that the relationship between body length and body weight of Larimichthys polyactis was W=0.44×10-4×L2.78, and parameter b was less than 3, which indicated that L. polyactis had negative allometric growth in recent years. There was a negative correlation between fullness and body length, with body becoming slender. From 2014 to 2019, body length and weight of L. polyactis were the highest in 2014 and the lowest in 2019. Since 2014, population size of L. polyactis in Zhoushan fishery spawning ground protection area and adjacent sea area had gradually decreased, indicating that the miniaturization of L. polyactis had not altered in recent years. From the perspective of the annual change of resource density, resource density of L. polyactis was higher than that before the establishment of the reserve, indicating that the management and protection of the reserve area played a protective role in the recovery of L. polyactis resources. The fitting results of GAM model showed that water depth and bottom water temperature were the environmental factors closely related to the density distribution of L. polyactis resources. With increasing water depth, the resources showed a fluctuating upward trend and were the highest near the water depth of 60 m. In the range of 12-16 ℃ water temperature, the resources increased with the increases of bottom water temperature. When water temperature was above 16 ℃, resources decreased with the increases of bottom water temperature.

Activity Levels of 210Po, 210Pb and Other Radionuclides (134Cs, 137Cs, 90Sr, 110mAg, 238U, 226Ra and 40K) in Marine Organisms From Coastal Waters Adjacent to Fuqing and Ningde Nuclear Power Plants (China) and Radiation Dose Assessment

With the rapid development of nuclear power, the radiation impacts on edible marine organisms, and the potential radiation risks to humans have become of considerable concern to public health. In this study, the activities of 210Po and 210Pb as well as those of other radionuclides in fishes (Mugil cephalus, Konosirus punctatus, Largehead hairtail, and Larimichthys polyactis), crustaceans (Mantis shrimp, Parapenaeopsis hardwickii, and Portunus trituberculatus), bivalves (Crassostrea gigas, Sinonovacula conzcta), and macroalgae (Gracilaria, Porphyra) collected in the coastal area adjacent to the Fuqing and Ningde nuclear power plants (NPPs) were determined. The activity range of 210Po and 210Pb was 0.60–48.09 and 0.07–2.76 Bq/kg freshweight, respectively, with 210Po/210Pb activity ratios of 1.1–189.7. The ranking of 210Po activity levels in marine organisms was bivalve mollusks &amp;gt; crustaceans &amp;gt; fishes &amp;gt; macroalgae. The calculated bioconcentration factors of 210Po and 210Pb were 636–44,944 and 3–1,226 L/kg, respectively. These values provide a new supplement to the IAEA reference database. The radiation dose rates for these marine organisms ranged from 0.037 to 1.531 μSv/h, which was much lower than the ERICA ecosystem screening benchmark of 10 μGy/h. The calculated committed effective dose received by humans from ingestion of these marine organisms was 0.06–2.99 mSv. Overall, 210Po was the dominant radiation dose contributor in marine organisms and humans, whereas the dose contributions from the artificial nuclides 90Sr and 137Cs were negligible.

Comparison of habitat models in quantifying the spatio-temporal distribution of small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) in Haizhou Bay, China

Habitat models can be used to analyze the relationships between species distribution and environmental variables. Different models and response variables are usually selected to evaluate the habitat of species according to their ecological traits. In this study, six habitat models were compared to quantify the spatio-temporal distribution of small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) in Haizhou Bay, including Generalized Additive Model (GAM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), Generalized Boosted regression Model (GBM), Random forest (RF) and Artificial neural network (NN). We also compared the performance of habitat models with four types of response variables, i.e., (1) presence–absence, (2) habitat ranks, (3) probability and (4) abundance. Model performances were evaluated and assessed through cross validations. Principal component analysis (PCA) and coefficient of variation (CV) were applied to compare the performance of these habitat models. Results showed that machine learning algorithms were better than statistical methods. Random forest (RF) performed the best in identifying the spatio-temporal distribution of small yellow croakers based on PCA and CV analysis. The importance of explanatory variables varied with the type of response variables in habitat modeling. In addition, facing different response variables, species showed different response relationships to explanatory variables. This species was found mainly distributed in the central coastal areas of Haizhou Bay at depths between 10 and 30 m according to predicated distribution maps by optimal models. Bottom temperature, bottom salinity and prey had great impacts on spatial distributions of small yellow croaker. This study proposed a framework to evaluate the performance of different habitat models and response variables, which could be extended to other marine organisms and facilitate the application of habitat models. This study enhances our understanding of the underlying ecological mechanisms that drive spatial distribution of marine species.

