Distribution of mesopredatory fish determined by habitat variables in a predator-depleted coastal system

OpenAIRE

Bergstr?m, Lena; Karlsson, Martin; Bergstr?m, Ulf; Pihl, Leif; Kraufvelin, Patrik

2016-01-01

Shallow nearshore habitats are highly valued for supporting marine ecosystems, but are subject to intense human-induced pressures. Mesopredatory fish are key components in coastal food webs, and alterations in their abundance may have evident effects also on other parts of the ecosystem. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between the abundance of coastal mesopredatory fish, defined as mid-trophic level demersal and benthic species with a diet consisting predominantly of inv...

Taxonomic and functional distinctness of the fish assemblages in three coastal environments (bays, coastal lagoons and oceanic beaches) in Southeastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Azevedo, Márcia Cristina Costa; Gomes-Gonçalves, Rafaela de Sousa; Mattos, Tailan Moretti; Uehara, Wagner; Guedes, Gustavo Henrique Soares; Araújo, Francisco Gerson

2017-08-01

Several species of marine fish use different coastal systems especially during their early development. However, these habitats are jeopardized by anthropogenic influences threatening the success of fish populations, and urgent measures are needed to priorize areas to protect their sustainability. We applied taxonomic (Δ+) and functional (X+) distinctiveness indices that represent taxonomic composition and functional roles to assess biodiversity of three different costal systems: bays, coastal lagoons and oceanic beaches. We hypothesized that difference in habitat characteristics, especially in the more dynamism and habitat homogeneity of oceanic beaches compared with more habitat diversity and sheltered conditions of bays and coastal lagoons results in differences in fish richness and taxonomic and functional diversity. The main premise is that communities phylogenetically and functionally more distinct have more interest in conservation policies. Significant differences (P PERMANOVA. Fish richness was higher in bays compared with the coastal lagoons and oceanic beaches. Higher Δ+ was found for the coastal lagoons compared with the bays and oceanic beaches, with the bays having some values below the confidence limit. Similar patterns were found for X+, although all values were within the confidence limits for the bays, suggesting that the absence of some taxa does not interfere in functional diversity. The hypothesis that taxonomic and functional structure of fish assemblages differ among the three systems was accepted and we suggest that coastal lagoons should be priorized in conservation programs because they support more taxonomic and functional distinctiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review of the influence of biogeography, riverine linkages, and marine connectivity on fish assemblages in evolving lagoons and lakes of coastal southern Africa.

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Whitfield, Alan K; Weerts, Steven P; Weyl, Olaf L F

2017-09-01

The Holocene evolution of eight South African coastal lakes and lagoons is examined and related to changes in fish composition over that period. Historical and current connectivity with riverine and marine environments are the primary determinants of present-day fish assemblages in these systems. A small and remarkably consistent group of relict estuarine species have persisted in these coastal lakes and lagoons. The loss or reduction of connectivity with the sea has impacted on the diversity of marine fishes in all eight study systems, with no marine fishes occurring in those water bodies where connectivity has been completely broken (e.g. Sibaya, Groenvlei). In systems that have retained tenuous linkages with the sea (e.g., Verlorenvlei, Wilderness lakes), elements of the marine fish assemblage have persisted, especially the presence of facultative catadromous species. Freshwater fish diversity in coastal lakes and lagoons is a function of historical and present biogeography and salinity. From a freshwater biogeography perspective, the inflowing rivers of the four temperate systems reviewed here contain three or fewer native freshwater fishes, while the subtropical lakes that are fed by river systems contain up to 40 freshwater fish species. Thus, the significantly higher fish species diversity in subtropical versus temperate coastal lakes and lagoons comes as no surprise. Fish species diversity has been increased further in some systems (e.g., Groenvlei) by alien fish introductions. However, the impacts of fish introductions and translocations have not been studied in the coastal lakes and lagoons of South Africa. In these closed systems, it is probable that predation impacts on small estuarine fishes are significant. The recent alien fish introductions is an example of the growing threats to these systems during the Anthropocene, a period when human activities have had significant negative impacts and show potential to match the changes recorded during the

Redescriptions of two species of Lepeophtheirus (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Caligidae parasitic on teleost marine fishes from the coastal zone of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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José Luis Luque

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Two species of Lepeophtheirus Nordmann, 1832 parasitic on the ariid fish Netuma barba Lacépède, 1803, and the bothiid fish Paralichthys sp. from the coastal zone of the State of Rio de Janeiro, are redescribed and illustrated: L. bagri Dana, 1852, and L. monacanthus Heller, 1865. New junior synonyms for these species are proposed: L. marginatus syn.n., L. christianensis syn.n. and L. platensis syn.n. of L. bagri and L. unispinosus syn.n. of L. monacanthus.

Screening for Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus in Marine Fish along the Norwegian Coastal Line

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandlund, Nina; Gjerset, Britt; Bergh, Øivind

2014-01-01

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) infects a wide range of marine fish species. To study the occurrence of VHSV in wild marine fish populations in Norwegian coastal waters and fjord systems a total of 1927 fish from 39 different species were sampled through 5 research cruises conducted......, and to our knowledge the first detection of VHSV in silvery pout. However, low prevalence of VHSV genotype Ib in Atlantic herring and other wild marine fish are well known in other parts of Europe. Earlier there have been a few reports of disease outbreaks in farmed rainbow trout with VHSV of genotype Ib...

Metals in coastal zones impacted with urban and industrial wastes: Insights on the metal accumulation pattern in fish species

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La Colla, Noelia S.; Botté, Sandra E.; Marcovecchio, Jorge E.

2018-05-01

The pollution of aquatic environments is a worldwide problem of difficult solution since these areas are used for the disposal and dilution of anthropogenic wastes. This study evaluated the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn in the gills, liver and muscle tissues of six economically important fish species from the Bahía Blanca estuary in Argentina, a coastal environment that is under anthropogenic pressure. Metal contents in 147 fish samples were determined by digestion and a subsequent analysis with an ICP OES. The concentrations (μg/g, wet weight) of each metal in the fish tissues ranged from below the limit of detection for the four metals to 5.2 in the case of Cd, 340 for Cu, 20 for Ni, and 101 for Zn. The results suggested that metal burden in fishes varied with the species and metal elements, with Cd, Cu and Zn mean maximum accumulation towards the liver tissue. Ni showed a high number of samples with concentrations below the limit of detection. Among species, Cynoscion guatucupa was found to have the highest concentrations of Cu and Zn in the liver tissues, whereas the gills and liver tissues of Mustelus schmitti showed the lowest levels of Ni and Zn. As regards the human health risks, two samples of muscle tissue belonging to C. guatucupa reached to Cd levels that exceeded the permissible levels for human consumption. Moreover, the estimated daily intakes calculated suggest that people would not experience significant health risks from the intake of individual metals through fish consumption.

Comparative analysis of diet composition and its relation to morphological characteristics in juvenile fish of three lutjanid species in a Mexican Pacific coastal lagoon

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Consuelo M. Aguilar-Betancourt

2017-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The main goal of this research was to investigate the differences in diet composition among three species of the genus Lutjanus inhabiting a coastal lagoon as juveniles. The working hypothesis was that these species feed on a common base of food resources and therefore, some niche overlap is present in terms of general diet composition. However, changes in the trophic niche with size and differences in some morphological traits among species explain observed differences in diet. Fish were collected during 42 sampling trips conducted regularly from February 2011 to January 2012 using several types of fishing gear. Total number of analyzed stomachs was 288 for Lutjanus argentiventris from 2.3 to 19.9 cm total length (TL; 178 for Lutjanus colorado ranging from 2.4 to 30.1 cm TL; and 183 for Lutjanus novemfasciatus with 1.2 to 20.0 cm TL. Results indicate that juveniles of all three lutjanid species share a general diet based on decapods and fishes. However, L. novemfasciatus has a more piscivorous habit, which can be explained by a more slender body shape and larger teeth, characteristics, which increase fish catching performance. Larger fish of all three species eat larger prey, which is consistent with the optimum foraging theory.

[Species and size composition of fishes in Barra de Navidad lagoon, Mexican central Pacific].

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González-Sansón, Gaspar; Aguilar-Betancourt, Consuelo; Kosonoy-Aceves, Daniel; Lucano-Ramírez, Gabriela; Ruiz-Ramírez, Salvador; Flores-Ortega, Juan Ramón; Hinojosa-Larios, Angel; de Asís Silva-Bátiz, Francisco

2014-03-01

Coastal lagoons are considered important nursery areas for many coastal fishes. Barra de Navidad coastal lagoon (3.76km2) is important for local economy as it supports tourism development and artisanal fisheries. However, the role of this lagoon in the dynamics of coastal fish populations is scarcely known. Thus, the objectives of this research were: to characterize the water of the lagoon and related weather conditions, to develop a systematic list of the ichthyofauna, and to estimate the proportion of juveniles in the total number of individuals captured of most abundant species. Water and fish samples were collected between March 2011 and February 2012. Physical and chemical variables were measured in rainy and dry seasons. Several fishing gears were used including a cast net, beach purse seine and gillnets of four different mesh sizes. Our results showed that the lagoon is most of the time euhaline (salinity 30-40ups), although it can be mixopolyhaline (salinity 18-30ups) during short periods. Chlorophyll and nutrients concentrations suggested eutrophication in the lagoon. Mean water temperature changed seasonally from 24.9 degrees C (April, high tide) to 31.4 degrees C (October, low tide). Considering ichthyofauna species, a total of 36 448 individuals of 92 species were collected, 31 of them adding up to 95% of the total of individuals caught. Dominant species were Anchoa spp. (44.6%), Diapterus peruvianus (10.5%), Eucinostomus currani (8.1%), Cetengraulis mysticetus (7.8%), Mugil curema (5.2%) and Opisthonema libertate (4.5%). The lagoon is an important juvenile habitat for 22 of the 31 most abundant species. These included several species of commercial importance such as snappers (Lutjanus argentiventris, L. colorado and L. novemfasciatus), snook (Centropomus nigrescens) and white mullet (Mugil curema). Other four species seem to use the lagoon mainly as adults. This paper is the first contribution on the composition of estuarine ichthyofauna in Jalisco

Salinity as the main factor structuring small-bodied fish assemblages in hydrologically altered Mediterranean coastal lagoons

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Sílvia Rodríguez-Climent

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In the Ebro Delta coastal lagoons, one of the main anthropogenic pressures is the artificial freshwater input. Each coastal lagoon has different water management schemes causing profound changes in its physicochemical characteristics. The main objective of this water management is to favour some bird species with interest either for conservation or hunting activities. The present study assesses the influence of hydrological alteration on the fish assemblages of three coastal lagoons in the Ebro Delta. The small-bodied fish fauna was mainly composed of five families: Gobiidae, Poecilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Atherinidae and Mugilidae. Salinity was found to be the main factor structuring fish community in the lagoons. The dominant species was the common goby (Pomatochistus microps when the lagoons reached higher salinity values, whereas the invasive eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki dominated during the period of higher freshwater inputs. The juveniles of the family Mugilidae showed low catch per unit effort, especially during the period of lower salinity. This same pattern was found for the endangered Spanish toothcarp (Aphanius iberus. Overall, introduced species were favoured by low salinity, which highlights the importance of changing the present water management by reducing the freshwater inputs in order to maintain suitable levels of salinity to favour native species that are important for both commercial and conservation purposes.

Fish assemblages, connectivity, and habitat rehabilitation in a diked Great Lakes coastal wetland complex

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Kowalski, Kurt P.; Wiley, Michael J.; Wilcox, Douglas A.

2014-01-01

Fish and plant assemblages in the highly modified Crane Creek coastal wetland complex of Lake Erie were sampled to characterize their spatial and seasonal patterns and to examine the implications of the hydrologic connection of diked wetland units to Lake Erie. Fyke netting captured 52 species and an abundance of fish in the Lake Erie–connected wetlands, but fewer than half of those species and much lower numbers and total masses of fish were captured in diked wetland units. Although all wetland units were immediately adjacent to Lake Erie, there were also pronounced differences in water quality and wetland vegetation between the hydrologically isolated and lake-connected wetlands. Large seasonal variations in fish assemblage composition and biomass were observed in connected wetland units but not in disconnected units. Reestablishment of hydrologic connectivity in diked wetland units would allow coastal Lake Erie fish to use these vegetated habitats seasonally, although connectivity does appear to pose some risks, such as the expansion of invasive plants and localized reductions in water quality. Periodic isolation and drawdown of the diked units could still be used to mimic intermediate levels of disturbance and manage invasive wetland vegetation.

Feeding ecology of juvenile marine fish in a shallow coastal lagoon of southeastern Mexico

OpenAIRE

Daniel Arceo-Carranza; Xavier Chiappa-Carrara

2015-01-01

Many species of marine fish use coastal lagoons during early stages of their life cycles due to the protection provided by their turbid waters and complex structure of the environment, such as mangroves and mudflats, and the availability of food derived from the high productivity of these sites. In this study, we analyzed the diet of six species of juvenile marine fishes that use a karstic lagoon system in the northwest portion of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Through stomach contents analys...

Predicted and observed therapeutic dose exceedances of ionizable pharmaceuticals in fish plasma from urban coastal systems.

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Scott, W Casan; Du, Bowen; Haddad, Samuel P; Breed, Christopher S; Saari, Gavin N; Kelly, Martin; Broach, Linda; Chambliss, C Kevin; Brooks, Bryan W

2016-04-01

Instream flows of the rapidly urbanizing watersheds and estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas (USA) are increasingly dominated by reclaimed waters. Though ionizable pharmaceuticals have received increasing attention in freshwaters, many research questions remain unanswered, particularly in tidally influenced urban coastal systems, which experience significant spatiotemporal variability in pH that influences bioavailability and bioaccumulation. The authors coupled fish plasma modeling of therapeutic hazard values with field monitoring of water chemistry variability and pharmaceutical occurrence to examine whether therapeutic hazards to fish existed within these urban coastal ecosystems and whether therapeutic hazards differed within and among coastal locations and seasons. Spatial and temporal fluctuations in pH within study sites altered the probability of encountering pharmaceutical hazards to fish. Significant water quality differences were consistently observed among traditional parameters and pharmaceuticals collected from surface and bottom waters, which are rarely sampled during routine surface water quality assessments. The authors then compared modeling predictions of fish plasma concentrations of pharmaceuticals to measured plasma levels from various field-collected fish species. Diphenhydramine and diltiazem were observed in plasma of multiple species, and diltiazem exceeded human therapeutic doses in largemouth bass, catfish, and mullet inhabiting these urban estuaries. Though the present study only examined a small number of target analytes, which represent a microcosm of the exposome of these fish, coastal systems are anticipated to be more strongly influenced by continued urbanization, altered instream flows, and population growth in the future. Unfortunately, aquatic toxicology information for diltiazem and many other pharmaceuticals is not available for marine and estuarine organisms, but such field observations suggest that potential adverse

Heavy metals contamination in fish and shrimp from coastal regions of karachi, pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, S.S.

2013-01-01

in the present study, the heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, Fe, Zn) concentration was determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) in 5 species of fish and 3 species of shrimp commonly taken by locals at the coastal regions of Karachi, Pakistan Concentrations of Cd and Pb studied in tissues of Mushka (Otolithes ruber; 0.120 and 1.018 micro g/ wet weight) and palaemon longirostris shrimp (2.457 and 0.480 micro g/g wet weight) were found near to safe level for human consumption. Mullet, Tarli, Surmai, Dohtar fishes and Blacktiger shrimp were found contaminated by Cd and Pb but still within the limits fit for and human consumption. the distribution of trace metals detected in all fish and shrimp species followed the order of Zn >Pb> Fe>Cu> Cd and Cd> Fe > Zn> Cu>Ph, respectively. Metal concentration exhibited significant species variation and followed the order In fishes as otolithes ruber> Liza vaigiensis>sardinella albella>Scomberomorus guttatus>pomadasys olivaecum and in shrimp as palaemon longirostris>penaeus monodon> penaeus penicillatu. (author)

Feeding ecology of juvenile marine fish in a shallow coastal lagoon of southeastern Mexico

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Daniel Arceo-Carranza

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Many species of marine fish use coastal lagoons during early stages of their life cycles due to the protection provided by their turbid waters and complex structure of the environment, such as mangroves and mudflats, and the availability of food derived from the high productivity of these sites. In this study, we analyzed the diet of six species of juvenile marine fishes that use a karstic lagoon system in the northwest portion of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Through stomach contents analysis we determined the trophic differences among Caranx latus, Oligoplites saurus, Trachinotus falcatus, Synodus foetens, Lutjanus griseus, and Strongylura notata. C. latus, O. saurus, S. foetens, and S. notate, which are ichthyophagous species (>80% by number. L. griseus feeds mainly on crustaceans (>55% and fish (35%, while T. falcatus feeds on mollusks (>50% bivalves, >35% gastropods. The analysis of similarities (ANOSIM showed differences in the diet of all species. Cluster analysis, based on the Bray-Curtis similarity matrix revealed three groups; one characterized by the ichthyophagous guild (S. notata, S. foetens, C. latus, and O. saurus, other group formed by the crustacean consumers (L. griseus, and the third, composed by the mollusk feeder (T. falcatus. Species of the ichthyophagous guild showed overlap in their diets, which under conditions of low prey abundance may trigger competition, hence affecting juvenile stages of these marine species that use coastal lagoons to feed and grow.

Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in ten commercial fish species along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India.

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Veerasingam, S; Venkatachalapathy, R; Raja, P; Sudhakar, S; Rajeswari, V; Asanulla, R Mohamed; Mohan, R; Sutharsan, P

2011-05-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in ten commercial fish species and water samples in three estuaries along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India. Fish and water samples collected from Tamilnadu coast, India, were extracted and analyzed for petroleum hydrocarbons by ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) spectroscopy. The petroleum hydrocarbon concentration (PHC) in coastal waters and fish species varied between 2.28 and 14.02 μg/l and 0.52 and 2.05 μg/g, respectively. The highest PHC concentration was obtained in Uppanar estuarine waters (14.02 ± 0.83) and the lowest was observed in Vellar estuarine waters (2.28 ± 0.25). Among the ten fish species, Sardinella longiceps have high PHC concentration from all the locations. This study suggests that S. longiceps can be used as a good biological indicator for petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in water. The concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in coastal waters along Tamilnadu coast is markedly higher than that in the background, but there is no evidence for its increase in fish of this region. From a public health point, petroleum hydrocarbon residue levels in all fish samples analyzed in this study are considerably lower than the hazardous levels. At present, as Tamilnadu coastal area is in a rapid development stage of new harbour, chemical industries, power plants, oil exploration and other large-scale industries, further assessment of petroleum hydrocarbons and the various hydrodynamic conditions acting in the region are to be studied in detail and continuous pollution monitoring studies should be conducted for improving the aquatic environment. The results will also be useful for pollution monitoring program along the coastal region and also to check the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons.

Tracing multi-habitat support of coastal fishes

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Hydrologic linkages among coastal wetland and nearshore areas allow coastal fish to move among the habitats, which has led to a variety of habitat use patterns. In the Great Lakes, fine-scale microchemical analyses of yellow perch otoliths have revealed life-history categories th...

On the occurrence of the Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus Bennet, 1833 (Carnivora: Felidae in coastal Kerala, India

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R. Janardhanan

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus is classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List and yet its distribution range within India is not resolved. In spite of its potential habitat being present in coastal Kerala, there are only a few, unsubstantiated records of the cat. Moreover, its occurrence in Sri Lanka strengthens the possibility of its presence (historical or current population in southern India, including Kerala. This survey was conducted to assess the occurrence of the Fishing Cat in coastal Kerala through personal informal interviews with local people and molecular analysis of scats. The study failed to find any evidence of the occurrence of Fishing Cat in the coastal areas of Kerala. We discuss two possibilities - one, of the species existing earlier but driven to extinction in recent decades, due to high levels of land conversion through anthropogenic activities in these areas and the other of the Fishing Cat having never occurred in coastal Kerala. A speculative reasoning for its absence from the region could be related to the difference in salinity levels between the eastern and western coasts of India which has already been documented. Moreover, fewer freshwater sources merge into the sea in coastal areas of Kerala as compared to the eastern coast of India. This could limit the distribution of the Fishing Cat. The argument was also supported by the lack of any authentic report till date or of local names for the Fishing Cat in the region.

Targeting Abundant Fish Stocks while Avoiding Overfished Species: Video and Fishing Surveys to Inform Management after Long-Term Fishery Closures

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Historically, it has been difficult to balance conservation goals and yield objectives when managing multispecies fisheries that include stocks with various vulnerabilities to fishing. As managers try to maximize yield in mixed-stock fisheries, exploitation rates can lead to less productive stocks becoming overfished. In the late 1990s, population declines of several U.S. West Coast groundfish species caused the U.S. Pacific Fishery Management Council to create coast-wide fishery closures, known as Rockfish Conservation Areas, to rebuild overfished species. The fishery closures and other management measures successfully reduced fishing mortality of these species, but constrained fishing opportunities on abundant stocks. Restrictive regulations also caused the unintended consequence of reducing fishery-dependent data available to assess population status of fished species. As stocks rebuild, managers are faced with the challenge of increasing fishing opportunities while minimizing fishing mortality on rebuilding species. We designed a camera system to evaluate fishes in coastal habitats and used experimental gear and fishing techniques paired with video surveys to determine if abundant species could be caught in rocky habitats with minimal catches of co-occurring rebuilding species. We fished a total of 58 days and completed 741 sets with vertical hook-and-line fishing gear. We also conducted 299 video surveys in the same locations where fishing occurred. Comparison of fishing and stereo-video surveys indicated that fishermen could fish with modified hook-and-line gear to catch abundant species while limiting bycatch of rebuilding species. As populations of overfished species continue to recover along the U.S. West Coast, it is important to improve data collection, and video and fishing surveys may be key to assessing species that occur in rocky habitats. PMID:28002499

Species profiles: Life history and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (South Florida): King mackerel and Spanish mackerel. [Scomberomorus cavalla; Scomberomorus maculatus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Godcharles, M.F.; Murphy, M.D.

1986-06-01

This Species Profile on king and Spanish mackerel summarizes the taxonomy, morphology, distribution, life history, fishery descriptions, ecological role, and environmental requirements of these coastal pelagic fish to assist environmental impact assessment. King and Spanish mackerel support major commercial and sport fisheries in south Florida. In 1974 to 1983, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic commercial landings of king mackerel declined from 10.4 to 4.3 million lb.; Spanish mackerel have fluctuated between 4.9 to 17.4 million lb. Both inhabit coastal waters, but Spanish mackerel are generally found closer to beaches and in outer estuarine waters. Both species feed principally on estuarine-dependent species. They are highly migratory, exhibiting seasonal migrations to winter feeding grounds off south Florida and summer spawning/feeding grounds in the northern Gulf of Mexico and off the Atlantic coast of the Southeastern US. Spawning occurs from March/April through September/October between the middle and Outer Continental Shelf (35 to 183 mi) for king mackerel and the inner shelf (12 to 34 mi) for Spanish mackerel. King mackerel reach sexual maturity in their 3rd and 4th years and Spanish, between their 2nd and 3rd. Female king mackerel live longer and grow larger and faster than males. Spanish mackerel live to 8 years; females also grow faster than males. King and Spanish mackerel feed principally on schooling fishes. Larvae and juveniles of both species are prey to little tunny and dolphin; adults are prey for sharks and bottlenose dolphin. Temperature and salinity are important factors regulating mackerel distribution.

Lake size and fish diversity in southern Brazil coastal lagoons

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Lucia Ribeiro Rodrigues

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, presents a series of shallow lagoons with diverse size and morphology. The objective of this study is to determine whether the size of the lagoon is an effective factor for structuring fish diversity. In this regard, nine lagoons with distinct areas were sampled: three with an area up to 40 hectares, three with area between 40 and 80 hectares, and three with an area of over 80 hectares. Each lagoon was sampled once on the littoral and pelagic zones. At each point, fish were captured through a set of gill nets with different mesh sizes. Captured specimens were identified, quantified and evaluated for weight and length. A total of 24 fish species belonging to 10 families was obtained, with Characidae presenting the highest species richness. Cyanocharax alburnus was the only species that occurred in all lagoons. Cyphocharax voga, Astyanax eigenmmaniorum, Oligosarcus jenynsii and O. robustus were also frequent species, present in most of the sampled lagoons. Lycengraulis grossidens was captured in just two lagoons with increased conductivity. The community structure showed the highest species richness in lakes with an area over 40 ha, however the highest mean diversity values were observed in ponds up to 40 ha. Cluster Analysis yielded the formation of two groups: a group formed by just one lagoon and a second one cluster grouping all the other lagoons. This pattern may be associated with the presence of Lycengraulis grossidens as a dominant species in this lagoon clustered apart. The results indicate that lagoons with up to 40 ha present greater homogeneity on the species composition and higher average values of diversity; while intermediate ponds (between 40 and 80 ha have lower average diversity for the fish fauna due to increased heterogeneity in species abundance.

Concentration factors for 137Cs in Japanese coastal fish (1984-1990)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tateda, Yutaka; Koyanagi, Taku.

1996-01-01

Concentration factors (CFs; Bq kg -1 wet in fish muscle/Bq kg -1 in filtered seawater) for 137 Cs were determined in Japanese coastal fish collected from 1984 to 1990. 137 Cs/Cs (stable) atom ratios were also examined to clarify the distribution equilibrium of 137 Cs-between marine fish and seawater. The geometric mean of CF in Japanese coastal fish was 52±4 (standard error of the mean), with values ranging from 14 to 133. 137 Cs/Cs atom ratios both in marine fish and seawater indicate that the distribution of 137 Cs was in equilibrium between fish muscle and seawater. Therefore, CF values obtained in the present study can be regarded as equilibrated. Our results show that the CFs for 137 Cs in Japanese coastal fish were within the range of Japanese guidelines, but were below the recommended IAEA value. (author)

Juvenile fish use of the shallow zone of beaches of the Cananéia-Iguape coastal system, southeastern Brazil

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Jana Menegassi del Favero

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract The purpose of the present study is to describe the juvenile fish use of the shallow zone of beaches of the Cananéia-Iguape coastal system, São Paulo, Brazil, analyzing its occurrence period and the patterns of utilization for the most abundant species. Using a beach seine monthly for one year, we sampled 13861 individuals, of 57 species and 24 families. The fish species used the study area for different proposes: Atherinella brasiliensis was sampled in all phases of gonadal development and considered as resident, juveniles of Trachinotus goodei used the beaches for growth and juveniles of Mugil curema and Mugil liza used the beaches as a route from the ocean to the estuary. Our results showed the importance of the sandy beaches for juvenile fish, especially in spring and summer when most juveniles occur and recruit. Unfortunately, this is the period of the most intense tourist activity. As many of the species studied are commercially important, this study highlighted the necessity of coastal habitat preservation for better fishery management.

Fish community structure and dynamics in a coastal hypersaline lagoon: Rio Lagartos, Yucatan, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Vega-Cendejas, Ma. Eugenia; Hernández de Santillana, Mireya

2004-06-01

Rio Lagartos, a tropical coastal lagoon in northern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, is characterized by high salinity during most of the year (55 psu annual average). Even though the area has been designated as a wetland of international importance because of its great biodiversity, fish species composition and distribution are unknown. To determine whether the salinity gradient was influencing fish assemblages or not, fish populations were sampled seasonally by seine and trawl from 1992 to 1993 and bimonthly during 1997. We identified 81 fish species, eight of which accounted for 53.1% considering the Importance Value Index ( Floridichthys polyommus, Sphoeroides testudineus, Eucinostomus argenteus, Eucinostomus gula, Fundulus majalis, Strongylura notata, Cyprinodon artifrons and Elops saurus). Species richness and density declined from the mouth to the inner zone where extreme salinity conditions are prominent (>80) and competitive interactions decreased. However, in Coloradas basin (53 average sanity) and in the inlet of the lagoon, the highest fish density and number of species were observed. Greater habitat heterogeneity and fish immigration were considered as the best explanation. Multivariate analysis found three zones distinguished by fish occurrence, abundance and distribution. Ichthyofaunal spatial differences were attributed to selective recruitment from the Gulf of Mexico due to salinity gradient and to changing climatic periods. Estuarine and euryhaline marine species are abundant, with estuarine dependent ones entering the system according to environmental preferences. This knowledge will contribute to the management of the Special Biosphere Reserve through baseline data to evaluate environmental and anthropogenic changes.

A comparison of resident fish assemblages in managed and unmanaged coastal wetlands in North Carolina and South Carolina

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Robinson, Kelly F.; Jennings, Cecil A.

2014-01-01

The dominant fish species within impounded coastal wetlands in the southeastern US may be different from the species that dominate natural marshes. We tested the hypothesis that resident fish assemblages inhabiting impounded coastal wetlands in South Carolina would differ from resident assemblages in natural marshes of the southeastern United States. We used rarefied species richness, Shannon's H' diversity,J' evenness, Morisita's index of similarity, and the percent similarity index to compare resident fish assemblages from two impoundments to 12 open-marsh resident fish assemblages from previously published studies in North and South Carolina. We used rotenone to sample fish assemblages in impoundments. The assemblages in natural marsh habitat had been sampled with rotenone and seines. We classified comparisons yielding a similarity index ≥0.50 as moderately similar and those with an index ≥0.75 as very similar. Fifty-three percent of the among-impoundment comparisons (Morisita's index) were at least moderately similar, whereas 7% of impoundment—natural marsh comparisons were moderately similar. A difference in tidal influence was the only parameter in the best-fitting model describing the observed Morisita's indices. The index of similarity decreased by 63% when tidal influence differed between compared assemblages. Species richness and diversity were greater in impoundments than natural marshes, but evenness was similar between habitat types. Our results support the hypothesis that resident fish assemblages in impounded wetlands and natural marshes are different, and suggest that a degree of tidal influence is the most important factor behind the difference.

Changes over 50 years in fish fauna of a temperate coastal sea: Degradation of trophic structure and nursery function

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van der Veer, Henk W.; Dapper, Rob; Henderson, Peter A.; Jung, A. Sarina; Philippart, Catharina J. M.; Witte, Johannes IJ.; Zuur, Alain F.

2015-03-01

The ongoing daily sampling programme of the fish fauna in the Dutch Wadden Sea using fixed gear was analysed for the years 1960-2011. Spring sampling caught immigrating fish from the coastal zone and autumn samples reflected emigration of young-of-the-year. In total 82 fish species were caught with no clear trend in biodiversity. In both spring and autumn total daily catch fluctuated and peaked in the late 1970s. From 1980 to the present catches of both pelagic and demersal species showed a 10-fold decrease in total biomass. Mean individual biomass decreased in spring between 1980 and the present from about 150 to 20 g wet weight. No trend was found in autumn mean individual biomass which fluctuated around 20 g wet weight. The trophic structure remained constant for both the demersal and benthopelagic fish fauna from 1980 to 2011, whilst the trophic position of pelagic fish in spring fell from about 3.9 to 3.1. Min/max auto-correlation factor analysis showed similar trends in spring and autumn species biomass time series: the first axis represented a decrease from the 1960s followed by stabilization from the mid-1990s. The second trend showed an increase with a maximum around 1980 followed by a steady decrease in spring and a decrease and stabilization from 2000 in autumn. It is argued that the most likely explanatory variables are a combination of external factors: increased water temperature, habitat destruction in the coastal zone (sand dredging and beach nourishment, fishing) and increased predation by top predators for the first trend, and large-scale hydrodynamic circulation for the second trend. We conclude that both the trophic structure of the coastal zone fauna and the nursery function of the Wadden Sea have been reduced since the 1980s. Our findings corroborate that ecological change in coastal ecosystems has not only occurred in the past but still continues.

Fishing input requirements of artisanal fishers in coastal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Efforts towards increase in fish production through artisanal fishery can be achieved by making needed inputs available. Fishing requirements of artisanal fishers in coastal communities of Ondo State, Nigeria were studied. Data were obtained from two hundred and sixteen artisans using multistage random sampling ...

Reduction of herbivorous fish pressure can facilitate focal algal species forestation on artificial structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Gianni, Fabrizio; Bartolini, Fabrizio; Airoldi, Laura; Mangialajo, Luisa

2018-07-01

Coastal areas have been transformed worldwide by urbanization, so that artificial structures are now widespread. Current coastal development locally depletes many native marine species, while offering limited possibilities for their expansion. Eco-engineering interventions intend to identify ways to facilitate the presence of focal species and their associated functions on artificial habitats. An important but overlooked factor controlling restoration operations is overgrazing by herbivores. The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of different potential feeders on Cystoseira amentacea, a native canopy-forming alga of the Mediterranean infralittoral fringe, and test whether manipulation of grazing pressure can facilitate the human-guided installation of this focal species on coastal structures. Results of laboratory tests and field experiments revealed that Sarpa salpa, the only strictly native herbivorous fish in the Western Mediterranean Sea, can be a very effective grazer of C. amentacea in artificial habitats, up to as far as the infralittoral fringe, which is generally considered less accessible to fishes. S. salpa can limit the success of forestation operations in artificial novel habitats, causing up to 90% of Cystoseira loss after a few days. Other grazers, such as limpets and crabs, had only a moderate impact. Future engineering operations,intended to perform forestation of canopy-forming algae on artificial structures, should consider relevant biotic factors, such as fish overgrazing, identifying cost-effective techniques to limit their impact, as is the usual practice in restoration programmes on land. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proxy measures of fitness suggest coastal fish farms can act as population sources and not ecological traps for wild gadoid fish.

