Tank culture of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares: developing a spawning population for research purposes

A land-based culture facility for research on yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, was developed at the Achotines Laboratory in the Republic of Panama. Six concrete tanks, and seawater and life support systems were built to maintain a yellowfin broodstock. On average, 50% of the yellowfin caught survived capture and handling, and approximately 30% became broodstock in Tank 1 (17 m diameter, 6 m depth) or Tank 2 (8.5 m diameter, 3 m depth). Each fish was tagged with a microchip implant tag, then weighed, measured, and injected with oxytetracycline (OTC) prior to stocking. Daily rations of primarily market squid, Loligo opalescens, and Pacific thread herring, Opisthonema spp., were regulated based on the feeding activity and energy requirements of the fish. Feeding activity of the broodstock decreased when the water temperatures decreased, and the fish ate decreasing daily rations and increasing calories with increasing size. Spawning occurred in both tanks within 6–8 months of capture. Spawning first occurred in Tank 1 when 24 females ranged in size from 6 to 16 kg and 65 to 93 cm fork length (FL). Spawning was intermittent during the first 2 months and occurred near daily thereafter. Tank size appeared to affect survival rates, the types of mortalities that occurred, and the growth of the fish. Survival rates after 1 year in captivity were higher, and the fish were larger, on average, in Tank 1 than in Tank 2. Most of the mortalities in Tank 1 were the result of wall strikes, which occurred more frequently after the fish reached their highest density of 0.64 kg m⁻³ and sizes greater than 96 cm FL and 19 kg. Non-linear growth models were fitted to the initial stocking sizes and final sizes of fish that died or were removed from Tank 1 during 1996–1999. Estimated growth rates in length (11–48 cm year⁻¹) for fish between 51 and 150 cm FL decreased with increasing length. Estimated growth rates in weight ranged from 9 to 19 kg year⁻¹ for fish less than 19 kg and 20–23 kg year⁻¹ for fish greater than 19 kg. The results of this work demonstrate that the stable environment of a land-based culture facility may be the preferred system for long-term maintenance of a yellowfin broodstock.     

Changes in myoglobin content and proximate compositions of the dorsal ordinary muscles of full-cycle cultured Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis (Temminck et Schlegel) with body size

We investigated the changes in myoglobin (Mb) content and proximate compositions of the cephalad parts of the dorsal ordinary muscles (Ce‐DOM) of full‐cycle cultured (FC) Pacific bluefin tuna [body length: 42.6–115.4 cm, body weight (BW): 1.7–38.4 kg, killed from July 2004 to October 2005]. The Mb content of Ce‐DOM increased (P<0.01) until a BW of 7.0 kg was reached. However, the Mb content of Ce‐DOM had a wide variety above a BW of 7.0 kg. On the other hand, the moisture, protein and ash contents of Ce‐DOM of FC tuna decreased (P<0.05 and 0.01) with an increase in BW. However, the lipid content of Ce‐DOM increased gradually above about a BW of 20.0 kg. Furthermore, the Mb content in protein of the Ce‐DOM of FC tuna increased with an increase in BW. These results indicated that the increase in Mb content of Ce‐DOM of FC tuna was not related to changes in proximate composition between a BW of 1.7 and 38.4 kg.     

Considerations of stock structure of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the Indian Ocean based on fishery data

Yellowfin stock structure in the Indian Ocean was studied by using industrial tuna longline fishery data. Three types of test variables were used to detect stock structure, i.e., CPUE, age-specific CPUE, and coefficient of variation for size. Time-series data of test variables were compiled for six sub-areas that were arranged by dividing the whole region systematically along longitude lines every 20 degrees. Then time-series data were smoothed by moving averages, and regressed by simple models. Patterns of time-series trends were graphically and statistically compared to classify homogeneous sub-area groups. Two assumptions were (a) that homogeneous stocks exist longitudinally and overlap in adjacent waters, and (b) that test variables within homogeneous sub-area groups are equally affected, and hence patterns of the time-series trends are similar. After graphical screening for significant sub-area groups, analysis of covariance was applied to test homogeneity of regression parameters representing patterns of the time-series trends. By classifying homogeneous sub-area groups, stock structures were determined at the P <0.05 and P <0.50 levels. The P<0.50 level was recognized as a useful criterion for ‘weak’ test variables since masked or vague structures at the P <0.05 level were likely cleared at this level in many cases. Results of this study and past stock structure studies were reviewed and compared. It was concluded that there are two major and two minor stocks of yellowfin tuna. The two major stocks (the western and the eastern) are located at 40^o-90^oE and 70^o-130^oE respectively. The minor stocks are the far western and the far eastern stocks (the latter possibly being a part of the Pacific stock), which are located westward of 40^oE and eastward of 110^oE respectively. Neighboring stocks are intermingled in adjacent waters.     

