A spatially explicit study of prey–predator interactions in larval fish: assessing the influence of food and predator abundance on larval growth and survival

We apply a coupled biophysical model to reconstruct the environmental history of larval radiated shanny in Conception Bay, Newfoundland. Data on the larvae, their prey and predators were collected during a 2‐week period. Our goal was to determine whether environmentally explicit information could be used to infer the characteristics of individual larvae that are most likely to survive. Backward drift reconstruction was used to assess the influence of variations in the feeding environment on changes in the growth rates of individual larvae. Forward drift projections were used to assess the impact of predators on mortality rates as well as the cumulative density distribution of growth rates in the population of larvae in different areas of the bay. There was relatively little influence of current feeding conditions on increment widths. Patterns of selective mortality indicate that fast‐growing individuals suffered higher mortality rates, suggesting they were growing into a predator's prey field. However, the mortality rates appeared to increase with decreasing predator abundance, based on the drift reconstructions. The relationship of growth and mortality with environmental conditions suggests that short‐term, small‐scale variations in environmental history may be difficult to describe accurately in this relatively small system (～1000 km²).     

Simulation of mackerel (Scomber scombrus) recruitment with an individual-based model and comparison with field data

An individual‐based model (IBM) for the simulation of year‐to‐year survival during the early life‐history stages of the north‐east Atlantic stock of mackerel (Scomber scombrus) was developed within the EU funded Shelf‐Edge Advection, Mortality and Recruitment (SEAMAR) programme. The IBM included transport, growth and survival and was used to track the passive movement of mackerel eggs, larvae and post‐larvae and determine their distribution and abundance after approximately 2 months of drift. One of the main outputs from the IBM, namely distributions and numbers of surviving post‐larvae, are compared with field data as recruit (age‐0/age‐1 juveniles) distribution and abundance for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000. The juvenile distributions show more inter‐annual and spatial variability than the modelled distributions of survivors; this may be due to the restriction of using the same initial egg distribution for all 3 yr of simulation. The IBM simulations indicate two main recruitment areas for the north‐east Atlantic stock of mackerel, these being Porcupine Bank and the south‐eastern Bay of Biscay. These areas correspond to areas of high juvenile catches, although the juveniles generally have a more widespread distribution than the model simulations. The best agreement between modelled data and field data for distribution (juveniles and model survivors) is for the year 1998. The juvenile catches in different representative nursery areas are totalled to give a field abundance index (FAI). This index is compared with a model survivor index (MSI) which is calculated from the total of survivors for the whole spawning season. The MSI compares favourably with the FAI for 1998 and 1999 but not for 2000; in this year, juvenile catches dropped sharply compared with the previous years but there was no equivalent drop in modelled survivors.     

Modelling the retention and survival of Browns Bank haddock larvae using an early life stage model

Browns Bank, the principal spawning ground for haddock on the south-west Nova Scotian shelf, is composed of two distinct production zones: the inshore Bay of Fundy (BoF) region and the offshore south-west Nova (SWN) bank region. Fish growing in the BoF are larger at age than those in the SWN region. Analysis of research vessel (RV) data shows that the majority of age-2 haddock have the size of south-west Nova Scotia fish, suggesting that the majority of surviving fish were retained in SWN. We used an early life stage (ELS) model to address two questions. First, we asked whether the length-at-age difference between Bof and SWN is evident at the larval stage. Using a temperature-based growth model, we found that predicted size differences for late larvae would be less than 0.5 mm. From consideration of the average growth curves to age-2 for the two regions, we showed that this difference was not the seed for the size difference in later life stage. The second question we addressed was how well the ELS model predicted partitioning of late larvae between SWN and the BoF corresponding to the ratio of SWN/BoF age-2 juveniles found in the RV data. We ran the model on a representative number of years between 1973 and 1992, and found a significant correlation between the model simulation and the data (cor=0.71, P =0.047). This indicates that the age-2 size distribution is a reflection of retention and survival occurring during the first two months of life. Model/data discrepancies are explained in terms of differential mortality between the two regions.     