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Tim Dempster

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ecological traps form when artificial structures are added to natural habitats and induce mismatches between habitat preferences and fitness consequences. Their existence in terrestrial systems has been documented, yet little evidence suggests they occur in marine environments. Coastal fish farms are widespread artificial structures in coastal ecosystems and are highly attractive to wild fish. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To investigate if coastal salmon farms act as ecological traps for wild Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua and saithe (Pollachius virens, we compared proxy measures of fitness between farm-associated fish and control fish caught distant from farms in nine locations throughout coastal Norway, the largest coastal fish farming industry in the world. Farms modified wild fish diets in both quality and quantity, thereby providing farm-associated wild fish with a strong trophic subsidy. This translated to greater somatic (saithe: 1.06-1.12 times; cod: 1.06-1.11 times and liver condition indices (saithe: 1.4-1.8 times; cod: 2.0-2.8 times than control fish caught distant from farms. Parasite loads of farm-associated wild fish were modified from control fish, with increased external and decreased internal parasites, however the strong effect of the trophic subsidy overrode any effects of altered loads upon condition. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Proxy measures of fitness provided no evidence that salmon farms function as ecological traps for wild fish. We suggest fish farms may act as population sources for wild fish, provided they are protected from fishing while resident at farms to allow their increased condition to manifest as greater reproductive output.

Feeding ecology of some fish species occurring in artisanal fishery of Socotra Island (Yemen).

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan Ali', Mohammed Kaed; Belluscio, Andrea; Ventura, Daniele; Ardizzone, Giandomenico

2016-04-30

The demersal species Lethrinus borbonicus, Lethrinus mahsena, Lethrinus microdon, Lethrinus nebulosus, Lutjanus bohar, Lutjanus gibbus, Lutjanus kasmira, Epinephelus fasciatus, Epinephelus stoliczkae, Carangoides gymnostethus and Euthynnus affinis are important coastal fishes species of the northern coast of Socotra (Yemen), exploited by local fishery. The biology and feeding ecology of these species are poorly known in the area. A total of 1239 specimens were sampled from the main fishing landing site of the island (Hadibo). Total length and weight were measured, stomach contents were analyzed, diet overlap, Fulton's Condition index, and trophic levels were estimated. C. gymnostethus, L. microdon and L. kasmira occupied the highest position (T=4.50), L. nebulosus occupied the lower one (TL=3.41). The role of the increasing abundance of small pelagic fish in the diet of many species after the upwelling event is evident, but also different feeding strategies are reported, according to fish ecology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional and Seasonal Differences in Species Composition and Trophic Groups for Tidepool Fishes of a Western Pacific Island – Taiwan

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Colin K. C. Wen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Spatial and temporal variations in the species composition of assemblages are common in many marine organisms, including fishes. Variations in the fish species composition of subtidal coral reefs have been well documented, however much less is known about such differences for intertidal fish assemblages. This is surprising, given that intertidal fishes are more vulnerable to terrestrial human disturbances. It is critical to evaluate the ecology and biology of intertidal fishes before they are severely impacted by coastal development, especially in developing countries such as those in the tropical western Pacific region where coastal development is rapidly increasing. In this study, we investigated the species composition, abundance, biomass and species number (richness for intertidal fish assemblages in subtropical (northern and tropical (southern Taiwan across four seasons by collecting fishes from tidepools using clove oil. We also examined the gut contents of collected fishes to identify their trophic functional groups in order to investigate regional and seasonal variations for different trophic groups. We found significant differences in the species composition of tidepool fish assemblages between subtropical and tropical Taiwan. Bathygobius fuscus, Abudefduf vaigiensis and Istiblennius dussumieri were dominant species in subtropical Taiwan, whereas Bathygobius coalitus, Abudefduf septemfasciatus and Istiblennius lineatus were dominant in tropical Taiwan. Other species such as Bathygobius cocosensis, Abudefduf sordidus and Istiblennius edentulus were common in both regions. For trophic groups, omnivores and detritivores had or showed trends towards higher species numbers and abundances in the subtropical region, whereas herbivores, planktivores and general carnivores had or showed trends towards higher species numbers and biomass in the tropical region. Overall, many intertidal fish species and trophic groups showed differences in

Isotopic niches of fishes in coastal, neritic and oceanic waters off Adélie land, Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Cherel, Yves; Koubbi, Philippe; Giraldo, Carolina; Penot, Florian; Tavernier, Eric; Moteki, Masato; Ozouf-Costaz, Catherine; Causse, Romain; Chartier, Amélie; Hosie, Graham

2011-08-01

We used the stable isotope method to investigate the ecological niches of Antarctic fishes, with δ 13C and δ 15N as proxies of fish habitats and dietary habits, respectively. Muscle isotopic signature was measured for each of 237 delipidated tissue samples from 27 fish species collected offshore Adélie Land, East Antarctica. Overall, δ 13C values ranged from -25.3‰ to -18.2‰, thus allowing characterizing of the fish habitats, with inshore/benthic species having more positive δ 13C signatures than offshore/pelagic ones. No clear difference in the δ 13C values of pelagic fishes was found between species living in neritic and oceanic waters. Overall, the δ 15N signatures of neritic pelagic and epibenthic fishes encompassed ˜1.0 trophic level (3.1‰), a higher difference than that (1.4‰) found within the oceanic assemblage. Fishes with the lowest and highest δ 15N values are primarily invertebrate- and fish-eaters, respectively. The isotopic niches of fishes illustrate the different mechanisms allowing coexistence, with most fishes segregating at least by one of the two niche axes (δ 13C and δ 15N). Muscle isotopic values also document interindividual foraging specialization over the long-term in coastal benthic fishes, but not in more offshore pelagic species. Finally, the δ 15N signatures of fishes overlap with those of penguins and seals, indicating that seabirds and marine mammals share the upper levels of the Antarctic pelagic ecosystem with some large fish species. In conclusion, the concept of isotopic niche is a powerful tool to investigate various aspects of the ecological niche of Antarctic fishes, thus complementing the use of other conventional and non-conventional approaches.

Natural shorelines promote the stability of fish communities in an urbanized coastal system.

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Steven B Scyphers

Full Text Available Habitat loss and fragmentation are leading causes of species extinctions in terrestrial, aquatic and marine systems. Along coastlines, natural habitats support high biodiversity and valuable ecosystem services but are often replaced with engineered structures for coastal protection or erosion control. We coupled high-resolution shoreline condition data with an eleven-year time series of fish community structure to examine how coastal protection structures impact community stability. Our analyses revealed that the most stable fish communities were nearest natural shorelines. Structurally complex engineered shorelines appeared to promote greater stability than simpler alternatives as communities nearest vertical walls, which are among the most prevalent structures, were most dissimilar from natural shorelines and had the lowest stability. We conclude that conserving and restoring natural habitats is essential for promoting ecological stability. However, in scenarios when natural habitats are not viable, engineered landscapes designed to mimic the complexity of natural habitats may provide similar ecological functions.

A review of the influence of biogeography, riverine linkages, and marine connectivity on fish assemblages in evolving lagoons and lakes of coastal southern Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Whitfield, AK

2017-09-01

Full Text Available lakes), elements of the marine fish assemblage have persisted, especially the presence of facultative catadromous species. Freshwater fish diversity in coastal lakes and lagoons is a function of historical and present biogeography and salinity. From a...

Fishing down the largest coral reef fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenner, Douglas

2014-07-15

Studies on remote, uninhabited, near-pristine reefs have revealed surprisingly large populations of large reef fish. Locations such as the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, northern Marianas Islands, Line Islands, U.S. remote Pacific Islands, Cocos-Keeling Atoll and Chagos archipelago have much higher reef fish biomass than islands and reefs near people. Much of the high biomass of most remote reef fish communities lies in the largest species, such as sharks, bumphead parrots, giant trevally, and humphead wrasse. Some, such as sharks and giant trevally, are apex predators, but others such as bumphead parrots and humphead wrasse, are not. At many locations, decreases in large reef fish species have been attributed to fishing. Fishing is well known to remove the largest fish first, and a quantitative measure of vulnerability to fishing indicates that large reef fish species are much more vulnerable to fishing than small fish. The removal of large reef fish by fishing parallels the extinction of terrestrial megafauna by early humans. However large reef fish have great value for various ecological roles and for reef tourism. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of water quality on the composition of fish communities in three coastal rivers of Karnataka, India

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Arunkumar Shetty

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The fish assemblage and diversity in relation to water quality of three coastal rivers Sita, Swarna and Varahi of Udupi district, Karnataka, India was studied. 71 species representing 7 orders, 20 families and 41 genera were recorded from 21 sites along the three rivers. Species composition varied longitudinally in relation to the environmental factors of the habitat. The downstream change in the three rivers indicates that fish assemblage changed with increasing loss of riparian canopy cover and increasing agricultural land-use. The richness and abundance of fishes were correlated with land-use type, canopy cover, pH and turbidity. Diversion of water, discharge of domestic sewage and agricultural runoff were prominent among the disturbances that alter the habitat quality.

Disentangling the influences of habitat structure and limnological predictors on stream fish communities of a coastal basin, southeastern Brazil

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Fabio Cop Ferreira

Full Text Available In stream environments habitat structure and limnological factors interact regulating patterns of energy and material transfer and affecting fish communities. In the coastal basins of Southeastern Brazil, limnological and structural characteristics differ between clear and blackwaters streams. The former have a diversity of substrate types, higher water velocities, and lower water conductivity, while the latter have sandy substrate, tea-colored and acidic waters, and low water velocities. In this study, we verified the relative importance of habitat structure and limnological variables in predicting patterns of variation in stream fish communities. Eight first to third order streams were sampled in the coastal plain of Itanhaém River basin. We captured 34 fish species and verified that community structure was influenced by physical habitat and limnology, being the former more important. A fraction of the variation could not be totally decomposed, and it was assigned to the joint influence of limnology and habitat structure. Some species that were restricted to blackwater streams, may have physiological and behavioral adaptations to deal with the lower pH levels. When we examined only the clearwater streams, all the explained variation in fish community composition was assigned to structural factors, which express specific preferences for different types of habitats.

Louisiana ESI: FISH (Fish Polygons)

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for freshwater (inland) fish species in coastal Louisiana. Vector polygons represent water-bodies and other...

Zooplankton of an urban coastal lagoon: composition and association with environmental factors and summer fish kill

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Leonardo C. e Souza

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Zooplankton may be regarded as a sensitive tool for monitoring environmental variations in coastal lagoons due to their ability to immediately react to changes in the water column trophic features and salinity levels. As a coastal lagoon with a broad history of anthropic influence, Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is widely used for water sports and artisanal fishing. The present study aimed to expand the knowledge base about zooplankton in the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon by assessing the composition and time-spatial distribution of the major zooplankton groups. Samples were collected fortnightly from at four distinct sampling points August 2001 to July 2002. At each point, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and water transparency were measured. During the study period, the lagoon behaved as an spatially homogeneous environment in what regards the abiotic variables. However, all these variables showed significant differences along the time, mainly related to seasonality (air temperature and rainy and dry periods. The zooplankton community showed low taxonomic richness, with the predominance of species commonly found in coastal lagoons, especially with mesohaline conditions, as well as those found in estuaries. An interesting fact was the rise in zooplankton abundance at all sampling points right after a fish kill event. Such increase was caused mainly by the Brachionus plicatilis O.F. Müller 1786 species. Thus, the zooplankton community was affected by physical and chemical factors, mainly by the dissolved oxygen decline event and variations in the influx of seawater into the lagoon. In addition, phytoplankton availability and fish predation pressure were suggested as important regulating factors of the zooplankton community.

Helminth communities of four commercially important fish species from Chetumal Bay, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre-Macedo, M L; Vidal-Martínez, V M; González-Solís, D; Caballero, P I

2007-03-01

The relative importance of ecology and evolution as factors determining species richness and composition of the helminth communities of fish is a matter of current debate. Theoretical studies use host-parasite lists, but these do not include studies on a temporal or spatial scale. Local environmental conditions and host biological characteristics are shown to influence helminth species richness and composition in four fish species (Eugerres plumieri, Hexanematichthys assimilis, Oligoplites saurus, and Scomberomorus maculatus) in Chetumal Bay, Mexico. With the exception of H. assimilis, the helminth communities had not been previously studied and possible associations between environmental and host biological characteristics as factors determining helminth species richness and composition using redundancy analysis (RDA) are described. Thirty-four helminth species are identified, with the highest number of species (19 total (mean = 6.3 +/- 2.1)) and the lowest (9 (4.0 +/- 1.0)) occurring in H. assimilis and S. maculatus, respectively. The larval nematodes Contracaecum sp. and Pseudoterranova sp. were not only the helminth species shared by all four host species but also were the most prevalent and abundant. Statistical associations between helminth community parameters and local ecological variables such as host habitat use, feeding habits, mobility, and time of residence in coastal lagoons are identified. Phylogeny is important because it clearly separates all four host species by their specialist parasites, although specific habitat and feeding habits also significantly influence the differentiation between the four fish species.

Nekton communities in Hawaiian coastal wetlands: The distribution and abundance of introduced fish species

Science.gov (United States)

Richard Ames MacKenzie; Gregory L. Bruland

2012-01-01

Nekton communities were sampled from 38 Hawaiian coastal wetlands from 2007 to 2009 using lift nets, seines, and throw nets in an attempt to increase our understanding of the nekton assemblages that utilize these poorly studied ecosystems. Nekton were dominated by exotic species, primarily poeciliids (Gambusia affinis, Poecilia...

The coastal fishes and fisheries of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen.

Science.gov (United States)

Zajonz, Uwe; Lavergne, Edouard; Klaus, Rebecca; Krupp, Friedhelm; Aideed, Moteah Sheikh; Saeed, Fouad Naseeb

2016-04-30

The Socotra Archipelago is situated in the Gulf of Aden where tropical and "pseudo-temperate" conditions combine to create a unique marine ecosystem. The diversity, ecology, productivity and fisheries of the coastal fish assemblages are still relatively understudied and no update of the scientific knowledge existed. The islands support unique coastal and coral-associated fish assemblages in spite of the limited biogenic reef frameworks. Fish diversity is the highest among comparable Arabian eco-regions, and fish biomass productivity high too by Indian Ocean standards. The production of the once traditionally-managed small-scale fishery is severely declining and whether it is sustainable nowadays is extremely doubtful. At a time when Yemen is torn apart by a severe political and humanitarian crisis it is timely to review and update the current state of knowledge for scientists and managers, and thereby ease access to existing information, facilitating follow-on studies and evidence-based conservation and fisheries management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hawaii ESI: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for reef, marine, estuarine, and native stream fish species in coastal Hawaii. Vector polygons in this data...

Species profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (south Florida)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jory, D.E.; Iversen, E.S. (Miami Univ., FL (USA). Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences)

1989-08-01

Black, red, and Nassau groupers (Mycteroperca bonaci, Epinephelus morio, and E. striatus, respectively) are widely distributed on rocky bottoms and reefs along the south Florida coast. They are the most valuable marine finfish group in Florida, comprising about 25% of the total value of landings in 1984. The three species can be distinguished by morphometric, meristic, and body color characteristics. Younger fish are typically found in shallow, inshore grass beds, and larger, older fish are generally restricted to deep waters. The three species are protogynous hermaphrodites. Sexual transition can occur at any length over about 300 mm SL. An offshore movement apparently coincides with the onset of sexual maturity. Spawning aggregations have been observed throughout the year, but occur mostly between late spring and early summer. Fecundity estimates range from about 800,000 to 5,000,000 eggs per female. Both the eggs and the larvae are planktonic. Their early life history is poorly known. Larvae probably leave the plankton and become benthic at around 20--30 mm SL. Growth rates range from about 2 to 10 mm/month. The three species are unspecialized carnivores, feeding on a variety of fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks. Interspecific competition for food and shelter may be common because of the overlap in distribution, habitat, size, and food habitats. For the three species, a number of predators and parasites have been reported. Both the black and red groupers have been implicated in ciguatera poisonings in south Florida. 70 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Effects of salinity on freshwater fishes in coastal plain drainages in the southeastern U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Mark S.; Meador, Michael R.

1994-01-01

This review focuses on the influence of salinity on freshwater fishes in coastal rivers and estuaries of the southeastern U.S. Influences of salinity on freshwater fish species can be explained partly through responses evidenced by behavior, physiology, growth, reproduction, and food habits during all aspects of life history. Factors influencing the rate of salinity change affect the community structure and dynamics of freshwater fishes in brackish environments. Our understanding of the relation between salinity and the life history of freshwater fishes is limited because little ecological research has been conducted in low-salinity habitats that we consider an “interface” between freshwater streams and the estuary proper. Much of the available data are descriptive in nature and describe best general patterns, but more specific studies are required to better determine the influence of salinity on freshwater fishes. Improved understanding of the influence of human-induced changes on the productivity and viability of these important systems will require a new research focus.

Microplastics in gut contents of coastal freshwater fish from Río de la Plata estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Pazos, Rocío S; Maiztegui, Tomás; Colautti, Darío C; Paracampo, Ariel H; Gómez, Nora

2017-09-15

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in gut contents of coastal freshwater fish of the Rio de la Plata estuary was studied. Samples were taken in six sites where 87 fish belonging to 11 species and four feeding habits were captured. Presence of MPs was verified in the 100% of fish. The fibres represented the 96% of MPs found. The number of MPs in gut contents was significantly higher close to sewage discharge. There was not found relationship between number of MPs and fish length, weight or feeding habit. The spatial differences in mean number of MPs in fish observed in this study, suggest that environmental availability of MPs could be of great importance to explain the differences found among sampling sites analysed. This work represents the first study about the interaction between MPs and aquatic organisms in this important estuarine ecosystem of South America. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Niche and interspecific association of the dominant fish in the south coastal waters of Wenzhou, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Jing Rui; Shui, Bo Nian; Hu, Cheng Ye; Shui, Yu Yue; DU, Xiao; Tian, Kuo

2017-05-18

The studies about the niche and interspecific association in China were mainly focused on the plants, birds and marine animals, and seldom on fish. Based on the fishery resources survey in spring (May) and autumn (September) in 2015, the associations among major fish species in south coastal waters of Wenzhou were investigated. The methods including niche breadth, niche overlap, variance ratio (VR), Χ 2 -test, association coefficient (AC), percentage of co-occurrence (PC) and point correlation coefficients (Ф) were used. The results showed that 47 fish species were identified, including 9 orders, 27 families and 41 genera. Four species were dominant species and 9 were important species, which together accounted for 17%. The niche breadth cluster analysis demonstrated two clearly identifiable ecological niches. The first one referred to wide niche that included Harpodon nehereus, Collichthys lucidus, Engraulis japonicas, Pampus echinogaster, Argyrosomus argentatus, Polynemus sextarius, Decapterus maruadsi and Trichiurus haumela, and the second one was narrow niche that included Muraenesox cinereus, Amblychaeturichthys hexanema, Cunoglossus robustus, Pseudosciaena polyactis and Ilisha elongate. The niche overlap value of the main fish was 0-0.90, indicating that there was difference in the resource utilization among the species. The ecological niche widths of C. robustus and M. cinereus were narrow, and the overlap values were high. This indicated that there was competition between these two species. The VR analysis revealed significant positive correlation among the main fish species. In view of the advantages of Ф value, which could reduce the impact of the analysis results of Χ 2 -test, AC and PC to the interspecific association, the Ф value method was selected in this study, and the association of 63 couples were positive. Both the interspecific association and ecological niche had different degrees of correlation with the stability of community structure

Trace elements in Antarctic fish species and the influence of foraging habitats and dietary habits on mercury levels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goutte, Aurélie, E-mail: aurelie.goutte@ephe.sorbonne.fr [École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), SPL, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7619 METIS, F-75005, 4 place Jussieu, Paris (France); Cherel, Yves [Centre d' Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois (France); Churlaud, Carine [Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle (France); Ponthus, Jean-Pierre [École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), SPL, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7619 METIS, F-75005, 4 place Jussieu, Paris (France); Massé, Guillaume [Unité Mixte Internationale Takuvik, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, Université Laval, QC, Québec (Canada); Bustamante, Paco [Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle (France)

2015-12-15

This study aims at describing and interpreting concentration profiles of trace elements in seven Antarctic fish species (N = 132 specimens) off Adélie Land. Ichthyofauna plays a key role in the Antarctic ecosystem, as they occupy various ecological niches, including cryopelagic (ice-associated), pelagic, and benthic habitats. Firstly, trace element levels in the studied specimens were similar to those previously observed in fish from the Southern Ocean. Apart from manganese and zinc, concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, mercury (Hg), nickel, selenium and silver differed among fish species. Muscle δ{sup 13}C and δ{sup 15}N values were determined to investigate whether the fish foraging habitats and dietary habits could explain Hg levels. Species and foraging habitat (δ{sup 13}C) were strong predictors for variations of Hg concentrations in muscle tissues. The highest Hg contamination was found in shallow benthic fish compared to cryopelagic and pelagic fish. This pattern was likely due to the methylation of Hg in the coastal sediment and the photodemethylation by ultraviolet radiation in surface waters. - Highlights: • Trace elements and stable isotopes were analyzed in seven Antarctic fish species. • Levels of trace elements in liver and in muscle differed among species. • Hg load was higher in benthic fish than in cryopelagic and pelagic fish. • These findings could be due to the high methylation rate of Hg in the sediment.

Trace elements in Antarctic fish species and the influence of foraging habitats and dietary habits on mercury levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goutte, Aurélie; Cherel, Yves; Churlaud, Carine; Ponthus, Jean-Pierre; Massé, Guillaume; Bustamante, Paco

2015-01-01

This study aims at describing and interpreting concentration profiles of trace elements in seven Antarctic fish species (N = 132 specimens) off Adélie Land. Ichthyofauna plays a key role in the Antarctic ecosystem, as they occupy various ecological niches, including cryopelagic (ice-associated), pelagic, and benthic habitats. Firstly, trace element levels in the studied specimens were similar to those previously observed in fish from the Southern Ocean. Apart from manganese and zinc, concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, mercury (Hg), nickel, selenium and silver differed among fish species. Muscle δ"1"3C and δ"1"5N values were determined to investigate whether the fish foraging habitats and dietary habits could explain Hg levels. Species and foraging habitat (δ"1"3C) were strong predictors for variations of Hg concentrations in muscle tissues. The highest Hg contamination was found in shallow benthic fish compared to cryopelagic and pelagic fish. This pattern was likely due to the methylation of Hg in the coastal sediment and the photodemethylation by ultraviolet radiation in surface waters. - Highlights: • Trace elements and stable isotopes were analyzed in seven Antarctic fish species. • Levels of trace elements in liver and in muscle differed among species. • Hg load was higher in benthic fish than in cryopelagic and pelagic fish. • These findings could be due to the high methylation rate of Hg in the sediment.

Effects of near-future ocean acidification, fishing, and marine protection on a temperate coastal ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornwall, Christopher E; Eddy, Tyler D

2015-02-01

Understanding ecosystem responses to global and local anthropogenic impacts is paramount to predicting future ecosystem states. We used an ecosystem modeling approach to investigate the independent and cumulative effects of fishing, marine protection, and ocean acidification on a coastal ecosystem. To quantify the effects of ocean acidification at the ecosystem level, we used information from the peer-reviewed literature on the effects of ocean acidification. Using an Ecopath with Ecosim ecosystem model for the Wellington south coast, including the Taputeranga Marine Reserve (MR), New Zealand, we predicted ecosystem responses under 4 scenarios: ocean acidification + fishing; ocean acidification + MR (no fishing); no ocean acidification + fishing; no ocean acidification + MR for the year 2050. Fishing had a larger effect on trophic group biomasses and trophic structure than ocean acidification, whereas the effects of ocean acidification were only large in the absence of fishing. Mortality by fishing had large, negative effects on trophic group biomasses. These effects were similar regardless of the presence of ocean acidification. Ocean acidification was predicted to indirectly benefit certain species in the MR scenario. This was because lobster (Jasus edwardsii) only recovered to 58% of the MR biomass in the ocean acidification + MR scenario, a situation that benefited the trophic groups lobsters prey on. Most trophic groups responded antagonistically to the interactive effects of ocean acidification and marine protection (46%; reduced response); however, many groups responded synergistically (33%; amplified response). Conservation and fisheries management strategies need to account for the reduced recovery potential of some exploited species under ocean acidification, nonadditive interactions of multiple factors, and indirect responses of species to ocean acidification caused by declines in calcareous predators. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

A streamlined DNA tool for global identification of heavily exploited coastal shark species (genus Rhizoprionodon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danillo Pinhal

Full Text Available Obtaining accurate species-specific landings data is an essential step toward achieving sustainable shark fisheries. Globally distributed sharpnose sharks (genus Rhizoprionodon exhibit life-history characteristics (rapid growth, early maturity, annual reproduction that suggests that they could be fished in a sustainable manner assuming an investment in monitoring, assessment and careful management. However, obtaining species-specific landings data for sharpnose sharks is problematic because they are morphologically very similar to one another. Moreover, sharpnose sharks may also be confused with other small sharks (either small species or juveniles of large species once they are processed (i.e., the head and fins are removed. Here we present a highly streamlined molecular genetics approach based on seven species-specific PCR primers in a multiplex format that can simultaneously discriminate body parts from the seven described sharpnose shark species commonly occurring in coastal fisheries worldwide. The species-specific primers are based on nucleotide sequence differences among species in the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 locus (ITS2. This approach also distinguishes sharpnose sharks from a wide range of other sharks (52 species and can therefore assist in the regulation of coastal shark fisheries around the world.

Ecological assessment of fish biodiversity in relation to hydrological ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This research analysed the fish species diversity; ecological distribution and abundance in relation to hydrological variables of Ogun coastal water. Fish species were collected with the use of graded gillnet bimonthly for six-months. Correlation analysis between fish species richness with the hydrological attributes showed ...

Screening for viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus in marine fish along the Norwegian coastal line.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Sandlund

Full Text Available Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV infects a wide range of marine fish species. To study the occurrence of VHSV in wild marine fish populations in Norwegian coastal waters and fjord systems a total of 1927 fish from 39 different species were sampled through 5 research cruises conducted in 2009 to 2011. In total, VHSV was detected by rRT-PCR in twelve samples originating from Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus, haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus, whiting (Merlangius merlangus and silvery pout (Gadiculus argenteus. All fish tested positive in gills while four herring and one silvery pout also tested positive in internal organs. Successful virus isolation in cell culture was only obtained from one pooled Atlantic herring sample which shows that today's PCR methodology have a much higher sensitivity than cell culture for detection of VHSV. Sequencing revealed that the positive samples belonged to VHSV genotype Ib and phylogenetic analysis shows that the isolate from Atlantic herring and silvery pout are closely related. All positive fish were sampled in the same area in the northern county of Finnmark. This is the first detection of VHSV in Atlantic herring this far north, and to our knowledge the first detection of VHSV in silvery pout. However, low prevalence of VHSV genotype Ib in Atlantic herring and other wild marine fish are well known in other parts of Europe. Earlier there have been a few reports of disease outbreaks in farmed rainbow trout with VHSV of genotype Ib, and our results show that there is a possibility of transfer of VHSV from wild to farmed fish along the Norwegian coast line. The impact of VHSV on wild fish is not well documented.

Submission of Danish Coastal Fish data to HELCOM FISH, for the Thematic Assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2009-01-01

on the data contained in the COBRA database. A GIS interactive map was subsequently created by HELCOM to improve access to the information in the metadatabase and to visualise coastal fish monitoring activities in the Baltic Sea. Link: http://www.helcom.fi/GIS/en_GB/coastalfishGIS/...

Drivers of larval fish assemblage shift during the spring-summer transition in the coastal Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez, Itziar; Catalán, Ignacio A.; Jordi, Antoni; Palmer, Miquel; Sabatés, Ana; Basterretxea, Gotzon

2012-01-01

The influence of coastal environmental conditions from winter-spring to summer on fish larvae assemblages in a temperate area has suggested a seasonal shift in ecosystem-level variation through which trophic pathways shift from the pelagic to the benthic system. This variation may be related to marked effects in the reproductive strategies in the fishes inhabiting the area and indirectly affect ichthyoplankton assemblages. Larval fish assemblages were sampled fortnightly at three stations located in coastal waters off southern Mallorca (Western Mediterranean) from March to August 2007, covering the main spawning period for the resident coastal fish in this region. The larval fish assemblage showed clear seasonality with higher specific abundance but lower diversity in the spring. Two main assemblages were identified: a spring assemblage, occurring at surface seawater temperatures ichthyoplankton communities occurred in early June, coinciding with the onset of summer hydrographical conditions and the local benthic productivity peak.

Spatial distribution of juvenile fish along an artificialized seascape, insights from common coastal species in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercader, Manon; Rider, Mary; Cheminée, Adrien; Pastor, Jérémy; Zawadzki, Audrey; Mercière, Alexandre; Crec'hriou, Romain; Verdoit-Jarraya, Marion; Lenfant, Philippe

2018-06-01

Along the littoral, a growing number of anthropogenic structures have caused substantial habitat destruction. Despite their detrimental impact, these constructions could play a role in the functioning of coastal ecosystems. The objective of this work was to assess the distribution of juvenile coastal fish along a seascape composed of various natural and artificial habitats in order to determine the potential role of coastal infrastructures as juvenile habitat. We surveyed juvenile populations on various infrastructures and natural sites along a 100 km shoreline of the French Mediterranean coast. Juvenile densities varied according to the level of artificialization of the sites. Densities were the highest on coastal defense structures, intermediate in natural sites and lowest in harbors. Focusing inside harbors revealed highly variable densities depending on the type of habitat, with densities on ripraps or jetties that were equivalent to those of natural sites. Our results underline the importance of anthropogenic structures as potential juvenile habitats, which is too often not considered in management plans. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fish biodiversity and conservation in South America.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, R E; Albert, J S; Di Dario, F; Mincarone, M M; Petry, P; Rocha, L A

2016-07-01

The freshwater and marine fish faunas of South America are the most diverse on Earth, with current species richness estimates standing above 9100 species. In addition, over the last decade at least 100 species were described every year. There are currently about 5160 freshwater fish species, and the estimate for the freshwater fish fauna alone points to a final diversity between 8000 and 9000 species. South America also has c. 4000 species of marine fishes. The mega-diverse fish faunas of South America evolved over a period of >100 million years, with most lineages tracing origins to Gondwana and the adjacent Tethys Sea. This high diversity was in part maintained by escaping the mass extinctions and biotic turnovers associated with Cenozoic climate cooling, the formation of boreal and temperate zones at high latitudes and aridification in many places at equatorial latitudes. The fresh waters of the continent are divided into 13 basin complexes, large basins consolidated as a single unit plus historically connected adjacent coastal drainages, and smaller coastal basins grouped together on the basis of biogeographic criteria. Species diversity, endemism, noteworthy groups and state of knowledge of each basin complex are described. Marine habitats around South America, both coastal and oceanic, are also described in terms of fish diversity, endemism and state of knowledge. Because of extensive land use changes, hydroelectric damming, water divergence for irrigation, urbanization, sedimentation and overfishing 4-10% of all fish species in South America face some degree of extinction risk, mainly due to habitat loss and degradation. These figures suggest that the conservation status of South American freshwater fish faunas is better than in most other regions of the world, but the marine fishes are as threatened as elsewhere. Conserving the remarkable aquatic habitats and fishes of South America is a growing challenge in face of the rapid anthropogenic changes of the 21

Coastal Resources Atlas: Long Island: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine, estuarine, anadromous, and freshwater fish species for Long Island, New York. Vector polygons...

76 FR 37761 - Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Amendment 13 to the Coastal...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-28

.... 110606318-1319-01] RIN 0648-BA68 Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Amendment 13 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan; Annual Catch Limits AGENCY: National... the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This proposed rule will implement...

Does coastal lagoon habitat quality affect fish growth rate and their recruitment? Insights from fishing and acoustic surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Brehmer, P.; Laugier, T.; Kantoussan, J.; Galgani, F.; Mouillot, D.

2013-07-01

Ensuring the sustainability of fish resources necessitates understanding their interaction with coastal habitats, which is becoming ever more challenging in the context of ever increasing anthropogenic pressures. The ability of coastal lagoons, exposed to major sources of disturbance, to provide resources and suitable habitats for growth and survival of juvenile fish is especially important. We analysed three lagoons with different ecological statuses and habitat quality on the basis of their eutrophication and ecotoxicity (Trix test) levels. Fish abundances were sampled using fishing and horizontal beaming acoustic surveys with the same protocols in the same year. The relative abundance of Anguilla anguilla, Dicentrarchus labrax or the Mugilidae group was not an indicator of habitat quality, whereas Atherina boyeri and Sparus aurata appeared to be more sensitive to habitat quality. Fish abundance was higher in the two lagoons with high eutrophication and ecotoxicity levels than in the less impacted lagoon, while fish sizes were significantly higher in the two most severely impacted lagoons. This leads us to suggest low habitat quality may increase fish growth rate (by the mean of a cascading effect), but may reduce lagoon juvenile abundance by increasing larval mortality. Such a hypothesis needs to be further validated using greater investigations which take into account more influences on fish growth and recruitment in such variable environments under complex multi-stressor conditions.

