Weight–length relationships of 33 demersal fish species from Azores archipelago

Weight–length relationships are presented for 33 fish species of Azores archipelago. This work is the first reference on weight–length parameters of 16 species. Samples were collected between the years of 1999 and 2003 using longline at depths ranging from a few meters to 1200 m. The parameters of a and b of the equation W = aL^b were estimated. The b values of the species caught ranged from 2.701 for Lepidopus caudatus to 3.677 for Centroscymnus crepidater. Whenever possible, the b values for the species obtained both in this study and some of the previously reported in the Portuguese waters were compared.     

Effects of cryptic mortality and the hidden costs of using length limits in fishery management

Fishery collapses cause substantial economic and ecological harm, but common management actions often fail to prevent overfishing. Minimum length limits are perhaps the most common fishing regulation used in both commercial and recreational fisheries, but their conservation benefits can be influenced by discard mortality of fish caught and released below the legal length. We constructed a computer model to evaluate how discard mortality could influence the conservation utility of minimum length regulations. We evaluated policy performance across two disparate fish life‐history types: short‐lived high‐productivity (SLHP) and long‐lived low‐productivity (LLLP) species. For the life‐history types, fishing mortality rates and minimum length limits that we examined, length limits alone generally failed to achieve sustainability when discard mortality rate exceeded about 0.2 for SLHP species and 0.05 for LLLP species. At these levels of discard mortality, reductions in overall fishing mortality (e.g. lower fishing effort) were required to prevent recruitment overfishing if fishing mortality was high. Similarly, relatively low discard mortality rates (>0.05) rendered maximum yield unobtainable and caused a substantial shift in the shape of the yield response surfaces. An analysis of fishery efficiency showed that length limits caused the simulated fisheries to be much less efficient, potentially exposing the target species and ecosystem to increased negative effects of the fishing process. Our findings suggest that for overexploited fisheries with moderate‐to‐high discard mortality rates, reductions in fishing mortality will be required to meet management goals. Resource managers should carefully consider impacts of cryptic mortality sources (e.g. discard mortality) on fishery sustainability, especially in recreational fisheries where release rates are high and effort is increasing in many areas of the world.     

光照和水流对巴布亚硝水母存活时间及存活率的影响

利用人工繁殖的巴布亚硝水母30个碟状体、幼水母和成体水母,分别设立了静止和合适水流及3个光照水平,研究了不同光照和水流对其碟状体、幼水母和成体存活时间及存活率的影响。试验结果表明,光照的性质和时间决定了巴布亚硝水母碟状体和幼水母的存活率,对成体的存活时间也有显著影响。水流对碟状体有显著影响,而对幼水母和成体来说则是必须的。自然光照条件下,水母体色较浅,呈蓝色,随着卤素灯光照时间延长,体色变深,呈蓝褐色。水流还与水母的某些行为有关,在流水环境中水母喜欢聚集和逆水游动。     

Age-specific patterns in density-dependent growth of white crappie, Pomoxis annularis

The relationship between growth in white crappie, Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque, and climate, lake morphometry and population density was studied in 103 Texas reservoirs. Growth of age‐0 through age‐3 white crappie was significantly (P≤0.05) related to latitude, growing season and surface area. Growth of age‐1 through age‐5 white crappie also was related to annual precipitation. Multiple linear regression models with precipitation and mean catch per unit effort (CPUE) of white crappie as independent variables explained 14–22% of the variation in growth of age‐0, ‐1 and ‐2 white crappie. By contrast, growth of age‐3, ‐4 and ‐5 white crappie was unrelated to CPUE. Apparently, between age 2 and 3, the density of white crappie in Texas reservoirs falls below a density‐dependent growth threshold beyond which growth is no longer related to density. This density‐dependent threshold was most likely related to angler harvest of larger, older white crappie.     

中国荷斯坦牛部分乳房结构特性对泌乳性能的影响

本研究对规模化场奶牛乳房结构部分性状进行评价和测定,旨在分析其影响因素及其与泌乳性能的关系。现场评价和测定我国北方6个规模化奶牛场荷斯坦牛的乳房均衡(2 030条)、乳头长度(1 551条)和乳头位置评分(分前、后乳头,2 839条),使用SAS 9.2 GLM过程采用固定效应模型分析影响上述3个乳房性状的因素,同时分析3个单项性状对校正日产奶量和体细胞评分的影响。结果表明:场和胎次对3个乳房性状影响极显著(P0.01);前、后乳头位置和后乳头长度对校正日产奶量有显著影响(P0.05),校正日产奶量与前乳头位置评分值呈正比,与后乳头位置评分值呈反比;前乳头位置和长度对体细胞评分有显著影响(P0.05),体细胞评分随前乳头位置评分的增大而减小;5~5.5 cm的乳头长度对于校正日产奶量和体细胞评分都最佳。本研究结果为通过乳房性状选择、淘汰并提高奶牛的生产性能、乳房健康提供了参考。     

