Movements and behaviors of swordfish in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans examined using pop‐up satellite archival tags

Swordfish are highly specialized top‐level predators that have been challenging to study. In this paper, data from 31 pop‐up satellite archival tags attached to swordfish from (i) the eastern Pacific, (ii) central Pacific, and (iii) western North Atlantic‐Caribbean were analyzed. Common across locations was a pronounced diel vertical pattern with daytime hours spent primarily below the thermocline and nighttime hours spent in warmer waters, close to the surface. One exception to this pattern was periodic daytime basking events which were most common in cooler waters off California. Maximum daytime depths were significantly correlated with light penetration as measured by the diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm. Temperature did not appear to influence daytime depths, and swordfish tolerated both extremely low temperatures (4°C) and rapid and dramatic temperature changes (>20°C). Temperature did appear to influence the nighttime depths in the Pacific where fish typically remained in the surface mixed layer. In contrast, in the warm tropical Atlantic this was not the case, and nighttime depths were much deeper. In all areas, nighttime depth increased around the full moon. Given the parallels between the vertical movement patterns of swordfish and those of the deep sound scattering layer we suggest that swordfish vertical distribution patterns, especially during daytime, are influenced largely by resource availability. At night, when swordfish are typically targeted by fisheries, both ambient light and temperature influence movements. Understanding vertical movement patterns of swordfish can help evaluate gear vulnerability, improve population assessments, and potentially reduce fisheries bycatch.     

Influence of temperature and oxygen on the distribution of blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) in the Central Pacific

The blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) is a highly migratory pelagic predator of tropical and subtropical seas. Information on the habitat use of marine species is fundamental to understanding their ecology and population dynamics and is needed to inform responsible management strategies. Using a long‐term satellite tagging data set from The International Game Fish Association Great Marlin Race, we examined habitat use and how oxygen and temperature influence the horizontal and vertical distributions of blue marlin in the Central Pacific. Blue marlin primarily occurred in warm waters (26–30°C) and exhibited a diel bimodal depth distribution across the 5‐year data record (2009–2013), with fish spending the majority of their time near the surface at night and at deeper depths during the day (25–100 m). The depth distribution of blue marlin was limited in areas where low oxygen and/or temperature conditions occur closer to the surface, with the extent of habitat compression being greatest when both oxygen and temperature were limiting. The migrations of blue marlin appeared restricted during the 2010 La Niña, when increased equatorial upwelling resulted in an extension of the cold, low oxygen waters of the cold tongue into the Central Pacific, creating a barrier to the trans‐equatorial migrations that occurred during all other tagging years. If the frequency and intensity of La Niña events increases and the oxygen minimum layer continues to expand as has been predicted under certain climate change scenarios, the migratory behavior and habitat availability of blue marlin may be impacted.     

Migration and behavior of juvenile North Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga)

Archival tags were used to study the seasonal movements, migration patterns and vertical distribution of juvenile North Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga). Between 2001 and 2006, archival tags were deployed in North Pacific albacore in two regions of the Northeast Pacific: (i) off Northern Baja California, Mexico and Southern California, and (ii) off Washington and Oregon. Twenty archival tagged fish were recovered with times at liberty ranging from 63 to 697 days. Tagged albacore exhibited five distinct, seasonal migratory patterns. Depth and temperature data also showed a broad range of vertical behaviors. In certain regions such as off Baja California, Mexico, juvenile albacore make frequent dives to depths exceeding 200 m during the day and remain in the surface mixed layer at night, whereas off Oregon and Washington they remain near the surface both day and night. Water temperatures encountered ranged from 3.3 to 22.7°C. Peritoneal temperatures were significantly higher by an average of approximately 4°C, as expected in these warm‐bodied fish. This study provides a comprehensive examination of horizontal and vertical movements of juvenile albacore in the Northeast Pacific. The results reveal diverse behavior that varies regionally and seasonally as albacore move among different habitats throughout the entire North Pacific.     

