The year-round distribution and habitat preferences of Campbell albatross (Thalassarche impavida)

1. The use of miniaturized electronic tracking devices has illuminated our understanding of seabird distributions and habitat use, and how anthropogenic threats interact with seabirds in both space and time. To determine the year-round distribution of adult Campbell albatross (Thalassarche impavida), a single-island endemic, breeding only at Campbell Island in New Zealand's subantarctic, a total of 68 year-long location data sets were acquired from light-based geolocation data-logging tags deployed on breeding birds in 2009 and 2010.
2. During the incubation and chick-guard phases of the breeding season, birds used cool (<10°C) waters over the Campbell Plateau, but also ranged over deeper, shelf-break and oceanic waters (4,000–5,500 m) beyond the Plateau. Later in the breeding season, during post-guard chick-rearing, Campbell albatrosses exploited generally deep waters (4,000–5,000 m) beyond the Campbell Plateau.
3. During the non-breeding period, adults tended to move northwards into warmer (approximately 15°C) waters and occupied areas beyond western Australia in the west to offshore from Chile in the east. Overall, about 30% of adults spent some of their non-breeding period in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, substantially expanding the previously reported range for this species.
4. One bird, that failed in its breeding attempt in October 2009, departed Campbell Island and circumnavigated the southern oceans before being recaptured back at Campbell Island in October 2010. This is the first example of an annually-breeding albatross species completing a circumnavigation between breeding attempts.
5. Overlap with fishing effort, using data from the Global Fishing Watch database, was assessed on a monthly and seasonal basis. Generally, levels of overlap between Campbell albatross and fishing effort were relatively low during the breeding season but were approximately 60% higher during the non-breeding period, underlining the need for international initiatives to safeguard this species.

     

Effect of experimental arginine supplementation on the growth,immunity and resistance of tilapia fingerlings to Streptococcus agalactiae

Streptococcosis causes serious economic losses to fish farms every year. A four‐week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate arginine (ARG) supplementation in the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings challenged by Streptococcus agalactiae. Fish were fed with experimental diets containing five levels of supplementation with 1.39%, 1.76%, 1.97%, 2.18% or 2.39% analysed level of ARG. Each diet was randomly distributed in 30 tanks containing 20 fish/tank. After 30 days, no differences were observed in performance parameters, weight gain, daily weight gain, specific growth rate, feed intake or food conversion. After the performance assay, fingerlings were infected with 1.95 × 10⁸ CFU/fish of Streptococcus agalactiae. Mortality was verified daily, and the respiratory burst of leucocytes and nitric oxide production were measured at 0 hr, 24 hr, 7 days and 15 days after infection. The survival rate of the fish is compared using the Kaplan–Meier method, with values of 4.29%, 14.8%, 10.8%, 17.2% and 33.3% for the 1.39, 1.76, 1.97, 2.18 and 2.39 treatments respectively. A reduction in the mortality rate and a boost in the immune responses was observed in all the supplementations of ARG in the diet; however, the best survival rates were obtained in the treatments with 2.39% ARG as well as the most efficient immune responses.     

Variability of oceanographic and meteorological conditions in the northern Alboran Sea at seasonal,inter‐annual and long‐term time scales and their influence on sardine (Sardina pilchardus Walbaum 1792) landings

Time series of European sardine (Sardina pilchardus) landings from 1962 and environmental variables from 1978 in the northern Alboran Sea are analysed. European sardine spawns in the northern Alboran Sea from mid‐autumn to late winter at a temperature range slightly higher than the one observed in the nearby Eastern North Atlantic and the North Western Mediterranean. Individuals hatched during autumn and winter are incorporated to the fishery during the following summer and autumn producing the maximum annual landings. These landings show both a decreasing long‐term trend and a strong inter‐annual variability. Although further research is needed, the warming trend of sea surface temperature and the decrease in upwelling intensity inferred from empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses could have some influence on the negative trends of sardine landings. The inter‐annual variability of sardine abundance seems to be related to the wind intensity at a local scale, the second principal component of the chlorophyll concentration and the sardine abundance during the preceding year. If the inter‐annual variability is considered, a linear model including these three variables with a one‐year time lag allows to explain 79% of the sardine landings variance. If the negative linear trend is also considered, the model explains 86% of the variance. These results indicate that the body condition of spawners, linked to the food availability during the preceding year, is the main factor controlling the recruitment success. The possibility of predicting sardine landings 1 year in advance could have important implications for fishery management.     