东昌湖野生鲤鱼线粒体DNA RFLP分析

利用差速离心法及RNase消化法制备并纯化了采自山东东昌湖野生鲤(Cyprinus carpio haematopterus)的肝脏及性腺线粒体DNA,用7种限制性内切酶对其mtDNA进行酶解,经琼脂糖凝胶电泳分离酶解片段,用Gel-5000凝胶图像分析系统进行采集和分析。结果显示,东昌湖野生鲤的mtDNA分子大小为(16.62±0.15)kb,BglⅠ、BglⅡ、EcoRⅠ、HindⅢ、PstⅠ、KpnⅠ和BamHⅠ的酶切点分别为3或2、1、3或4、4、1、0、3;其中,BglⅠ、EcoRⅠ和BamHⅠ内切酶具有限制性多态性,多态酶比例为42.86%,并检测出12个限制性态型,可归并为5种单倍型,各单倍型间的遗传距离0.0075～0.0365,揭示了东昌湖野生鲤存在较高的种内多态性。试验结果与以前报道的其他地区鲤属线粒体DNA酶切结果相比较,表明鲤属mtDNA在限制性酶切位点数量及其长度上存在地域差异。     

Repeatability of fin length measurements using digital image analysis and studies of fin erosion as indicator of social interactions in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

The aims of this study were to examine fin erosion caused by social interactions between Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) juveniles, and to evaluate the repeatability of recorded fin length using digital image analysis (DIA). Fin length of 2100 juvenile Atlantic cod was analysed using DIA, during a 6 weeks experiment. The lengths of the three dorsal fins and the caudal fin were measured by three different assessors (M, K, B) three times during the experiment. Repeatability was based on a sub set of data from 42 randomly chosen fish. Assessor M measured the length of the fins of the 42 fish three times (M1, M2, M3). M1 and M2 were done on the same day, while M3 was conducted 2 weeks later. Assessor K measured two times with a 2‐year interval, and assessor B measured the fin length only once. The correlations between replicated measurements within assessor were highest for assessor M measured on the same day indicating an effect of memory. Repeatability of fin length ranged from 0.57 to 0.73 for the four fins. Social interaction with respect to fin erosion was studied using data on the four fins from all 2100 fish. ‘Relative fin length’ (fin length/total body length × 100) was calculated to assess fin erosion. Results indicated that all four fins were eroded due to social interactions, but the caudal fin was most severely eroded. In conclusion, DIA can be used to measured fin length but the method could be improved by using chromatic pictures.     

东海北部近海棘头梅童鱼食物组成的季节变化及随发育的变化

根据2006年7月～2008年12月采集于东海北部近海的棘头梅童鱼(Collichthys lucidus)样品,共测定体长在23～157 mm范围内的棘头梅童鱼474 ind,应用卡方检验和聚类分析等方法,对棘头梅童鱼食物组成的季节变化及随个体发育的变化进行了分析。结果显示:东海北部近海棘头梅童鱼的食物种类夏季出现较多,春季出现较少;91～110 mm体长组出现较多,≤50 mm体长组和>130 mm体长组出现较少。食物多样性指数春季较高,秋季较低;≤50 mm体长组较低,>130 mm体长组较高,食物多样性指数随体长的增加而升高。卡方检验显示,棘头梅童鱼主要食物种类宽尾刺糠虾(Acanthomysis latiscauda)、中国毛虾(Aceteschinensis)、七星底灯鱼(Myctophum pterotum)和中华哲水蚤(Calanus sinicus)的出现频率有极显著的季节变化,中华假磷虾(Pseudeuphausia sinica)的出现频率有显著的季节变化;宽尾刺糠虾和七星底灯鱼的出现频率随体长的变化极显著,而中国毛虾、中华假磷虾和中华哲水蚤的出现频率随体长的变化不显著。聚类分析结果表明,棘头梅童鱼春冬季、夏季和秋季三个时期的食物组成差异显著;体长聚类分两组,即体长>70 mm和≤70mm之间食物组成有明显差异。通过分析发现:东海北部近海棘头梅童鱼食物的季节变化与该海域饵料生物的季节变化密切相关;食物组成随发育的变化符合"最佳摄食理论",其饵料生物种类和大小随棘头梅童鱼体长的增加发生了显著的变化。     

Effects of entrance design on catch efficiency of arabesque greenling traps: a field experiment in Matsumae, Hokkaido

ABSTRACT:   A field experiment was conducted in the Matsumae area of Hokkaido, Japan, during June and July 2002, to investigate the effects of different entrance designs on the catch efficiency of fish traps by fishing with commercial traps (entrance inclination angle [α] = 37°; funnel length of entrance [ L _f ] = 22 cm) and experimental traps. The experimental traps were of the same size and similar design as commercial traps, with different entrance inclination angles (trap E1: α = 46°; E2: α = 27°; E3: α = 0°; all L _f  = 22 cm) or funnel lengths (E4: α = 37°, L _f  = 8 cm). In total, 2200 fish during 200 trap hauls were captured. The catch was significantly higher using both traps E2 and the commercial trap than with trap E3 ( P  < 0.05), and the catch of trap E2 was higher than that of the commercial trap. There were no significant differences in mean fish body length or the frequency distributions of body length among trap types (E1, E2, E3 and commercial). The funnel length of the entrance also affected the catch of traps. Trap E4 had significantly higher catches than the commercial trap ( P  = 0.04) when traps were deployed for a 1-day soak time. Fish body length frequency distributions did not differ between trap E4 and the commercial trap. The results showed that catch can be greatly affected by trap entrance designs.