Fish composition and species richness in eastern South American coastal lagoons: additional support for the freshwater ecoregions of the world.

Science.gov (United States)

Petry, A C; Guimarães, T F R; Vasconcellos, F M; Hartz, S M; Becker, F G; Rosa, R S; Goyenola, G; Caramaschi, E P; Díaz de Astarloa, J M; Sarmento-Soares, L M; Vieira, J P; Garcia, A M; Teixeira de Mello, F; de Melo, F A G; Meerhoff, M; Attayde, J L; Menezes, R F; Mazzeo, N; Di Dario, F

2016-07-01

The relationships between fish composition, connectivity and morphometry of 103 lagoons in nine freshwater ecoregions (FEOW) between 2·83° S and 37·64° S were evaluated in order to detect possible congruence between the gradient of species richness and similarities of assemblage composition. Most lagoons included in the study were fish species accounted for a significant portion of species richness. Relationships between species and area in small-sized lagoons (composition within the primary, secondary and peripheral or marine divisions revealed strong continental biogeographic patterns only for species less tolerant or intolerant to salinity. Further support for the FEOW scheme in the eastern border of South America is therefore provided, and now includes ecotonal systems inhabited simultaneously by freshwater and marine species of fishes. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Species Profiles. Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Gulf of Mexico). WHITE SHRIMP.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-09-01

regarding this report should be directed to one of the following addresses. Information Transfer Special ist National Coastal Ecosystems Team U.S. Fish and...snace not ’i Iled by, 7 rim, and thei, begin a henthic exi s- tier- a"jrias orua ntae lc tence. The timne )etween hatching and vih il th p ~ i p r i...Gulf of Mexico United States; a LTfe ist -y requirements of se- - regional management plan. Gulf lected finfish and shellfish in Coast Res. Lab. Tech

Fish population studies using parasites from the Southeastern Pacific Ocean: considering host population changes and species body size as sources of variability of parasite communities.

Science.gov (United States)

George-Nascimento, Mario; Oliva, Marcelo

2015-01-01

Research using parasites in fish population studies in the South Eastern Pacific (SEP) is summarized. There are 27 such studies (snapshots mainly) in single host species sampled at different geographic localities and at somewhat similar times. They have been devoted mainly to economically important species, though others on coastal and intertidal fish or on less- or non-commercial species provide insights on scales of temporal and spatial variation of parasite infracommunities. Later, we assess whether the probability of harbouring parasites depends on the host species body size. Our results indicate that a stronger tool for fish population studies may be developed under regular (long term) scrutiny of parasite communities, especially of small fish host species, due to their larger variability in richness, abundance and total biomass, than in large fish species. Finally, it might also be necessary to consider the effects of fishing on parasite communities as well as the natural oscillations (coupled or not) of host and parasite populations.

Fish Scale Evidence for Rapid Post Glacial Colonization of an Atlantic Coastal Pond

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, R. A.; Peteet, Dorothy

1996-01-01

Fish scales from the sediment of Allamuchy Pond, New Jersey, USA, indicate that fishes were present in the pond within 400 years of the time of the first deposition of organic material, at approximately 12,600 yrs BP. The earliest of the scales, from a white sucker, Catostomus commersoni, appears in sediment dated 12,260 +/- 220 yrs BP. Presence of scales in sediment deposited before I 0,000 yrs BP indicates that Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, sunfish, Lepomis sp., and yellow perch, Perca flavescens, also were early inhabitants of the pond. The timing of the arrival of each of these fishes suggests that they migrated out from Atlantic coastal refugia. A minnow scale, referred to Phoxininae, was also retrieved; it could not be matched to any cyprinid currently found in northeastern North America. The species present historically in this pond are from five families found currently in ponds throughout the Northeast and sugoest that the lentic palaeo-enviromnent was similar to present mid-elevation or high-latitude lentic systems.

Fluctuations and trends in structure of fish community in Koporskaya Bay coastal waters (Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea) and influence of water-intake facilities of the Leningrad nuclear power plant on fish fauna

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimin, V.L.

1996-01-01

The investigation is based on data obtained in 1978-1995 in Koporskaya Bay (eastern part of the Gulf of Finland), known as the cooling water-body of Leningrad (St. Petersburg) nuclear power plant Leningrad (NPP). 45 fish species were recorded in this period. The fish species diversity reduced significantly in last decade (from 8-9 in early 1980s up to 4-5 species in the nucleus of fish community in 1990s). Most vulnerable species, such as salmonids and coregonids, tend to disappear. Koporskaya Bay coastal area is now dominated by abundant three-spined and nine-spined sticklebacks. However, the relatively improved situation have occurred after beginning of reparation works at the 1st reactor unit, when the thermal loading was declined significantly. Great amount of fishes were perished at the water-intake facilities (more than 400 ton/year, in average). Changes in fish community structure caused noticeable changes in commercial fishing: the average percentage part of baltic herring (main object of fishing in the eastern Gulf of Finland) in commercial catches ranged from 90 up to 98% in the time before the LNPP started in operating, but from 1975, especially in last decade when LNPP has reached their project electrical capacity in 1981, we can see significant variations in herring's share (29-80%) in catches

Changing Levels of Predation on Benthos as a Result of Exploitation of Fish Populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hansson, S.; Frid, C.L.J.; Ragnarsson, S.A.; Rijnsdorp, A.; Steingrimsson, S.A.

1999-01-01

In many coastal areas fishing constitutes the dominant anthropogenic impact on coastal ecosystems. That fishing has altered the abundance and size spectra of fish communities is beyond doubt. We use time series of the abundance, in the North Sea, of 8 demersal fish species and data on food

Influence of Green Tides in Coastal Nursery Grounds on the Habitat Selection and Individual Performance of Juvenile Fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Luherne, Emilie; Le Pape, Olivier; Murillo, Laurence; Randon, Marine; Lebot, Clément; Réveillac, Elodie

2017-01-01

Coastal ecosystems, which provide numerous essential ecological functions for fish, are threatened by the proliferation of green macroalgae that significantly modify habitat conditions in intertidal areas. Understanding the influence of green tides on the nursery function of these ecosystems is essential to determine their potential effects on fish recruitment success. In this study, the influence of green tides on juvenile fish was examined in an intertidal sandy beach area, the Bay of Saint-Brieuc (Northwestern France), during two annual cycles of green tides with varying levels of intensity. The responses of three nursery-dependent fish species, the pelagic Sprattus sprattus (L.), the demersal Dicentrarchus labrax (L.) and the benthic Pleuronectes platessa L., were analysed to determine the effects of green tides according to species-specific habitat niche and behaviour. The responses to this perturbation were investigated based on habitat selection and a comparison of individual performance between a control and an impacted site. Several indices on different integrative scales were examined to evaluate these responses (antioxidant defence capacity, muscle total lipid, morphometric condition and growth). Based on these analyses, green tides affect juvenile fish differently according to macroalgal density and species-specific tolerance, which is linked to their capacity to move and to their distribution in the water column. A decreasing gradient of sensitivity was observed from benthic to demersal and pelagic fish species. At low densities of green macroalgae, the three species stayed at the impacted site and the growth of plaice was reduced. At medium macroalgal densities, plaice disappeared from the impacted site and the growth of sea bass and the muscle total lipid content of sprat were reduced. Finally, when high macroalgal densities were reached, none of the studied species were captured at the impacted site. Hence, sites affected by green tides are less

Long-term changes in fish communities of the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (southern Portugal) based on two studies made 20 years apart

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Joaquim; Monteiro, Carlos C.; Monteiro, Pedro; Bentes, Luis; Coelho, Rui; Gonçalves, Jorge M. S.; Lino, Pedro G.; Erzini, Karim

2008-01-01

Fish communities of the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (south Portugal) were sampled on a monthly basis with a beach seine at 4 sites, during two different time periods: 1980-1986 and 2001-2002. Community indices, species ranking and multivariate analysis were used in order to identify changes in the fish community between the two time periods. A total of 153,511 fish representing 57 taxa were recorded. Although species composition was very similar for both sampling periods, multivariate analysis performed on annual species abundance in number and weight revealed differences in fish community structure between the two periods. Structural changes in fish community were related mostly to a sharp decrease in the abundance of Mugilidae from 1980-1986 to 2001-2002. These changes were probably associated to a decrease in organic matter contents and nutrients concentrations due to improvements in sewage treatment and better water circulation inside the lagoon. The changes in fish community structure are more evident in the inner areas of the lagoon than near the inlet. The association between changes in sewage patterns and changes in the ichthyofaunal community structure reinforces the importance of fish communities as a biological indicator of human induced changes in marine systems.

The uptake of macroplastic & microplastic by demersal & pelagic fish in the Northeast Atlantic around Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Fionn; Russell, Marie; Ewins, Ciaran; Quinn, Brian

2017-09-15

This study reports plastic ingestion in various fish found from coastal and offshore sites in Scottish marine waters. Coastal samples consisted of three demersal flatfish species (n=128) collected from the East and West coasts of Scotland. Offshore samples consisted of 5 pelagic species and 4 demersal species (n=84) collected from the Northeast Atlantic. From the coastal fish sampled, 47.7% of the gastrointestinal tracts contained macroplastic and microplastic. Of the 84 pelagic and demersal offshore fish, only 2 (2.4%) individuals from different species had ingested plastic identified as a clear polystyrene fibre and a black polyamide fibre. The average number of plastic items found per fish from all locations that had ingested plastic was 1.8 (±1.7) with polyamide (65.3%), polyethylene terephthalate (14.4%) and acrylic (14.4%) being the three most commonly found plastics. This study adds to the existing data on macroplastic and microplastic ingestion in fish species. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thirty novel microsatellite markers for the coastal pelagic fish ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Scomber japonicus (Scombridae: Scomber) is a wide-spread pelagic fish in the warm and temperate transition coastal areas and adjacent seas of Atlantic, Pacific and northwest. Indian oceans (Collette and Nauen 1983). Although there are few studies on development of microsatellite markers that provide useful tool to ...

Umbrellas can work under water: Using threatened species as indicator and management surrogates can improve coastal conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Gilby, Ben L.; Olds, Andrew D.; Connolly, Rod M.; Yabsley, Nicholas A.; Maxwell, Paul S.; Tibbetts, Ian R.; Schoeman, David S.; Schlacher, Thomas A.

2017-12-01

Species surrogates, the use of particular species to index habitat condition or to represent ecological assemblages are commonly identified in many ecosystems, but are less tested, and therefore less employed in estuaries. Estuaries provide important ecosystem goods (e.g. harvestable species) and services (e.g. carbon processing, coastal armouring), but require protection from multiple human activities, meaning that finding surrogates for estuarine condition or faunal assemblages is a significant knowledge gap. In this study, we test the efficacy of the threatened estuary ray Hemitrygon fluviorum, as a suitable indicator of ecosystem condition and management umbrella surrogate species for conservation prioritisation and monitoring purposes within estuaries. We surveyed fish assemblages and ray presence at ten sites within each of 22 estuaries in southeast Queensland, Australia, using one hour deployments of baited video arrays. We then tested for correlations between ray presence, a series of environmental variables considered important to ecosystem management within estuaries (i.e. testing rays as indicator species), and the co-occurring fish species (i.e. testing rays as umbrella species). Estuary rays function as both umbrella species and ecological indicators of habitat status in subtropical Australian estuaries. As umbrellas, ray occurrence concords with elevated species richness. As ecological indicators, ray distribution concords with habitats of good water quality (especially low turbidity) and more natural vegetation remaining in the catchment. These results highlight the potential for other threatened aquatic vertebrates that are both readily detectable and that are reliable proxies for ecosystems status to be become useful management tools in estuaries. The protection of such large, threatened species in coastal seascapes allows managers to address multiple targets for conservation, especially; (1) protecting species of conservation concern; (2

76 FR 33189 - Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Amendment 13 to the Coastal...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-08

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 660 RIN 0648-BA68 Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Amendment 13 to the Coastal... Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 13 to the Coastal Pelagic Species...

Impact of coastal defence structures (tetrapods) on a demersal hard-bottom fish community in the southern North Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Wehkamp, Stephanie; Fischer, Philipp

2013-02-01

In the coming decades, artificial defence structures will increase in importance worldwide for the protection of coasts against the impacts of global warming. However, the ecological effects of such structures on the natural surroundings remain unclear. We investigated the impact of experimentally introduced tetrapod fields on the demersal fish community in a hard-bottom area in the southern North Sea. The results indicated a significant decrease in fish abundance in the surrounding area caused by migration effects towards the artificial structures. Diversity (HB) and evenness (E) values exhibited greater variation after the introduction of the tetrapods. Additionally, a distinct increase in young-of-the-year (YOY) fish was observed near the structures within the second year after introduction. We suggest that the availability of adequate refuges in combination with additional food resources provided by the artificial structures has a highly species-specific attraction effect. However, these findings also demonstrate that our knowledge regarding the impact of artificial structures on temperate fish communities is still too limited to truly understand the ecological processes that are initiated by the introduction of artificial structures. Long-term investigations and additional experimental in situ work worldwide will be indispensable for a full understanding of the mechanisms by which coastal defence structures interact with the coastal environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fish assemblages in a coastal bay adjacent to a network of marine protected areas in southern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Pereira Cattani

Full Text Available Abstract Baía Norte (North Bay in Santa Catarina State is considered a typical coastal bay and is surrounded by a network of Marine Protected Areas. The objectives of this study were to describe the composition of the demersal fish assemblage, identify seasonal and spatial structures on a fine scale and evaluate the role of habitat descriptors and abiotic variables affecting the fish assemblage structure. Seasonal samplings were conducted in 2005, using bottom trawls in six pre-established areas in Baía Norte in summer, fall, winter and spring. Simultaneously with each trawl, environmental data were collected with a multiparameter probe. Temporal and spatial differences in fish abundance were tested by a PERMANOVA. To illustratethe differences detected graphically we ran a canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP. The influence of environmental variables on the fish fauna was evaluated using a Distant Based Linear Model (DistLM with Akaike's information criterion (AIC. A total of 9,888 specimens, distributed in 27 families and 62 species, were collected. Citharichthys spilopterus was the most abundant species. PERMANOVA detected differences for abundance between seasons, areas and interaction among all the factors. The DISTLM selected temperature and pH. The results highlight seasonality as an important factor in the structuring of fish fauna of the study place.

Fisheries oceanography of northern pelagic fish species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsoukali, Stavroula

for marine organisms. One of the impacts will be the time that species start to spawn, and there is already evidence for earlier spawning in some North Sea fish species. A change like that may likely have a chain reaction, affecting larval stages and whether they will live in environments with high food...... of the species they consume now and increased availability of new species. In addition, there will likely be economic impacts on the local fishing communities. How species respond to climate change is a field of research that receives great attention because the responses will affect the management of fisheries......People are familiar with marine fish species and the great variety of different species that are available in the market, such as herring, cod and sole. What may not be well known is that every individual fish goes through a long, risky journey during its life before reaching maturity. Most...

DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY FOR FISH CANNED PATE'S COD-FISH SPECIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Efremova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Summary. Fish and seafood play an important role in a balanced diet. The most reliable method of preservation is the production of canned fish. Cod fishery considered traditional objects of the North Basin, which catches in recent years stored at a consistently high level. They are represented, mainly cod, haddock, pollack, whiting. Lately there has been a tendency to increase yield loaves (polar bib. The aim of this work - the development of technology - canned pate's cod fish species with the addition of plant materials. We used the adopted research microbiological, chemical and physical methods. The weight proportion of water, lipids, protein, mineral raw determined according to State standard 7636-85. Developed a technology - canned pate's cod fish species with the addition of plant materials. Optimized formulation is set to sterilization. Experimentally determined parameters of quality canned and given comprehensive assessment nutritional value of new products, organoleptic, physico-chemical, biochemical and microbiological tests showed that canned pates of Gadidae species of fish with vegetables, meet all safety requirements and are characterized, along with excellent consumer properties, high nutritional value. Based on the results of the research complex developed technical documentation for production of canned vegetables, pates of Gadidae species.

Stickleback increase in the Baltic Sea : A thorny issue for coastal predatory fish

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergstrom, Ulf; Olsson, Jens; Casini, Michele; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Fredriksson, Ronny; Wennhage, Hakan; Appelberg, Magnus

2015-01-01

In the Baltic Sea, the mesopredator three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) spends a large part of its life cycle in the open sea, but reproduces in shallow coastal habitats. In coastal waters, it may occur in high abundances, is a potent predator on eggs and larvae of fish, and has been

Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey ESI: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine, estuarine, and anadromous fish species in coastal Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New...

Analysis of heavy metal accumulation in fish from the coastal waters of Terengganu, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Rosli, M. N. R.; Samat, S. B.; Yasir, M. S.

2018-04-01

Bioaccumulation of toxic metals in fish causes serious threats to the human when they are consumed. Thus, the detection of toxic element concentration levels in fish is important. The accumulation of four heavy metal concentration of Cd, Cu, Mn and Zn in fish was determined. Five fish species namely Epinephelus lanceolatus, Rastrelliger, Megalaspis cordyla, Bramidae and Siganus canaliculatus were collected from the coastal waters of Terengganu, Malaysia. The analysis was done using inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) technique. The accumulation of the four heavy metals in muscle tissues of the fish are lower compared to liver and gill tissues. Cd concentration was higher in liver tissues except in Megalaspis cordyla. Meanwhile Cu concentration was higher in liver for all selected fishes. Mn concentration was higher in gill tissues of all fish studied while Zn concentration was higher in gill tissues except in Epinephelus lanceolatus and Rastrelliger. The highest average level of heavy metal recorded in fish is Zn (11.05 × 10-2 ± 1.44 × 10-2 mg kg-1) followed by Mn (1.81 × 10-2 ± 0.58 × 10-2 mg kg-1), Cu (0.70 × 10-2 ± 0.10 × 10-2 mg kg-1) and Cd (0.52×10-2 ± 0.27 × 10-2 mg kg-1). The metal concentration found in this study was lower than the national and international Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for human consumption. Long term monitoring system of metal bioaccumulation in fishes need to be done to provide useful information for the assessment of the potential health risks of metals in Malaysia.

COASTAL INVERTEBRATES AND FISHES: HOW WILL THEY BE AFFECTED BY CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS- INCORPORATING CLIMATE SCENARIOS INTO THE COASTAL BIODIVERSITY RISK ANALYSIS TOOL (CBRAT)

Science.gov (United States)

The Coastal Biodiversity Risk Analysis Tool (CBRAT) is a public website that functions as an ecoinformatics platform to synthesize biogeographical distributions, abundances, life history attributes, and environmental tolerances for near-coastal invertebrates and fishes on a broad...

Mercury concentrations in China's coastal waters and implications for fish consumption by vulnerable populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong, Yindong; Wang, Mengzhu; Bu, Xiaoge; Guo, Xin; Lin, Yan; Lin, Huiming; Li, Jing; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Xuejun

2017-01-01

We assessed mercury (Hg) pollution in China's coastal waters, including the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, based on a nationwide dataset from 301 sampling sites. A methylmercury (MeHg) intake model for humans based on the marine food chain and human fish consumption was established to determine the linkage between water pollutants and the pollutant intake by humans. The predicted MeHg concentration in fish from the Bohai Sea was the highest among the four seas included in the study. The MeHg intake through dietary ingestion was dominant for the fish and was considerably higher than the MeHg intake through water respiration. The predicted MeHg concentrations in human blood in the coastal regions of China ranged from 1.37 to 2.77 μg/L for pregnant woman and from 0.43 to 1.00 μg/L for infants, respectively, based on different diet sources. The carnivorous fish consumption advisory for pregnant women was estimated to be 288–654 g per week to maintain MeHg concentrations in human blood at levels below the threshold level (4.4 μg/L established by the US Environmental Protection Agency). With a 50% increase in Hg concentrations in water in the Bohai Sea, the bioaccumulated MeHg concentration (4.5 μg/L) in the fish consumers will be higher than the threshold level. This study demonstrates the importance in controlling Hg pollution in China's coastal waters. An official recommendation guideline for the fish consumption rate and its sources will be necessary for vulnerable populations in China. - Graphical abstract: MeHg transfer route from the marine food chain to vulnerable population. - Highlights: • Predicted MeHg concentrations in pregnant woman and infant’s blood in China’s coastal regions are below threshold level. • The carnivorous fish consumption advisory for pregnant women is estimated to be 288–654 g per week. g • If with a 50% increase in Hg in Bohai Sea, the bioaccumulated MeHg concentration in

Fish assemblages in coastal lagoons in land-uplift succession: The relative importance of local and regional environmental gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Snickars, Martin; Sandström, Alfred; Lappalainen, Antti; Mattila, Johanna; Rosqvist, Kajsa; Urho, Lauri

2009-01-01

The assemblages of young-of-the-year fish were studied in coastal lagoons in an archipelago with post-glacial land-uplift, which affects environmental gradients at local and regional scale, i.e. lagoon habitat isolation and archipelago position, respectively. The categorisation of 40 undisturbed lagoons into nine habitat types based on habitat isolation and archipelago position was supported by clear relationships with spring temperature and total fish abundance. Rutilus rutilus, breams ( Abramis/Blicca sp.) and Perca fluviatilis were the most abundant and frequently occurring species. The fish assemblage differed among the nine habitat types. Rutilus rutilus, P. fluviatilis and breams were discriminating species in the majority of habitat types with low physical harshness, whereas Alburnus alburnus and Gasterosteus aculeatus increased their contributions in habitat types with high physical harshness. Rutilus rutilus and breams were thus common in lagoons with high habitat isolation situated in the inner archipelago. These lagoons were characterised by warm water and high vegetation coverage. Gasterosteus aculeatus was restricted to lagoons with low habitat isolation and exposure and low vegetation coverage, situated in the outer archipelago. Perca fluviatilis had the widest distribution of all species. The coverage of two macrophytes, Potamogeton perfoliatus and Zannichellia palustris, and salinity matched best the distance among habitat types. These habitat characteristics, as well as the fish abundances and assemblages differed most across the habitat types in the outer and mid archipelago zones and in the lowest habitat isolation. These patterns suggest that the structuring effect of habitat isolation increases along the archipelago gradient as differences between local and regional conditions increase. In the inner archipelago, overall low physical harshness induces homogeneous conditions and the habitat isolation is less important here than in the other zones

DNA barcode-based molecular identification system for fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sungmin; Eo, Hae-Seok; Koo, Hyeyoung; Choi, Jun-Kil; Kim, Won

2010-12-01

In this study, we applied DNA barcoding to identify species using short DNA sequence analysis. We examined the utility of DNA barcoding by identifying 53 Korean freshwater fish species, 233 other freshwater fish species, and 1339 saltwater fish species. We successfully developed a web-based molecular identification system for fish (MISF) using a profile hidden Markov model. MISF facilitates efficient and reliable species identification, overcoming the limitations of conventional taxonomic approaches. MISF is freely accessible at http://bioinfosys.snu.ac.kr:8080/MISF/misf.jsp .

Satellite lakes as reservoirs of fish species diversity

OpenAIRE

Nkalubo, W.; Wandera, S.B.; Namulemo, G.

2010-01-01

Satellite lakes and rivers in the Victoria and Kyoga basins provide a sanctuary for endangered native fish species. The structural heterogeneity of macrophyte covering these lakes has made it possible for most of the biodiversity to be kept intact. The Kyoga minor lakes have the highest fish species diversity especially of the haplochromines. Most fish communities of these satellite lakes are composed of native species.

Chemokines in teleost fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Alejo, Alí; Tafalla, Carolina

2011-12-01

Chemokines are chemoattractant cytokines defined by the presence of four conserved cysteine residues which in mammals can be divided into four subfamilies depending on the arrangement of the first two conserved cysteines in their sequence: CXC (α), CC (β), C and CX(3)C classes. Evolutionarily, fish can be considered as an intermediate step between species which possess only innate immunity (invertebrates) and species with a fully developed acquired immune network such as mammals. Therefore, the functionality of their different immune cell types and molecules is sometimes also intermediate between innate and acquired responses. The first chemokine gene identified in a teleost was a rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) chemokine designated as CK1 in 1998. Since then, many different chemokine genes have been identified in several fish species, but their role in homeostasis and immune response remains largely unknown. Extensive genomic duplication events and the fact that chemokines evolve more quickly than other immune genes, make it very difficult to establish true orthologues between fish and mammalian chemokines that would help us with the ascription of immune roles. In this review, we describe the current state of knowledge of chemokine biology in teleost fish, focusing mainly on which genes have been identified so far and highlighting the most important aspects of their expression regulation, due to the great lack of functional information available for them. As the number of chemokine genes begins to close down for some teleost species, there is an important need for functional assays that may elucidate the role of each of these molecules within the fish immune response. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of an Unusual Cold-Water Intrusion in 2008 on the Catch of Coastal Fishing Methods around Penghu Islands, Taiwan

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Ming-An Lee

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Based upon long-term observations (1993 - 2010 of satellite-derived winter sea surface temperature (SST data, an exceptional cold-water intrusion into the southern Taiwan Strait (TS was noted in February 2008. In the winter of 2008, La Niña caused a strong and continuous northeasterly wind that drove the cold ocean current, the China Coastal Current, more southward to penetrate the southern TS north of the Chang-Yuen Ridge. A portion of this current turned eastward to the south of Penghu Islands (PHI. The low-SST event significantly impeded local marine aquaculture and wild fish, causing the death of more than 73 tons of fish around PHI. Comparing variations of the first quarterly catches in 2008 with the long-term averages from 1993 to 2010 (excluding 2008, we noted a 50 to 80% decrease in catches from pole-and-line, long-line, and gill-net fishery. Non-migratory species dominated the composition of the catches. We also noted a greater than 230% increase in the catches from set-net fishery, with the majority being migratory species. These results illustrate the positive and negative effects of cold-water intrusion on several fish communities and species.

Amphidromy links a newly documented fish community of continental Australian streams, to oceanic islands of the west Pacific.

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Paul A Thuesen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Indo-Pacific high island streams experience extreme hydrological variation, and are characterised by freshwater fish species with an amphidromous life history. Amphidromy is a likely adaptation for colonisation of island streams following stochastic events that lead to local extirpation. In the Wet Tropics of north-eastern Australia, steep coastal mountain streams share similar physical characteristics to island systems. These streams are poorly surveyed, but may provide suitable habitat for amphidromous species. However, due to their ephemeral nature, common non-diadromous freshwater species of continental Australia are unlikely to persist. Consequently, we hypothesise that coastal Wet Tropics streams are faunally more similar, to distant Pacific island communities, than to nearby faunas of large continental rivers. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Surveys of coastal Wet Tropics streams recorded 26 species, 10 of which are first records for Australia, with three species undescribed. This fish community is unique in an Australian context in that it contains mostly amphidromous species, including sicydiine gobies of the genera Sicyopterus, Sicyopus, Smilosicyopus and Stiphodon. Species presence/absence data of coastal Wet Tropics streams were compared to both Wet Tropics river networks and Pacific island faunas. ANOSIM indicated the fish fauna of north-eastern Australian coastal streams were more similar to distant Pacific islands (R = 0.76, than to nearby continental rivers (R = 0.98. MAIN CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Coastal Wet Tropics streams are faunally more similar to distant Pacific islands (79% of species shared, than to nearby continental fauna due to two factors. First, coastal Wet Tropics streams lack many non-diadromous freshwater fish which are common in nearby large rivers. Second, many amphidromous species found in coastal Wet Tropics streams and Indo-Pacific islands remain absent from large rivers of the Wet Tropics

Trophic interactions between native and introduced fish species in a littoral fish community.

Science.gov (United States)

Monroy, M; Maceda-Veiga, A; Caiola, N; De Sostoa, A

2014-11-01

The trophic interactions between 15 native and two introduced fish species, silverside Odontesthes bonariensis and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, collected in a major fishery area at Lake Titicaca were explored by integrating traditional ecological knowledge and stable-isotope analyses (SIA). SIA suggested the existence of six trophic groups in this fish community based on δ(13)C and δ(15)N signatures. This was supported by ecological evidence illustrating marked spatial segregation between groups, but a similar trophic level for most of the native groups. Based on Bayesian ellipse analyses, niche overlap appeared to occur between small O. bonariensis (<90 mm) and benthopelagic native species (31.6%), and between the native pelagic killifish Orestias ispi and large O. bonariensis (39%) or O. mykiss (19.7%). In addition, Bayesian mixing models suggested that O. ispi and epipelagic species are likely to be the main prey items for the two introduced fish species. This study reveals a trophic link between native and introduced fish species, and demonstrates the utility of combining both SIA and traditional ecological knowledge to understand trophic relationships between fish species with similar feeding habits. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Water-to-fish transfer of stable elements in near-coastal seas around a nuclear site of Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Y.H.; Lim, K.M.; Jun, I.; Kim, B.H.; Keum, D.K. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Korea, Republic of)

2014-07-01

In radiation dose assessment models for wildlife, the transfer of radionuclides to plant and animal species is usually quantified with concentration ratios (CRs) between them and environmental media. The IAEA recently produced a handbook of CR values covering various radionuclides and many kinds of plant and animal species. However, CR values can vary considerably with wildlife species and environmental conditions. Therefore, it is desirable to use as many site-specific CR data as possible. In the present study, the CR values of various stable elements as surrogates for radionuclides were investigated for several marine fish species inhabiting near-coastal seas around a nuclear power plant site of Korea. In May to June, 2012, fish and seawater samples were collected from six points in the sea within 10 km from Wolsung NPP site. For seawater samples, temperature, pH and salinity were measured immediately after collected. Fish samples were put in an icebox and carried to the laboratory, where they were freeze-dried and homogenized for the whole bodies using a grinder. Aliquots of the homogenized samples were changed into liquid samples as a result of chemical treatments. Sea water samples were filtered using a membrane filter (0.2 μm in pore size). Elemental concentrations were measured with the prepared liquid samples using the ICP-MS and ICP-AES. The CR value (L/kg-fresh) was expressed as the ratio of the fish concentration (Bq/kg-fresh) to the seawater concentration (Bq/L). The numbers of the elements and fish species investigated were 21 and 14, respectively. The CR values of Na and Mg were lower than 1 for all the fish species, whereas those of the remaining elements were always higher than 1 except for Li and U. Zn, Mn, Al and Fe formed a group of the highest CR values in general and their CR values mostly ranged from hundreds to thousands. In the case of Zn, CR values even higher than ten thousands were observed for seven species including greenling, sea bass

Hawaii ESI: FISHPT (Fish Points)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for native stream and anchialine pool fish species in coastal Hawaii. (Anchialine pools are small,...

Stable Isotopic Shifts in Fish Bones from Multiple Archeological Coastal Middens in Penobscot Bay, Maine

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, C.; Johnson, B.; Ambrose, W. G.; Bourque, B.; Dostie, P.; Crowley, E.

2010-12-01

The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions of collagen extracted from well-preserved archeological fish bones has the potential to provide useful information on fish diets and food web dynamics over time. Previous work on the Turner Farm archaeological site in Penobscot Bay, Gulf of Maine, reveals significant shifts in fish diets have occurred since European colonization (post 1620’s). The objective of the present study was to analyze samples from other archaeological sites within Penobscot Bay to characterize the spatial extent of the isotopic shift measured at Turner Farm. Stratified cod, flounder, and sculpin bones were analyzed from eight coastal middens located approximately 50km apart from one another within Penobscot Bay. The bones were sampled from three time horizons (0kya, 0.5-1kya, and 2.2-2.4kya). All bone samples were demineralized in 0.2M HCl at 4°C for 2 to 7 days and then extracted in 0.25M NaOH at 4°C for 1 to 2 hours. After freeze-drying, the bulk isotopic composition of each sample was analyzed using the EA-IRMS. In all stratigraphic horizons analyzed, cod were more enriched in δ13C and δ15N than sculpin, and flounder were the most depleted in δ13C and δ15N . However, the isotopic offsets between the fish species decreased from 2.4kya to the present. The nitrogen isotope composition was relatively constant over time and space for all species, implying that trophic levels for the fishes analyzed have not changed significantly in Penobscot Bay for the last 2,400 years. The carbon isotope composition also appears to be constant spatially in Penobscot Bay, however, the modern signal was more depleted than the paleo signal in all three species. The difference between the modern and paleo δ13C is ~5‰ for cod and flounder, and ~9‰ for sculpin. These shifts may, in part, be explained by decreases in both primary producer and prey species diversity, as kelp forests replace eelgrass beds in the Gulf of Maine.

Assessment of Heavy Metal in Self-caught Saltwater Fish from Port Dickson Coastal Water (Malaysia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Praveena, S.M.; Lin, C.L.S.