What goes up must come down: Diel vertical migration in the deep‐water sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) revealed by pop‐up satellite archival tags

The sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) is a long‐lived species with wide distribution throughout the North Pacific Ocean. While adult sablefish are considered a deep‐water fish, diet analyses suggest that they undergo vertical migrations that could be related to prey movement and feeding. Pop‐up satellite archival tags (PSATs) were used to observe the fine‐scale depth selection behavior of adult sablefish tagged off the Washington coast during the summer from June to August. Tags were physically retrieved after they surfaced using direction‐finding equipment so that complete datasets over the entire deployment were obtained from 14 tags. PSATs that recorded depth and temperature every 4 min during the deployment confirm that sablefish inhabit depths of 750 m or greater. However, a majority of the tagged fish underwent extensive vertical migrations that averaged 254.4 m overall and occurred at a 24 hr periodicity. Variations were observed among individuals in the amount of the deployment during which vertical migrations occurred, ranging from 12.37% to 63.48% of the time. During the vertical migration, fish ascended towards the surface at night and descended prior to daylight (i.e., diel vertical migration). Sablefish generally inhabited temperatures of 5°C but during the vertical migrations were found at temperatures from 6 to 10°C. Sablefish are opportunistic feeders with a large proportion of their diet being fish, euphausiids and cephalopods. Because these prey items also exhibit diel vertical migrations, it is possible that the vertical migratory behavior displayed by the sablefish was in response to the movements or the location of their prey.     

Horizontal and vertical movement of Mekong giant catfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pangasianodon gigas</Emphasis> measured using acoustic telemetry in Mae Peum Reservoir,Thailand

Abstract:   The horizontal and vertical movements of eight immature hatchery-reared Mekong giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas were monitored using acoustic telemetry in Mae Peum Reservoir, Thailand between 2003 and 2004. The fish were monitored for between eight days and more than 9 months. All of the fish moved over the entire reservoir within approximately 40 days after release. Subsequently, the home range became small approximately 40 days after release. The fish preferred deep areas in the reservoir. The fish displayed diel horizontal and vertical movement patterns. The fish showed larger-scale horizontal movement during the daytime than at night. The fish repeatedly showed active vertical movement during the day, whilst there was little variation in swimming depth at night. Our results imply that the vertical movements of the fish were related to the environmental condition of the reservoir.     

南昌月亮湖夏季浮游动物昼夜垂直分布及迁移特征

2013年8月1日19∶00至2日18∶00,通过间隔1 h的定量采样,研究南昌市典型城市湖泊月亮湖中浮游动物(轮虫、枝角类和桡足类)的昼夜垂直分布规律。结果表明,月亮湖共发现浮游动物20种,其中轮虫16种,枝角类1种,桡足类3种;剪形臂尾轮虫(Brachionus forficula)、桡足类无节幼体(Copepoda Nauplii)和迈氏三肢轮虫(Filinia maior)为优势物种,分别占总捕获数量的48.27%、15.75%和11.11%。浮游动物主要类群和优势物种的Morisita指数均大于1,说明月亮湖中的浮游动物群落呈聚集分布。密度垂直分布和平均滞留深度分析结果显示,浮游动物垂直分布昼夜差异明显,夜间(19∶00-05∶00),浮游动物先聚集于月亮湖中层,01∶00后逐渐迁移到表层;白天(06∶00-18∶00),浮游动物逐渐从表层向中层和底层迁移;主要类群中轮虫、枝角类和桡足类的迁移均表现为夜间上升、白天下降、傍晚再上升,轮虫和桡足类的迁移幅度小于枝角类。优势种剪形臂尾轮虫和无节幼体的昼夜垂直迁移表现为夜升昼降,至傍晚再上升;迈氏三肢轮虫昼夜垂直分布差异显著(P0.05),但昼夜垂直迁移活动不明显。相关分析表明,水温、p H值和溶解氧对月亮湖浮游动物的垂直分布和迁移活动有显著影响。     

Horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of larval myctophid fishes in the Kuroshio Current region

The horizontal and vertical distribution of myctophid fish larvae is described based on discrete depth sampling from the surface down to 200 m at seven stations on a transect crossing the Kuroshio Current on 6–9 July 1977. A total of 7819 larvae was collected. Myctophid larvae accounted for 72% of the total fish larvae and included 18 species or types belonging to 12 genera. Based on horizontal distribution patterns these species (or types) were categorized into three groups, i.e. Kuroshio-axis group ( Myctophum asperum , M. orientale , Lampadena luminosa and Symbolophorus evermanni ), Kuroshio east group ( Hygophum reinhardtii , Lampanyctus alatus , Diogenichthys atlanticus , Lobianchia gemellarii , M. nitidulum , Benthosema suborbitale , Lampadena sp. and Ceratoscopelus warmingii ) and Pan- Kuroshio group [ Diaphus stubby type (mostly D. garmani ) and D. kuroshio ]. Larvae of the subfamily Lampanyctinae were distributed in shallower (0–30 m) waters than those of the subfamily Myctophinae (50–150 m), while this relationship was opposite of the night-time depth distribution of adults of the two subfamilies.     