Developing an intermediate-complexity projection model for China’s fisheries: A case study of small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) in the Haizhou Bay, China

Developing an intermediate-complexity projection model for China’s fisheries: A case study of small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) in the Haizhou Bay, China

Characterization of the sex differentiation and gonadal development in small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) and its hybrid (L. polyactis ♀ × L. crocea ♂).

Interspecific hybridization has been considered as a possible approach to improve biological traits and has been applied in aquaculture practices. In the present study, artificial hybridization was carried out in the small yellow croaker (SYC; Larimichthys polyactis) ♀ × large yellow croaker (LYC; L. crocea) ♂ by artificial insemination, and the processes of sex differentiation and gonadal development in SYC and its hybrid were investigated under controlled conditions. Histological analysis of SYC larvae showed that migrating primordial germ cells (PGCs) were observed at 4days post-hatching (dph), a genital ridge was formed on the dorsal side of the peritoneum at 6 dph, and a pair of primary gonads was first observed at 10 dph. Signs of the differentiated ovary and ovarian cavity were observed at 45 dph. However, some presumptive testes showed alterations in morphology, including an increase in the number of oocytes and an enhanced basophilia at 50 dph. These presumptive testes seemed to alter again, and numerous gonial cells were arranged in cyst-like groups with several degenerating oocytes that developed into residual body-like structures during 60-90 dph. Compared with SYC, the hybrid had a lower number of PGCs and showed retarded gonadal development at the early stage. Ovarian differentiation in the hybrid was observed at 50 dph, while testicular differentiation occurred at 60 dph. The presence of vitellogenic oocytes and spermatozoa at 360 dph in the hybrids suggested that hybrid individuals can undergo successful gametogenesis in females and males, respectively. Overall, the present results suggest that morphological sex differentiation occurred at 40 and 50 dph in SYC and its hybrid, respectively, both of which have normal gametogenesis. Moreover, some level of heterosis (hybrid vigor) occurred in the growth of the hybrid (total length and body weight) compared with that in the growth of SCY over time. Gonadal development of the hybrid was also found to be advanced at 360 dph. The present information will contribute to the potential use and management of these fish for aquaculture.

Effects of ultrasound on the thawing of quick-frozen small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) based on TMT-labeled quantitative proteomic

The effect of dual-frequency sequential ultrasonic thawing (DUT) on the quality of quick-frozen small yellow croaker was studied by TMT-labeled quantitative proteomic method. A total number of 75 proteins were identified as differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in fish meat treated by DUT, while 72 DAPs were in flow water thawing (FWT). The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that the DAPs in the significant enrichment pathway of DUT group were enzymes. Compared with FWT, DUT had a significant effect on the enzyme content. The correlation analyses indicated that 40 DAPs were related with the quality traits. The 11 highly correlated DAPs are expected to be used as potential protein markers for texture profile analyses, color, thawing loss, water-holding capacity, and pH of thawed small yellow croaker quality. These results provide a further understanding of the quality stability of quick-frozen small yellow croaker treated by the DUT.