2015-01-01

Freshwater fish has been studied and reported numerously. However, little attention has been made and limited studies available on local marine fish in Malaysia. Thus, in this study, concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Pb and Cu) were studied in four major local marine fish Megalaspis cordyla (hardtail scad), Rastrelliger kanagurta (Indian mackerel), Selaroides leptolepis (yellow stripe scad) and Sardinella fimbriata (fringescale sardinella). The study was also intended to estimate potential health risk assessment from these heavy metals to the consumption of fish and assess maximum allowable fish consumption rate. The range of heavy metal concentrations were 0.053-0.096 mg/ kg for Cd, 1.16-2.34 mg/ kg for Cr, 8.34-12.44 mg/ kg for Pb and 1.40-3.21 mg/ kg for Cu in four major self-caught saltwater fish. Heavy metal levels of Cd and Cu in the local marine fish from Port Dickson are below the limit enforced by Food Regulations (1985) while the levels of Cr and Pb have exceeded the limit. Potential health risks associated with Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb were assessed based on target hazard quotients. HQ values calculated for Cd, Cr and Cu were less than 1, thus indicate that no adverse effects while HQ values for Pb exceeded 1 for all the fish species assessed with the exception of Megalaspis spp and Sardinella sppa. Cr was the highest while Pb concentrations were the lowest in all the studied fish samples for maximum allowable fish consumption rate. A long term monitoring program is crucial to be done in coastal areas with high consumption of local marine fish along Port Dickson to obtain real consumption rates and other cofounders factors in local population. (author)

Artisanal fishing of spiny lobsters with gillnets — A significant anthropic impact on tropical reef ecosystem

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Bruno Welter Giraldes

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Artisanal fishing activity with gillnets to capture the spiny lobster is a common practice along the coastal reefs of Brazil. This research aims to understand the impact that this artisanal fishing practice is having on the coastal reef systems analysing its associated fauna (bycatch and the stock of the target species Panulirus echinatus. The study compared an area which was subjected to intense gillnet fishing against one were the practice was absent. The analysis of target species using nocturnal visual census demonstrated a significantly higher number of P. echinatus at the site where gillnet use was virtually absent within three sampled habitats, fringe, cave and soft bottom. The analysis of bycatch species from artisanal fishermen’s gillnet landings recorded 4 lobster species and 10 crab species. These decapod species play an important ecological role as detritivores, herbivorous and first consumers within the reef ecosystem as well as being natural prey items for several reef fishes. The study concludes that this non-discriminatory fishing technique impacts directly on populations of P. echinatus, P. argus and P. laevicauda as well as other lobster and crab species which in-turn indirectly affects the ecological role of the tropical coastal reefs of Brazil.

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: South Florida: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine and estuarine fish species in South Florida. Vector polygons in this data set represent fish...

Are coastal lagoons physically or biologically controlled ecosystems? Revisiting r vs. K strategies in coastal lagoons and estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Ruzafa, Angel; Marcos, Concepción; Pérez-Ruzafa, Isabel María; Pérez-Marcos, María

2013-11-01

Environmental stress influences biological assemblages, with species responding to stress by adopting particular life-history strategies (e.g., r vs. K). Coastal lagoons and estuaries are considered naturally stressed and physically controlled systems with frequent environmental disturbances and fluctuations. At the same time, their transitional nature (between terrestrial, freshwater and marine) makes them especially vulnerable to human impacts and land and freshwater inputs. As a result, it is hypothesised that residents of coastal lagoons would display characteristics of r-selected species. The r-strategy involves increased reproductive effort through early reproduction, small and numerous offspring with a large dispersive capability, short lifespan and small adult body size. Together, these traits provide a selective advantage in such unpredictable or short-lived environments. Alternatively, immigrants to coastal lagoons should mostly be K-strategists, with a competitive advantage over the r-strategists, at least on a temporary time scale. These hypotheses were explored using a dataset from 73 Atlanto-Mediterranean sites: 27 estuaries, 42 coastal lagoons and 4 from the sea, obtained from published sources. A detailed analysis of the distributions of the different resident fish species according to lagoon characteristics indicated that in lagoons with a higher marine influence the families Gobiidae, Blenniidae and Syngnathidae were common, while lagoons with freshwater influence are characterized by Cyprinidae and other freshwater species. In analyzing the biological strategies of lagoon species we found that fish assemblages inhabiting marine influenced lagoons were characterized by solitary, necto-benthonic sedentary species. These species are often hermaphroditic, with benthic broods and many exhibit brooding behaviour. This suggests that marine influenced lagoons are dominated by K-strategist species, while r-strategy species will be more common in

Socio-ecological studies on marine fishing villages in the selective south coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, M Jaya Kumar; Rao, P Brahmaji

2016-12-01

Coasts are an amazing gift of nature. Industrialization, infrastructure development, urbanisation, tourism, mechanized fishing, disposal of industrial and urban wastes and effluents, are all ringing the death-knell of the sensitive coastal ecosystems of recently separated State of Andhra Pradesh. These modern interventions have been violent, disregarding both nature's rejuvenating mechanisms, and the symbiotic relationship that exist between the coast and traditional marine fishing communities. Modern fishing tecnologies using mechanized trawlers and small meshed nets lead directly to overexploitation, which is not sustainable. It is evident that fish have to breed successfully and need to have time to grow if the yield has to be used sustainably. Multiple pressures and excessive technological invasion on these marine fishing villages had created an environment in which life has become physically and mentally unhealthy. The focus of this paper is to emphasize that investing in large-scale industrial fishing, building bigger boats, and giving subsidies for pursuing deep sea fishing would be a waste of resources as the fish hauls in these selelctive districts i.e. Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore coastal communities have dropped off alarmingly in recent years. It is essential and crucial to focus research and scientific analysis and establish awareness and education to provide a means of distinguishing responses between improvements in quality of ecosystem and those of damages. The study is to elaborate that long-term ecological gains cannot be sacrificed for short-term economic gains that unfortunately lead to environmental damage. Investigating coastal regulations, policies, and their implementation is an urgent social need for the sake of socio-ecological safety and security of coasts and host communities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Habitat partitioning, habits and convergence among coastal nektonic fish species from the São Sebastião Channel, southeastern Brazil

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Fernando Zaniolo Gibran

Full Text Available Based on a fish survey and preliminary underwater observations, 17 "morphotypes" were identified that characterize the morphological diversity found within 27 nektonic fish species sampled at São Sebastião Channel. Such "morphotypes" were studied using an ecomorphological approach, with the intention to investigate similarities and differences in shape and habits. Underwater field observations were also performed, to verify if the lifestyle of these species, such as vertical occupation of the water column and the habitat use, are in accordance with their distribution in the morphospace. The results, complemented with data from scientific literature on the taxonomy and phylogenies of these species, allowed discussing some of the typical cases of convergent and divergent evolution. Some of the ecomorphological clusters had no phylogenetic support although this is probably due to the environmental conditions in which theirs members have evolved. The body shape and fins positions of a fish clearly influence its ecological performance and habitat use, corroborating the ecomorphological hypothesis on the intimate link between phenotype and ecology.

Ekologi Trofik Komunitas Ikan di Perairan Segara Menyan, Subang, Jawa Barat (Trophic Ecology of the Fish Community in Segara Menyan Coastal Lagoon, Subang, West Java

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Ahmad Zahid

2015-09-01

monthly for one year at three zones. Fish samples were placed in separate labelled plastic bags according to the time scale and location sampling, then gut contents were analyzed. The data of vacuity index, number of prey, prey dominant, diet breadth, and trophic level were analyzed. For each of 106 fish species, between 1 and 380 stomachs, were examined. The vacuity index was also different among species. Five of 106 species had a vacuity index of “0” and total number of food items consumed varied between fish species, ranging from three items to 27 items. The overall diet breadth (Bi was relatively low among species, ranging from 0.20 to 0.78, with most of them between 0.20 and 0.48. Calanoid copepods comprised the most common food item consumed by all the fishes examined. Fishes occurring can be broadly categorized into seven different trophic guilds. The trophic level of fish communities ranged from 2.05 to 4.73. Spatio-temporal variation of food web was influenced of ontogenetic shift, food availability, habitat characteristic, and migration of some species in Segara Menyan coastal lagoon. Keywords: trophic interaction, lagoon, fishes, spatio-temporal variation, trophic guild

Larval fish assemblages in coastal waters of central Greece: reflections of topographic and oceanographic heterogeneity

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Stylianos Somarakis

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Patterns in the mesoscale distribution of larval fish in the coastal waters of central Greece, an area of high topographic and bathymetric complexity, were analysed using samples collected during two ichthyoplankton surveys in July 1998 and June 1999. Salinities were lower in the eastern (Aegean part of the study area due to the influence of waters originating from the Black Sea. In this region, larvae of many epipelagic and benthopelagic (typically summer spawning species were less abundant in June 1999, when waters were significantly cooler, compared to July 1998. Multivariate analyses identified ‘neritic’ and ‘pelagic’ groups of stations dominated by larvae of epipelagic/bethopelagic (typically shelf dwelling and mesopelagic species. In the west (Ionian Sea, a prominent third group of stations located in the deep and highly enclosed Korinthiakos Gulf was also defined with very high abundances of mesopelagic fish larvae. However, the genera Cyclothone and Vinciguerria that dominated the neighbouring offshore assemblage of the Ionian Sea were absent from this gulf. In the study area, Korinthiakós Gulf ( > 900 m and North Evoikos ( > 400 m Gulf comprise unique ‘fjord-like’ ecosystems in the Mediterranean with increased productivity and significantly cooler deep waters compared to adjacent open sea basins.

Decontamination of salmonella from the coastal fish meals by 60Co γ ray irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saheki, Kazuaki; Konno, Kenjiro; Sato, Takae; Kawabata, Toshiharu.

1988-01-01

The decontamination fo salmonellae from fish meal samples by irradiation which 60 Co γ ray was examined. Sixteen strains of Salmonella were used. A composite fish meal sample was prepared by mixing with different coastal meals, and after radiation sterilization at a dose of 20 kGy 60 Co γ ray, which was employed as the salmonella-free meal sample. D 10 values of test strains determined in buffered saline were found to range from 0.08 to 0.36 kGy, and inactivation factors at a dose of 1 kGy ranged from 10 2.8 to 10 13 . D 10 values of test strains determined in the salmonella-free meal sample ranged from 0.59 to 1.64 kGy, and the inactivation factors at a dose of 10 kGy were found to range from 10 6.1 to 10 17 . Interestingly the D 10 values of salmonellae determined in fish meal samples were 10 times as much compared with those determined in buffered saline. From the commercial aspects of coastal fish meal production, destruction of salmonellae in fish meals by 60 Co γ ray irradiation was found to be much more practical than other methods such as dry heating and ethylene oxide fumigation. (author)

CAGE BREEDING OF WARM WATER FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES

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Roman Safner

2008-10-01

Full Text Available In the 1970s, Croatia became actively involved in the contemporary trend of breeding fish in floating cages. In addition to various species of marine fishes, breeding was attempted with trout, carp, catfish, cisco and salmon. Of the above freshwater fish species, specific standards were established only for the cage breeding of rainbow trout. Cage breeding of the remaining species remained at the level of occasional attempts, with more of an experimental than a commercial character. The regular attempts to master this technique for cage breeding of warm water freshwater fish species were aimed at achieving the known benefits of such breeding, such as simplicity of implementing technological measures, easier establishment of the breeding system, simpler manipulation, the possibility of denser colonies per unit volume with a high level of production, easier adaptations to market conditions and fewer initial structural investments. Despite the many advantages, the main reasons for the lack of greater implementation of the cage breeding technology for warm water species of freshwater fish include problems in obtaining the appropriate category and quantity of healthy fry, the specificity and applicability of physical and chemical properties of the recipients and human error. In evaluating the advantages and disadvantages, the final decision on the justification of cage breeding for individual warm water freshwater species must be based on both biological and economic factors. Based on the knowledge of cage breeding acquired to date, the rule for virtually all intensive breeding systems is that it is only recommended for those species with high market demand and a high market price. The technology that demands nutrition with highly concentrated feed and other production expenditures is costly, and is therefore not profitable with less expensive fish species. Furthermore, production must be market oriented, i.e. the appropriate market research measures

Influence of fishing activity over the marine debris composition close to coastal jetty.

Science.gov (United States)

Farias, Eduardo G G; Preichardt, Paulo R; Dantas, David V

2018-04-23

Worldwide, the marine debris emissions have been provoking impacts in ecosystems, generating massive mortality of different species with commercial interest. In South America, we have a lack of studies to verify the marine debris composition in transitional environments such as adjacent regions of coastal jetties. These are hydraulic engineering constructions used to maintain the navigation channel access between the sea-estuarine interface and are also used by teleost fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks like artificial shelters (reefs), being excellent fishing grounds. Therefore, the present study was devoted to qualitatively evaluate the composition of marine debris in an internal jetty portion of a Laguna Estuarine System (LES) located in South America (Brazil). Six hundred freediving were conducted to collect marine debris in the study region. The in situ campaigns were performed in 2016 during all spring season (sand substrata) in four distinct zones with 26,400 m 2 each one covering almost all adjacent jetty extension, to evaluate possible spatial changes in the marine debris composition. All material obtained was identified, measured, weighed, and ordered in eight groups, with six groups being related to the fishing activity and two groups related to the tourism/community in the study region. So, it was possible to observe possible relations between the marine debris distribution to artisanal and recreational local fishing. After 600 freediving sampling efforts, 2142 marine debris items were obtained, totaling close to 100 kg of solid waste removed from the inner portion of the coastal jetty. Notably, 1752 units (50 kg) of fishing leads were collected being this item the main marine debris residue found in the four sampled areas, corresponding to nearly 50% of the total weight of the collected waste. Ninety-eight percent of marine debris were derived from the local fishing activities, and just 2% were derived from tourism/community. Considering the total

Higher species richness and abundance of fish and benthic invertebrates around submarine groundwater discharge in Obama Bay, Japan

OpenAIRE

Tatsuya Utsunomiya; Masaki Hata; Ryo Sugimoto; Hisami Honda; Shiho Kobayashi; Yoji Miyata; Makoto Yamada; Osamu Tominaga; Jun Shoji; Makoto Taniguchi

2017-01-01

Study focus: There have been far more studies on how the variability in surface water discharge affects production of animal communities in aquatic ecosystems while less information has been accumulated on the mechanisms of how the groundwater supply works. Study region: Physical and biological surveys were conducted to test the hypothesis that high level of submarine ground water discharge enhances species richness, abundance and biomass of fishes and invertebrates in coastal waters of Ob...

Assessment of pollution along the Northern Iberian shelf by the combined use of chemical and biochemical markers in two representative fish species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, Denise; Andreu-Sanchez, Oscar; Bebianno, Maria Joao; Porte, Cinta

2008-01-01

Muscle concentrations of organochlorinated compounds as well as biliary levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylphenols (APEs) were determined in two different fish species, the four-spotted megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii) and the pouting (Trisopterus luscus) collected along the Northern Iberian coast. Additionally, a set of biochemical markers namely, 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and catalase (CAT) were measured in liver subcellular fractions. Chemical analysis indicated geographical differences in pollutant loads that were further reinforced by biomarker responses. Thus, EROD activity showed a good correlation with the amount of PCBs bioaccumulated in muscle tissue of both fish species. Elevated UGT activity was observed in those individuals highly exposed to APEs and 1-naphthol. The study reinforces the need to select representative sentinel species from different habitats for biomonitoring purposes and provides further support for the use of biomarkers in assessing the health of coastal areas. - Pollution biomonitoring along the Northern Iberian Shelf by the combined use of chemical and biochemical tools in two representative fish species

Assessment of pollution along the Northern Iberian shelf by the combined use of chemical and biochemical markers in two representative fish species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandes, Denise [CIMA, University of Algarve, FCMA, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal); Department of Environmental Chemistry, IIQAB-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Andreu-Sanchez, Oscar [Polytechnic University Valencia, E.T.S.I. Agronomy, Biotechnology Department, 46022, Valencia (Spain); Bebianno, Maria Joao [CIMA, University of Algarve, FCMA, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal); Porte, Cinta [Department of Environmental Chemistry, IIQAB-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona (Spain)], E-mail: cpvqam@cid.csic.es

2008-09-15

Muscle concentrations of organochlorinated compounds as well as biliary levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylphenols (APEs) were determined in two different fish species, the four-spotted megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii) and the pouting (Trisopterus luscus) collected along the Northern Iberian coast. Additionally, a set of biochemical markers namely, 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and catalase (CAT) were measured in liver subcellular fractions. Chemical analysis indicated geographical differences in pollutant loads that were further reinforced by biomarker responses. Thus, EROD activity showed a good correlation with the amount of PCBs bioaccumulated in muscle tissue of both fish species. Elevated UGT activity was observed in those individuals highly exposed to APEs and 1-naphthol. The study reinforces the need to select representative sentinel species from different habitats for biomonitoring purposes and provides further support for the use of biomarkers in assessing the health of coastal areas. - Pollution biomonitoring along the Northern Iberian Shelf by the combined use of chemical and biochemical tools in two representative fish species.

Ecological Studies in the Coastal Waters of Kalpakkam, Southeast Coast of India, in the Vicinity of a Nuclear Island

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Satpathy, K. K.; Mohanty, A. K.; Sahu, Gouri; Prasad, M. V.R.; Bramha, S. N. [Environmetal Safety Division, Radiological and Environmental Safety Group, REG, Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research, Tamil Nadu (India); Smita Achary, M.; Samantara, M. K.; Biswas, S.; Selvanayagam, M. [Loyola Institute of Frontier Energy, Loyola College, Chennai (India)

2013-07-15

Ecological monitoring of the coastal waters at Kalpakkam, which presently harbour various nuclear facilities, has been in progress for the last four years to create a benchmark dataset on water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton, fisheries, sedentary organisms and molluscan species diversity. Results indicated a significant impact of monsoonal rain and backwaters on the coastal water quality. About 325 phytoplankton, 140 zooplankton, 350 fish, 130 molluscs and 100 species of sedentary organisms have been catalogued. Two fish species, which are native to Indonesia, were recorded for the first time in Indian coastal water. The study indicated that the coastal water is rich in biodiversity. Similarly, results of studies on costal sediment characteristics indicated the influence of monsoonal rain and backwater discharge. Overall, the study indicated little impact of nuclear activity on coastal water biodiversity and water quality. (author)

Testing the effect of soak time on catch damage in a coastal gillnetter and the consequences on processed fish quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Savina, Esther; Karlsen, Junita Diana; Frandsen, Rikke

2016-01-01

This study aims at testing how to improve catch quality aboard a coastal gillnetter by looking at an easily controllable parameter known to have an effect on the degree of fish damage, soak time, and investigating if the registered damages on whole fish have an effect on processed products...... plaice processed at a land-based factory. Cumulative link mixed modelling allowed the estimation of the size of effects. Damage in fish was significantly more likely for longer soak times but effects were comparable to those of fish length and between-sets, making a change in soak time not so substantial...... for improving plaice quality in coastal gillnetting. Damage in fish was significantly more likely for whole than filleted fish, but there was substantial heterogeneity among fish. Severe damage in whole fish may not matter in filleted fish whereas some damage may only be visible at the fillet level...

Evaluating the Potential for Marine and Hydrokinetic Devices to Act as Artificial Reefs or Fish Aggregating Devices. Based on Analysis of Surrogates in Tropical, Subtropical, and Temperate U.S. West Coast and Hawaiian Coastal Waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kramer, Sharon H. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States); Hamilton, Christine D. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States); Spencer, Gregory C. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States); Ogston, Heather O. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States)

2015-05-12

Wave energy converters (WECs) and tidal energy converters (TECs) are only beginning to be deployed along the U.S. West Coast and in Hawai‘i, and a better understanding of their ecological effects on fish, particularly on special-status fish (e.g., threatened and endangered) is needed to facilitate project design and environmental permitting. The structures of WECs and TECs placed on to the seabed, such as anchors and foundations, may function as artificial reefs that attract reef-associated fishes, while the midwater and surface structures, such as mooring lines, buoys, and wave or tidal power devices, may function as fish aggregating devices (FADs), forming the nuclei for groups of fishes. Little is known about the potential for WECs and TECs to function as artificial reefs and FADs in coastal waters of the U.S. West Coast and Hawai‘i. We evaluated these potential ecological interactions by reviewing relevant information about fish associations with surrogate structures, such as artificial reefs, natural reefs, kelps, floating debris, oil and gas platforms, marine debris, anchored FADs deployed to enhance fishing opportunities, net-cages used for mariculture, and piers and docks. Based on our review, we postulate that the structures of WECs and TECs placed on or near the seabed in coastal waters of the U.S. West Coast and Hawai‘i likely will function as small-scale artificial reefs and attract potentially high densities of reef-associated fishes (including special-status rockfish species [Sebastes spp.] along the mainland), and that the midwater and surface structures of WECs placed in the tropical waters of Hawai‘i likely will function as de facto FADs with species assemblages varying by distance from shore and deployment depth. Along the U.S. West Coast, frequent associations with midwater and surface structures may be less likely: juvenile, semipelagic, kelp-associated rockfishes may occur at midwater and surface structures of WECs in coastal waters of

Effect of body size and body mass on δ 13 C and δ 15 N in coastal fishes and cephalopods

Science.gov (United States)

Vinagre, C.; Máguas, C.; Cabral, H. N.; Costa, M. J.

2011-11-01

Carbon and nitrogen isotopes have been widely used in the investigation of trophic relations, energy pathways, trophic levels and migrations, under the assumption that δ 13C is independent of body size and that variation in δ 15N occurs exclusively due to ontogenetic changes in diet and not body size increase per se. However, several studies have shown that these assumptions are uncertain. Data from food-webs containing an important number of species lack theoretical support on these assumptions because very few species have been tested for δ 13C and δ 15N variation in captivity. However, if sampling comprises a wide range of body sizes from various species, the variation of δ 13C and δ 15N with body size can be investigated. While correlation between body size and δ 13C and δ 15N can be due to ontogenetic diet shifts, stability in such values throughout the size spectrum can be considered an indication that δ 13C and δ 15N in muscle tissues of such species is independent of body size within that size range, and thus the basic assumptions can be applied in the interpretation of such food webs. The present study investigated the variation in muscle δ 13C and δ 15N with body size and body mass of coastal fishes and cephalopods. It was concluded that muscle δ 13C and δ 15N did not vary with body size or mass for all bony fishes with only one exception, the dragonet Callionymus lyra. Muscle δ 13C and δ 15N also did not vary with body size or mass in cartilaginous fishes and cephalopods, meaning that body size/mass per se have no effect on δ 13C or δ 15N, for most species analysed and within the size ranges sampled. The assumption that δ 13C is independent of body size and that variation in δ 15N is not affected by body size increase per se was upheld for most organisms and can be applied to the coastal food web studied taking into account that C. lyra is an exception.

Environmental influences on fish assemblage distribution of an estuarine coastal lagoon, Ria de Aveiro (Portugal)

OpenAIRE

Pombo, L.; Elliott, M.; Rebelo, J. E.

2005-01-01

Fish assemblage was examined for patterns in spatial and seasonal structure within an estuarine coastal lagoon, Ria de Aveiro. Two years of variation in abiotic conditions were recorded to identify factors responsible for maintaining the structure of fish assemblages. Nine sites were sampled monthly with a traditional “chincha” beach-seine net between November 1998 and October 2000. Fish abundance and biomass changed significantly between sites. Temperature was found to be the most important ...

Gulf-Wide Information System, Environmental Sensitivity Index Freshwater Fish Database, Geographic NAD83, LDWF (2001) [esi_freshwater_fish_LDWF_2001

Data.gov (United States)

Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for freshwater (inland) fish species in coastal Louisiana. Vector polygons represent water-bodies and other...

Human health risk assessment of organochlorines associated with fish consumption in a coastal city in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Q.T. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Lee, T.K.M. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Chen, K. [Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 353, Yan-an Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310031 (China); Wong, H.L. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Zheng, J.S. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Giesy, J.P. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Department of Zoology, National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Lo, K.K.W. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Yamashita, N. [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), EMTECH, 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba (Japan); Lam, P.K.S. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)]. E-mail: bhpksl@cityu.edu.hk

2005-07-15

Food consumption is an important route of human exposure to organochlorines (OCs). In order to assess the potential health risks associated with these contaminants due to fish consumption, five species of fish were collected from a local market in Zhoushan City, an island in the East China Sea. Dioxin-like compounds, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/ dibenzofurans, in the fish samples were screened by H4IIE-luc cell bioassay, and the concentrations of specific organochlorines were measured by gas chromatograph-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The bioassay results indicated that concentrations of dioxin-like compounds in the fish samples were below detection limit (0.64 pg/mL). The concentrations of OC pesticides and PCBs ranged from 0.67 to 13 and 0.24 to 1.4 ng/g wet wt., respectively. Significantly, concentrations of p,p'-DDE in fish meat were comparatively high (average 3.9 ng/g wet wt.) compared with the other OC pesticides. The daily fish consumption, based on a dietary survey conducted among 160 local healthy residents, was determined to be 105 g/person. The relevant cancer benchmark concentrations of HCB, dieldrin, chlordane, DDTs and PCBs were 0.36, 0.04, 1.6, 1.7, and 0.29 ng/kg per day, respectively, based on the local diet. The hazard ratios (HRs), based on non-cancer endpoints were all less than 1.0, while the HRs based on cancer were greater than 1.0 for certain contaminants based on the 95th centile concentration in fish tissue. - Health risk assessment of organochlorines associated with fish consumption reveals potential cancer risks for some contaminants in a coastal population in China.

Human health risk assessment of organochlorines associated with fish consumption in a coastal city in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Q.T.; Lee, T.K.M.; Chen, K.; Wong, H.L.; Zheng, J.S.; Giesy, J.P.; Lo, K.K.W.; Yamashita, N.; Lam, P.K.S.

2005-01-01

Food consumption is an important route of human exposure to organochlorines (OCs). In order to assess the potential health risks associated with these contaminants due to fish consumption, five species of fish were collected from a local market in Zhoushan City, an island in the East China Sea. Dioxin-like compounds, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/ dibenzofurans, in the fish samples were screened by H4IIE-luc cell bioassay, and the concentrations of specific organochlorines were measured by gas chromatograph-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The bioassay results indicated that concentrations of dioxin-like compounds in the fish samples were below detection limit (0.64 pg/mL). The concentrations of OC pesticides and PCBs ranged from 0.67 to 13 and 0.24 to 1.4 ng/g wet wt., respectively. Significantly, concentrations of p,p'-DDE in fish meat were comparatively high (average 3.9 ng/g wet wt.) compared with the other OC pesticides. The daily fish consumption, based on a dietary survey conducted among 160 local healthy residents, was determined to be 105 g/person. The relevant cancer benchmark concentrations of HCB, dieldrin, chlordane, DDTs and PCBs were 0.36, 0.04, 1.6, 1.7, and 0.29 ng/kg per day, respectively, based on the local diet. The hazard ratios (HRs), based on non-cancer endpoints were all less than 1.0, while the HRs based on cancer were greater than 1.0 for certain contaminants based on the 95th centile concentration in fish tissue. - Health risk assessment of organochlorines associated with fish consumption reveals potential cancer risks for some contaminants in a coastal population in China

Mercury and lead concentrations in six cartilaginous fish species ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mercury and lead concentrations in cartilaginous fishes from Lagos Lagoon and coastal waters of South-West Nigeria were investigated between May and August 2013. There are obvious discharges of toxic heavy metal substances into these waters and which can get to man by bioaccumulation and biomagnifications in ...

A description of the nearshore fish communities in the Huron-Erie Corridor using multiple gear types

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, James T.; Chiotti, Justin A.; Boase, James C.; Thomas, Mike V.; Manny, Bruce A.; Roseman, Edward F.

2013-01-01

Great Lakes coastal wetlands provide a critical habitat for many fish species throughout their life cycles. Once home to one of the largest wetland complexes in the Great Lakes, coastal wetlands in the Huron–Erie Corridor (HEC) have decreased dramatically since the early 1900s. We characterized the nearshore fish communities at three different wetland complexes in the HEC using electrofishing, seines, and fyke nets. Species richness was highest in the Detroit River (63), followed by the St. Clair Delta (56), and Western Lake Erie (47). The nearshore fish communities in the Detroit River and St. Clair Delta consisted primarily of shiners, bluntnose minnow, centrarchids, and brook silverside, while the Western Lake Erie sites consisted of high proportions of non-native taxa including common carp, gizzard shad, goldfish, and white perch. Species richness estimates using individual-based rarefaction curves were higher when using electrofishing data compared to fyke nets or seine hauls at each wetland. Twelve fish species were captured exclusively during electrofishing assessments, while one species was captured exclusively in fyke nets, and none exclusively during seine hauls. Western Lake Erie wetlands were more indicative of degraded systems with lower species richness, lower proportion of turbidity intolerant species, and increased abundance of non-native taxa. This work highlights the importance of coastal wetlands in the HEC by capturing 69 different fish species utilizing these wetlands to fulfill life history requirements and provides insight when selecting gears to sample nearshore littoral areas.

Otolith Length-Fish Length Relationships of Eleven US Arctic Fish Species and Their Application to Ice Seal Diet Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, K. L.; Norcross, B.

2016-02-01

The Arctic ecosystem has moved into the spotlight of scientific research in recent years due to increased climate change and oil and gas exploration. Arctic fishes and Arctic marine mammals represent key parts of this ecosystem, with fish being a common part of ice seal diets in the Arctic. Determining sizes of fish consumed by ice seals is difficult because otoliths are often the only part left of the fish after digestion. Otolith length is known to be positively related to fish length. By developing species-specific otolith-body morphometric relationships for Arctic marine fishes, fish length can be determined for fish prey found in seal stomachs. Fish were collected during ice free months in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas 2009 - 2014, and the most prevalent species captured were chosen for analysis. Otoliths from eleven fish species from seven families were measured. All species had strong linear relationships between otolith length and fish total length. Nine species had coefficient of determination values over 0.75, indicating that most of the variability in the otolith to fish length relationship was explained by the linear regression. These relationships will be applied to otoliths found in stomachs of three species of ice seals (spotted Phoca largha, ringed Pusa hispida, and bearded Erignathus barbatus) and used to estimate fish total length at time of consumption. Fish lengths can in turn be used to calculate fish weight, enabling further investigation into ice seal energetic demands. This application will aid in understanding how ice seals interact with fish communities in the US Arctic and directly contribute to diet comparisons among and within ice seal species. A better understanding of predator-prey interactions in the US Arctic will aid in predicting how ice seal and fish species will adapt to a changing Arctic.

Microplastics and mesoplastics in fish from coastal and fresh waters of China.

Science.gov (United States)

Jabeen, Khalida; Su, Lei; Li, Jiana; Yang, Dongqi; Tong, Chunfu; Mu, Jingli; Shi, Huahong

2017-02-01

Plastic pollution is a growing global concern. In the present study, we investigated plastic pollution in 21 species of sea fish and 6 species of freshwater fish from China. All of the species were found to ingest micro- or mesoplastics. The average abundance of microplastics varied from 1.1 to 7.2 items by individual and 0.2-17.2 items by gram. The average abundance of mesoplastics varied from 0.2 to 3.0 items by individual and 0.1-3.9 items by gram. Microplastics were abundant in 26 species, accounting for 55.9-92.3% of the total number of plastics items in each species. Thamnaconus septentrionalis contained the highest abundance of microplastics (7.2 items/individual). The average abundance of plastics in sea benthopelagic fishes was significantly higher than in freshwater benthopelagic fishes by items/individual. The plastics were dominanted by fiber in shape, transparent in color and cellophane in composition. The proportion of plastics in the stomach to the intestines showed great variation in different species, ranging from 0.5 to 1.9 by items/individual. The stomach of Harpodon nehereus and intestines of Pampus cinereus contained the highest number of plastics, (3.3) and (2.7), respectively, by items/individual. Our results suggested that plastic pollution was widespread in the investigated fish species and showed higher abundance in comparison with worldwide studies. The ingestion of plastics in fish was closely related to the habitat and gastrointestinal tract structure. We highly recommend that the entire gastrointestinal tract and digestion process be used in future investigations of plastic pollution in fish. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure assessment for trace elements from consumption of marine fish in Southeast Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agusa, Tetsuro; Kunito, Takashi; Sudaryanto, Agus; Monirith, In; Kan-Atireklap, Supawat; Iwata, Hisato; Ismail, Ahmad; Sanguansin, Joompol; Muchtar, Muswerry; Tana, Touch Seang; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2007-01-01

Concentrations of 20 trace elements were determined in muscle and liver of 34 species of marine fish collected from coastal areas of Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Large regional difference was observed in the levels of trace elements in liver of one fish family (Carangidae): the highest mean concentration was observed in fish from the Malaysian coastal waters for V, Cr, Zn, Pb and Bi and those from the Java Sea side of Indonesia for Sn and Hg. To assess the health risk to the Southeast Asian populations from consumption of fish, intake rates of trace elements were estimated. Some marine fish showed Hg levels higher than the guideline values by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). This suggests that consumption of these fish may be hazardous to the people. -- Intake of mercury through consumption of some marine fish species might be hazardous to the people in Southeast Asia

Exposure assessment for trace elements from consumption of marine fish in Southeast Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agusa, Tetsuro [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Kunito, Takashi [Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621 (Japan); Sudaryanto, Agus [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Monirith, In [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Kan-Atireklap, Supawat [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Iwata, Hisato [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Ismail, Ahmad [Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Sanguansin, Joompol [Eastern Marine Fisheries Development Center, Ban Phe, Muang, Rayong 21160 (Thailand); Muchtar, Muswerry [Research and Development Center for Oceanology Indonesia Institute of Sciences, Jl. Pasir Putih 1, Ancol Timur, Jakarta 11048 (Indonesia); Tana, Touch Seang [Social and Cultural Observation Unit (OBSES), Office of the Council of Ministers, Phnom Penh (Cambodia); Tanabe, Shinsuke [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan)]. E-mail: shinsuke@agr.ehime-u.ac.jp

2007-02-15

Concentrations of 20 trace elements were determined in muscle and liver of 34 species of marine fish collected from coastal areas of Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Large regional difference was observed in the levels of trace elements in liver of one fish family (Carangidae): the highest mean concentration was observed in fish from the Malaysian coastal waters for V, Cr, Zn, Pb and Bi and those from the Java Sea side of Indonesia for Sn and Hg. To assess the health risk to the Southeast Asian populations from consumption of fish, intake rates of trace elements were estimated. Some marine fish showed Hg levels higher than the guideline values by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). This suggests that consumption of these fish may be hazardous to the people. -- Intake of mercury through consumption of some marine fish species might be hazardous to the people in Southeast Asia.