Survival and growth of selected marine fish larvae first fed with eggs and endotrophic larvae of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

Two sets of experiments were carried out to evaluate the potential of eggs and endotrophic larvae of captive Paracentrotus lividus as alternative live prey for marine fish larvae first feeding. The first consisted in rearing sparids, Diplodus sargus and Sparus aurata, larvae until 15 days after hatching in a recirculation system. Compared with the commonly used live prey – rotifer Brachionus spp. – general lower values of survival and growth were obtained when fish larvae were fed with the alternative live prey. Among these, eggs showed to be the preferred feeding. Broodstock feed showed to play a fundamental role on prey quality and consequent fish larvae survival. In the second set of experiments, the 24‐h ingestions of the first feeding larvae in static water were determined for five currently cultured fish larvae species. Except for larger and more predatory Dicentrarchus labrax larvae, there was a trend for higher P. lividus egg ingestion, followed by pre‐plutei and prisms. Prey size, colour and movement affected food selection by fish larvae. It is concluded that, in spite of the alternative live prey being readily consumed by all tested fish larvae, they cannot however presently compete with rotifers in marine fish larvae first feeding.     

福建三沙湾鱼卵、仔稚鱼种类组成及其丰度时空分布

根据2008年春季(5月5日、5月17日)和秋季(11月14日、11月30日)分别在三沙湾进行4次鱼卵、仔稚鱼调查资料及历史相关资料,对三沙湾鱼卵、仔稚鱼种类组成、丰度分布的变化进行分析和讨论.结果表明:调查海区出现的鱼卵、仔稚鱼有35种(包括2种未定种类),比1990年和2007年分别增加了9种和12种;其中鱼卵数量...     

Turbulent mixing and mesoscale distributions of late-stage fish larvae on the NW Shelf of Western Australia

Light traps were deployed to describe vertical and cross‐shelf distributions of late‐stage larval fishes during five cruises in each of the 1997/98 and 1998/99 summers in the region of the Gulf of Exmouth on the southern North West Shelf of Western Australia. At each light trap station on a cross‐shelf transect we measured water temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a and used vertical plankton tows to estimate zooplankton biomass and copepod abundance. Current meters were deployed on moorings near the transect and the data used to model flows and mixing on the NW Shelf and in the Gulf. The majority of reef, pelagic and baitfish larvae (81, 83 and 66% respectively) were collected at only two stations that marked the boundary between stratified waters offshore and well‐mixed water within the Gulf. Most baitfishes (primarily Spratelloides spp.) were captured by traps deployed near the seabed, while reef fishes (mostly pomacentrids, lethrinids and siganids) and pelagic species (mostly scombrids and carangids) were captured in traps deployed near surface. Catch composition varied between summers with 64% of baitfishes collected in the first summer, while the majority of reef and pelagic fishes (81 and 80% respectively) were captured in the second summer. Modelling of circulation showed that the velocity of tidal currents was enhanced by constriction of flow between NW Cape and South Muiron Island and by shallowing of the shelf. Flood‐tide intrusions of water allowed the thermocline to move up the continental shelf, upwelling cool nutrient‐rich water that was then mixed throughout the entire water column at stations in the mouth of the Gulf. This upwelling and mixing resulted in higher chlorophyll a concentrations and copepod abundances either as a result of local in situ growth or advection/aggregation processes, and may account for the great abundances of late‐stage fish larvae in the mouth of the Gulf.     

Responsiveness of fish mass–abundance relationships and trophic metrics to flood disturbance,stream size,land cover and predator taxa presence in headwater streams

Characterisation of food webs, by summarising energy transfer and trophic relationships, allows more functional measurement of ecosystems and may reveal threats (e.g., land‐cover change) in sensitive environments that are not obvious from conventional biomonitoring. However, typical methods used to achieve this are time‐consuming and expensive. Therefore, we tested the usefulness of fish‐focused food‐web proxies as functional measures, specifically mass–abundance relationships of fish assemblages and stable isotope (SI)‐derived metrics in headwater stream reaches. These metrics have been trialled before for similar use in other settings, but have yielded varying results, and have not been employed in tandem in temperate freshwaters. Sampling reaches (N = 46) were spread across a variety of streams, and the effects of habitat predictors at multiple scales on metrics were assessed using model selection. We found that habitat size positively correlated with food‐chain lengths in streams, possibly because of increased abundance of fish at multiple trophic levels in habitats with more space. Additionally, flood disturbance was negatively associated with fish mass–abundance and carbon range, likely due to the harshness of flood‐prone streams. Riparian land‐cover variables were correlated with multiple metrics, indicating the importance of terrestrial–aquatic linkages. Additionally, variations in all metrics were influenced by the presence of native, predatory longfin eels. Overall, we conclude that mass–abundance relationships and SI‐derived metrics are sensitive to drivers of trophic organisation and likely reflect processes occurring at multiple spatial scales in freshwaters. Thus, these metrics could be an insightful monitoring tool for managers because they reflect functional measures of aquatic ecosystems.     