Strong fisheries management and governance positively impact ecosystem status

Fisheries have had major negative impacts on marine ecosystems, and effective fisheries management and governance are needed to achieve sustainable fisheries, biodiversity conservation goals and thus good ecosystem status. To date, the IndiSeas programme (Indicators for the Seas) has focussed on assessing the ecological impacts of fishing at the ecosystem scale using ecological indicators. Here, we explore fisheries ‘Management Effectiveness’ and ‘Governance Quality’ and relate this to ecosystem health and status. We developed a dedicated expert survey, focused at the ecosystem level, with a series of questions addressing aspects of management and governance, from an ecosystem‐based perspective, using objective and evidence‐based criteria. The survey was completed by ecosystem experts (managers and scientists) and results analysed using ranking and multivariate methods. Results were further examined for selected ecosystems, using expert knowledge, to explore the overall findings in greater depth. Higher scores for ‘Management Effectiveness’ and ‘Governance Quality’ were significantly and positively related to ecosystems with better ecological status. Key factors that point to success in delivering fisheries and conservation objectives were as follows: the use of reference points for management, frequent review of stock assessments, whether Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) catches were being accounted for and addressed, and the inclusion of stakeholders. Additionally, we found that the implementation of a long‐term management plan, including economic and social dimensions of fisheries in exploited ecosystems, was a key factor in successful, sustainable fisheries management. Our results support the thesis that good ecosystem‐based management and governance, sustainable fisheries and healthy ecosystems go together.     

Effects of dietary soybean oil concentration on growth, nutrient utilization and muscle fatty acid composition of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.)

A 309 days feeding experiment was carried out on gilthead sea bream fingerlings (initial weight 14.7±4.4 g) to evaluate effects of substitution of fish oil with soybean oil in diets on growth and sensory characteristics and muscle fatty acid composition. Duplicate groups of fish were hand fed with four isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets (46% protein, 14% lipid and 22 MJ kg⁻¹) in which 0%, 24%, 48% or 72% of the fish oil was replaced by soybean oil. Fish fed diet 72% reached a lower final weight (324 g) than fish fed diets 0%, 24% and 48% (349, 343 and 338 g respectively). Feed intake, protein efficiency ratio, body composition and economic profitability were not influenced by the amount of soybean oil in the diets, but muscle fatty acid composition differed with diets. Panellists observed significant sensory differences between fish fed diet 0% and diet 72%. These results verified the possibility of feeding sea bream until they reached commercial weight with a 48% dietary substitution of fish oil for soybean oil.     

Population structure of the critically endangered Brazilian guitarfish Pseudobatos horkelii (Rhinobatidae) revealed by double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing

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Comparing three methods to estimate the average size at first maturity: A case study on a Curimatid exhibiting polyphasic growth

The average size at first |maturity (L₅₀) is among the most important parameters for fisheries management and conservation. This paper aims to compare three different methods for its estimation. Considering a classical approach, a logistic model was used (a) by determining the gonadal stage macroscopically; and (b) by using the GSI as proxy of sexual maturity; and finally; (c) by using the length–weight relationship (LWR) in a theoretical approach. The proposed methods were applied using data of a detritivorous fish, Cyphocharax abramoides, monthly sampled using gill nets. Captured individuals were measured, weighed, sexed and the gonadal stage was classified macroscopically and weighed. Estimated L₅₀ values using the macroscopic identification, GSI approach and LWR were not different from each other considering confidence intervals. Between the three different techniques, we concluded that the analysis of the LWR in fishes with polyphasic growth presented promising results as it only requires length and weight data to be performed and estimate a L₅₀ within the range of both classical logistic models analysed.     

From land and sea,long‐term data reveal persistent humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breeding habitat in New Caledonia

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