Why do young Pacific bluefin tuna repeatedly dive to depths through the thermocline?

Young Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis with archival tags were released in the East China Sea. Time-series data for depth, and ambient and peritoneal temperatures for nine fish, recorded every 128 s, were analyzed. Our objectives were to describe monthly changes in diving patterns in relation to the ambient thermal structure and the occurrence of feeding events during March–June, and to discuss possible reasons why bluefin tuna repeatedly dived to depths below the thermocline in terms of their thermoconservation mechanisms. It was found that the fish repeatedly dived through the thermocline at intervals of 1.2 h on average, and the dive frequency was high during March–May. However, the dive frequency and periodicity decreased in June, when the gradient became steeper. In contrast, feeding events increased in June. These results indicate that from March to May, bluefin tuna repeatedly dive because food biomass is inadequate at the surface, and they stop undertaking repeated dives in June when food becomes more readily available at the surface, in addition to low visibility caused by low solar radiation. Further, the range of heat transfer times for these fish was so long that their peritoneal temperature was probably maintained by engaging in brief dives. The periodicity of dives may lead to a lower fluctuation in the peritoneal temperature, suggesting that the dives are a kind of behavioral thermoregulation.     

Carrying capacity and survival strategy for the Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis, in the Western Pacific

The carrying capacity for the Pacific bluefin tuna at each life stage is estimated and its survival strategy is examined numerically, using a new method to define the hypothetical capacity, the standard population, and the search volumes that are necessary and are feasible for the tuna. The carrying capacity for the adult is estimated at 1–2 × 10⁶ individuals, which corresponds with 5–10% of the hypothetical capacity and is comparable with the maximum levels of the southern and the Atlantic bluefin tuna populations. It is hypothesized semiquantitatively that the migration at each life stage and the remarkable decrement of growth at 120 days and about 40 cm occur as an evolutionary response to population excess over the carrying capacity. It is also hypothesized semiquantitatively that the early larvae have minimal food available in the Subtropical Water and develop the predatory morphology, high growth rate, and high mobility, however, at the expense of a high mortality as an evolutionary response to the tuna spawning in the Subtropical Water. This method may be an available tool to not only investigate the carrying capacity and survival strategy of a specific fish species, but also predict when and in how much abundance the fish species occurs in a specific area of its habitat.     

Recruitment abundance index of Pacific bluefin tuna using fisheries data on juveniles

ABSTRACT:   The recruitment abundance index of Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis was estimated from 1980 to 2003 fishing year by using the troll fishery data in Nagasaki Prefecture, western Japan. It has been shown that the troll fishery in Nagasaki Prefecture operates with good time–area coverage of the species habitat, and that the fishing power slightly changed during the period analyzed, based on fisheries statistics, published information, and interviews with the fishers. Average catch per unit effort (CPUEs) were standardized by a generalized linear model (GLM) considering the effects of fishing year, season and landing area. Standardized CPUE of age-0 bluefin tuna showed larger fluctuations year by year than the nominal CPUE combined for all ages. High CPUEs in fishing years of 1981, 1994, 1996 and 1999 were observed. Data from these years agreed with the higher recruitments estimated by virtual population analysis (VPA) or higher catch of age-0 fish reported for the Pacific side. The age-specific standardized CPUE of age-0 bluefin tuna in this study was judged to be a useful indicator of recruitment.     

The effect of water temperature on habitat use of young Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis in the East China Sea

ABSTRACT:   Immature Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis , tagged with archival tags, were released near Tsushima Island in the East China Sea (ECS) during the winters of 1995, 1996 and 1997. Geolocations were estimated using the archival tags from recovered fish. These data, together with sea surface temperature (SST) data from satellite remote sensing, are used to describe the habitat used by these bluefin in the ECS from January to June for 3 years (1996, 1997, 1998), and to asses the effect of water temperature on fish distribution and movement. The results indicate that their geolocations ranged from the area north-east of Tsushima Island to the offshore area in the south-west. However, the area of highest density differed among years, being furthest south in 1996 and furthest north in 1998. The differences were probably caused by changes in SST associated with La Niña (1996) and El Niño (1998) events. Another densely populated area was identified in offshore waters of latitude 28–30 °N in 1996 (only), on the cold side of the Kuroshio front. These fish may have been prevented from moving northwards by an intrusion of Kuroshio water of approximately 25°C into the region immediately to the north-east.     