The response of fish larvae to decadal changes in environmental forcing factors off the Oregon coast

We conducted a statistical analysis to characterize the influence of large‐scale and local environmental factors on presence‐absence, concentration, and assemblage structure of larval fish within the northern California Current (NCC) ecosystem, based on samples collected at two nearshore stations along the Newport Hydrographic line off the central Oregon coast. Data from 1996 to 2005 were compared with historical data from the 1970s and 1980s to evaluate pseudo‐decadal, annual, and seasonal variability. Our results indicate that the most abundant taxa from 1996 to 2005 differ from those of earlier decades. Concentrations of the dominant taxa and total larvae were generally greater in the winter/spring than summer/fall season. Using generalized additive modeling, variations in presence‐absence and concentration of taxa were compared to climate indices such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, Northern Oscillation Index, and the multivariate ENSO index and local environmental factors, such as upwelling, Ekman transport, and wind stress curl. Significant relationships were found for various combinations of environmental variables with lag periods ranging from 0 to 7 months. We found that the large‐scale climate indices explained more of the variance in larval fish concentration and diversity than did the more local factors. Our results indicate that readily available oceanographic and climate indices can explain variations in the dominant ichthyoplankton taxa in the NCC. However, variation in response among taxa to the environmental metrics suggests additional unknown factors not included in the analysis likely contributed to the observed distribution patterns and larval fish community structure in the NCC.     

浙江中北部沿岸春、夏季鱼卵和仔稚鱼种类组成与数量分布

根据2008年4,5,6月在浙江中北部沿岸禁渔区线内45个站位开展的产卵场调查资料,研究分析了该海域鱼卵、仔稚鱼的种类组成和数量分布。结果表明,本海区共出现鱼卵、仔稚鱼64个种类,分别隶属13目36科47属,能鉴定到种的有47种,鉴定到科的有17种。3个航次的调查共采集到鱼卵5 846个和仔稚鱼5 502个。其中4月最少,仅采集到鱼卵366个和仔稚鱼1 445个,分别占鱼卵和仔稚鱼总数量的6.26%、26.26%;5月份共采集到鱼卵1 530个和仔稚鱼1 551个,分别占鱼卵和仔稚鱼总数量的26.17%、28.19%;6月份数量最多,共采集到鱼卵3 950个和仔稚鱼2 506个,分别占总数的67.57%、45.55%,4—6月鱼卵、仔稚鱼的数量呈月递增趋势。鱼卵中石首鱼科未定种最多占10.06%,其次黄姑鱼占6.45%,再次为凤鲚占总数的6.06%。凤鲚仔稚鱼数量最多,占总种类数的34.06%,其次为虾虎鱼科仔稚鱼,占24.25%,再次为鲻科鱼类仔稚鱼,占23.57%。调查发现杭州湾是凤鲚的主要产卵场,其仔稚鱼也主要分布在杭州湾内,少量分布在舟山渔场和鱼山渔场。小黄鱼产卵场主要分布在舟山渔场、鱼山渔场外侧。从产卵时间和渔场分布来看,鱼山渔场是最早集中的水域,随着时间推移,产卵场的中心区向北部水域的舟山渔场转移。研究的海域内重要经济鱼类大黄鱼、小黄鱼、银鲳的鱼卵数量百分比明显下降,由1960年的优势种成为现在的非优势种;主要经济鱼类中鳓、凤鲚所占比例相对增加,但绝对数量有所下降。在某种程度上说明,沿岸水域资源补充量有所减少,这可能与水域环境变化及过度捕捞导致亲体量减少有关。     

Species composition and diversity of fish larvae in the Subtropical Convergence Zone of the Sargasso Sea from morphology and DNA barcoding