Ecological value of coastal habitats for commercially and ecologically important species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Seitz, R.D.; Wennhage, H.; Bergstrom, U.; Lipcius, R.M.; Ysebaert, T.

2014-01-01

Many exploited fish and macroinvertebrates that utilize the coastal zone have declined, and the causes of these declines, apart from overfishing, remain largely unresolved. Degradation of essential habitats has resulted in habitats that are no longer adequate to fulfil nursery, feeding, or

Dispersal patterns, active behaviour, and flow environment during early life history of coastal cold water fishes.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley, Ryan; Snelgrove, Paul V R; Deyoung, Brad; Gregory, Robert S

2012-01-01

During the pelagic larval phase, fish dispersal may be influenced passively by surface currents or actively determined by swimming behaviour. In situ observations of larval swimming are few given the constraints of field sampling. Active behaviour is therefore often inferred from spatial patterns in the field, laboratory studies, or hydrodynamic theory, but rarely are these approaches considered in concert. Ichthyoplankton survey data collected during 2004 and 2006 from coastal Newfoundland show that changes in spatial heterogeneity for multiple species do not conform to predictions based on passive transport. We evaluated the interaction of individual larvae with their environment by calculating Reynolds number as a function of ontogeny. Typically, larvae hatch into a viscous environment in which swimming is inefficient, and later grow into more efficient intermediate and inertial swimming environments. Swimming is therefore closely related to length, not only because of swimming capacity but also in how larvae experience viscosity. Six of eight species sampled demonstrated consistent changes in spatial patchiness and concomitant increases in spatial heterogeneity as they transitioned into more favourable hydrodynamic swimming environments, suggesting an active behavioural element to dispersal. We propose the tandem assessment of spatial heterogeneity and hydrodynamic environment as a potential approach to understand and predict the onset of ecologically significant swimming behaviour of larval fishes in the field.

Alien fish species in reservoir systems in Turkey: a review

OpenAIRE

Deniz Innal

2012-01-01

Turkey’s natural river systems have been anthropogenically altered in the past century. Native fish communities of river systems have comeunder increasing pressure from water engineering projects, pollution, overfishing and the movements of alien fish species. Introduction ofalien fishes is one of the main threats to the survival and genetic integrity of native fishes around the world. In Turkey, alien freshwater fish are continuing to increase in number of species, abundance, and distributio...

The mangrove as a temporary habitat for fish: the Eucinostomus Species at Guaratuba Bay, Brazil (25º 52'S;48º 39'W)

OpenAIRE

Chaves,Paulo de Tarso C.; Otto,Gislaine

1999-01-01

Several coastal fish use the estuarine habitat during a part of their life cycle. These sites are considered good for the reproductive activity, as well as for the growth of larvae and juveniles. Concerning the Gerreidae, however, many studies reveal that most species leave the estuaries to reproduce at sea. At Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil, this family is represented by three genera and five species, which make an important fraction of the local assemblage. The present study investigated th...

Alien fish species in reservoir systems in Turkey: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deniz Innal

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Turkey’s natural river systems have been anthropogenically altered in the past century. Native fish communities of river systems have comeunder increasing pressure from water engineering projects, pollution, overfishing and the movements of alien fish species. Introduction ofalien fishes is one of the main threats to the survival and genetic integrity of native fishes around the world. In Turkey, alien freshwater fish are continuing to increase in number of species, abundance, and distribution. The present paper reviews fish stocking studies in Turkey’s reservoirs.

Shifts in coastal fish communities: Is eutrophication always beneficial for sticklebacks?

Science.gov (United States)

Gagnon, Karine; Gräfnings, Max; Boström, Christoffer

2017-11-01

Following declines of predatory fish, mesopredators such as sticklebacks have been linked to shifts in coastal trophic networks through both top-down (preying on mesograzers and facilitating algal blooms) and bottom-up (benefitting from eutrophicated conditions) processes. Here, we tested whether the association between eutrophication effects (filamentous algae and turbidity) and sticklebacks held true in the Finnish Archipelago Sea where predatory fish populations have remained stable. If so, sticklebacks should be more abundant in the middle archipelago, where eutrophic conditions have led to increased turbidity, higher filamentous algal loads, and decreased cover of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), than in the outer archipelago, where environmental conditions are better. We measured the spatial and seasonal variation of sticklebacks (three-spined Gasterosteus aculeatus and nine-spined Pungitius pungitius) in middle and outer archipelago sites, as well as environmental variables potentially affecting their abundance. Adults and juveniles of both species were more abundant in the outer than middle archipelago. The outer archipelago was characterized by greater Secchi depth throughout the summer and higher SAV cover in late summer. Secchi depth was positively correlated with stickleback abundance of both species, while SAV cover was also positively correlated in late summer. Filamentous algal cover was high in both the middle and outer archipelago, but not consistently associated with stickleback abundance throughout the summer. While sticklebacks have been thought to both contribute to, and benefit from, eutrophication, our results instead suggest that the resulting environmental changes may have adverse effects on sticklebacks, especially if predators are present. This may lead them to shift their breeding grounds and spatial distribution to less eutrophicated areas where lower turbidity and the resulting increased availability of SAV provide refuge from

76 FR 2663 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-14

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... and steelhead, and natural juvenile green sturgeon while carrying out a study measuring fish response... species, taking of length measurements), tissue sampling, release of moribund fish or fish carcasses back...

Fish species diversity and conservation in Beijing and adjacent areas

OpenAIRE

Chunguang Zhang; Yahui Zhao; Yingchun Xing; Ruilu Guo; Qing Zhang; Yun Feng; Enyuan Fan

2011-01-01

Based on field surveys between 2002 and 2010, and fish collections in the National Zoological Museum, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, a total of 93 wild fish species including 12 in-troduced species had been recorded in Beijing and adjacent areas. Eighty five of these species, including some migratory and estuarine fishes, are native to the region. Only 43 native wild species were collected in our field work from 2002 to 2010. Compared with the historical records, nearly 50...

Fish movement in an Atlantic Forest stream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosana Mazzoni

2018-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Given the importance of fish movement to the dynamics and maintenance of stream dwelling fish communities from the Atlantic Forest, we analysed patterns of fish movement in a coastal stream from Southeastern Brazil, using mark-recapture technique. Displacement distance of each species were presented and discussed considering seasonal (rainy and dry and body size patterns. We marked 10 species along the stream and recaptured 440 (34.6% of the 1,270 marked fishes. The species with significant number of upstream moving individuals were Astyanax janeiroensis, Characidium interruptum, Astyanax hastatus, Parotocinclus maculicauda and Awaous tajasica. Only Pimelodella lateristriga presented significant differences between resident and moving individuals. Characidium interruptum and A. tajasica demonstrated greater downstream and upstream movement, respectively, moving up to 2,100 m. Even after controlling for species identity we found no significant correlation between fish length and individual displacement distance. Fishes moved longer distances during the rainy season, in accordance to the breeding season. Patterns of fish movement were in agreement to life-history traits of many of the studied species and can be reflecting specific behaviour and morphologies.

Ecomorphological patterns of the fishes inhabiting the tide pools of the Amazonian Coastal Zone, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Eleres Soares

Full Text Available The present study was based on the identification of the ecomorphological patterns that characterize the fish species found in tide pools in the Amazonian Coastal Zone (ACZ in the Pará State, Brazil. Representatives of 19 species were collected during two field campaigns in 2011. The dominance, residence status, and trophic guild of each species were established, and morphometric data were obtained for up to 10 specimens of each species. A total of 23 ecomorphological attributes related to locomotion, position in the water column, and foraging behavior were calculated for the analysis of ecomorphological distance. Principal Component Analysis (PCA was utilized for the evaluation of ecomorphological attributes that explained the variation among species. Mantel Test was used to correlate the taxonomic distance with species' morphological patterns and a partial Mantel Test to analyze the correlation among trophic guilds and ecomorphological patterns, controlling the effects of taxonomic distance among species. The analyses revealed two principal axes of the variation related to locomotion, correlated with the width of the caudal peduncle and the shape of the anal fin, as well as the influence of taxonomic distance on the ecomorphological characteristics of the different species. The dominant and resident species both presented a reduced capacity for continuous swimming. The two principal axes identified in relation to the position of the fish in the water column were correlated with the position of the eyes, the area of the pelvic fin, and body shape, with evidence of the influence of taxonomic distance on the morphology of the species. PCA grouped species with pelagic habits with benthonic ones. In the case of foraging behavior, the two principal axes formed by the analysis correlated with the size of the mouth, eye size, and the length of the digestive tract. Species of different guilds were grouped together, indicating a weak relationship

75 FR 2106 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-14

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... NMFS regulations (50 CFR parts 222-226) governing listed fish and wildlife permits. Species Covered in... steelhead not to exceed 2 percent of the total number of fish captured for each life stage and species...

Genetic calibration of species diversity among North America's freshwater fishes.

Science.gov (United States)

April, Julien; Mayden, Richard L; Hanner, Robert H; Bernatchez, Louis

2011-06-28

Freshwater ecosystems are being heavily exploited and degraded by human activities all over the world, including in North America, where fishes and fisheries are strongly affected. Despite centuries of taxonomic inquiry, problems inherent to species identification continue to hamper the conservation of North American freshwater fishes. Indeed, nearly 10% of species diversity is thought to remain undescribed. To provide an independent calibration of taxonomic uncertainty and to establish a more accessible molecular identification key for its application, we generated a standard reference library of mtDNA sequences (DNA barcodes) derived from expert-identified museum specimens for 752 North American freshwater fish species. This study demonstrates that 90% of known species can be delineated using barcodes. Moreover, it reveals numerous genetic discontinuities indicative of independently evolving lineages within described species, which points to the presence of morphologically cryptic diversity. From the 752 species analyzed, our survey flagged 138 named species that represent as many as 347 candidate species, which suggests a 28% increase in species diversity. In contrast, several species of parasitic and nonparasitic lampreys lack such discontinuity and may represent alternative life history strategies within single species. Therefore, it appears that the current North American freshwater fish taxonomy at the species level significantly conceals diversity in some groups, although artificially creating diversity in others. In addition to providing an easily accessible digital identification system, this study identifies 151 fish species for which taxonomic revision is required.

Assessment of microcystins in lake water and fish (Mugilidae, Liza sp.) in the largest Spanish coastal lake.

Science.gov (United States)

Romo, Susana; Fernández, Francisca; Ouahid, Youness; Barón-Sola, Ángel

2012-01-01

Cyanobacteria dominance and cyanotoxin production can become major threats to humans and aquatic life, especially in warm shallow lakes, which are often dominated by cyanobacteria. This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of microcystins (MCYST) in water, cell-bound and in the tissues of the commercial mugilid Liza sp. in the largest, coastal, Spanish Mediterranean lake (Albufera of Valencia). This is the first report concerning microcystin accumulation in tissues of mugilid fish species. Considerable amounts of microcystins were found in the water and seston, which correlated with development of Microcystis aeruginosa populations in the lake. The MCYST concentrations found in Lake Albufera (mean 1.7 and 17 μg/L and maximum 16 and 120 μg/L in water and seston, respectively) exceeded by one to two orders of magnitude the guideline levels proposed by the World Health Organization and were higher than that reported in other lakes of the Mediterranean zone. The presence of MCYST was found in all the fishes studied and accumulated differently among tissues of the commercial species Liza sp. Toxin accumulation in fish tissues showed that although the target organ for MCYST was the liver, high concentrations of microcystins were also found in other analysed tissues (liver>intestine>gills>muscle). Human tolerable daily intake for microcystins is assessed relative to the WHO guidelines, and potential toxicological risks for humans, wildlife and related ecosystems of the lake are discussed.

Phytoplankton IF-FISH: Species-specific labeling of cellular proteins by immunofluorescence (IF) with simultaneous species identification by fluorescence immunohybridization (FISH).

Science.gov (United States)

Meek, Megan E; Van Dolah, Frances M

2016-05-01

Phytoplankton rarely occur as unialgal populations. Therefore, to study species-specific protein expression, indicative of physiological status in natural populations, methods are needed that will both assay for a protein of interest and identify the species expressing it. Here we describe a protocol for IF-FISH, a dual labeling procedure using immunofluorescence (IF) labeling of a protein of interest followed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify the species expressing that protein. The protocol was developed to monitor expression of the cell cycle marker proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, using a large subunit (LSU) rRNA probe to identify K. brevis in a mixed population of morphologically similar Karenia species. We present this protocol as proof of concept that IF-FISH can be successfully applied to phytoplankton cells. This method is widely applicable for the analysis of single-cell protein expression of any protein of interest within phytoplankton communities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensory quality criteria for five fish species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warm, Karin; Nielsen, Jette; Hyldig, Grethe

2000-01-01

Sensory profiling has been used to develop one sensory vocabulary for five fish species: cod (Gadus morhua), saithe (Pollachius virens), rainbow trout (Salmo gardineri), herring (Clupea harengus) and flounder (Platichthys flessus). A nine- member trained panel assessed 18 samples with variation i...... variation and by presenting references, panel discussions and interpreting plots from multivariate data analysis. The developed profile can be used as a sensory wheel for these species, and with minor changes it may be adapted to similar species......Sensory profiling has been used to develop one sensory vocabulary for five fish species: cod (Gadus morhua), saithe (Pollachius virens), rainbow trout (Salmo gardineri), herring (Clupea harengus) and flounder (Platichthys flessus). A nine- member trained panel assessed 18 samples with variation...

Fish larval transport in the coastal waters through ecological modelling

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

George, G.

are as follows: (i) to find out the influence of environmental parameters on the biology of the given ecosystem (ii) to track larval transport and biological abundance in relation to environmental vari- ables (iii) to compare biological abundance and fish larval... include the following investigations: (i) analysis of satellite chlorophyll data along the southwest coastal waters of India to derive a biological calender for sardine (ii) tracking the larval survival and establish a link between food and sardine inter...

Specific IgE to fish extracts does not predict allergy to specific species within an adult fish allergic population.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulkes, Karlijn Jg; Klemans, Rob Jb; Knigge, Lidy; de Bruin-Weller, Marjolein; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Carla Afm; Marknell deWitt, Asa; Lidholm, Jonas; Knulst, André C

2014-01-01

Fish is an important cause of food allergy. Studies on fish allergy are scarce and in most cases limited to serological evaluation. Our objective was to study patterns of self-reported allergy and tolerance to different commonly consumed fish species and its correlation to IgE sensitization to the same species. Thirty-eight adult fish allergic patients completed a questionnaire regarding atopy, age of onset and symptoms to 13 commonly consumed fish species in the Netherlands (pangasius, cod, herring, eel, hake, pollock, mackerel, tilapia, salmon, sardine, tuna, plaice and swordfish). Specific IgE to these fish extracts were analyzed by ImmunoCAP. Median age of onset of fish allergy was 8.5 years. Severe reactions were reported by the majority of patients (n = 20 (53%) respiratory and of these 20 patients, 6 also had cardiovascular symptoms). After diagnosis, 66% of the patients had eliminated all fish from their diet. Allergy to all species ever tried was reported by 59%. In relation to species ever tried, cod (84%) and herring (79%) were the most frequently reported culprit species while hake (57%) and swordfish (55%) were the least frequent. A positive sIgE (value ≥ 0.35 kUA/L) to the culprit species ranged between 50% (swordfish) and 100% (hake). In tolerant patients, a negative sIgE (value allergy or tolerance was 82% and 25%, respectively. Sensitization to cod parvalbumin (Gad c 1) was present in 77% of all patients. Serological cross-reactivity between fish species is frequent, but in a significant proportion of patients, clinical relevance appears to be limited to only certain species. A well-taken history or food challenge is required for discrimination between allergy to the different fish species.

Total mercury levels in commercial fish species from Italian fishery and aquaculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Lena, Gabriella; Casini, Irene; Caproni, Roberto; Fusari, Andrea; Orban, Elena

2017-06-01

Total mercury levels were measured in 42 commercial fish species caught off the Central Adriatic and Tyrrhenian coasts of Italy and in 6 aquaculture species. The study on wild fish covered species differing in living habitat and trophic level. The study on farmed fish covered marine and freshwater species from intensive and extensive aquaculture and their feed. Mercury levels were analysed by thermal decomposition-amalgamation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Total mercury concentrations in the muscle of wild fish showed a high variability among species (0.025-2.20 mg kg -1 wet weight). The lowest levels were detected in low trophic-level demersal and pelagic-neritic fish and in young individuals of high trophic-level species. Levels exceeding the European Commission limits were found in large-size specimens of high trophic-level pelagic and demersal species. Fish from intensive farming showed low levels of total mercury (0.008-0.251 mg kg -1 ). Fish from extensive rearing showed variable contamination levels, depending on the area of provenience. An estimation of the human intake of mercury associated to the consumption of the studied fish and its comparison with the tolerable weekly intake is provided.

Preliminary list of endangered fish species (Pisces, Elasmobranchii , Actinopterygii) in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Rosa, Ricardo S; Menezes, Naércio A

1996-01-01

The Brazilian fish fauna is still poorly known with respect to its diversity and conservation status, particularly of freshwater species. Human activities and population growth are rapidly impacting this fauna to an unchecked extent, so that many fish species are presently threatened. Also, some areas have been so critically altered that their fish fauna can no longer be properly inventoried. There is an urgent need to evaluate the conservation status of Brazilian fish species, since none are...

Endangered Fish Species in Kansas: Historic vs Contemporary Distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Background/Question/Methods Kansas state has more freshwater fish species than other states in the west and northern US. Based on recent count, more than 140 fishes have been documented in Kansas rivers. And at least five are categorized as endangered species in Kansas (and thre...

Investigation of biological condition of fish species in lower Ogun ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was carried out to investigate the biological condition of fish species in lower Ogun River wetlands. A total of 175 individual fish belonging to 10 species were collected from artisanal fishermen using different types of fishing gears. Two biological indices; condition factor “K” and growth exponent “b” obtained from ...

76 FR 14923 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-18

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and help guide management and... harvested groundfish species. The survey would collect data on 90+ fish species in the ocean to fulfill the...

Forestry practices and aquatic biodiversity: Fish

Science.gov (United States)

Gresswell, Robert E.

2005-01-01

In the Pacific Northwest, fish communities are found in a diverse array of aquatic habitats ranging from the large coastal rivers of the temperate rainforests, to the fragmented and sometimes ephemeral streams of the xeric interior basins, and high-elevation streams and lakes in the mountainous areas (Rieman et al. 2003). Only high-elevation lakes and streams isolated above barriers to fish passage remained historically devoid of fish because they were never invaded following Pleistocene glaciation (Smith 1981). Despite this widespread distribution and once great population abundances, taxonomic diversity of fishes in these forested systems is naturally lower than in aquatic habitats in the eastern U.S. (Reeves, Bisson, and Dambacher 1998). Interactions among factors that influence species richness in aquatic systems (e.g., basin size, long-term stability of habitat, and barriers to colonization; Smith 1981) continue to influence the occurrence and persistence of fishes in these systems today. Consequently, the larger low-elevation rivers and estuaries support the greatest variety of fish species. In the high-elevation tributary streams, fish communities are less complex because these aquatic systems were less climatically and geologically stable, and fish populations were smaller and more prone to local extirpation. Furthermore, barriers to fish passage inhibited dispersal and colonization (Smith 1981). Streams in forested landscapes generally support salmon and trout, Oncorhynchus spp., whitefish Prosopium spp., sculpins Cottus spp., suckers Catostomus spp., and minnows (Cyprinidae), but in some of the colder streams, chars (e.g., Salvelinus confluentus and Salvelinus malma) and lampreys (Petromyzontidae)may also occur (Rieman et al. 2003).Although biodiversity defined in terms of fish species richness is low in the Pacific Northwest, intraspecific variability is high, and polytypic fish species are common in the diverse aquatic habitats of the region. For

Keeping Food on the Table: Human Responses and Changing Coastal Fisheries in Solomon Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Albert, Simon; Aswani, Shankar; Fisher, Paul L; Albert, Joelle

2015-01-01

Globally the majority of commercial fisheries have experienced dramatic declines in stock and catch. Likewise, projections for many subsistence fisheries in the tropics indicate a dramatic decline is looming in the coming decades. In the Pacific Islands coastal fisheries provide basic subsistence needs for millions of people. A decline in fish catch would therefore have profound impacts on the health and livelihoods of these coastal communities. Given the decrease in local catch rates reported for many coastal communities in the Pacific, it is important to understand if fishers have responded to ecological change (either by expanding their fishing range and/or increasing their fishing effort), and if so, to evaluate the costs or benefits of these responses. We compare data from fish catches in 1995 and 2011 from a rural coastal community in Solomon Islands to examine the potentially changing coastal reef fishery at these time points. In particular we found changes in preferred fishing locations, fishing methodology and catch composition between these data sets. The results indicate that despite changes in catch rates (catch per unit effort) between data collected in 2011 and 16 years previously, the study community was able to increase gross catches through visiting fishing sites further away, diversifying fishing methods and targeting pelagic species through trolling. Such insight into local-scale responses to changing resources and/or fisheries development will help scientists and policy makers throughout the Pacific region in managing the region's fisheries in the future.

Keeping Food on the Table: Human Responses and Changing Coastal Fisheries in Solomon Islands.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon Albert

Full Text Available Globally the majority of commercial fisheries have experienced dramatic declines in stock and catch. Likewise, projections for many subsistence fisheries in the tropics indicate a dramatic decline is looming in the coming decades. In the Pacific Islands coastal fisheries provide basic subsistence needs for millions of people. A decline in fish catch would therefore have profound impacts on the health and livelihoods of these coastal communities. Given the decrease in local catch rates reported for many coastal communities in the Pacific, it is important to understand if fishers have responded to ecological change (either by expanding their fishing range and/or increasing their fishing effort, and if so, to evaluate the costs or benefits of these responses. We compare data from fish catches in 1995 and 2011 from a rural coastal community in Solomon Islands to examine the potentially changing coastal reef fishery at these time points. In particular we found changes in preferred fishing locations, fishing methodology and catch composition between these data sets. The results indicate that despite changes in catch rates (catch per unit effort between data collected in 2011 and 16 years previously, the study community was able to increase gross catches through visiting fishing sites further away, diversifying fishing methods and targeting pelagic species through trolling. Such insight into local-scale responses to changing resources and/or fisheries development will help scientists and policy makers throughout the Pacific region in managing the region's fisheries in the future.

Trace Metal Concentrations in Commercially Important Fishes from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An assessment was conducted on the concentrations of zinc, copper, manganese, iron, lead and cadmium in 10 different fish species caught from some coastal and inland waters in Ghana, as part of a project on monitoring of pollution in water bodies in. Ghana. Shellfish species (Egeria paradoxa galanata and Atya ...

Indigenous fish species in the modern ichthyofauna of the Balkhash basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadir Shamilevich Mamilov

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Indigenous fish fauna of the Balkhash basin was mostly formed in the postglacial period and consists of 10 species from Cyprinidae family, 5 from Balitoridae, and 1 from Percidae. More than 20 alien fish species were introduced here during XXth century that led to eradication of indigenous fishes from the Balkhash Lake and the Ili River. Our investigations of the fish fauna during last 25 years revealed permanent shortage of living area of indigenous fishes. Nowadays fish communities from only indigenous fish species exist in some remote and isolated water bodies. Areas of all indigenous fish species are become disconnected. Reduction of habitats goes relatively slow for naked osman Gymnodiptychus dybowskii (Kessler, 1874, spotted thicklip loach Triplophysa strauchii (Kessler, 1874, and gray loach Triplophysa dorsalis (Kessler, 1872. Drastic reductions of areas were revealed for Ili marinka Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis Herzenstein 1889, Balkhash marinka Schizothorax argentatus Kessler 1874, Severtsov’s loach Triplophysa sewerzowii (G.Nikolskii, 1938, Seven River’s minnow Phoxinus brachyurus Berg 1912, Balkhsh minnow Rhynchocypris poljakowii Kessler 1879, and Balkhash perch Perca schrenkii Kessler 1874. Marinkas, osmans and perch often become victims of overfishing and poaching of local people. In that region water resources usually are used by wasteful way and loaded with pollutants. Many indigenous fish species are able to bear relatively high level of environment pollution. Hence, the main threats for indigenous fishes are introductions of trout and sander, habitats lose and unstable hydrological regimen.

Seasonal changes in a fish assemblage associated with mangroves in a coastal lagoon of Baja California Sur, Mexico Cambios estacionales de la comunidad de peces asociada a zonas de manglar en una laguna costera de Baja California Sur, México

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Rodríguez-Romero

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The fish assemblage in a coastal lagoon with mangroves known as "Rancho Bueno" was determined and associated with environmental parameters. We used an experimental otter trawl net to catch the fish, and 62 fish species were identified from 48 genera and 30 families. The most abundant species were: Etropus crossotus, Eucinostomus gracilis, Paralabrax maculatofasciatus, Sphoeroides annulatus, and Eucinostomus dowii. The water temperature changed seasonally, being warm from July through December and cold from January through June. We found more fish species during the warm season than during the cold season. The southern area of the coastal lagoon had the highest diversity and species richness. The small size of the fishes registered confirms the ecological role of coastal lagoons as nursery areas that offer protection and feeding to commercially important fish near Bahía Magdalena, Mexico.Se determinó la estructura de peces asociada a factores ambientales en una laguna costera con manglar denominada "Rancho Bueno". Se utilizó una red de arrastre experimental para la captura y se identificaron 62 especies de peces de 48 géneros y 30 familias. Las especies más importantes fueron Etropus crossotus, Eucinostomus gracilis, Paralabrax maculatofasciatus, Sphoeroides annulatus y Eucinostomus dowii. La temperatura del agua varió estacionalmente, siendo cálida de julio a diciembre y fría de enero a junio. Se registró un mayor número de especies de peces durante la época cálida comparada con la época fría. La zona sur de la laguna costera presentó una mayor diversidad y riqueza específica. El menor tamaño de los peces registrados, confirma el papel ecológico de las lagunas costeras, consideradas como áreas de crianza las cuales proporcionan protección y alimentación a los peces de importancia comercial cerca de Bahía Magdalena, México.

Metazoan parasite species richness in Neotropical fishes: hotspots and the geography of biodiversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Luque, J L; Poulin, R

2007-06-01

Although research on parasite biodiversity has intensified recently, there are signs that parasites remain an underestimated component of total biodiversity in many regions of the planet. To identify geographical hotspots of parasite diversity, we performed qualitative and quantitative analyses of the parasite-host associations in fishes from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that includes known hotspots of plant and animal biodiversity. The database included 10,904 metazoan parasite-host associations involving 1660 fish species. The number of host species with at least 1 parasite record was less than 10% of the total known fish species in the majority of countries. Associations involving adult endoparasites in actinopterygian fish hosts dominated the database. Across the whole region, no significant difference in parasite species richness was detected between marine and freshwater fishes. As a rule, host body size and study effort (number of studies per fish species) were good predictors of parasite species richness. Some interesting patterns emerged when we included only the regions with highest fish species biodiversity and study effort (Brazil, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands). Independently of differences in study effort or host body sizes, Mexico stands out as a hotspot of parasite diversity for freshwater fishes, as does Brasil for marine fishes. However, among 57 marine fish species common to all 3 regions, populations from the Caribbean consistently harboured more parasite species. These differences may reflect true biological patterns, or regional discrepancies in study effort and local priorities for fish parasitology research.

2011 Summary: Coastal wetland restoration research

Science.gov (United States)

Kowalski, Kurt P.; Wiley, Michael J.; Wilcox, Douglas A.; Carlson Mazur, Martha L.; Czayka, Alex; Dominguez, Andrea; Doty, Susan; Eggleston, Mike; Green, Sean; Sweetman, Amanda

2014-01-01

similar to Crane Creek (e.g., greater turbidity, higher concentration of nitrogen). Sites closest to the structure showed the most creek influence with that influence decreasing with distance from the structure, suggesting that input water from Crane Creek is not mixing fully with the pool water. We also found that water level fluctuations were much greater in the reconnected wetland due to the influence of seiches in Lake Erie. We measured the nutrient concentrations of water flowing into and out of Pool 2B during seiche events and found that the phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations generally were drastically reduced after pulsing through the reconnected wetland. Fish response to the reconnection was equally striking. High-resolution sonar revealed extensive bidirectional movement of fish through the structure on a daily and seasonal basis. There also were significant increases in both the catch per unit effort (CPUE) and the species richness of all sites in Pool 2B from 2010 to 2011. Reconnecting the diked pool to the larger Crane Creek wetland complex, and therefore Lake Erie, has opened up rich new habitat for many fish species. Thirteen species of fish not previously found in the pool entered through the structure and actively used the reconnected wetland. We also found that the wetland functions as a productive spawning ground and nursery area with notable shifts in the predominant age-class of several species of fish, especially northern pike. We observed no negative effects of reconnection on the avian or vegetative communities. All sites within the connected pool had increases in diversity and abundance in the avian community and decreases in the species richness and Floristic Quality Assessment Index values for vegetative communities. After one year of study, data suggest that maintaining a hydrologic connection between diked and coastal wetlands in Lake Erie allows fishes to use vegetated habitats regularly, reduces the concentration of nutrients in coastal

76 FR 27016 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-10

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and help guide management and... during the species' upstream migration. Captured fish would be transported in a tanker truck and released...

Comparative analysis of selected semi-persistent and emerging pollutants in wild-caught fish and aquaculture associated fish using Bogue (Boops boops) as sentinel species.

Science.gov (United States)

Henríquez-Hernández, Luis Alberto; Montero, Daniel; Camacho, María; Ginés, Rafael; Boada, Luis D; Ramírez Bordón, Besay; Valerón, Pilar F; Almeida-González, Maira; Zumbado, Manuel; Haroun, Ricardo; Luzardo, Octavio P

2017-03-01

The marine environment acts as a sink for diverse anthropogenic pollutants, although the environmental contamination may be non-uniformly distributed. In recent decades, the aquaculture sector has experienced a steady growth postulating as a good alternative for seafood production. However, a social debate exits about the differential level of pollutants in wild and farmed species. This study was designed to evaluate the level of pollutants in a sentinel species: Bogue (Boops boops) associated and non-associated to fish-farm cages. A total of 82 chemical substances were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, including persistent (polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)), semi-persistent (bromodiphenyl ethers (BDEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)), and emerging pollutants (such as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) and UV-filters). In general, aquaculture-associated bogues showed lower levels of semi-persistent and emerging pollutants than wild-caught fish, especially when sums were considered. Thus, sum of BDEs was significantly lower in the aquaculture group (p=0.01). A similar trend was also observed for benzo(a)anthracene, the UV-filter 2-ethylhexyl-p-methoxycinnamate and some OPFRs. In the case of persistent pollutants, the sum of dioxin-like PCBs and sum of DDTs were lower in the group of wild-caught bogues (p=0.034 and p=0.003, respectively) than in aquaculture-associated bogues, as previously described for some aquaculture species. Fish feed appear as an important factor in the uptake of such substances suggesting a diet intervention to reduce their levels in the aquaculture products. Another interesting result is that for almost all chemical substances analyzed, bogues captured near sewage outfalls showed the highest levels of pollutants, pointing out the need of stringent measures for wastewater treatment units discharging in coastal areas. On the light of these results, further research in specific

Dispersal patterns, active behaviour, and flow environment during early life history of coastal cold water fishes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan Stanley

Full Text Available During the pelagic larval phase, fish dispersal may be influenced passively by surface currents or actively determined by swimming behaviour. In situ observations of larval swimming are few given the constraints of field sampling. Active behaviour is therefore often inferred from spatial patterns in the field, laboratory studies, or hydrodynamic theory, but rarely are these approaches considered in concert. Ichthyoplankton survey data collected during 2004 and 2006 from coastal Newfoundland show that changes in spatial heterogeneity for multiple species do not conform to predictions based on passive transport. We evaluated the interaction of individual larvae with their environment by calculating Reynolds number as a function of ontogeny. Typically, larvae hatch into a viscous environment in which swimming is inefficient, and later grow into more efficient intermediate and inertial swimming environments. Swimming is therefore closely related to length, not only because of swimming capacity but also in how larvae experience viscosity. Six of eight species sampled demonstrated consistent changes in spatial patchiness and concomitant increases in spatial heterogeneity as they transitioned into more favourable hydrodynamic swimming environments, suggesting an active behavioural element to dispersal. We propose the tandem assessment of spatial heterogeneity and hydrodynamic environment as a potential approach to understand and predict the onset of ecologically significant swimming behaviour of larval fishes in the field.

Progress in understanding the importance of coastal wetland nursery habitat to Great Lakes fisheries support

Science.gov (United States)

Great Lakes coastal wetlands provide important habitat for Great Lakes fishes of all life stages. A literature review of ichthyoplankton surveys conducted in Great Lakes coastal wetlands found at least 82 species reported to be captured during the larval stage. Twenty of those sp...