中西太平洋鲣鱼丰度的时空分布及其与表温的关系

中西太平洋是全球金枪鱼围网的主要海域,鲣鱼(Katsuwonus pelamis)是金枪鱼围网的主要作业对象。本研究利用1983～2007年中西太平洋金枪鱼围网渔获物数据,结合海洋表层温度(SST)数据,分析中西太平洋鲣鱼资源丰度在时间序列和空间位置上的分布规律。研究表明,1983～2002年,各年平均CPUE在时间序列上呈一定的上升趋势,1983～2002年,平均SST在一定范围内上下波动,平均CPUE和平均SST无显著相关性;2003～2007年,平均CPUE和平均SST均呈较大幅度上升,两者呈显著相关。从空间位置分析,鲣鱼资源量集中出现在SST为28～30℃之间的海域,在5°N和10°S附近海域CPUE反映的总体资源量较高,而在0°和5°S的资源量较低。鲣鱼资源量较大区域分布在冷暖水团交汇处。     

A study on the variability of albacore (Thunnus alalunga) longline catch rates in the southwest Pacific Ocean

Relationships between albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) longline catch per unit effort (CPUE) and environmental variables from model outputs in New Caledonia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) were examined through generalized linear models at a 1° spatial resolution and 10‐day temporal resolution. At a regional (EEZ) scale, the study demonstrated that a large part of albacore CPUE variability can be explained by seasonal, interannual and spatial variation of the habitat. Results of the generalized linear models indicated that catch rates are higher than average in the northwestern part of the EEZ at the beginning of the year (January) and during the second half of the year (July–December). In the northwestern region of the EEZ, high CPUEs are associated with waters <20.5° in the intermediate layer and with moderate values of primary production. Longline CPUE also appeared to be dependent on prey densities, as predicted from a micronekton model. Albacore CPUE was highest at moderate densities of prey in the epipelagic layer during the night and for relatively low prey densities in the mesopelagic layer during the day. We also demonstrated that the highest CPUEs were recorded from 1986 to 1998, which corresponds to a period with frequent El Niño events.     

基于鱼鳞明胶的可食性保鲜膜对金枪鱼肉的保鲜作用研究

为分析不同复合保鲜膜处理对金枪鱼的保鲜效果,以鱼鳞明胶为主料,添加桔子/柠檬精油和薄荷制备可食性保鲜膜,用于金枪鱼肉的冷藏保鲜,检测冷藏过程中金枪鱼肉的TVB-N值、pH值、菌落总数、肌红蛋白与高铁肌红蛋白含量、a^*值、TBA值的变化,并对金枪鱼的品质进行感官评价分析。结果表明,鱼鳞明胶膜中添加薄荷、桔子精油和柠檬精油均能不同程度地抑制金枪鱼肉中的微生物繁殖,减缓TVB-N值、TBA值和高铁肌红蛋白含量的升高,抑制鱼肉色泽的衰变,且薄荷与桔子/柠檬精油的复合有协同增效保鲜金枪鱼肉的作用。明胶膜中复合2%浓度的桔子/柠檬精油对金枪鱼肉风味略有覆盖,低浓度桔子/柠檬精油(1%)有优化金枪鱼鱼肉气味的作用,且以柠檬精油的效果更优,1%薄荷-1%桔子精油-鱼鳞明胶复合膜和1%薄荷-1%柠檬精油-鱼鳞明胶复合膜保鲜处理的金枪鱼肉的货架期可分别延长至 7 d 和8 d。本研究结果为制备高品质水产品可食性保鲜膜材料提供了理论依据和技术支持。     

Spatial variability of bigeye tuna habitat in the Pacific Ocean: Hindcast from a refined ecological niche model