Specific regions of otherwise oligotrophic oceans seem to attract fish spawning and sustain significant abundances of fish larvae. The Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre is known as the spawning area of the Atlantic eels, but numerous other fish species also spawn in the area. In order to evaluate spatial variability of larval fish in the region, we examined species diversity, composition and abundances at eight stations in the Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ) using morphological identification and DNA barcoding. From a total of approximately 3500 specimens collected, at least 154 species from 50 families could be identified. The family Myctophidae had the highest species richness, with at least 32 species represented. The myctophids Lepidophanes gaussi, Bolinichthys indicus, Notolychnus valdiviae and Ceratoscopelus warmingii were the four most abundant species. Other common species included the three eels: Nemichthys scolopaceus, Ariosoma balearicum and Anguilla anguilla. Larval fish species composition differed substantially between the relatively closely spaced stations on either side of prominent hydrographic fronts in the study area, presumably because of the strong environmental gradients. Common eel species were concentrated between the fronts whereas common myctophids were of highest abundance at the outer edges of the fronts. The abundances of most species were generally enhanced in the vicinity of the fronts. The use of combined morphological and DNA‐barcoding identification methods facilitated species identification, and we could document substantially higher levels and a larger degree of spatial variability in species diversity of fish larvae than previously shown for oligotrophic ocean areas.     

长江口及其邻近水域仔稚鱼种类组成及分布特征

为了探明长江口及其临近水域鱼类繁殖盛期仔稚鱼种类组成及分布情况,于2014年5月和6月在长江口及其临近水域23个站点分涨、落潮水平拖网同步检测环境因子,获得仔稚鱼样品357 ind。其中5月份样本125 ind,隶属于5目7科10种,以鲈形目居多,共5种,占50.00%,其次为鲤形目有2种,鲇形目、鯔形目和鲽形目各出现1种;优势种有香斜棘(Repomucenus olidus)、睛尾蝌蚪虾虎鱼(Lophiogobius ocellicauda)、斑尾刺虾虎鱼(Acanthogobius ommaturus)、贝氏(Hemiculter bleeker)、鮻(Liza haematocheila)和矛尾虾虎鱼(Chaeturichthys stigmatias)。6月份获得样本232 ind,隶属于9目12科22种,同样以鲈形目占优,共11种,占50.00%,其次为鲤形目4种,其它各目均为1种;优势种有凤鲚(Coilia mystus)、贝氏、鮻、阿部鲻虾虎鱼(Mugilogobius abei)、鳊(Parabramis pekinensis)和青弹涂鱼(Scartelaos viridis)。分别对5月和6月份涨、落潮做空间分布图。结果显示,产卵盛期不同月份仔稚鱼种类差异较明显,优势种5月和6月差异也较明显,6月调查获得的种类明显高于5月。分布范围也存在较大差异,5月份仔稚鱼主要分布在以S14站点为中心的长江口南支水域,6月份主要分布在以S22为中心的长江口东部海域。5月和6月份仔稚鱼在涨、落潮时的分布范围都存在一定差异,涨潮较落潮有向近岸移动的趋势并且涨潮时仔稚鱼分布较落潮更加集中。5月份涨潮种类和数量低于落潮,但是密度涨潮高于落潮;6月份涨潮仔稚鱼密度和种类较落潮高。     

长江口东滩湿地东北水域鱼类群落种类组成和丰度的季节变化

根据2013年3~11月对长江口东滩潮间带湿地鱼类群落的监测数据,分析了该区域鱼类群落物种组成和丰度的季节变化。研究共采集到鱼类39种,隶属20科。结果表明,种类最多的科是虾虎鱼科(12种),其次是鳀科(4种),再次是石首鱼科(3种),而鲻科、海鳗科、舌鰨科等各有2种。从鱼类丰度水平来看,夏季最高,达97.05 ind·(net·tide)-1;春季次之,为32.80 ind·(net·tide)-1;而秋季最低,为14.00 ind·(net·tide)-1。总体来说,石首鱼科的大黄鱼(Larimichthys crocea)、虾虎鱼科的拉氏狼牙虾虎鱼(Odontamblyopus lacepedii)和孔虾虎鱼(Trypauchen vagina)、舌鳎科的窄体舌鳎(Cynoglossus gracilis)和焦氏舌鳎(Cynoglossus joyneri)等鱼类为优势种,而龙头鱼(Harpodon nehereus)、短鳍虫鳗(Muraenichthys hattae)、鲫(Carassius auratus)等16种为偶见种。约67%的鱼类种类均为幼体,仅偶见中颌棱鳀(Thrissa mystax)、光泽黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus nitidus)、小黄鱼(Larimichthys polyactis)、中华刺鳅(Mastacembelus sinensis)等4种鱼类均为成体。从生态类群来看,约38.5%鱼种为河口咸淡水鱼类,约25.6%为海洋鱼类,约23.1%为河口过渡种,仅12.8%为淡水鱼类。春、夏、秋季的物种丰富度指数(D)呈逐渐增加趋势,而Pielous种类均匀度指数(J)均很低,为0.41~0.67;春、秋季Shannon-weaver指数(H')相差不大,分别为1.3和1.2,而夏季H'值最高,为2.2。根据等级聚类分析,鱼类群落在36%的Bray-Curtis相似性水平上将春季和夏季的样方聚为一组(A组),秋季的样方聚为一组(B组)。SIMPER过程分析结果表明,A、B组间种类组成的平均相异性为83.89%,34种(包括鉴定到科、属的种类)鱼类对平均相异性的累积贡献率90%,主要贡献率来自孔虾虎鱼、大黄鱼、鮻(Liza haematocheila)、窄体舌鳎、拉氏狼牙虾虎鱼、焦氏舌鳎、青弹涂鱼(Scartelaos viridis)、尖吻蛇鳗(Ophichthus apicalis)、刀鲚(Coilia nasus)等。     