Growth and gonadal development retardations after long-term exposure to estradiol in little yellow croaker, Larimichthys polyactis

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) including 17β-estradiol (E2) are widely distributed in the aquatic environment and are known to negatively affect the reproductive system of many animals, including fish. EDCs leading to feminization, altered sex ratio and reduced fecundity, it is possibly posing potential risks to the ecosystems. To investigate the potentially toxic effects of E2 exposure on little yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis, L. poliactis) who have a unique gonadal development pattern that males undergo a hermaphroditic stage. An experiment was set up where L. poliactis were maintained in tanks and exposed to E2 concentrations of 10 μg/L or no E2 exposure (the ethanol and control groups) from 30 to 90 days post-hatching (dph). After exposure, the E2 withdrawal and continual cultured to 150 and 365 dph. The morphological and histological analyses were used to compare the changes in the fish body and gonad under E2 exposure. The results showed that E2 exposure caused three major phenotypes at 30 and 60 days after treatment (dat), including ovary, ovotestis and gonadal development retardation compared with the control groups. The average ratio of these three phenotypes is 60.6%, 11.97% and 27.43%, respectively. The body length and weight of E2 exposure groups were repressed during the E2 exposure period, while it can recover after E2 withdrawal. However, the gonadal development (Gonadosomatic Index) of E2 exposure groups testis were retarded at 60 dat and doesn’t recover until 365 dph. The sex determination/differentiation-related genes erα, erβI, erβII, fshβ and cyp11b2 were significantly decreased in E2-exposure male fish. This research highlights the E2 leads to feminization, disrupts testis maturation and spermatogenesis, this effect persisted into the stage of sexual maturity. Collectively, our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying E2 disturbance of a marine economic fish reproduction.

Effect of sweep frequency ultrasound and fixed frequency ultrasound thawing on gelling properties of myofibrillar protein from quick-frozen small yellow croaker and its possible mechanisms

The effects of sweep frequency ultrasound thawing (SFUT) and fixed frequency ultrasound thawing (FFUT) on the water holding capacity (WHC), strength, color, rheological properties as well as moisture migration and distribution of myofibrillar protein (MP) gel from small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) were evaluated. The results showed that the MP gel from the SFUT sample had a smaller chromatic aberration (ΔE) (12.39), higher WHC (65.05%) and strength (101.03 g) than the MP gel from FFUT and flow water thawing (FWT) samples. Compared with FFUT and FWT groups, the MP gel from the SFUT sample had higher elasticity and smaller apparent viscosity. Meanwhile, the MP gel from the SFUT sample had higher immobilized water content and lowered free water content close to the fresh sample (FS). Overall, the MP gel from the SFUT sample had better gelling properties than the MP gel from the FFUT and FWT groups.

Natural Infection of Covert Mortality Nodavirus in Small Yellow Croaker in Coastal Water

Covert mortality nodavirus (CMNV) is an alphanodavirus mainly infecting marine shrimp and co-inhabiting organisms in aquaculture ponds. To evaluate the possibility of CMNV prevalence in the wild fish species, epidemiological survey of CMNV infection in Larimichthys polyactis, the dominant species in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, were conducted in the present study. We performed CMNV RT-LAMP assay in samples of L. polyactis collected in August 2018 and 2019 and found that CMNV prevalence was 18% and 7%, respectively. The nucleotide sequences of both RdRp and capsid protein genes of CMNV from L. polyactis were 99% similar to those of CMNV isolated from shrimp. CMNV-positive L. polyactis exhibited necrosis of cardiac muscle, oocytes loosely arranging, severe cytoplasmic vacuolation of hepatocytes, moderate pyknosis of brain pyramidal cells, degenerate renal tubular cells with ill-defined margins, and declined spleen cells in the histological examination. Moreover, CMNV-positive signals were further observed in pyramidal cells of the brain, the cortical area of the kidney, oocyte growth rings, and in necrotic tissues of cardiac muscle, liver, and spleen in the in situ hybridization assay. The results revealed that CMNV had colonized in the wild populations of L. polyactis and the ecological risk of CMNV spread and epidemic in wild fish in the coastal water was non-negligible.