Species specific anaesthetics for fish anaesthesia and euthanasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Readman, Gareth D; Owen, Stewart F; Knowles, Toby G; Murrell, Joanna C

2017-08-02

There is a need to ensure that the care and welfare for fish maintained in the laboratory are to the highest standards. This extends to the use of anaesthetics for both scientific study, humane killing and euthanasia at end of life. An anaesthetic should not induce negative behaviours and fish should not seek to avoid the anaesthetic. Surprisingly little information is available to facilitate a humane choice of anaesthetic agent for fish despite over 100 years of use and the millions of fish currently held in thousands of laboratories worldwide. Using a chemotaxic choice chamber we found different species specific behavioural responses among four closely related fish species commonly held in the laboratory, exposed to three widely used anaesthetic agents. As previously found for zebrafish (Danio rerio), the use of MS-222 and benzocaine also appears to induce avoidance behaviours in medaka (Oryzias latipes); but etomidate could provide an alternative choice. Carp (Cyprinus carpio), although closely related to zebrafish showed avoidance behaviours to etomidate, but not benzocaine or MS-222; and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) showed no avoidance to the three agents tested. We were unable to ascertain avoidance responses in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and suggest different test paradigms are required for that species.

Waste feed from coastal fish farms: A trophic subsidy with compositional side-effects for wild gadoids

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Jover, Damian; Martinez-Rubio, Laura; Sanchez-Jerez, Pablo; Bayle-Sempere, Just T.; Lopez Jimenez, Jose Angel; Martínez Lopez, Francisco Javier; Bjørn, Pål-Arne; Uglem, Ingebrigt; Dempster, Tim

2011-03-01

Aquaculture of carnivorous fish species in sea-cages typically uses artificial feeds, with a proportion of these feeds lost to the surrounding environment. This lost resource may provide a trophic subsidy to wild fish in the vicinity of fish farms, yet the physiological consequences of the consumption of waste feed by wild fish remain unclear. In two regions in Norway with intensive aquaculture, we tested whether wild saithe ( Pollachius virens) and Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua) associated with fish farms (F assoc), where waste feed is readily available, had modified diets, condition and fatty acid (FA) compositions in their muscle and liver tissues compared to fish unassociated (UA) with farms. Stomach content analyses revealed that both cod and saithe consumed waste feed in the vicinity of farms (6-96% of their diet was composed of food pellets). This translated into elevated body and liver condition compared to fish caught distant from farms for cod at both locations and elevated body condition for saithe at one of the locations. As a consequence of a modified diet, we detected significantly increased concentrations of terrestrial-derived fatty acids (FAs) such as linoleic (18:2ω6) and oleic (18:1ω9) acids and decreased concentrations of DHA (22:6ω3) in the muscle and/or liver of F assoc cod and saithe when compared with UA fish. In addition, the ω3:ω6 ratio clearly differed between F assoc and UA fish. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) correctly classified 97% of fish into F assoc or UA origin for both cod and saithe based on the FA composition of liver tissues, and 89% of cod and 86% of saithe into F assoc or UA origin based on the FA composition of muscle. Thus, LDA appears a useful tool for detecting the influence of fish farms on the FA composition of wild fish. Ready availability of waste feed with high protein and fat content provides a clear trophic subsidy to wild fish in coastal waters, yet whether the accompanying side-effect of altered fatty

Threatened fish and fishers along the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Coast.

Science.gov (United States)

Begossi, Alpina; Salivonchyk, Svetlana; Hallwass, Gustavo; Hanazaki, Natalia; Lopes, Priscila F M; Silvano, Renato A M

2017-12-01

Small-scale fisheries of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Coast (BAFC) depend on fish resources for food and income. Thus, if the catch diminishes or if fish species that are a target for fishers are overexploited or impacted, this could affect fishers' livelihoods. The exclusion of threatened fish species from the catch is believed to be a threat to small-scale fisheries, which is likely to be the case along the BAFC. Many fish species are currently listed as threatened or vulnerable, whereas there is not enough biological information available to determine the status of the majority of the other species. Failure to protect the BAFC biodiversity might negatively impact fishers' income and the regional economy of local small-scale fisheries. We collected data from 1986 to 2009 through 347 interviews and 24-h food recall surveys at seven southeastern coastal sites of the Atlantic Forest. We show that important species of consumed fish are currently threatened: of the 65 species mentioned by fishers as the most consumed fishes, 33% are decreasing and 54% have an unknown status. Thus, biological and ecological data for BAFC marine species are urgently needed, along with co-management, to promote fish conservation.

78 FR 28806 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-16

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... Resources (CDWR), Permit 17428 to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Permit 17777 to... NMFS regulations (50 CFR parts 222-226) governing listed fish and wildlife permits. Species Covered in...

Liquid chromatographic determination of oxytetracycline in edible fish fillets from six species of fish

Science.gov (United States)

Meinertz, J.R.; Stehly, G.R.; Gingerich, W.H.

1998-01-01

The approved use of oxytetracycline (OTC) in U.S. Aquaculture is limited to specific diseases in salmonids and channel catfish. OTC may also be effective in controlling diseases in other fish species important to public aquaculture, but before approved use of OTC can be augmented, an analytical method for determining OTC in fillet tissue from multiple species of fish will be required to support residue depletion studies. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a liquid chromatographic (LC) method that is accurate, precise, and sensitive for OTC in edible fillets from multiple species of fish. Homogenized fillet tissues from walleye, Atlantic salmon, striped bass, white sturgeon, rainbow trout, and channel catfish were fortified with OTC at nominal concentrations of 10, 20, 100, 1000, and 5000 ng/g. In tissues fortified with OTC at 100, 1000, and 5000 ng/g, mean recoveries ranged from 83 to 90%, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 0.9 to 5.8%. In all other tissues, mean recoveries ranged from 59 to 98%, and RSDs ranged from 3.3 to 20%. Method quantitation limits ranged from 6 to 22 ng/g for the 6 species. The LC parameters produced easily integratable OTC peaks without coelution of endogenous compounds. The method is accurate, precise, and sensitive for OTC in fillet tissue from 6 species of fish from 5 phylogenetically diverse groups.

Coastal fish assemblages reflect geological and oceanographic gradients within an Australian zootone.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Euan S Harvey

Full Text Available Distributions of mobile animals have been shown to be heavily influenced by habitat and climate. We address the historical and contemporary context of fish habitats within a major zootone: the Recherche Archipelago, southern western Australia. Baited remote underwater video systems were set in nine habitat types within three regions to determine the species diversity and relative abundance of bony fishes, sharks and rays. Constrained ordinations and multivariate prediction and regression trees were used to examine the effects of gradients in longitude, depth, distance from islands and coast, and epibenthic habitat on fish assemblage composition. A total of 90 species from 43 families were recorded from a wide range of functional groups. Ordination accounted for 19% of the variation in the assemblage composition when constrained by spatial and epibenthic covariates, and identified redundancy in the use of distance from the nearest emergent island as a predictor. A spatial hierarchy of fourteen fish assemblages was identified using multivariate prediction and regression trees, with the primary split between assemblages on macroalgal reefs, and those on bare or sandy habitats supporting seagrass beds. The characterisation of indicator species for assemblages within the hierarchy revealed important faunal break in fish assemblages at 122.30 East at Cape Le Grand and subtle niche partitioning amongst species within the labrids and monacanthids. For example, some species of monacanthids were habitat specialists and predominantly found on seagrass (Acanthaluteres vittiger, Scobinichthys granulatus, reef (Meuschenia galii, Meuschenia hippocrepis or sand habitats (Nelusetta ayraudi. Predatory fish that consume molluscs, crustaceans and cephalopods were dominant with evidence of habitat generalisation in reef species to cope with local disturbances by wave action. Niche separation within major genera, and a sub-regional faunal break, indicate future

Phylogeny of Fish-Infecting Calyptospora species (Apicomplexa: Eimeriorina)

Science.gov (United States)

There are numerous species of apicomplexans that infect poikilothermic vertebrates such as fishes, and possess unique morphological features that provide insight into the evolution of this important phylum of parasites. Here the relationship of the fish-infecting Calyptospora spe...

Twelve invertebrate and eight fish species new to the marine fauna of Madeira, and a discussion of the zoogeography of the area

Science.gov (United States)

Wirtz, Peter

1998-06-01

The benthic ctenophore Vallicula multiformis, a large undescribed flatworm species of the genus Pseudoceros, the prosobranch gastropod Tonna maculosa, the opisthobranch gastropods Placida cf. dendritica, Caloria elegans, Aeolidiella sanguinea, Janolus cristatus, the decapod Balssia gasti, the sea urchin Schizaster canaliferus and the tunicates Clavelina lepadiformis, Clavelina dellavallei and Pycnoclavella taureanensis are recorded from Madeira for the first time. This is the first record of a platyctenid ctenophore in the eastern Atlantic. The teleost fishes Pomatoschistus pictus, Vaneaugobius canariensis, Chromogobius sp., Nerophis ophidion, Hippocampus hippocampus, Acanthocybium solandri, Sphyraena viridensis and Sphyraena barracuda are recorded from Madeira for the first time. The presence of the sea-hare Aplysia dactylomela at Madeira is confirmed; the species has increased tremendously in abundance in the last four years. The crocodile fish Grammoplites gruveli can occasionally be found in the mantle cavity of cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis) sold at the fish market of Funchal, but does not originate from Madeiran waters. An analysis of 100 new records from the coastal fauna of Madeira shows that, while predominantly of lusitanian, mediterranean and mauritanian affinity, Madeira’s shallow water fauna contains a large component of tropical species.

75 FR 16738 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-02

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... River fall Chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The FMEP specifies the future... fish, sturgeon, carp, and other species.'' The FMEP describes the management of recreational fisheries...

76 FR 15946 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-22

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... research permit application request relating to salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA... research activities. The purpose of the research program is to collect warmwater fish species to analyze...

New Solanum species from Tanzanian coastal forests may already ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The unusually long inflorescences with a dense covering of long straight prickles on the rachis distinguish S. ruvu from all other African species of spiny Solanum. Its likely affinities lie with another coastal forest species, S. zanzibarense, which exhibits a similar scandent habit, subentire leaves, thin stems, and prickles that ...

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: North Carolina: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine, estuarine, anadromous, and brackish/freshwater fish species in North Carolina. Vector polygons...

77 FR 27186 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-09

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The applications may be... salmon, and LCR steelhead. The purpose of this research is to determine fish species presence and...

76 FR 57717 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-16

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS..., importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226). Permits Permit 15926... will be captured by fyke net, identified to species, enumerated and measured. Dead or moribund fish...

77 FR 51763 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-27

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... INFORMATION: Authority The issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the Endangered Species... (50 CFR parts 222-226) governing listed fish and wildlife permits. Species Covered in This Notice This...

Development of Solar Drying Model for Selected Cambodian Fish Species

Science.gov (United States)

Hubackova, Anna; Kucerova, Iva; Chrun, Rithy; Chaloupkova, Petra; Banout, Jan

2014-01-01

A solar drying was investigated as one of perspective techniques for fish processing in Cambodia. The solar drying was compared to conventional drying in electric oven. Five typical Cambodian fish species were selected for this study. Mean solar drying temperature and drying air relative humidity were 55.6°C and 19.9%, respectively. The overall solar dryer efficiency was 12.37%, which is typical for natural convection solar dryers. An average evaporative capacity of solar dryer was 0.049 kg·h−1. Based on coefficient of determination (R 2), chi-square (χ 2) test, and root-mean-square error (RMSE), the most suitable models describing natural convection solar drying kinetics were Logarithmic model, Diffusion approximate model, and Two-term model for climbing perch and Nile tilapia, swamp eel and walking catfish and Channa fish, respectively. In case of electric oven drying, the Modified Page 1 model shows the best results for all investigated fish species except Channa fish where the two-term model is the best one. Sensory evaluation shows that most preferable fish is climbing perch, followed by Nile tilapia and walking catfish. This study brings new knowledge about drying kinetics of fresh water fish species in Cambodia and confirms the solar drying as acceptable technology for fish processing. PMID:25250381

75 FR 78226 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-15

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... permits and permit modifications, as required by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543... electrofisher and dipnet; sample fish for species identification, tags, marks and finclips, lengths and weights...

Jointness through fishing days input in a multi-species fishery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Lars Gårn; Jensen, Carsten Lynge

.g. translog, normalized quadratic). In this paper we argue that jointness in the latter, essentially separable fishery is caused by allocation of fishing days input among harvested species. We developed a structural model of a multi-species fishery where the allocation of fishing days input causes production...

Total mercury concentration in common fish species of Lake Victoria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Total mercury (THg) concentration was analysed in muscles of common fish species of Lake Victoria in the eastern and southern parts of the lake using cold vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric technique. Mercury concentration in all fish species was generally lower than the WHO maximum allowable ...

The distribution, composition and abundance of fish species in two ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fish composition and abundance of two Gold mine reservoir were investigated between May, 2008 and May, 2009. Seven fish families comprising of twelve species of fish were caught during the period of study. The families of fish caught included Anabantidae, Channidae, Clariidae, Cichlidae, Melanopluridae, Mormyridae ...

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Central California: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine, estuarine, and anadromous fish species in Central California. Vector polygons in this data set...

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Hudson River: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine, estuarine, anadromous, and freshwater fish species in the Hudson River. Vector polygons in this...

[Species composition and geographical distribution of threatened fishes in Yunnan Province of Southwest China].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Zhong, Jin-Xin

2013-05-01

Based on the related published papers, and by using Geographic Information System (ArcGIS 9.3), this paper analyzed the species composition and geographical distribution of threatened fishes in Yunnan Province of Southwest China. There were 83 threatened species living in the Province, belonging to 5 orders, 13 families, and 47 genera. Cypriniformes was absolutely dominant, with 64 species, followed by Siluriformes, with 16 species. Cyprinidae fishes had 51 species, accounting for 79.7% of Cypriniformes. The most species of Cyprinid fishes were of Barbinae (14 species), Cyprininae (10 species), and Cultrinae (10 species). The threatened fishes could be divided into two zoogeographical regions, i. e., Tibetan Plateau region and Oriental region, and their species composition and geographical distribution were resulted from the historical evolution adapted to the related environments. Whatever in rivers and in lakes, the Cyprinid fishes were both absolutely dominant, occupying 36.1% and 31.3% of the total, respectively. The Cyprinid fishes in rivers were mostly of endangered species, while those in lakes were mostly of vulnerable species. The factors affecting the threatened fishes in the Province were discussed from the two aspects of geodynamic evolution and present situation.

Fish species composition, density-distribution patterns, and impingement during upwelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spigarelli, S.A.; Sharma, R.K.

1975-01-01

The effects of cooling system intakes and discharges on Lake Michigan fishes are highly dependent on inshore species composition and spatial distribution which, in turn, are affected by natural hydrological conditions. Significant (5 to 10 C) short-term decreases in water temperature (due to upwelling) could cause cold shock in fish equilibrated to either ambient or plume temperatures; substantial changes in distribution due to avoidance or attraction responses; and resultant changes in susceptibility to impingement. The objectives of this study are to characterize the changes in fish species composition, density, and thermal distribution as a result of natural upwellings, and to relate these factors to intake and discharge effects. Day and night sampling was conducted in ambient (reference) and thermal plume waters near the Zion Nuclear Plant on four occasions between 17 July and 11 September 1975. Density-distribution patterns and species composition of fish were determined by means of gill nets, bottom trawls, seines, and a sonic fish locater

Oral vaccination of fish: Lessons from humans and veterinary species.

Science.gov (United States)

Embregts, Carmen W E; Forlenza, Maria

2016-11-01

The limited number of oral vaccines currently approved for use in humans and veterinary species clearly illustrates that development of efficacious and safe oral vaccines has been a challenge not only for fish immunologists. The insufficient efficacy of oral vaccines is partly due to antigen breakdown in the harsh gastric environment, but also to the high tolerogenic gut environment and to inadequate vaccine design. In this review we discuss current approaches used to develop oral vaccines for mass vaccination of farmed fish species. Furthermore, using various examples from the human and veterinary vaccine development, we propose additional approaches to fish vaccine design also considering recent advances in fish mucosal immunology and novel molecular tools. Finally, we discuss the pros and cons of using the zebrafish as a pre-screening animal model to potentially speed up vaccine design and testing for aquaculture fish species. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids enriched polyunsaturated fatty acids from the coastal marine fish of Bay of Bengal and their therapeutic value.

Science.gov (United States)

Bera, Rabindranath; Dhara, Tushar K; Bhadra, Ranjan; Majumder, Gopal C; Sen, Parimal C

2010-12-01

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enriched polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) significantly present in marine fish oil emerge as preventive agents for combating many health problems specially in chronic or metabolic disorders. The fish in the coastal area of Bay of Bengal has remained unexplored with respect to EPA/DHA enriched PUFA content in its oils, although it may be a potential source in harnessing the health benefit. In this study, seven varieties of the coastal fish were analysed for the content of EPA/DHA. The one locally known as lotte, (Harpadon nehereus) though has low content of total lipids, was found to have high EPA/DHA in its oil. The phospholipids rich fraction was extracted from the total fish oil. The EPA/DHA enriched PUFA was isolated to investigate the potential use for health benefits. EPA/DHA is found to act as protective agent against mercury poisoning studied in cell culture as well as in animal mode. It is found to be highly preventive in diabetes. The lotte is available in the coastal area of Bay of Bengal adjoining West Bengal, India in large scale and it is the first report showing EPA/DHA enriched PUFA in these fish oil that can be availed to harness in important health benefits.

76 FR 51352 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-18

... Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), for a direct take permit pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations prohibit the ``taking'' of a species listed as endangered or...

Human ecological sources of fishing heritage and its use in and impact on coastal tourism

Science.gov (United States)

Steve Jacob; Jeff Witman

2007-01-01

Commercial fishers and fishing-dependent communities are experiencing tremendous challenges. For at least a decade, commercial fishers have seen increasing regulations, rises in operational and capital costs, increasing foreign competition, resource depletion, environmental degradation, changing allocations from commercial to recreational use, and coastal...

Proteolytic activities in fillets of selected underutilized Australian fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Z; Donkor, O; Street, W A; Vasiljevic, T

2013-09-01

The hydrolytic activity of major endogenous proteases, responsible for proteolysis of myofibrillar proteins during post-mortem storage, may be an indicator of the textural quality of fish which influences consumer purchasing behaviour and thus market value of the final product. Furthermore, it may also influence the type and bioactive properties of the peptides released during post-mortem proteolysis of myofibrillar proteins. This study compared the activities of cathepsins B, B+L, D, H and calpain-like enzymes in crude muscle extracted from 16 Australian underutilized fish species. Fish species had a significant effect on the activity of these enzymes with barracouta showing the highest cathepsins B, B+L, D and H activities. Activities of cathepsins B and B+L were higher than cathepsin H for all studied species. The more commercially important rock ling and tiger flathead demonstrated higher cathepsin B+L activity, whereas gemfish and eastern school whiting showed higher activity towards cathepsin B. Underutilized fish species showing higher endogenous protease activities may be suitable for fish sauce production, whereas those with lower protease activities for surimi processing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 14134 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-24

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... modifications, as required by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 1543) (ESA), is based on a... trap and beach seine, anesthesize and sample fish for species identification, tags, marks and fin clips...

75 FR 33243 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-11

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (ESA), is based on a finding that such permits... NMFS regulations (50 CFR parts 222-226) governing listed fish and wildlife permits. Species Covered in...

Smolting in coastal cutthroat trout Onchorhynchus clarkii clarkii

Science.gov (United States)

Zydlewski, Joseph D.; Zydlewski, G.; Kennedy, B.; Gale, W.

2014-01-01

Gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity, condition factor and seawater (SW) challenges were used to assess the development of smolt characteristics in a cohort of hatchery coastal cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii from the Cowlitz River in Washington State, U.S.A. Gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity increased slightly in the spring, coinciding with an increase in hypo-osmoregulatory ability. These changes were of lesser magnitude than are observed in other salmonine species. Even at the peak of tolerance, these fish exhibited notable osmotic perturbations in full strength SW. Condition factor in these hatchery fish declined steadily through the spring. Wild captured migrants from four tributaries of the Columbia River had moderately elevated gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity, consistent with smolt development and with greater enzyme activity than autumn captured juveniles from one of the tributaries, Abernathy Creek. Migrant fish also had reduced condition factor. General linear models of 7 years of data from Abernathy Creek suggest that yearly variation, advancing photoperiod (as ordinal date) and fish size (fork length) were significant factors for predicting gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity in these wild fish. Both yearly variation and temperature were significant factors for predicting condition factor. These results suggest that coastal O. c. clarkii exhibit weakly developed characteristics of smolting. These changes are influenced by environmental conditions with great individual variation. The data suggest great physiological plasticity consistent with the variable life-history tactics observed in this species.

Identification of Mercury in Tembang Fish (Sardinella gibbosa and Shellfish (Marcia hiantina in Losari Coastal Beach, Makassar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erlani Erlani

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Mercury was one of heavy metals that became pollutant. High level of mercury in aquatic environment could cause adverse effects on living organisms in that environment, even endanger human health in using the water and consuming the organism. This reasearch was a descriptive survey that was supported by laboratory test result in order to know mercury (Hg level in Tembang fish (Sardinella gibbosa and Shellfish (Marcia hiantina in Losari coastal beach, Makassar. The result of mercury examination at Center Health Laboratory Makasar was obtained that mercury levels in Tembang Fish were 0.0150 mg/kg, 0.0133 mg/kg and 0.0126 mg/kg. Thus, the average of mercury level in Tembang fish was 0.0409 mg/kg. Meanwhile, based on examination results of mercury level in Shellfish at Center Health Laboratory, Makasar, were obtained 0.0228 mg/kg, 0.0266 mg/kg, and 0.1105 mg/kg. Thus, the average of mercury level in Shellfish was 0.1599 mg/kg. Moreover, mercury level in either Tembang fish or Shellfish in ​​Losari coastal beach Makassar had fulfilled the requirement based on SNI 7387/2009 regarding Maximum Limit of Heavy Metal of Mercury.

The potential for a fish ladder to mitigate against the loss of marine-estuarine-freshwater connectivity in a subtropical coastal lake

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Weerts, Steven P

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Increasing water demand in coastal regions has resulted in the construction of weirs and barrages in coastal freshwaters. These form barriers to migrations of estuarine and euryhaline marine fishes and crustaceans. This study assessed the impact...

Spatial segregation of spawning habitat limits hybridization between sympatric native Steelhead and Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Science.gov (United States)

Buehrens, T.W.; Glasgow, J.; Ostberg, Carl O.; Quinn, T.P.

2013-01-01

Native Coastal Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii and Coastal Steelhead O. mykiss irideus hybridize naturally in watersheds of the Pacific Northwest yet maintain species integrity. Partial reproductive isolation due to differences in spawning habitat may limit hybridization between these species, but this process is poorly understood. We used a riverscape approach to determine the spatial distribution of spawning habitats used by native Coastal Cutthroat Trout and Steelhead as evidenced by the distribution of recently emerged fry. Molecular genetic markers were used to classify individuals as pure species or hybrids, and individuals were assigned to age-classes based on length. Fish and physical habitat data were collected in a spatially continuous framework to assess the relationship between habitat and watershed features and the spatial distribution of parental species and hybrids. Sampling occurred in 35 reaches from tidewaters to headwaters in a small (20 km2) coastal watershed in Washington State. Cutthroat, Steelhead, and hybrid trout accounted for 35%, 42%, and 23% of the fish collected, respectively. Strong segregation of spawning areas between Coastal Cutthroat Trout and Steelhead was evidenced by the distribution of age-0 trout. Cutthroat Trout were located farther upstream and in smaller tributaries than Steelhead were. The best predictor of species occurrence at a site was the drainage area of the watershed that contributed to the site. This area was positively correlated with the occurrence of age-0 Steelhead and negatively with the presence of Cutthroat Trout, whereas hybrids were found in areas occupied by both parental species. A similar pattern was observed in older juveniles of both species but overlap was greater, suggesting substantial dispersal of trout after emergence. Our results offer support for spatial reproductive segregation as a factor limiting hybridization between Steelhead and Coastal Cutthroat Trout.

The Fish Assemblage of a Newfoundland Estuary: Diel, Monthly and Annual Variation

Science.gov (United States)

Methven, D. A.; Haedrich, R. L.; Rose, G. A.

2001-06-01

Twice monthly sampling over two 16 month periods at a shallow site on Newfoundland's east coast showed the fish assemblage to be dominated by four taxa ( Gasterosteus aculeatus, G. wheatlandi, Osmerus mordax, Gadus spp.) that accounted for 96% of the individuals collected. Of the 16 479 fish measured, 65% were adults based on the estimated size of first spawning. The fish assemblage was dominated (86%) by species with demersal eggs, several of which spawn at the same shallow sites used by juveniles as nursery sites. Coastal spawning and demersal eggs maintain offspring in coastal nursery areas where survival is thought to be increased. Number of species and number of fish were both correlated with water temperature being highest from mid-summer to early autumn and lowest in winter. Temperature, time of spawning, and movements of juveniles and adults facilitated grouping species into five assemblages based on seasonal abundance: seasonal periodic species (summer and winter), regular species, regular species collected in all seasons except winter, and occasional (rare) species. At the diel scale, two consistent species groupings were observed: species that showed no significant difference between day and night and species caught primarily at night. Number of night species exceeded day species by a factor of two. No seine-caught species in shallow water exhibited significantly higher catches during the day. Observations by SCUBA divers indicated some species were more abundant during day time at slightly deeper depths. This observation in conjunction with day and night seining in shallower water, suggests these species aggregate in deeper water during day and move to shallow waters at night.

Development of Solar Drying Model for Selected Cambodian Fish Species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Hubackova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A solar drying was investigated as one of perspective techniques for fish processing in Cambodia. The solar drying was compared to conventional drying in electric oven. Five typical Cambodian fish species were selected for this study. Mean solar drying temperature and drying air relative humidity were 55.6°C and 19.9%, respectively. The overall solar dryer efficiency was 12.37%, which is typical for natural convection solar dryers. An average evaporative capacity of solar dryer was 0.049 kg·h−1. Based on coefficient of determination (R2, chi-square (χ2 test, and root-mean-square error (RMSE, the most suitable models describing natural convection solar drying kinetics were Logarithmic model, Diffusion approximate model, and Two-term model for climbing perch and Nile tilapia, swamp eel and walking catfish and Channa fish, respectively. In case of electric oven drying, the Modified Page 1 model shows the best results for all investigated fish species except Channa fish where the two-term model is the best one. Sensory evaluation shows that most preferable fish is climbing perch, followed by Nile tilapia and walking catfish. This study brings new knowledge about drying kinetics of fresh water fish species in Cambodia and confirms the solar drying as acceptable technology for fish processing.

Climate mediates hypoxic stress on fish diversity and nursery function at the land–sea interface

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Brent B.; Levey, Matthew D.; Fountain, Monique C.; Carlisle, Aaron B.; Chavez, Francisco P.; Gleason, Mary G.

2015-01-01

Coastal ecosystems provide numerous important ecological services, including maintenance of biodiversity and nursery grounds for many fish species of ecological and economic importance. However, human population growth has led to increased pollution, ocean warming, hypoxia, and habitat alteration that threaten ecosystem services. In this study, we used long-term datasets of fish abundance, water quality, and climatic factors to assess the threat of hypoxia and the regulating effects of climate on fish diversity and nursery conditions in Elkhorn Slough, a highly eutrophic estuary in central California (United States), which also serves as a biodiversity hot spot and critical nursery grounds for offshore fisheries in a broader region. We found that hypoxic conditions had strong negative effects on extent of suitable fish habitat, fish species richness, and abundance of the two most common flatfish species, English sole (Parophrys vetulus) and speckled sanddab (Citharichthys stigmaeus). The estuary serves as an important nursery ground for English sole, making this species vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. We determined that estuarine hypoxia was associated with significant declines in English sole nursery habitat, with cascading effects on recruitment to the offshore adult population and fishery, indicating that human land use activities can indirectly affect offshore fisheries. Estuarine hypoxic conditions varied spatially and temporally and were alleviated by strengthening of El Niño conditions through indirect pathways, a consistent result in most estuaries across the northeast Pacific. These results demonstrate that changes to coastal land use and climate can fundamentally alter the diversity and functioning of coastal nurseries and their adjacent ocean ecosystems. PMID:26056293

Climate mediates hypoxic stress on fish diversity and nursery function at the land-sea interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Brent B; Levey, Matthew D; Fountain, Monique C; Carlisle, Aaron B; Chavez, Francisco P; Gleason, Mary G

2015-06-30

Coastal ecosystems provide numerous important ecological services, including maintenance of biodiversity and nursery grounds for many fish species of ecological and economic importance. However, human population growth has led to increased pollution, ocean warming, hypoxia, and habitat alteration that threaten ecosystem services. In this study, we used long-term datasets of fish abundance, water quality, and climatic factors to assess the threat of hypoxia and the regulating effects of climate on fish diversity and nursery conditions in Elkhorn Slough, a highly eutrophic estuary in central California (United States), which also serves as a biodiversity hot spot and critical nursery grounds for offshore fisheries in a broader region. We found that hypoxic conditions had strong negative effects on extent of suitable fish habitat, fish species richness, and abundance of the two most common flatfish species, English sole (Parophrys vetulus) and speckled sanddab (Citharichthys stigmaeus). The estuary serves as an important nursery ground for English sole, making this species vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. We determined that estuarine hypoxia was associated with significant declines in English sole nursery habitat, with cascading effects on recruitment to the offshore adult population and fishery, indicating that human land use activities can indirectly affect offshore fisheries. Estuarine hypoxic conditions varied spatially and temporally and were alleviated by strengthening of El Niño conditions through indirect pathways, a consistent result in most estuaries across the northeast Pacific. These results demonstrate that changes to coastal land use and climate can fundamentally alter the diversity and functioning of coastal nurseries and their adjacent ocean ecosystems.