鱼肉水解蛋白对大黄鱼稚鱼存活、生长以及体组成的影响

以初始体重(1.6±0.18) mg的大黄鱼(Pseudosciaena crocea Richardson）稚鱼（12日龄）为实验对象,在室内水族箱中进行为期30 d的摄食生长实验。以白鱼粉为主要蛋白源,通过双酶水解制得鱼肉水解蛋白（FPH,粗蛋白72%）,分别以鱼肉水解蛋白替代0%、25%、50%和75%的鱼粉蛋白配制出4种等氮等能的实验微颗粒饲料,同时,以生物饵料（冷藏桡足类）为对照组,研究饲料中不同鱼肉水解蛋白对大黄鱼存活、生长以及体组成的影响。实验结果表明,当以FPH替代25%的鱼粉蛋白时,其存活率（32.6%）显著高于其余的各替代水平（P<0.05）,但与生物饵料组（33.2%）之间差异不显著（P>0.05）。随着饲料中FPH替代水平的升高,实验鱼的特定生长率（SGR）逐渐下降,但当替代水平为25%时,其SGR（10.5% day^-1）与全鱼粉组（10.4% day^-1）和生物饵料组（10.3% day^-1）之间没有出现显著差异（P>0.05）。体成分分析结果表明随着饲料中FPH替代水平的升高,鱼体干物质、粗蛋白和粗脂肪含量均有显著降低（P<0.05）的趋势。脂肪酸的分析结果也表明随着饲料中FPH升高,鱼体的二十碳五烯酸（EPA）、二十二碳六烯酸（DHA）含量均有显著降低的趋势（P<0.05）。本研究结果表明以适宜水平的鱼肉水解蛋白替代鱼粉蛋白,将显著提高大黄鱼稚鱼存活率,可能有利于其生长,而过高的替代水平则起到阻碍作用。在大黄鱼微颗粒饲料中FPH替代鱼粉蛋白在0%～25%之间是否能更有利于大黄鱼稚鱼的存活、生长和发育尚有待于进一步研究。     

基于鱼卵仔鱼数据的东海中南部日本鲭产卵场分析

利用2016年4—5月在东海中南部海域的调查数据,对该海域日本鲭(Scomber japonicus)鱼卵仔鱼的分布特征进行了研究,并对产卵场的划分展开讨论及提出保护措施和管理建议。结果显示:4月,日本鲭鱼卵仔鱼主要出现在台湾海峡和东海南部海域,出现率均大于25%,但仔鱼在东海南部外海的出现率和丰度均较低,分别为5.00%和0.01个·100m^-3。5月,日本鲭鱼卵仔鱼在台湾海峡的出现率和丰度均显著降低,分别下降至5.88%和0.22个·100m^-3;东海南部外海日本鲭鱼卵仔鱼的出现率和丰度则均显著升高,分别升至50%和36.48个·100m^-3,其中鱼卵集中出现在南部外海,出现率和丰度分别达到了40%和36.46个·100m^-3;东海中部外海从5月开始出现日本鲭鱼卵和仔鱼。结合历史资料,可以判断东海中南部日本鲭产卵场主要有台湾海峡、东海中南部近海、东海南部外海、东海中部外海等4个。日本鲭鱼卵丰度与表层水温呈显著相关关系(R=0.37,P<0.05),与表层盐度无显著相关关系(P>0.0...     

长江口崇明东滩夏秋季仔稚鱼的空间分布

2018年6月(夏)和9月(秋),对长江口崇明东滩水域的14个站位点的表层,运用大型浮游生物网(口径1.3 m,网目0.5 mm)水平船拖10 min采集仔稚鱼,实时采集水柱环境参数包括温度(SST)、盐度(SSS)、浊度(TUR)、深度(DEP)和叶绿素a(SSC),探讨该水域仔稚鱼的分布和多样性的变化特征.结果显示...     