东海区带鱼底拖网昼夜渔获率差异的统计分析

以2004年和2005年东海区重点渔场底拖网渔业资源监测资料,从中选取带鱼渔获率作为指标值,并将昼夜不同网次渔获率分成4组,应用最小显著性差异法(LSD)对东海区带鱼昼夜渔获率进行了统计学分析,以揭示带鱼昼夜的活动规律,并利用样本均值的95%置信区间法估算带鱼昼夜渔获率的差异程度,为东海区渔业资源大面定点调查带鱼昼夜网次间渔获率的差异修正提供量化指标。结果表明,东海区带鱼昼间与夜间的渔获率具有统计学上的显著性差异,昼间的渔获率显著地高于夜间的渔获率,带鱼昼间栖息于底层和近底层,夜间垂直移动到中上层;使用拖网规格为100◇×4 m/88 m、网囊网目为25 mm的调查网具,2004年昼间和夜间带鱼渔获率均值的95%置信区间分别为:220.89±12.94和128.23±10.75;2005年昼间和夜间带鱼渔获率均值的95%置信区间分别为:176.28±20.63和105.23±9.71;取2年带鱼昼夜差异程度的平均值,最保守的估计是昼间网次的渔获率均值是夜间的1.69倍。本研究从统计学分析角度证实了以往的无量化的带鱼昼夜渔获率存在差异的观察结果,推断了带鱼具有昼夜垂直移动的习性,其意义在于利用LSD法可以分析其它鱼种的昼夜栖息特征并提供昼夜渔获率均值差异程度的量化指标。     

Diel variation in stream fish habitat suitability criteria: implications for instream flow assessment

• 1. Habitat suitability criteria that fail to incorporate temporal variability in habitat preferences of stream fish may mis‐represent critical habitat requirements and lead to setting of inappropriate flow targets when used in instream flow assessments. Developing suitability criteria from daytime observations alone relies on the assumption that habitat preferences are constant over the diel cycle. Few studies have tested these assumptions, particularly for small‐bodied, cryptic, benthic species.
• 2. During summer in two gravel‐bed rivers, bluegill bullies (Gobiomorphus hubbsi), torrentfish (Cheimarrichthys fosteri) and upland bullies (Gobiomorphus breviceps) exhibited strong preferences with respect to water depth, velocity and substratum size. All three species underwent a diel shift in microhabitat preference for at least two of these variables.
• 3. Microhabitat preferences were generally weaker when fish were active at night; bluegill bullies, upland bullies and especially torrentfish were observed over a broader range of depths, velocities and substratum sizes at night than during the day. Observations of fish in a stream simulator confirmed that bluegill bullies and torrentfish showed a preference for runs at dusk and return to riffles before dawn, but habitat preferences of upland bullies remained static across the diel cycle.
• 4. Diel microhabitat shifts affected the assessment of flow requirements. Instream habitat analysis of the Waipara River using separate day and night suitability criteria predicted differing amounts of habitat available at a given flow, and the relationships between fish abundance, fish density and flow. The presence of diel microhabitat shifts in stream fishes suggests that instream habitat analyses will produce more effective and defensible flow recommendations when patterns of nocturnal microhabitat preferences are known and critical habitat bottlenecks can be identified. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Night-time vertical distribution and abundance of small epipelagic and mesopelagic fishes in the upper 100 m layer of the Kuroshio-Oyashio Transition Zone in Spring

ABSTRACT:   In order to simultaneously compare vertical distributions of small pelagic fishes and mesopelagic fishes during the night in the upper 100 m, one oblique and 11 horizontal tows of large-sized (opening area 480 m²) trawl operations were conducted at different depths in the Kuroshio–Oyashio Transition Zone during 20–22 May 1995. While Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus and Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus were concentrated in the upper 20 m, mackerels Scomber spp. were collected uniformly in the upper 80 m layer. Myctophid fishes Ceratoscopelus warmingii, Diaphus kuroshio, Diogenichthys atlanticus , Myctophum asperum , Notoscopelus spp. mostly N. resplendens , and Symbolophorus californiensis , a gempylid Nealotus tripes , a microstomatid Lipolagus ochotensis and a phosichthyid Vinciguerria nimbaria were dominant components of mesopelagic fishes that ascended to the upper 100 m layer at night, where these mesopelagic fishes concentrated at depths of 20–80 m. In the upper 20 m layer, Japanese anchovy comprised 60% of the total wet weight of all fishes followed by D. atlanticus (3%), C. warmingii (2%) and S. californiensis (2%). Juvenile myctophids were dominant in the upper 20 m layer compared to deeper layers.