A quantitative analysis of greenhouse gases emissions by multiple fisheries for catching the same species (hairtail and small yellow croaker)

A quantitative analysis of greenhouse gases emissions by multiple fisheries for catching the same species (hairtail and small yellow croaker)

Preparation of acylated pectins with phenolic acids through lipase-catalyzed reaction and evaluation of their preservation performance

This study investigated the acylation of pectin with p-coumaric and caffeic acids through an enzymatic method to enhance its physical and chemical properties. Ultraviolet–visible, Fourier transform infrared and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analyses indicated the successful grafting of p-coumaric and caffeic acids onto the carboxyl group of pectin molecule. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazine (DPPH) clearance and inhibition ratio in the β-carotene bleaching assay of native pectin (Na–Pe) were 0.13% and 42.60%, respectively, while their corresponding values increased to 1.04% and 55.59 for the pectin acylated with p-coumaric acid (Co–Pe) and 87.52% and 94.05% for the pectin acylated with caffeic acid (Ca–Pe). Meanwhile, the inhibition of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was increased from 2.56% to 6.59% (Na–Pe) to 17.28% and 25.79% (Co–Pe) and 23.59% and 36.94% (Ca–Pe), respectively. Furthermore, Co-Pe or Ca-Pe coating was shown to significantly enhance the shelf life of small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) fillets.

Evidence for the role of KIF17 in fish spermatid reshaping: expression pattern of KIF17 in Larimichthys polyactis spermiogenesis

Evidence for the role of KIF17 in fish spermatid reshaping: expression pattern of KIF17 in Larimichthys polyactis spermiogenesis

Fisher behavior matters: Harnessing spatio-temporal fishing effort information to support China's fisheries management

Fisher behavior has been widely considered important for fisheries management, but is often overlooked in China's fisheries management. The current management scheme creates few incentives to survey fishers, leading to limited behavioral information that further hinders decision-makers from accounting for human-nature interactions in management. To resolve this deadlock, we collected data on temporal and spatial variations in fishing effort from a pilot survey in Haizhou Bay, China, and incorporated this behavioral information in a fishery simulator to evaluate its impacts on the effectiveness of management measures. We selected the commercially important small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) as the targeted species in this study. Spatiotemporal management measures imposed on the stock were evaluated. Despite the large temporal and spatial scale of China's fisheries closure, our results indicate that the effectiveness of management measures can be reliant on the interaction between fisher behavior and fish population dynamics. In particular, we found that pulse fishing after the seasonal closure could create positive effects on fish biomass and catch because of the unique biology and seasonal migration patterns of the target species as well as its spatiotemporal relationship with fishing activities, which differs from the previous concern when not accounting for such interactions. Additionally, we observed that spatial movement of fishing vessels tended to pose more impacts on biomass and catch of our targeted species compared to pulse fishing, indicating the importance of understanding fleet spatial dynamics in future research and management. To promote the incorporation of behavioral information into China's fisheries management scheme, we advocate extending the current ecology-oriented monitoring programs to include social dimensions, collecting spatiotemporal behavioral data from well-designed fisher monitoring programs, and developing new strategies to cope with uncertainty in fleet dynamics in the upcoming fisheries management reforms.