Vertical distribution and migration of fish larvae in the NW Iberian upwelling system during the winter mixing period: implications for cross‐shelf distribution

The vertical distribution and vertical migrations of fish larvae and implications for their cross‐shelf distribution were investigated in the northern limit of the NE Atlantic upwelling region during the late winter mixing period of 2012. The average positive values of the upwelling index for February and March of this year were far from normal, although the average hydrographic conditions during the period of study were of downwelling and the water column was completely mixed. Fish larvae, most in the preflexion stage, were concentrated in the upper layers of the water column and their distribution was depth stratified, both day and night. However, the larval fish community was not structured in the vertical plane and fish larvae did not show significant diel vertical migration (DVM), although five species showed ontogenetic vertical migration. In regions of coastal upwelling and in the absence of DVM, the location of fish larvae in the water column is crucial for their cross‐shelf distribution. Thus, the cross‐shelf distribution of the six most abundant species collected in this study can be explained by the surface onshore flow associated with coastal downwelling, retaining larvae of the coastal spawning species with a relatively shallow distribution in the shelf region and transporting larvae of slope spawning species onto the shelf. The wide vertical distribution shown by larvae of the offshore spawning species could be an adaptation of these species to ensure that some larvae reach the inshore nursery areas.     

2003年春季东海区浮性鱼卵和仔稚鱼种类组成及数量分布

本文分析研究了2003年春季东海区(27°00′～34°00′N)150m以浅海域浮性鱼卵、仔稚鱼的种类组成及数量分布。共鉴定49种鱼类的鱼卵、仔稚鱼,其中31种鉴定到种,隶属于26科、29属。优势种类为日本鳀、方氏云鳚、太平洋鲱。带鱼、小黄鱼等经济鱼类鱼卵、仔稚鱼数量少,鲱形目鱼类鱼卵、仔稚鱼数量较多。鱼卵、仔稚鱼分布主要在近海禁渔线附近海域。     

Modelling the dispersal of herring and hake larvae in the Strait of Georgia for the period 2007–2009

The Strait of Georgia (SoG), between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, is a larval rearing ground for both hake and herring stocks, which are commercially important. Year‐to‐year variability in larval retention within the strait is examined by simulating drift tracks of larvae for these species using an ocean circulation model and a particle‐tracking model. Larvae with different vertical swimming behaviors were tracked in the springs of 2007, 2008, and 2009. Since herring larvae mostly stay near the surface, their distribution is heavily influenced by the wind. Strong winds to the north soon after the hatching period tend to wash herring larvae out of SoG and winds to the south help retain herring larvae inside the Strait. In 2007, the model indicates a massive wind‐driven export of herring larvae which may have led to the observed failure of herring production. In contrast, hake larvae reside deeper in the water column (50–200 m). Their distribution is less sensitive to surface forcing but is shaped by a deep gyre with cross‐strait currents. This study also suggests that the northern and southern SoG are weakly connected for herring larvae dispersal, which makes both regions potentially important to recruitment.     

Otolith–fish size relationship in juvenile gag (Mycteroperca microlepis) of the eastern Gulf of Mexico: a comparison of growth rates between laboratory and field populations

In this study, we conducted experiments on wild-caught juvenile gag Mycteroperca microlepis from the eastern Gulf of Mexico to evaluate the effect of food availability on somatic growth and otolith growth. Juveniles were fed at two different food levels until all fish attained similar sizes. We found that food availability significantly affected growth rates. However, we also found that this manifested itself in differential otolith size. That is, slower-growing gag had larger, heavier otoliths than equal-sized faster-growing gag; an experimental result that has been observed previously among various fish species. We wanted to apply these experimental results to field-caught gag because our initial observations indicated that gag from more southern latitudes along Florida’s west coast were larger than gag from more northern latitudes, at least during the early juvenile period. Applying these relationships to regional field populations, we found that juvenile gag from the more northern latitudes appeared to grow faster than those from southern latitudes, using an otolith–fish size proxy for growth. However, examination of fish length–age relationships revealed that juvenile gag growth rates were not significantly different between regions. These results are contrary to the expectation that larger-sized gag from southern latitudes are growing faster, and suggests that other factors, such as spawning time and habitat quality may explain regional size differences.