Incorporating spatial autocorrelation into the general linear model with an application to the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) longline CPUE data

Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) data have often been used to obtain a relative index of the abundance of a fish stock by standardizing nominal CPUE using various statistical methods. The theory underlying most of these methods assumes the independence of the observed CPUEs. This assumption is invalid for a fish population because of their spatial autocorrelation. To overcome this problem, we incorporated spatial autocorrelation into the standard general linear model (GLM). We also incorporated into it a habitat-based model (HBM), to reflect, more effectively, the vertical distributions of tuna. As a case study, we fitted both the standard-GLM and spatial-GLM (with or without HBM) to the yellowfin tuna CPUE data of the Japanese longline fisheries in the Indian Ocean. Four distance models (Gaussian, exponential, linear and spherical) were examined for spatial autocorrelation. We found that the spatial-GLMs always produced the best goodness-of-fit to the data and gave more realistic estimates of the variances of the parameters, and that HBM-based GLMs always produced better goodness-of-fit to the data than those without. Of the four distance models, the Gaussian model performed the best. The point estimates of the relative indices of the abundance of yellowfin tuna differed slightly between standard and spatial GLMs, while their 95% confidence intervals from the spatial-GLMs were larger than those from the standard-GLM. Therefore, spatial-GLMs yield more robust estimates of the relative indices of the abundance of yellowfin tuna, especially when the nominal CPUEs are strongly spatially autocorrelated.     

主捕长鳍金枪鱼延绳钓钓具的最适浸泡时间

根据2012年9月21日-11月15日库克群岛海域金枪鱼延绳钓海上调查数据,建立了钓钩深度计算模型,分两种起绳方式建立了作业中每一根支绳的浸泡时间计算模型。将钓钩深度以40 m为一层,共分为6个水层(40~80 m、80~120 m、120~160 m、160~200 m、200~240 m和240~280 m),统计每个水层和整个水体内的钓钩数量和长鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus alalunga)的渔获尾数。计算每个水层和整个水体内的钓具浸泡时间,并以1 h为间隔分别统计每个区间的支绳数量及渔获尾数,计算其渔获率。结果表明:(1)二次曲线可拟合浸泡时间与长鳍金枪鱼渔获率的关系,其渔获率随浸泡时间的增加呈现先增后减的趋势;(2)长鳍金枪鱼在40~280 m整个水体、6个水层中渔获率最高的浸泡时间为11.0~11.4 h。建议:(1)主捕长鳍金枪鱼时,尽可能把支绳的浸泡时间设定在10.0~12.0 h左右,以提高捕捞效率;(2)对于漂流延绳钓,整个水体的最佳浸泡时间可代表各个水层的最佳浸泡时间;(3)目标鱼种不同,钓具的最佳浸泡时间也不同;(4)浸泡时间可作为延绳钓钓具有效捕捞努力量。研究结果可用于提高长鳍金枪鱼捕捞效率,为渔业生产和CPUE的标准化提供参考。     

金枪鱼延绳钓船混合动力推进系统研究与分析

渔业节能减排和保护环境对促进国家海洋经济发展将起到重要作用。与传统的船舶动力系统相比,混合动力推进系统的电力推进具有调速范围广、驱动力大、易于正反转、体积小、布局灵活、安装方便、便于维修、振动和噪音小等优点。金枪鱼延绳钓船在作业时间内,主机处于低转速低负荷运行状态,燃油消耗率升高,出现积炭,导致增压器背压增加,可能引起喘振;主机受最低稳定转速限制,易造成航速忽快忽慢,不利于生产作业。根据金枪鱼延绳钓船作业方式和特点,提出分段驱动并联结构机电混合动力推进系统应用于金枪鱼延绳钓船,形成机电混合推进系统,降低了金枪鱼延绳钓船在航行及作业工况下对主机的依赖性,提高船舶推进系统冗余度,提高船舶放钓、收钓作业工况下的操纵灵活性,大幅度提高船舶操纵性和综合推进效率。通过经济适用性和环境保护性指标体系分析,与常规金枪鱼延绳钓船相比较,在放钓、巡钓和收钓作业等相同工况下,综合耗油量降低20%,系统可靠性,安全性和综合推进效率有一定提高。     

中西太平洋围网黄鳍金枪鱼渔场分布与溶解氧垂直结构的关系

溶解氧垂直结构是影响黄鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus albacares)垂直活动的重要因素,为了解中西太平洋围网黄鳍金枪鱼渔场溶解氧的分布特征及其对围网渔业生产的影响,基于WOA18溶解氧三维数据集和中西太平洋2008-2017年间围网黄鳍金枪鱼渔业的生产数据,分析渔场区溶解氧浓度的垂直结构特征及其与渔获量(catch p...     

Toward an environmental predictor of tuna recruitment

Bigeye tuna are of global economic importance and are the primary target species of Hawaii's most valuable commercial fishery. Due to their high commercial value, bigeye tuna are relatively well studied and routinely assessed. Larval and adult bigeye surveys have been conducted for many years and are supported by ongoing research on their physiology and life history. Yet, modeling stock dynamics and estimating future catch rates remain challenging. Here, we show that an appropriately lagged measure of phytoplankton size is a robust predictor of catch rates in Hawaii's bigeye tuna fishery with a forecast window of four years. We present a fishery‐independent tool with the potential to improve stock assessments, aid dynamic fisheries management, and allow Hawaii's commercial longline fishing industry to better plan for the future.     

Non-Destructive Quantification of Lipid and Water in Fresh Tuna Meat by a Single-Sided Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Scanner

A portable single-sided nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) surface scanner was applied to the non-destructive quantification of lipid and water in meat block samples of farmed bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). Proton NMR relaxation measurements of the fresh meat block samples were performed at room temperature in a laboratory. Totally, 34 tuna meat block samples were measured; the required measurement time was approximately 70 s for each sample. The results yielded estimation errors of 3.7 and 2.7 g/100 g for the lipid and water weight fractions, respectively. The investigation depth of the sensor was as deep as 3 cm, which enables the non-destructive quantification of the meat of the intact whole tuna beneath the thick scales, skin, and subcutaneous fat in markets and seafood factories.