Habitat distribution is critically informative for stock assessment, since incorporating its variabilities can have important implications for the estimation of stock biomass or the relative abundance index. A refined ecological niche model with habitat characteristic parameterization was developed to reconstitute a 3‐D ecological map of bigeye tuna in the Pacific Ocean. We determined the boundaries and hierarchies of oceanographic features and hydrological conditions at horizontal and vertical scales to define the habitat preference of bigeye tuna associated with their feeding and physiological requirements. Ecogeographic projections underlined the depth‐ and region‐specific habitat distribution of bigeye tuna, with noticeable dynamic variations in the response to climate variability. Depths from 300 to 400 m represented layers of the most productive habitat, which was widespread through the equatorial Pacific Ocean and extended to the north‐central Pacific Ocean. The proportion of high‐quality habitat size in the north Pacific had a strictly regular intra‐annual cycle with peaks during the winter. Climate variability appeared to disturb the balance of the regular fluctuations in habitat size in the equatorial Pacific. Habitat hotspots during an El Niño period were characterized by their expansion to the north of the Hawaiian islands, shrinkage in the west for the hotspot band north of the Equator, and an eastern shift for the band south of the Equator. This variability may be the consequence of the incorporated fluctuations of the oxygen minimum zones (OMZ), current systems, and stratification in the open ocean.     

An argo‐based experiment providing near‐real‐time subsurface oceanic environmental information for fishery data

A better understanding of the relationships between oceanic environments and fishing conditions could make the utilization of fish more efficient, profitable, and sustainable. The current lack of high‐precision subsurface seawater information has long been a constraint on fishery research. Using near‐real‐time Argo observations, this paper presents a new approach called gradient‐dependent optimal interpolation. This approach provides daily subsurface oceanic environmental information according to fishery dates and locations. An experiment was conducted in the western and central Pacific Ocean using yellowfin tuna (YFT) catch data in August 2017. The results of seawater temperature and salinity represented differences of less than ±0.5°C and ±0.05, respectively, according to verification of error analysis and truth‐finding comparisons. After applying the constructed temperature and salinity profiles, we described the relationship between subsurface information and yellowfin tuna catch distribution. Statistical analysis revealed that yellowfin tuna were more adapted to warmer and saltier seawater. At the near‐surface (<5 m), the most suitable temperature was 28–29°C, although yellowfin tuna can endure a temperature range from 11 to 12°C at a depth of 300 m. The corresponding upper boundary of the thermocline was approximately 75 m, with a mean strength of 0.074°C/m, and the most suitable salinity for yellowfin tuna was 34.5–36.0 at depths shallower than 300 m. These results indicated that the constructed subsurface information was very close to the true values and they had high spatial and temporal accuracy.     

基于将大西洋蓝鳍金枪鱼列入CITES附录Ⅰ提案的国际渔业管理分析

受国际市场对大西洋蓝鳍金枪鱼产品需求的驱动,非法、不报告、不管制捕捞和捕捞能力过剩等现象频频发生,造成该鱼类资源的数量持续下降。瑞典、摩纳哥先后向濒危野生动植物种国际贸易委员会提议将大西洋蓝鳍金枪鱼列入《濒危野生动植物种国际贸易公约》附录,禁止捕捞和国际贸易该鱼种,引起了广泛关注和激烈争论。为此,通过分析ICCAT对大西洋蓝鳍金枪鱼的管理、相关国家或地区组织的不同意见,研究该提案可能对国际渔业管理及我国带来的影响。一旦该鱼种列入CITES附录,可能导致更多商业开发的水生生物被提到CITES框架上来,从而影响世界渔业的管理格局。对此,中国应采取行动,积极参加国际组织会议,参与规则制定,反映中国关注问题与主张。而作为联合国海洋法公约和ICCAT的一员,我国也有义务与其他国家合作执行ICCAT的养护和管理措施,为提高履约能力,规范国内远洋企业的管理,如按照相关要求及时、准确报送数据等,从而配合国家履行国际义务。