Diversity and composition of estuarine and lagoonal fish assemblages of Socotra Island, Yemen.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavergne, E; Zajonz, U; Krupp, F; Naseeb, F; Aideed, M S

2016-05-01

Estuarine and lagoonal surveys of Socotra Island and selected sites on the Hadhramout coast of Yemen were conducted with the objective of documenting and analysing fish diversity and assemblage structure. A total of 74 species in 35 families were recorded, among which 65 species in 32 families were from Socotra and 20 species in 17 families were from mainland Yemen. Twenty-one species represent new faunal records for Socotra. Including historic records re-examined in this study, the total fish species richness of estuaries and lagoons of Socotra Island reaches 76, which is relatively high compared to species inventories of well-researched coastal estuaries in southern Africa. Five species dominate the occurrence and abundance frequencies: Terapon jarbua, Hyporhamphus sindensis, Aphanius dispar, Ambassis gymnocephala and Chelon macrolepis. Rarefaction and extrapolation analyses suggest that the actual number of fish species inhabiting some of those estuaries might be higher than the one observed. Thus, additional sampling at specific sites should be conducted to record other less conspicuous species. Ordination and multivariate analyses identified four main distinct assemblage clusters. Two groups are geographically well structured and represent northern Socotra and mainland Yemen, respectively. The other two assemblage groups tend to be determined to a greater extent by the synchrony between physical (e.g. estuary opening periods) and biological (e.g. spawning and recruitment periods) variables than by geographical location. Finally, the single intertidal lagoon of Socotra represents by itself a specific fish assemblage. The high proportion of economically important fish species (38) recorded underscores the paramount importance of these coastal water bodies as nursery sites, and for sustaining vital provisioning ecosystem services. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Accounting for Incomplete Species Detection in Fish Community Monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McManamay, Ryan A [ORNL; Orth, Dr. Donald J [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Jager, Yetta [ORNL

2013-01-01

Riverine fish assemblages are heterogeneous and very difficult to characterize with a one-size-fits-all approach to sampling. Furthermore, detecting changes in fish assemblages over time requires accounting for variation in sampling designs. We present a modeling approach that permits heterogeneous sampling by accounting for site and sampling covariates (including method) in a model-based framework for estimation (versus a sampling-based framework). We snorkeled during three surveys and electrofished during a single survey in suite of delineated habitats stratified by reach types. We developed single-species occupancy models to determine covariates influencing patch occupancy and species detection probabilities whereas community occupancy models estimated species richness in light of incomplete detections. For most species, information-theoretic criteria showed higher support for models that included patch size and reach as covariates of occupancy. In addition, models including patch size and sampling method as covariates of detection probabilities also had higher support. Detection probability estimates for snorkeling surveys were higher for larger non-benthic species whereas electrofishing was more effective at detecting smaller benthic species. The number of sites and sampling occasions required to accurately estimate occupancy varied among fish species. For rare benthic species, our results suggested that higher number of occasions, and especially the addition of electrofishing, may be required to improve detection probabilities and obtain accurate occupancy estimates. Community models suggested that richness was 41% higher than the number of species actually observed and the addition of an electrofishing survey increased estimated richness by 13%. These results can be useful to future fish assemblage monitoring efforts by informing sampling designs, such as site selection (e.g. stratifying based on patch size) and determining effort required (e.g. number of

Functional feeding traits as predictors of invasive success of alien freshwater fish species using a food-fish model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leopold A J Nagelkerke

Full Text Available Invasions of Ponto-Caspian fish species into north-western European river basins accelerated since the opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal in 1992. Since 2002, at least five Ponto-Caspian alien fish species have arrived in The Netherlands. Four species belong to the Gobiidae family (Neogobius fluviatilis, Neogobius melanostomus, Ponticola kessleri, and Proterorhinus semilunaris and one to the Cyprinidae family (Romanogobio belingi. These species are expected to be potentially deleterious for the populations of four native benthic fish species: Gobio gobio (Cyprinidae, Barbatula barbatula (Nemacheilidae, Cottus perifretum, and C. rhenanus (Cottidae. Invasion success may be dependent on competitive trophic interactions with native species, which are enabled and/or constrained by feeding-related morphological traits. Twenty-two functional feeding traits were measured in nine species (in total 90 specimens. These traits were quantitatively linked to the mechanical, chemical and behavioral properties of a range of aquatic resource categories, using a previously developed food-fish model (FFM. The FFM was used to predict the trophic profile (TP of each fish: the combined capacities to feed on each of the resource types. The most extreme TPs belonged to three alien species, indicating that they were most specialized among the studied species. Of these three, only P. kessleri overlapped with the two native Cottus species, indicating potential trophic competition. N. fluviatilis and R. belingi did not show any overlap, indicating that there is low trophic competition. The two remaining alien goby species (N. melanostomus and P. semilunaris had average TPs and could be considered generalist feeders. They overlapped with each other and with G. gobio and B. barbatula, indicating potential trophic competition. This study suggests that both generalist and specialist species can be successful invaders. Since the FFM predicts potential interactions between

Functional feeding traits as predictors of invasive success of alien freshwater fish species using a food-fish model.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagelkerke, Leopold A J; van Onselen, Eline; van Kessel, Nils; Leuven, Rob S E W

2018-01-01

Invasions of Ponto-Caspian fish species into north-western European river basins accelerated since the opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal in 1992. Since 2002, at least five Ponto-Caspian alien fish species have arrived in The Netherlands. Four species belong to the Gobiidae family (Neogobius fluviatilis, Neogobius melanostomus, Ponticola kessleri, and Proterorhinus semilunaris) and one to the Cyprinidae family (Romanogobio belingi). These species are expected to be potentially deleterious for the populations of four native benthic fish species: Gobio gobio (Cyprinidae), Barbatula barbatula (Nemacheilidae), Cottus perifretum, and C. rhenanus (Cottidae). Invasion success may be dependent on competitive trophic interactions with native species, which are enabled and/or constrained by feeding-related morphological traits. Twenty-two functional feeding traits were measured in nine species (in total 90 specimens). These traits were quantitatively linked to the mechanical, chemical and behavioral properties of a range of aquatic resource categories, using a previously developed food-fish model (FFM). The FFM was used to predict the trophic profile (TP) of each fish: the combined capacities to feed on each of the resource types. The most extreme TPs belonged to three alien species, indicating that they were most specialized among the studied species. Of these three, only P. kessleri overlapped with the two native Cottus species, indicating potential trophic competition. N. fluviatilis and R. belingi did not show any overlap, indicating that there is low trophic competition. The two remaining alien goby species (N. melanostomus and P. semilunaris) had average TPs and could be considered generalist feeders. They overlapped with each other and with G. gobio and B. barbatula, indicating potential trophic competition. This study suggests that both generalist and specialist species can be successful invaders. Since the FFM predicts potential interactions between species, it

Salinity ranges of some southern African fish species occurring in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The recorded salinity ranges of 96 fish species occurring in southern African estuaries are documented. Factors influen- cing the tolerance of fishes to low and high salinity regimes are discussed, with most species tolerant of low rather than high salinity conditions. This is important since most systems are subject to periodic ...

Risk of heavy metal ingestion from the consumption of two commercially valuable species of fish from the fresh and coastal waters of Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Gbogbo, Francis; Arthur-Yartel, Anna; Bondzie, Josephine A; Dorleku, Winfred-Peck; Dadzie, Stephen; Kwansa-Bentum, Bethel; Ewool, Julliet; Billah, Maxwell K; Lamptey, Angela M

2018-01-01

The need to evaluate the human health safety of fishery resources remain urgent in the mist of the ever-increasing fear of heavy metal toxicity from the consumption of Ghana's fisheries resource, as a consequence of pollution from several anthropogenic activities including artisanal gold mining. Nevertheless, the bigeye grunt (Brachydeuterus auritus) and Bagrid catfish (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus) remain commercially valuable fish species in West Africa and continue to attract high patronage. Forty-five specimens each of C. nigrodigitatus and B. auritus collected from the Weija Dam and the Tema Fishing Habour in Ghana, between June and September 2016, were analysed for seven heavy metals using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Lead and Cadmium were below detection in all samples while Cu was not detected in B. auritus. Levels of the remaining metals (mg kg-1) were below FAO/WHO maximum permissible limits in fish and occurred in the rank order Se (3.5) > Zn (2.34) > Cu (0.59) > As (0.37) > Hg (0.19) in C. nigrodigitatus and Se (2.97) > Zn (2.28) > Hg (0.31) > As (0.21) in B. auritus. Only As in C. nigrodigitatus recorded Estimated Weekly Intake (EWI) greater than FAO/WHO Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI). Also, As in C. nigrodigitatus and Hg in B. auritus had Targeted Hazard Quotient (THQ) greater than 1 for individuals consuming the fishes on daily basis and therefore, raising concerns. However, for both species of fish, cancer risk of As was 1 in 10,000,000,000 and modified Health Benefits values of Se (HBVSe) were positive indicating the health risks that might accompany Hg exposure would be negated. Since toxicity depends on the concentration and quantity of a pollutant consumed, safe maximum consumption rate of C. nigrodigitatus based on As concentrations was 0.21 mg per day and that of B. auritus was 0.058 mg per day for Hg. With an average of 0.227 kg fish per meal of an adult human, these translated into not more than 24 C. nigrodigitatus and nine (9

Nutrients and contaminants in tissues of five fish species obtained from Shanghai markets: Risk–benefit evaluation from human health perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng, Jing-Jing; Li, Huan; Liu, Jin-Pin; Yang, Yi; Jin, Ze-Lin; Zhang, Yun-Ni; Zhang, Mei-Ling; Chen, Li-Qiao; Du, Zhen-Yu

2015-01-01

Shanghai is a Chinese megacity in the Yangtze River Delta area, one of the most polluted coastal areas in China. The inhabitants of Shanghai have very high aquatic product consumption rates. A risk–benefit assessment of the co-ingestion of fish nutrients and contaminants has not previously been performed for Shanghai residents. Samples of five farmed fish species (marine and freshwater) with different feeding habits were collected from Shanghai markets in winter and summer. Fatty acids, protein, mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorocyclohexanes, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes were measured in liver, abdominal fat, and dorsal, abdominal, and tail muscles from fish. Tolerable daily intakes and benefit–risk quotients were calculated to allow the benefits and risks of co-ingesting n − 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and contaminants to be assessed according to the cancer slope factors and reference doses of selected pollutants. All of the contaminant concentrations in the muscle tissues were much lower than the national maximum limits, but the livers generally contained high Hg concentrations, exceeding the regulatory limit. The organic pollutant and n − 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations correlated with the lipid contents of the fish tissues, and were higher in carnivorous marine fish than in omnivorous and herbivorous freshwater fish. The tolerable daily intakes, risk–benefit quotients, and current daily aquatic product intakes for residents of large Chinese cities indicated that the muscle tissues of most of the fish analyzed can be consumed regularly without significant contaminant-related risks to health. However, attention should be paid to the potential risks posed by dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane in large yellow croaker and Hg in tilapia. Based on the results of this study, we encourage people to consume equal portions of marine and freshwater fish. - Highlights: • Shanghai coast

Nutrients and contaminants in tissues of five fish species obtained from Shanghai markets: Risk–benefit evaluation from human health perspectives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geng, Jing-Jing [Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science, Ministry of Education, School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China); Li, Huan; Liu, Jin-Pin [Laboratory of Aquaculture Nutrition and Environmental Health (LANEH), School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai (China); Yang, Yi, E-mail: yyang@geo.ecnu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science, Ministry of Education, School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China); State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 3663 Zhongshan North Road, Shanghai 200062 (China); Jin, Ze-Lin; Zhang, Yun-Ni; Zhang, Mei-Ling; Chen, Li-Qiao [Laboratory of Aquaculture Nutrition and Environmental Health (LANEH), School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai (China); Du, Zhen-Yu, E-mail: zydu@bio.ecnu.edu.cn [Laboratory of Aquaculture Nutrition and Environmental Health (LANEH), School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai (China)

2015-12-01

Shanghai is a Chinese megacity in the Yangtze River Delta area, one of the most polluted coastal areas in China. The inhabitants of Shanghai have very high aquatic product consumption rates. A risk–benefit assessment of the co-ingestion of fish nutrients and contaminants has not previously been performed for Shanghai residents. Samples of five farmed fish species (marine and freshwater) with different feeding habits were collected from Shanghai markets in winter and summer. Fatty acids, protein, mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorocyclohexanes, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes were measured in liver, abdominal fat, and dorsal, abdominal, and tail muscles from fish. Tolerable daily intakes and benefit–risk quotients were calculated to allow the benefits and risks of co-ingesting n − 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and contaminants to be assessed according to the cancer slope factors and reference doses of selected pollutants. All of the contaminant concentrations in the muscle tissues were much lower than the national maximum limits, but the livers generally contained high Hg concentrations, exceeding the regulatory limit. The organic pollutant and n − 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations correlated with the lipid contents of the fish tissues, and were higher in carnivorous marine fish than in omnivorous and herbivorous freshwater fish. The tolerable daily intakes, risk–benefit quotients, and current daily aquatic product intakes for residents of large Chinese cities indicated that the muscle tissues of most of the fish analyzed can be consumed regularly without significant contaminant-related risks to health. However, attention should be paid to the potential risks posed by dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane in large yellow croaker and Hg in tilapia. Based on the results of this study, we encourage people to consume equal portions of marine and freshwater fish. - Highlights: • Shanghai coast

Estuarine fish biodiversity of Socotra Island (N.W. Indian Ocean): from the fish community to the functioning of Terapon jarbua populations

OpenAIRE

Lavergne, Edouard

2012-01-01

Understanding connectivity between estuarine nurseries and marine habitats is fundamental to explore fish population dynamics and to the design of effective conservation and fisheries management strategies. The aim of this work was to provide the first faunistic and ecological baseline of Socotra Island (North-Western Indian Ocean) estuaries and lagoon fishes for governmental coastal managers and decision makers, with a particular focus on the population functioning of a sentinel species: Ter...

Fish allergy in patients with parvalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E depends on parvalbumin content rather than molecular differences in the protein among fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Ayako; Kobayashi, Yukihiro; Shiomi, Kazuo

2016-10-01

Allergenic characteristics of purified parvalbumins from different fish species have not been thoroughly investigated. We revealed that purified parvalbumins from nine different fish species have identical IgE-reactivities and high cross-reactivities. We also showed that fish allergenicity is associated with the parvalbumin content of the fish species, rather than species-specific differences in the molecular characteristics of the individual parvalbumin proteins.

Mercury and selenium levels in 19 species of saltwater fish from New Jersey as a function of species, size, and season

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael

2014-01-01

There are few data on risks to biota and humans from mercury levels in saltwater fish. This paper examines mercury and selenium levels in muscle of 19 species of fish caught by recreational fisherfolk off the New Jersey shore, as a function of species of fish, size, and season, and risk of mercury to consumers. Average mercury levels ranged from 0.01 ppm (wet weight) (Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus) to 1.83 ppm (Mako Shark Isurus oxyrinchus). There were four categories of mercury levels: very high (only Mako), high (averaging 0.3–0.5 ppm, 3 species), medium (0.14–0.20 ppm, 10 species), and low (below 0.13 ppm, 5 species). Average selenium levels for the fish species ranged from 0.18 ppm to 0.58 ppm, and had lower variability than mercury (coefficient of variation=38.3 vs 69.1%), consistent with homeostatic regulation of this essential element. The correlation between mercury and selenium was significantly positive for five and negative for two species. Mercury levels showed significant positive correlations with fish size for ten species. Size was the best predictor of mercury levels. Selenium showed no consistent relationship to fish length. Over half of the fish species had some individual fish with mercury levels over 0.3 ppm, and a third had fish with levels over 0.5 ppm, levels that pose a human health risk for high end consumers. Conversely several fish species had no individuals above 0.5 ppm, and few above 0.3 ppm, suggesting that people who eat fish frequently, can reduce their risk from mercury by selecting which species (and which size) to consume. Overall, with the exception of shark, Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) and Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis), the species sampled are generally medium to low in mercury concentration. Selenium:mercury molar ratios were generally above 1:1, except for the Mako shark. PMID:21292311

Warming impacts on fish species composition in the Kattegat-Belt Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bryndum, Karoline Minna; MacKenzie, Brian

Sea temperatures have been rising in the waters near Denmark during the past 1-2 decades and are expected to affect marine populations, species, communities and foodwebs. Here we investigate whether and how the species richness and composition of the marine fish community in the Kattegat and Belt...... of the southern range limits of all species captured in the surveys shows that the mean southern latitudinal limit of the fish community has been decreasing and is also corrrelated with bottom temperatures; these patterns are consistent with immigration of fish from southerly zoogeographic regions. Warm...

Exposure assessment for trace elements from consumption of marine fish in Southeast Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Agusa, Tetsuro; Kunito, Takashi; Sudaryanto, Agus; Monirith, In; Kan-Atireklap, Supawat; Iwata, Hisato; Ismail, Ahmad; Sanguansin, Joompol; Muchtar, Muswerry; Tana, Touch Seang; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2007-02-01

Concentrations of 20 trace elements were determined in muscle and liver of 34 species of marine fish collected from coastal areas of Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Large regional difference was observed in the levels of trace elements in liver of one fish family (Carangidae): the highest mean concentration was observed in fish from the Malaysian coastal waters for V, Cr, Zn, Pb and Bi and those from the Java Sea side of Indonesia for Sn and Hg. To assess the health risk to the Southeast Asian populations from consumption of fish, intake rates of trace elements were estimated. Some marine fish showed Hg levels higher than the guideline values by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). This suggests that consumption of these fish may be hazardous to the people.

Distribution and abundance of diatom species from coastal waters of Karachi, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khokhar, F. N.; Burhan, Z.; Iqbal, P.; Abbasi, J.; Siddiqui, P.

2016-01-01

This is the first comprehensive study on the distribution and abundance of diatom species from the coastal and nearshore waters of Karachi, Pakistan, bordering northern Arabian Sea. A total of 20 genera are recorded in high abundance (Cerataulina, Chaetoceros, Coscinodiscus, Cylindrotheca, Eucampia, Guinardia, Haslea, Hemiaulus, Lauderia, Lennoxia, Leptocylindrus, Navicula, Nitzschia, Trieres, Planktoniella, Pleurosigma, Pseudo-nitzschia, Rhizosolenia, Thalassionema and Thalassiosira). The most abundant genera were observed Guinardia, Chaetoceros, Leptocylindrus, Nitzschia and Lennoxia at all stations. Manora coastal station (MI-1) had high abundance corresponding with high Chlorophyll a (130 meu gL- l) values. Minimum abundance and low chlorophyll a value (0.05μgL-l) were observed at Mubarak Village coastal station (MV-1). Diatom abundance showed significant correlation with Chlorophyll a. In present study 12 centric and 8 pennate forms were recorded and similarly high diversity of centric taxa was observed compared to pennate forms. A total of 134 species are recorded of which 40 species were observed at four stations, 31species at three stations, 23 at two stations and 40 species only at one station. The total phytoplankton and diatom peak abundance was observed during NE monsoon (winter season) associated with nutrient loading through up-sloping of nutrient rich water upwelled off of Oman during South West monsoon. Overall higher diversity was observed at Manora coastal and nearshore stations (MI-1, MI-2) indicating the influence of organic pollution loading from Layari and Malir rivers. (author)

DNA barcoding for species assignment: the case of Mediterranean marine fishes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Landi

Full Text Available DNA barcoding enhances the prospects for species-level identifications globally using a standardized and authenticated DNA-based approach. Reference libraries comprising validated DNA barcodes (COI constitute robust datasets for testing query sequences, providing considerable utility to identify marine fish and other organisms. Here we test the feasibility of using DNA barcoding to assign species to tissue samples from fish collected in the central Mediterranean Sea, a major contributor to the European marine ichthyofaunal diversity.A dataset of 1278 DNA barcodes, representing 218 marine fish species, was used to test the utility of DNA barcodes to assign species from query sequences. We tested query sequences against 1 a reference library of ranked DNA barcodes from the neighbouring North East Atlantic, and 2 the public databases BOLD and GenBank. In the first case, a reference library comprising DNA barcodes with reliability grades for 146 fish species was used as diagnostic dataset to screen 486 query DNA sequences from fish specimens collected in the central basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Of all query sequences suitable for comparisons 98% were unambiguously confirmed through complete match with reference DNA barcodes. In the second case, it was possible to assign species to 83% (BOLD-IDS and 72% (GenBank of the sequences from the Mediterranean. Relatively high intraspecific genetic distances were found in 7 species (2.2%-18.74%, most of them of high commercial relevance, suggesting possible cryptic species.We emphasize the discriminatory power of COI barcodes and their application to cases requiring species level resolution starting from query sequences. Results highlight the value of public reference libraries of reliability grade-annotated DNA barcodes, to identify species from different geographical origins. The ability to assign species with high precision from DNA samples of disparate quality and origin has major utility in several

Characterization of the Cultivable Gut Microflora in Wild-Caught 
Mediterranean Fish Species.

Science.gov (United States)

Jammal, Ahmad; Bariche, Michel; Zu Dohna, Heinrich; Kambris, Zakaria

2017-05-01

Microflora of the gastrointestinal tract plays important roles in food digestion, nutrient absorption and in host defense against ingested pathogens. Several studies have focused on the microflora of farmed fishes, but the gut flora of wild fishes remains poorly characterized. The aim of this work was to provide an overview of the bacteria colonizing the gut of wild-caught fishes and to determine whether some bacterial species can be pathogenic. We isolated cultivable bacteria from fifteen wild-caught Mediterranean fish species corresponding to different habitat, diet and origin. Bacterial species identity was determined by 16s rRNA gene sequencing for the 61 isolates. The potential pathogenicity of isolated bacteria was investigated using fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) as model organisms. Two bacterial strains (Serratia sp. and Aeromonas salmonicida) were lethal when microinjected to Drosophila, while zebrafish did not develop any disease when exposed to any of 34 isolated bacterial strains. However, it was interesting to note that two bacterial strains (Shewanella and Arthrobacter) isolated from marine fishes were able to colonize the guts of freshwater zebrafish. The results of this study give an overview of the bacterial species found in the guts of wild fishes living off Beirut seashore. It shows that some parameters believed to be limiting factors to host-gut colonization by bacteria can be overcome by some species. This pilot study could be extended by sampling a larger number of fish species with several specimens per fish species, and by identifying uncultivable bacteria that reside in the fish guts. Our results may have implications for the utilization of certain bacterial species in fish farming or their use as bio-indicators for water and/or food quality.

Life history strategies of fish species and biodiversity in eastern USA streams

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, Michael R.; Brown, Larry M.

2015-01-01

Predictive models have been used to determine fish species that occur less frequently than expected (decreasers) and those that occur more frequently than expected (increasers) in streams in the eastern U.S. Coupling life history traits with 51 decreaser and 38 increaser fish species provided the opportunity to examine potential mechanisms associated with predicted changes in fish species distributions in eastern streams. We assigned six life history traits – fecundity, longevity, maturation age, maximum total length, parental care, and spawning season duration – to each fish species. Decreaser species were significantly smaller in size and shorter-lived with reduced fecundity and shorter spawning seasons compared to increaser species. Cluster analysis of traits revealed correspondence with a life history model defining equilibrium (low fecundity, high parental care), opportunistic (early maturation, low parental care), and periodic (late maturation, high fecundity, low parental care) end-point strategies. Nearly 50 % of decreaser species were associated with an intermediate opportunistic-periodic strategy, suggesting that abiotic factors such as habitat specialization and streamflow alteration may serve as important influences on life history traits and strategies of decreaser species. In contrast, the percent of increaser species among life history strategy groups ranged from 21 to 32 %, suggesting that life history strategies of increaser species were more diverse than those of decreaser species. This study highlights the utility of linking life history theory to biodiversity to better understand mechanisms that contribute to fish species distributions in the eastern U.S.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Exploited Groundfish Species Assemblages Faced to Environmental and Fishing Forcings: Insights from the Mauritanian Exclusive Economic Zone.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saïkou Oumar Kidé

Full Text Available Environmental changes and human activities can have strong impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This study investigates how, from a quantitative point of view, simultaneously both environmental and anthropogenic factors affect species composition and abundance of exploited groundfish assemblages (i.e. target and non-target species at large spatio-temporal scales. We aim to investigate (1 the spatial and annual stability of groundfish assemblages, (2 relationships between these assemblages and structuring factors in order to better explain the dynamic of the assemblages' structure. The Mauritanian Exclusive Economic Zone (MEEZ is of particular interest as it embeds a productive ecosystem due to upwelling, producing abundant and diverse resources which constitute an attractive socio-economic development. We applied the multi-variate and multi-table STATICO method on a data set consisting of 854 hauls collected during 14-years (1997-2010 from scientific trawl surveys (species abundance, logbooks of industrial fishery (fishing effort, sea surface temperature and chlorophyll a concentration as environmental variables. Our results showed that abiotic factors drove four main persistent fish assemblages. Overall, chlorophyll a concentration and sea surface temperature mainly influenced the structure of assemblages of coastal soft bottoms and those of the offshore near rocky bottoms where upwellings held. While highest levels of fishing effort were located in the northern permanent upwelling zone, effects of this variable on species composition and abundances of assemblages were relatively low, even if not negligible in some years and areas. The temporal trajectories between environmental and fishing conditions and assemblages did not match for all the entire time series analyzed in the MEEZ, but interestingly for some specific years and areas. The quantitative approach used in this work may provide to stakeholders, scientists and fishers a

Underappreciated species in ecology: "ugly fish" in the northwest Atlantic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Link, Jason S

2007-10-01

Species shifts and replacements are common in ecological studies. Observations thereof serve as the impetus for many ecological endeavors. Many of the species now known to dominate ecosystem functioning were largely ignored until studies of those underappreciated species elucidated their critical roles. Recognizing the potential importance of underappreciated species has implications for functional redundancies in ecosystems and should alter our approach to long-term monitoring. One example of an applied ecological system containing species shifts, underappreciated species, and potential changes in functional redundancies is the topic of fisheries. The demersal component of many fish communities usually consists of high-profile and commercially valuable species that are targets of fisheries, plus a diverse group of lesser known species that have minimal commercial value and focus. Yet ecologically these traditionally nontargeted species are often a major biomass sink in marine ecosystems and can also be critical in the functioning of bentho-demersal food webs. I examined the biomass trajectories of several species of skates, cottids, lophiids, anarhichadids, zooarcids, and similar species in the northeast U.S. Atlantic ecosystem to determine whether their relative abundance has changed across the past four decades. Distribution and stomach contents of these species were also evaluated over time to further elucidate the relative importance of these species. Landings of these underappreciated bentho-demersal fish were also examined in comparison to those species that historically have been commercially targeted. Of particular emphasis was the evaluation of evidence for sequential stock depletion and the ramifications for functional redundancy for this ecosystem. Results indicate that some of these fish species are now the dominant piscivores, benthivores, and scavengers in this ecosystem. These formerly under-studied species generally have either maintained a

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Northwest Arctic, Alaska: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine, estuarine, freshwater, and anadromous fish species in Northwest Arctic, Alaska. Vector polygons...

Spatial and temporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae in a subtropical coastal lagoon, Santa Catarina State, Brazil

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Luis C. P. Macedo-Soares

Full Text Available This study investigated the variation in abundance, distribution and composition of ichthyoplankton in a lagoon in southern Brazil through the year and at different stations within the lagoon. Ibiraquera Lagoon is a shallow coastal lagoon connected to the sea by a semi-permanent sandbar. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected monthly from December 2003 to December 2004, with a 200 µm mesh net using horizontal surface hauls. A colder, drier period was detected, contrasting with warm months during which salinity varied depending on rainfall and whether the sandbar was open or closed. The mean abundance of ichthyoplankton over the study period was 459.6 ± 76.2 (SE eggs · 100 m-3 and 63.6 ± 7.9 (SE larvae · 100 m-3, and they were present during all months. Significantly higher abundances of eggs and larvae were observed during warm months. The community was dominated by the family Engraulidae followed by Clupeidae, Gobiidae and Mugilidae. Engraulidae and Clupeidae were present throughout the year, with greater abundances in months with higher temperatures. Some coastal fish species spawn in Ibiraquera Lagoon, mainly near to the sandbar, demonstrating that the lagoon is a spawning area for coastal stock. We recommend the establishment of environmental procedures to promote the conservation of Ibiraquera Lagoon and its ichthyoplankton community.

Coastal rocky reef fishes of Santa Catarina's northern islands, Brazil

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Johnatas Adelir Alves

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The coast of the state of Santa Catarina only has non-biogenic reefs, i.e. rocky and artificial reefs, and is considered the geographic south limit for many reef fish species. At present the diversity of organisms associated with reef environments is threatened. This study aimed to record the number of families and species of reef fish fauna of the north coast of the state of Santa Catarina. The data were collected through underwater visual census performed on Graças archipelago (26°12'S /48º29'W, Tamboretes archipelago (26°22'S/48°31'W and Barra do Sul islands (26°27'S/48º35'W. A total of 166 species was observed (6 elasmobranchii and 160 actinopterygii belonging to 66 families. The families with more species richness were Carangidae (16, Epinephelidae (9, Blenidae (8, Serranidae (7, Haemulidae (6, Sparidae (6 Tetraodontidae (6, Labridae-Scarini (5, Labrisomidae (5 Pomacentridae (5, Lutjanidae (5 and Muraenidae (5. This study add to the current published list, new 115 species, including new occurrences (e.g. Chromis limbata, and some endemic (e.g. Sparisoma amplum, exotic (e.g. Omobranchus punctatus, endangered (e.g. Hippocampus erectus and overexploited (e.g. Lutjanus analis species. Twenty one species are present in the IUCN’s list, twelve in the IBAMA’s list and four in the local list. All elasmobranchii recorded here are considered threatened species, like the brazilian guitarfish (Rhinobatos horkelii, which appears in three red lists, and it is considered critically endangered. All species of Epinephelidae are mentioned in the list of risk categories of the IUCN and five are cited as overexploited or threatened with overexploitation by IBAMA. Among Epinephelidae, the goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara, is present in all red lists and has specific protection rules in Brazil. The gathered information will allow to take appropriate conservation measures, such as the establishment of marine protected areas, monitoring of fishing

Functional diversity measures revealed impacts of non-native species and habitat degradation on species-poor freshwater fish assemblages.

Science.gov (United States)

Colin, Nicole; Villéger, Sébastien; Wilkes, Martin; de Sostoa, Adolfo; Maceda-Veiga, Alberto

2018-06-01

Trait-based ecology has been developed for decades to infer ecosystem responses to stressors based on the functional structure of communities, yet its value in species-poor systems is largely unknown. Here, we used an extensive dataset in a Spanish region highly prone to non-native fish invasions (15 catchments, N=389 sites) to assess for the first time how species-poor communities respond to large-scale environmental gradients using a taxonomic and functional trait-based approach in riverine fish. We examined total species richness and three functional trait-based indices available when many sites have ≤3 species (specialization, FSpe; originality, FOri and entropy, FEnt). We assessed the responses of these taxonomic and functional indices along gradients of altitude, water pollution, physical habitat degradation and non-native fish biomass. Whilst species richness was relatively sensitive to spatial effects, functional diversity indices were responsive across natural and anthropogenic gradients. All four diversity measures declined with altitude but this decline was modulated by physical habitat degradation (richness, FSpe and FEnt) and the non-native:total fish biomass ratio (FSpe and FOri) in ways that varied between indices. Furthermore, FSpe and FOri were significantly correlated with Total Nitrogen. Non-native fish were a major component of the taxonomic and functional structure of fish communities, raising concerns about potential misdiagnosis between invaded and environmentally-degraded river reaches. Such misdiagnosis was evident in a regional fish index widely used in official monitoring programs. We recommend the application of FSpe and FOri to extensive datasets from monitoring programs in order to generate valuable cross-system information about the impacts of non-native species and habitat degradation, even in species-poor systems. Scoring non-native species apart from habitat degradation in the indices used to determine ecosystem health is

78 FR 23222 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-18

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XC630 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... CFR parts 222-226) governing listed fish and wildlife permits. Species Covered in This Notice This...

Endangered fish species of Kenya's inland waters with emphasis on Labeo spp

OpenAIRE

Kibaara, D.

1986-01-01

The importance of water masses, natural or otherwise, in supporting fisheries, and the importance of fish as human food, cannot be overemphasized. The inland waters of Kenya act as habitats for fish, harbouring many different fish species. It has been observed with interest that certain fish species have decreased in numbers over the years within the inland waters. The decline has been at a rate which, if left unchecked, will eventually cause total di...

Shape and Texture Based Classification of Fish Species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Rasmus; Ólafsdóttir, Hildur; Ersbøll, Bjarne Kjær

2009-01-01

In this paper we conduct a case study of ¯sh species classi- fication based on shape and texture. We consider three fish species: cod, haddock, and whiting. We derive shape and texture features from an appearance model of a set of training data. The fish in the training images were manual outlined......, and a few features including the eye and backbone contour were also annotated. From these annotations an optimal MDL curve correspondence and a subsequent image registration were derived. We have analyzed a series of shape and texture and combined shape and texture modes of variation for their ability...

Fishing elevates variability in the abundance of exploited species.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Chih-Hao; Reiss, Christian S; Hunter, John R; Beddington, John R; May, Robert M; Sugihara, George

2006-10-19

The separation of the effects of environmental variability from the impacts of fishing has been elusive, but is essential for sound fisheries management. We distinguish environmental effects from fishing effects by comparing the temporal variability of exploited versus unexploited fish stocks living in the same environments. Using the unique suite of 50-year-long larval fish surveys from the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations we analyse fishing as a treatment effect in a long-term ecological experiment. Here we present evidence from the marine environment that exploited species exhibit higher temporal variability in abundance than unexploited species. This remains true after accounting for life-history effects, abundance, ecological traits and phylogeny. The increased variability of exploited populations is probably caused by fishery-induced truncation of the age structure, which reduces the capacity of populations to buffer environmental events. Therefore, to avoid collapse, fisheries must be managed not only to sustain the total viable biomass but also to prevent the significant truncation of age structure. The double jeopardy of fishing to potentially deplete stock sizes and, more immediately, to amplify the peaks and valleys of population variability, calls for a precautionary management approach.

78 FR 74116 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-10

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... plans and request for comment. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and... River and Columbia River basins by providing hatchery fish to support fishing opportunities while...

Rapid Stable Isotope Turnover of Larval Fish in a Lake Superior Coastal Wetland: Implications for Diet and Life History Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Trophic linkages of larval fish in Lake Superior coastal wetlands, rivers and embayments can be identified using naturally occurring differences in the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (15N:14N, ?15N) and carbon (13C:12C, ?13C). We sampled pelagic fish larvae weekly during sprin...

Spearfishing data reveals the littoral fish communities' association to coastal configuration

Science.gov (United States)

Boada, Jordi; Sagué, Oscar; Gordoa, Ana

2017-12-01

Increasing the knowledge about littoral fish communities is important for ecological sciences, fisheries and the sustainability of human communities. The scarcity of baseline data at large spatial scales in a fast-changing world makes it necessary to implement special programs to monitor natural ecosystems. In the present study, we evaluate littoral fish communities using data from spearfishing contests. The Catalan Federation of Underwater Activities (FECDAS) regularly organizes fishing contests across ca. 600 km of coast. Catch records made over the last sixteen years were used to study the fish communities along the coastline. We found two different communities that are closely related to the habitat configuration at a regional level. Interestingly, contests held on the northern coast were mainly grouped together and were characterized by species that inhabit complex rocky habitats, and contests held on the southern coast were grouped together and were mainly determined by soft bottoms species (i.e. mugilids and Sarpa salpa). In the south group the white sea bream was also very abundant compared to the north group. No significant changes in the community composition were found in the studied period and we successfully set descriptive baselines. Finally, based on these results we propose that studying the data from fishing contest records can be used to complement the available tools for monitoring fish communities.

BIOMETRY AND COMPOSITION OF FISH SPECIES IN OWENA RESERVOIR, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FAPOHUNDA Olawumi Oluwafunmilola

2007-11-01

Full Text Available A survey of fish species present in Owena reservoir was conducted between October 2004 and March 2005. Fish samples were taken from the catch of the fishermen operating in the reservoir. The results of the survey showed that 14 fish species belonging to seven families were recorded. Two families namely Characidae and Clariidae constituted the dominant fish families in the reservoir. Among the Characidae, Brycinus nurse (23.1% and among the Clariidae family, Clarias gariepinus (22.8% were dominant. Other fish species with significant abundance were Sarotherodon galilaeus (9.3%, Parachanna obscura (8.0%, Clarias anguillaris (7.7% and Oreochromis niloticus (6.4%. The meristic features of the two most abundant fish species caught are as follows: Brycinus nurse had two dorsal spines with eight dorsal fins, two anal spines with eleven anal fins, 25 caudal fins, one pectoral spine and 13 pectoral fins and two ventral spines with seven ventral fins. Clarias gariepinus had 75 dorsal fins, 31 anal fins, 10 caudal fins, six pectoral fins and five ventral fins. The morphometric features of the two most abundant fish species are: Brycinus nurse: total length: 312mm, standard length: 255mm, head length: 60mm, body length: 90mm and body girth: 190mm. Clarias gariepinus: total length: 265mm, standard length: 240mm, head length: 62mm, body length: 62mm and body girth: 130mm.