Temporal stability in the otolith Sr:Ca ratio of the yellow croaker, Larimichthys polyactis (Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Sciaenidae), from the southern Yellow Sea

Otolith chemical signatures are sufficiently stable across time to allow for accurate stock classification. The classification of the southern Yellow Sea population for Larimichthys polyactis (Bleeker, 1877) and its connectivity with others from 1962 is controversial. The study aimed to study the inter-annual variation in otolith strontium:calcium (Sr:Ca) ratios of L. polyactis to determine whether otolith natural tags are representative over long periods and can then be used for population structure classification. Spawning L. polyactis individuals were captured by stow nets in the same site of the southern Yellow Sea coastal waters during April–May in 2003, 2012, and 2013. EPMA (electron probe microanalysis) was used to determine the Sr:Ca ratios of a total of 25 otolith samples. Mann–Whitney U-test was used to test the differences of otolith Sr:Ca ratios from the core to edge for each otolith. One-way ANOVA was performed to compare the mean otolith Sr:Ca values among 2003, 2012, and 2013. Otoliths from 2003, 2012, and 2013 showed similar patterns of Sr:Ca ratios and Sr:Ca ratios could be divided into higher and lower phases in the core and remaining regions, respectively. Inter-annual significant differences for each high or low Sr:Ca phase of otoliths were not observed over short- (between 2012 and 2013) or long-time (between 2003 and 2012, and between 2003 and 2013) scales. Univariate contrasts across the adjacent year and decade classes were statistically similar. The Sr:Ca ratio signatures in the otolith were relatively stable across years and can be used as a reliable natural tag for connectivity assessments and stock identification with little or no genetic differentiation among L. polyactis populations. The short- and long-term temporal stability of otolith Sr:Ca ratios also revealed, the existence of stable L. polyactis stocks in the southern Yellow Sea, consistent with a previous finding of capture survey.

DNA barcoding of yellow croakers (Larimichthys spp.) and morphologically similar fish species for authentication

Yellow croakers (Larimichthys spp.), including Larimichthys polyactis and L. crocea, are important traditional commercial fish species in East Asian countries. However, they are often replaced by low-value fish with similar morphological characteristics. This work aimed to exploit the application of DNA barcoding in molecular identification of L. polyactis, L. crocea and morphologically similar species of Nibea albiflora, Collichthys lucidus, Pennahia argentata, and P. macrocephalus. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) was affirmed as DNA barcode for the authentication of yellow croakers and yellow croaker products in China. Results showed that 37.03% (10/27) of the yellow croaker products were mislabeled and replaced by P. macrocephalus and P. argentata, suggesting that mislabeling is a widespread problem. In general, COI barcode, as a molecular tool, provides a useful method for the identification of yellow croakers, which may prevent mislabeling of fish products and food fraud.

Accounting for Seasonal Growth in Per-Recruit Analyses: A Case Study of Four Commercial Fish in Coastal China Seas

Biological reference points (BRPs) derived from per-recruit analyses are commonly used in inferring stock status and serve as the target or threshold in fisheries management. However, the estimation of BRPs may be impacted by the variability in life history processes, and particularly, individual growth rates often display substantial seasonal oscillations but are seldomly considered in per-recruit analyses. Using four commercial fish species Lophius litulon, Saurida elongata, Hexagrammos otakii, and Larimichthys polyactis in coastal China Seas as examples, this study examined the effects of seasonal growth variability on per-recruit analyses and on the estimation of BRPs. We developed an individual-based modeling framework to simulate growth patterns with and without variations at the seasonal and the individual levels and adopted two common assessment methods, age-based analysis and length-frequency analysis, to estimate growth parameters regarding data availability in data-rich or data-poor fisheries, respectively. We found that ignoring seasonality could lead to substantial errors in the estimation of BRPs for the small-size species H. otakii and L. polyactis in our evaluation; when seasonal growth was considered, the estimation could be largely improved. Length-frequency analysis might yield considerably less reliable estimations than age-based method. The time of year when fast growth occurs determines positive or negative bias in estimation, and the amplitude of seasonal growth determines the degree of biases. In general, ignoring the seasonality of growth when there is can lead to underestimated growth parameter K and trigger biases that propagate in stock assessment and management, whereas incorporating seasonality falsely in assessment when there is no seasonal variation will have little influences on the estimation of BRPs. This study contributes to demonstrate the risk of ignoring seasonality in stock assessment and the approaches accounting for seasonal variability in fishery management.