Microhabitat influence on larval fish assemblages within ...

Science.gov (United States)

We examined larval and juvenile fish assemblage structure in relation to microhabitat variables within the St. Louis River estuary, a drowned river mouth of Lake Superior. Fish were sampled in vegetated beds throughout the estuary, across a gradient of vegetation types and densities (including disturbed, preserved and post-restoration sites). Canonical correspondence analysis, relating species abundances to environmental variables revealed that plant species richness, turbidity and aquatic plant cover were most influential in structuring assemblages. Results from this microhabitat analysis at this crucial life stage has potential to inform wetland restoration efforts within the St. Louis River and other Great Lake coastal wetlands. not applicable

75 FR 44938 - Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Atlantic Coastal Shark Fishery

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-30

... Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Atlantic Coastal Shark Fishery AGENCY: National... moratorium on fishing for Atlantic coastal sharks in the State waters of New Jersey. NMFS canceled the... Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks (Coastal...

Freshwater availability and coastal wetland foundation species: ecological transitions along a rainfall gradient

Science.gov (United States)

Osland, Michael J.; Enwright, Nicholas M.; Stagg, Camille L.

2014-01-01

Climate gradient-focused ecological research can provide a foundation for better understanding critical ecological transition points and nonlinear climate-ecological relationships, which is information that can be used to better understand, predict, and manage ecological responses to climate change. In this study, we examined the influence of freshwater availability upon the coverage of foundation plant species in coastal wetlands along a northwestern Gulf of Mexico rainfall gradient. Our research addresses the following three questions: (1) what are the region-scale relationships between measures of freshwater availability (e.g., rainfall, aridity, freshwater inflow, salinity) and the relative abundance of foundation plant species in tidal wetlands; (2) How vulnerable are foundation plant species in tidal wetlands to future changes in freshwater availability; and (3) What is the potential future relative abundance of tidal wetland foundation plant species under alternative climate change scenarios? We developed simple freshwater availability-based models to predict the relative abundance (i.e., coverage) of tidal wetland foundation plant species using climate data (1970-2000), estuarine freshwater inflow-focused data, and coastal wetland habitat data. Our results identify regional ecological thresholds and nonlinear relationships between measures of freshwater availability and the relative abundance of foundation plant species in tidal wetlands. In drier coastal zones, relatively small changes in rainfall could produce comparatively large landscape-scale changes in foundation plant species abundance which would affect some ecosystem good and services. Whereas a drier future would result in a decrease in the coverage of foundation plant species, a wetter future would result in an increase in foundation plant species coverage. In many ways, the freshwater-dependent coastal wetland ecological transitions we observed are analogous to those present in dryland

Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey ESI: FISHL (Fish Lines)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for anadromous fish species in coastal Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. Vector arcs in...

Fishes, mussels, crayfishes, and aquatic habitats of the Hoosier-Shawnee ecological assessment area

Science.gov (United States)

M. Burr Brooks; Justin T. Sipiorski; Matthew R. Thomas; Kevin S. Cummings; Christopher A. Taylor

2004-01-01

The Hoosier-Shawnee Ecological Assessment Area, part of the Coastal Plain and Interior Low Plateau physiographic provinces, includes 194 native fish species, 76 native mussel species, and 34 native crayfish species. Five of the subregions (e.g., Mississippi Embayment) that make up the assessment area were recently ranked as either globally or bioregionally outstanding...

A novel marine nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira species from Dutch coastal North Sea water

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Suzanne Caroline Marianne Haaijer

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Marine microorganisms are important for the global nitrogen cycle, but marine nitrifiers, especially aerobic nitrite-oxidizers, remain largely unexplored. To increase the number of cultured representatives of marine nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB, a bioreactor cultivation approach was adopted to first enrich nitrifiers and ultimately nitrite oxidizers from Dutch coastal North Sea water. With solely ammonia as the substrate an active nitrifiying community consisting of novel marine Nitrosomonas aerobic ammonia oxidizers (AOB and Nitrospina and Nitrospira NOB was obtained which converted a maximum of 2 mmoles of ammonia per liter per day. Switching the feed of the culture to nitrite as a sole substrate resulted in a Nitrospira NOB dominated community (approximately 80% of the total microbial community based on FISH and metagenomic data converting a maximum of 3 mmoles of nitrite per liter per day. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene indicated that the Nitrospira enriched from the North Sea is a novel Nitrospira species with Nitrospira marina as the next taxonomically described relative (94% 16S rRNA sequence identity. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed a cell plan typical for Nitrospira species. The cytoplasm contained electron light particles that might represent glycogen storage. A large periplasmic space was present which was filled with electron dense particles. Nitrospira-targeted PCR analyses demonstrated the presence of the enriched Nitrospira species in a time series of North Sea genomic DNA samples. The availability of this new Nitrospira species enrichment culture facilitates further in-depth studies such as determination of physiological constraints, and comparison to other NOB species.

Sampling little fish in big rivers: Larval fish detection probabilities in two Lake Erie tributaries and implications for sampling effort and abundance indices

Science.gov (United States)

Pritt, Jeremy J.; DuFour, Mark R.; Mayer, Christine M.; Roseman, Edward F.; DeBruyne, Robin L.

2014-01-01

Larval fish are frequently sampled in coastal tributaries to determine factors affecting recruitment, evaluate spawning success, and estimate production from spawning habitats. Imperfect detection of larvae is common, because larval fish are small and unevenly distributed in space and time, and coastal tributaries are often large and heterogeneous. We estimated detection probabilities of larval fish from several taxa in the Maumee and Detroit rivers, the two largest tributaries of Lake Erie. We then demonstrated how accounting for imperfect detection influenced (1) the probability of observing taxa as present relative to sampling effort and (2) abundance indices for larval fish of two Detroit River species. We found that detection probabilities ranged from 0.09 to 0.91 but were always less than 1.0, indicating that imperfect detection is common among taxa and between systems. In general, taxa with high fecundities, small larval length at hatching, and no nesting behaviors had the highest detection probabilities. Also, detection probabilities were higher in the Maumee River than in the Detroit River. Accounting for imperfect detection produced up to fourfold increases in abundance indices for Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis and Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum. The effect of accounting for imperfect detection in abundance indices was greatest during periods of low abundance for both species. Detection information can be used to determine the appropriate level of sampling effort for larval fishes and may improve management and conservation decisions based on larval fish data.

Trophic levels of fish species of commercial importance in the Colombian Caribbean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camilo B García

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Ecological studies on commercial important fish species are of great value to support resource management issues. This study calculated trophic levels of those Colombian Caribbean fish species whose diet has been locally described. Usable diet data of 119 species resulted in 164 trophic level estimates. An ordinary regression model relating trophic level and fish size was formulated. The regression slope was positive and significantly different from zero (p<0.05 suggesting a scaling of trophic level with fish size. Both the list of trophic levels and the regression model should be of help in the formulation of trophic indicators and models of neotropical ecosystems. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (3: 1195-1203. Epub 2011 September 01.

78 FR 59005 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-25

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... with Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and regulations governing listed fish.... Applications Received Permit 1415 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' (USFWS) Red Bluff Fish and Wildlife...

77 FR 51520 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-24

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226... expect to kill any listed fish but a small number, up to 20 percent (equivalent to one fish), may die as...

Evaluation of coastal waters receiving fish processing waste: Lota Bay as a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahumada, Ramón; Rudolph, Anny; Contreras, Sergio

2004-01-01

Liquid wastes from the fish meal and oil processing industries produce serious environmental impacts in coastal embayments on the coasts of Chile and Peru. This article presents an analysis of an environmental monitoring program at Lota Bay, a shallow coastal indentation in central Chile (37 degrees S) exposed to industrial fishing activity. The study of the environmental impact produced by waste effluents permitted making an evaluation of the bay's capacity for seasonal recovery from this impact. Seasonal cruises were carried out during 1994 and in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Variables analyzed included salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonium concentration and surface oil and grease. The hydrographic regime of Lota Bay follows a seasonal pattern, where, typical of most SE pacific embayments, waters from subsuperficial oxygen minimum zones moved into the bay. The percentages of dissolved oxygen were critical in the area of organic waste discharge. The impact of wastewater is related to the type and status of the fishery, including: (i) overloads of plant production lines, (ii) maintenance and cleaning of installations, and (iii) degree of shipboard fishing conservation. Major alterations were observed in summer, when the highest discharge of organic load occurred. In winter, an improvement in the re-aeration conditions reduced the impact. Remedial measures implemented beginning in 1997 arose from the monitoring program and had to be separated into two recovery factors including (a) internal management of plants and (b) treatment of plant effluents.

Sperm quality and cryopreservation of Brazilian freshwater fish species: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Viveiros, A T M; Godinho, H P

2009-03-01

The Brazilian freshwater fish diversity is the richest in the world. Only 0.7% of all Brazilian species have had any aspect of their sperm biology addressed up to this date. The majority of the fish species described in this review migrate during the spawning season (a phenomenon known as piracema). Urbanization, pollution, hydroelectric dams and deforestation are some of the causes of stock depletion or even local extinction of some of these species. The knowledge concerning sperm quality and minimum sperm:egg ratio is important to maximize the use of males without reducing hatching rates. Furthermore, sperm cryopreservation and gene banking can guarantee the conservation of genetic diversity and development of adequate breeding programs of native fish species. In this review, we present and evaluate the existing information on Brazilian fish species that have been subject to sperm quality and cryopreservation studies. The following parameters were evaluated: volume of extractable sperm, sperm motility, sperm concentration, freezing media, freezing methods, and post-thaw sperm quality. Although the existing protocols yield relatively high post-thaw motility and fertilization rates, the use of cryopreserved sperm in routine hatchery production is still limited in Brazil.

Genetic calibration of species diversity among North America's freshwater fishes

OpenAIRE

April, Julien; Mayden, Richard L.; Hanner, Robert H.; Bernatchez, Louis

2011-01-01

Freshwater ecosystems are being heavily exploited and degraded by human activities all over the world, including in North America, where fishes and fisheries are strongly affected. Despite centuries of taxonomic inquiry, problems inherent to species identification continue to hamper the conservation of North American freshwater fishes. Indeed, nearly 10% of species diversity is thought to remain undescribed. To provide an independent calibration of taxonomic uncertainty and to establish a mor...

Effects of recreational fishing on three fish species from the Posidonia oceanica meadows off Minorca (Balearic archipelago, western Mediterranean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Cardona

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Experimental fishing and visual censuses were conducted at nine Posidonia oceanica sites off Minorca exposed to different levels of fishing intensity to assess the effects of recreational fishing on the species that dominate the catch. Total catch per unit effort (CPUE was highly seasonal and a statistically significant interaction term existed between the season and the level of fishing intensity. CPUE decreased everywhere at the end of the fishing season (autumn, but such a reduction was more intense at those sites exposed to the highest level of fishing. Visual censuses confirmed that there was a lower abundance of vulnerable fish in autumn. Differences vanished in spring probably because fish reshuffled between the considered sites throughout the winter, when the level of fishing intensity was extremely low. Although the average total lengths of Serranus scriba and Diplodus annularis were unaffected by the level of fishing intensity, the average total length of Coris julis was smaller at the most heavily fished sites. In conclusion, recreational fishing has a relevant impact on most of the exploited species and some of the seasonality reported for the Posidonia oceanica fish assemblages might be caused by the seasonality of the fishery.

76 FR 2664 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-14

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS...) and 14092 (applicant: California Department of Fish and Game). In that notice, the permit application... American green sturgeon associated with conducting surveys measuring fish response to initial and...

possible stimuli for social behaviour in three species of freshwater fish

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Social behaviour in fish is manifested in many situations and one form. of this phenomenon is especially interesting. Some species of fish have .... Experi- mental methods of study of fish behaviour, in Techniques lor the Investigation 0/ Fish. Physiology, ed. Pavlovskii, E. N., Oldbourne. Press, London. R ep rod u ced b y Sa b.

A native species with invasive behaviour in coastal dunes: evidence for progressing decay and homogenization of habitat types

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Knud Erik; Degn, Hans Jørgen; Damgaard, Christian

2011-01-01

A new species has recently invaded coastal dune ecosystems in North West Europe. The native and expansive inland grass, Deschampsia flexuosa, progressively dominating inland heaths, has recently invaded coastal dunes in Denmark, occasionally even as a dominant species. A total of 222 coastal loca...

77 FR 42278 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-18

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226). NMFS issues permits based on.... This project will examine predation by introduced fishes (striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth...

ABC transporters in fish species: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta eFerreira

2014-07-01

Full Text Available ATP-binding cassette (ABC proteins were first recognized for their role in multidrug resistance (MDR in chemotherapeutic treatments, which is a major impediment for the successful treatment of many forms of malignant tumors in humans. These proteins, highly conserved throughout vertebrate species, were later related to cellular detoxification and accounted as responsible for protecting aquatic organisms from xenobiotic insults in the so-called multixenobiotic resistance mechanism (MXR. In recent years, research on these proteins in aquatic species has highlighted their importance in the detoxification mechanisms in fish thus it is of extreme added value to continue these studies. Several transporters have been pointed out as relevant in the ecotoxicological context associated to the transport of xenobiotics, such as P-glycoproteins (Pgps, multidrug-resistance-associated proteins (MRPs 1-5 and breast resistance associated protein (BCRP. In mammals, several nuclear receptors have been identified as mediators of phase I and II metabolizing enzymes and ABC transporters. In aquatic species, knowledge on co-regulation of detoxification mechanism is scarce and needs to be addressed. The interaction of emergent contaminants, with chemosensitizer potential, with ABC transporters in aquatic organisms can compromise detoxification processes and have population effects and should be studied in more detail. This review intends to summarize the recent advances in research on MXR mechanisms in fish species, focusing in 1 regulation and functioning of ABC proteins; 2 cooperation with phase I and II biotransformation enzymes; and 3 ecotoxicological relevance and information on emergent pollutants with ability to modulate ABC transporters expression and activity. Several lines of evidence are clear suggesting the important role of these transporters in detoxification mechanisms and must be further investigated in fish.

Spatial and temporal characterization of fish assemblages in a tropical coastal system influenced by freshwater inputs: northwestern Yucatan peninsula

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Arceo-Carranza

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Coastal lagoons are important systems for freshwater, estuarine and marine organisms; they are considered important zones of reproduction, nursery and feeding for many fish species. The present study investigates the fish assemblages of the natural reserve of Dzilam and their relationship with the hydrologic variables. A total of 6 474 individuals (81 species were collected, contributing with more than 50% considering the Importance Value Index (IVI, Sphoeroides testudineus, Fundulus persimilis, Anchoa mitchilli, Eucinostomus gula, Eucinostomus argenteus and Mugil trichodon. Differences in species composition were found between seasons the highest during the cold fronts. Spatially, differences were related with the presence of freshwater seeps, the highest in the ecological characterized eastern part and the lowest with higher difference in specific composition located in the western part of the internal zone, due to a higher abundance and dominance of L. rhomboides. Salinity and temperature were the variables that presented a higher influence in the distribution of some pelagic species such as A. mitchilli and A. hepsetus. Because of the abundant freshwater seeps characteristic of the coastal lagoons of Yucatan Peninsula their community structure and fish assemblage display spatial and temporal differences in specific composition. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2: 89-103. Epub 2009 June 30.Las lagunas costeras son sistemas importantes para muchas especies de organismos dulceacuícolas, estuarinos y marinos, ya que son consideradas zonas de reproducción, refugio y alimentación de muchas especies de peces. El presente estudio analizó los ensamblajes de la comunidad íctica de la reserva de Dzilam y su relación con las variables hidrológicas. Se capturaron un total de 6 474 individuos (81 especies, en donde Sphoeroides testudineus, Fundulus persimilis, Anchoa mitchilli, Eucinostomus gula, Eucinostomus argenteus and Mugil trichodon contribuyeron con m

Estimation of the carbon footprint of the Galician fishing activity (NW Spain)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iribarren, Diego; Vazquez-Rowe, Ian; Hospido, Almudena; Moreira, Maria Teresa; Feijoo, Gumersindo

2010-01-01

The food production system as a whole is recognized as one of the major contributors to environmental impacts. Accordingly, food production, processing, transport and consumption account for a relevant portion of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with any country. In this context, there is an increasing market demand for climate-relevant information regarding the global warming impact of consumer food products throughout the supply chains. This article deals with the assessment of the carbon footprint of seafood products as a key subgroup in the food sector. Galicia (NW Spain) was selected as a case study. The analysis is based on a representative set of species within the Galician fishing sector, including species obtained from coastal fishing (e.g. horse mackerel, Atlantic mackerel, European pilchard and blue whiting), offshore fishing (e.g. European hake, megrim and anglerfish), deep-sea fishing (skipjack and yellowfin tuna), extensive aquaculture (mussels) and intensive aquaculture (turbot). The carbon footprints associated with the production-related activities of each selected species were quantified following a business-to-business approach on the basis of 1 year of fishing activity. These individual carbon footprints were used to calculate the carbon footprint for each of the different Galician fisheries and culture activities. Finally, the lump sum of the carbon footprints for coastal, offshore and deep-sea fishing and extensive and intensive aquaculture brought about the carbon footprint of the Galician fishing activity (i.e., capture and culture). A benchmark for quantifying and communicating emission reductions was then provided, and opportunities to reduce the GHG emissions associated with the Galician fishing activity could be prioritized.

Estimation of the carbon footprint of the Galician fishing activity (NW Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Iribarren, Diego; Vázquez-Rowe, Ian; Hospido, Almudena; Moreira, María Teresa; Feijoo, Gumersindo

2010-10-15

The food production system as a whole is recognized as one of the major contributors to environmental impacts. Accordingly, food production, processing, transport and consumption account for a relevant portion of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with any country. In this context, there is an increasing market demand for climate-relevant information regarding the global warming impact of consumer food products throughout the supply chains. This article deals with the assessment of the carbon footprint of seafood products as a key subgroup in the food sector. Galicia (NW Spain) was selected as a case study. The analysis is based on a representative set of species within the Galician fishing sector, including species obtained from coastal fishing (e.g. horse mackerel, Atlantic mackerel, European pilchard and blue whiting), offshore fishing (e.g. European hake, megrim and anglerfish), deep-sea fishing (skipjack and yellowfin tuna), extensive aquaculture (mussels) and intensive aquaculture (turbot). The carbon footprints associated with the production-related activities of each selected species were quantified following a business-to-business approach on the basis of 1year of fishing activity. These individual carbon footprints were used to calculate the carbon footprint for each of the different Galician fisheries and culture activities. Finally, the lump sum of the carbon footprints for coastal, offshore and deep-sea fishing and extensive and intensive aquaculture brought about the carbon footprint of the Galician fishing activity (i.e., capture and culture). A benchmark for quantifying and communicating emission reductions was then provided, and opportunities to reduce the GHG emissions associated with the Galician fishing activity could be prioritized. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resource partitioning within major bottom fish species in a highly productive upwelling ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Abdellaoui, Souad; El Halouani, Hassan; Tai, Imane; Masski, Hicham

2017-09-01

The Saharan Bank (21-26°N) is a wide subtropical continental shelf and a highly productive upwelling ecosystem. The bottom communities are dominated by octopus and sparid fish, which are the main targets of bottom-trawl fishing fleets. To investigate resource partitioning within the bottom fish community, adult fish from 14 of the most abundant species were investigated for stomach content analysis. Samples were collected during two periods: October 2003 and May 2007. The diet of the analysed species showed more variation between periods than between size classes, suggesting that temporal or spatial variability in prey availability appears to play a significant role in their diet. Multivariate analysis and subsequent clustering led to a grouping of the species within five trophic guilds. Two species were fish feeders, and the others mainly fed on benthic invertebrates, where epibenthic crustaceans, lamellibranchs and fish were the most important groups in defining trophic guilds. We found that the studied species had a high rate of overlapping spatial distributions and overlapping trophic niches. In this highly productive upwelling ecosystem, where food resources may not be a limiting factor, inter-specific competition did not appear to be an important factor in structuring bottom fish communities. For the species that showed differences in the proportions of prey categories in comparison with other ecosystems, the rise of the proportion of epibenthic crustaceans in their diet was a common feature; a possible consequence of the benthic productivity of this highly productive upwelling ecosystem.

Nearshore marine fish diversity in southern California using trawl information from the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project.

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This is a point file of mean fish diversity within 5 minute grid cells. The Shannon Index of diversity was calculated from Southern California Coastal Water Research...

On the structure of the inshore fish community of England and Wales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henderson, P.A.

1988-12-01

Records of fish captures on power station intake screens were used to analyse the structure of the English and Welsh inshore fish community. The study was undertaken as part of a programme to predict fish captures at future power station sites. It was found that 118 of the 122 fish species known to live inshore were recorded from the screens of only 12 coastal power stations. The minimum number of species at one site was about 80, found at fully marine localities along the English Channel coast. This number declined with increasing latitude and decreasing salinity. On average, 28 species were present simultaneously and these would include four pelagic, eight demersal and 16 benthic species. There was found to be 31 dominant species which comprised greater than 96% of the total catch by weight or number at all of the sites. These can be considered as the key species through which most of the energy and nutrients in the ecosystem must travel. The major factors determining the abundance of these species were salinity, degree of shelter, summer temperatures and winter temperatures. (author)

Accumulation patterns of lipophilic organic contaminants in surface sediments and in economic important mussel and fish species from Jakarta Bay, Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwiyitno; Dsikowitzky, Larissa; Nordhaus, Inga; Andarwulan, Nuri; Irianto, Hari Eko; Lioe, Hanifah Nuryani; Ariyani, Farida; Kleinertz, Sonja

2016-01-01

Non-target screening analyses were conducted in order to identify a wide range of organic contaminants in sediment and animal tissue samples from Jakarta Bay. High concentrations of di-iso-propylnaphthalenes (DIPNs), linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in all samples, whereas phenylmethoxynaphthalene (PMN), DDT and DDT metabolites (DDX) were detected at lower concentrations. In order to evaluate the uptake and accumulation by economic important mussel (Perna viridis) and fish species, contaminant patterns of DIPNs, LABs and PAHs in different compartments were compared. Different patterns of these contaminant groups were found in sediment and animal tissue samples, suggesting compound-specific accumulation and metabolism processes. Significantly higher concentrations of these three contaminant groups in mussel tissue as compared to fish tissue from Jakarta Bay were found. Because P. viridis is an important aquaculture species in Asia, this result is relevant for food safety. - Highlights: • Analyses of surface sediment and animal tissue samples from a tropical coastal system • Non-target screening enabled identification of a wide range of organic contaminants. • Comparison of contaminant patterns in surface sediments and animal tissue samples • Results illustrate compound-specific accumulation and metabolism processes. • Higher concentrations of all contaminants in mussel tissue as compared to fish tissue

78 FR 43858 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-22

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... number of predicted adults increase, the number of fish escaping to the spawning grounds will also... fish; and (3) application of a sliding scale approach to determine appropriate ESA take limits on...

78 FR 31518 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XC690 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and U.S. Bureau of...

78 FR 18963 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-28

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226). NMFS issues permits based on findings... Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS. Applications Received Permit 17551 The California Department of Fish and...

[Taxonomic composition and zoogeographical aspects of deep sea fishes (90-540m) from the Gulf of California, Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

López-Martínez, Juana; Acevedo-Cervantes, Alejandro; Herrera-Valdivia, Eloisa; Rodríguez-Romero, Jesús; Palacios-Salgado, Deivis S

2012-03-01

The Gulf of California has a high variety of ecosystems that allow different services and the fishery resources play a prominent role in its ecology, evolution and economics. Fish coastal species have been previously reported for most coastal areas, especially those species that are subject to fishing, however, little is known on the species from deep sea zones, due to sampling difficulties. We studied the deep sea fishes collected with trawl nets during three research surveys in the Gulf of California, Mexico in 2004-2005. We provide a systematic checklist and some notes on biogeographical aspects. For this, 74 fishing hauls were done, and a total of 9 898 fishes were captured, belonging to two classes, 15 orders, 35 families, 53 genera and 70 species. The best represented families in number of species were: Paralichthyidae (eight), Serranidae (six), and Scorpaenidae and Triglidae with five species each one. The typical families from deep waters were: Ophidiidae, Moridae, Lophiidae, Scorpaenidae, Triglidae, Paralichthydae, Pleuronectidae and Cynoglossidae. Size range varied from 13cm for the Splinose searobin (Bellator xenisma) to 234cm in the Pacific Cutlassfish (Trichiurus nitens). The biogeographical affinity showed that species with affinity to the East Tropical Pacific (ETP) dominated, followed by species from San Diego-Panamic, San Diego-Panamic-Peruvian-Chilean and Oregonian-Cortes provinces, respectively. A biogeographic overlap was found in the fauna, which reflects the Gulf of California's geographical position, with distribution limits of species from temperate, tropical and warm-temperature transition affinities, divisions that characterize the Gulf of California. Taxonomic status of fish with a focus on composition, location, characterization and zoogeography are fundamental to any subject of biodiversity and fisheries management actions.

determination of concentration of heavy metals in fish from sea port

African Journals Online (AJOL)

nb

Seafood is the major source of food for a large number of people residing in the coastal areas of ... fish) were the ideal species for the assessment study on effects of heavy metal contamination in aquatic ..... University Malaysia 16, 105 - 112.

77 FR 35357 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Commercial Atlantic Region Non-Sandbar Large Coastal Shark...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-13

... Highly Migratory Species; Commercial Atlantic Region Non-Sandbar Large Coastal Shark Fishery Opening Date... commercial Atlantic region non-sandbar large coastal shark fishery. This action is necessary to inform... large coastal shark fishery will open on July 15, 2012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster...

As multiple fish species in large marine ecosystems are harvested ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

CMPTMAC10

and of other top predators such as marine mammals. This concern ... whereas single-species fishing theory implies that fishing leads to surplus by removing larger, older, less-productive ...... pools (the “cod is not a tuna” problem, Longhurst.

The Path towards Endangered Species: Prehistoric Fisheries in Southeastern Brazil.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Samôr Lopes

Full Text Available Brazilian shellmounds are archaeological sites with a high concentration of marine faunal remains. There are more than 2000 sites along the coast of Brazil that range in age from 8,720 to 985 cal BP. Here, we studied the ichthyoarchaeological remains (i.e., cranial/postcranial bones, otoliths, and teeth, among others at 13 shellmounds on the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, which are located in coastal landscapes, including a sandy plain with coastal lagoons, rocky islands, islets and rocky bays. We identified patterns of similarity between shellmounds based on fish diversity, the ages of the assemblages, littoral geomorphology and prehistoric fisheries. Our new radiocarbon dating, based on otolith samples, was used for fishery characterization over time. A taxonomical study of the ichthyoarchaeological remains includes a diversity of 97 marine species, representing 37% of all modern species (i.e., 265 spp. that have been documented along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. This high fish diversity recovered from the shellmounds is clear evidence of well-developed prehistoric fishery activity that targeted sharks, rays and finfishes in a productive area influenced by coastal marine upwelling. The presence of adult and neonate shark, especially oceanic species, is here interpreted as evidence of prehistoric fisheries capacity for exploitation and possibly overexploitation in nursery areas. Various tools and strategies were used to capture finfish in seasonal fisheries, over rocky reef bottoms and in sandy littoral environments. Massive catches of whitemouth croaker, main target dermersal species of South Atlantic coast, show evidence of a reduction in body size of approximately 28% compared with modern fisheries. Fishery activity involving vulnerable species, especially in nursery areas, could mark the beginning of fish depletion along the southeastern Brazilian coast and the collapse of natural fish populations.

The Path towards Endangered Species: Prehistoric Fisheries in Southeastern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, Mariana Samôr; Bertucci, Thayse Cristina Pereira; Rapagnã, Luciano; Tubino, Rafael de Almeida; Monteiro-Neto, Cassiano; Tomas, Acácio Ribeiro Gomes; Tenório, Maria Cristina; Lima, Tânia; Souza, Rosa; Carrillo-Briceño, Jorge Domingo; Haimovici, Manuel; Macario, Kita; Carvalho, Carla; Aguilera Socorro, Orangel

2016-01-01

Brazilian shellmounds are archaeological sites with a high concentration of marine faunal remains. There are more than 2000 sites along the coast of Brazil that range in age from 8,720 to 985 cal BP. Here, we studied the ichthyoarchaeological remains (i.e., cranial/postcranial bones, otoliths, and teeth, among others) at 13 shellmounds on the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, which are located in coastal landscapes, including a sandy plain with coastal lagoons, rocky islands, islets and rocky bays. We identified patterns of similarity between shellmounds based on fish diversity, the ages of the assemblages, littoral geomorphology and prehistoric fisheries. Our new radiocarbon dating, based on otolith samples, was used for fishery characterization over time. A taxonomical study of the ichthyoarchaeological remains includes a diversity of 97 marine species, representing 37% of all modern species (i.e., 265 spp.) that have been documented along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. This high fish diversity recovered from the shellmounds is clear evidence of well-developed prehistoric fishery activity that targeted sharks, rays and finfishes in a productive area influenced by coastal marine upwelling. The presence of adult and neonate shark, especially oceanic species, is here interpreted as evidence of prehistoric fisheries capacity for exploitation and possibly overexploitation in nursery areas. Various tools and strategies were used to capture finfish in seasonal fisheries, over rocky reef bottoms and in sandy littoral environments. Massive catches of whitemouth croaker, main target dermersal species of South Atlantic coast, show evidence of a reduction in body size of approximately 28% compared with modern fisheries. Fishery activity involving vulnerable species, especially in nursery areas, could mark the beginning of fish depletion along the southeastern Brazilian coast and the collapse of natural fish populations. PMID:27355355

The Path towards Endangered Species: Prehistoric Fisheries in Southeastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, Mariana Samôr; Bertucci, Thayse Cristina Pereira; Rapagnã, Luciano; Tubino, Rafael de Almeida; Monteiro-Neto, Cassiano; Tomas, Acácio Ribeiro Gomes; Tenório, Maria Cristina; Lima, Tânia; Souza, Rosa; Carrillo-Briceño, Jorge Domingo; Haimovici, Manuel; Macario, Kita; Carvalho, Carla; Aguilera Socorro, Orangel

2016-01-01

Brazilian shellmounds are archaeological sites with a high concentration of marine faunal remains. There are more than 2000 sites along the coast of Brazil that range in age from 8,720 to 985 cal BP. Here, we studied the ichthyoarchaeological remains (i.e., cranial/postcranial bones, otoliths, and teeth, among others) at 13 shellmounds on the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, which are located in coastal landscapes, including a sandy plain with coastal lagoons, rocky islands, islets and rocky bays. We identified patterns of similarity between shellmounds based on fish diversity, the ages of the assemblages, littoral geomorphology and prehistoric fisheries. Our new radiocarbon dating, based on otolith samples, was used for fishery characterization over time. A taxonomical study of the ichthyoarchaeological remains includes a diversity of 97 marine species, representing 37% of all modern species (i.e., 265 spp.) that have been documented along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. This high fish diversity recovered from the shellmounds is clear evidence of well-developed prehistoric fishery activity that targeted sharks, rays and finfishes in a productive area influenced by coastal marine upwelling. The presence of adult and neonate shark, especially oceanic species, is here interpreted as evidence of prehistoric fisheries capacity for exploitation and possibly overexploitation in nursery areas. Various tools and strategies were used to capture finfish in seasonal fisheries, over rocky reef bottoms and in sandy littoral environments. Massive catches of whitemouth croaker, main target dermersal species of South Atlantic coast, show evidence of a reduction in body size of approximately 28% compared with modern fisheries. Fishery activity involving vulnerable species, especially in nursery areas, could mark the beginning of fish depletion along the southeastern Brazilian coast and the collapse of natural fish populations.

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Upper Coast of Texas: FISH (Fish Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for marine, estuarine, and freshwater fish species for the Upper Coast of Texas. Vector polygons in this...

Application of instrumental neutron activation analysis for the analysis of six fish species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moon, J. H.; Oh, M.; Kim, S. H.; Chung, Y. S. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

According to the meeting report of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), annual food fish supply per capita has increased from an average of 9.9 kg in the 1960s to 18.4 kg in 2009, and fish consumption was lowest in Africans (9.1 kg per capita), while Asians consumed 20.7 kg per capita. From the viewpoint of food safety, fish accumulates environmental contaminants and an analysis of hazardous chemical species including toxic heavy metals is important for human health. The aims of this study were to determine the inorganic elemental content in six popular fish species of Korea by NAA and to aid in the evaluation of dietary intake levels in terms of toxic and essential elements. An INAA for the six fish species that are popular in Korea was performed, and sixteen elemental contents were determined. Based on these analytical data and survey data in 2010, intake levels for 3 toxic heavy metals by each fish species are evaluated for Koreans. These dietary intake values for heavy metals can be used for an assessment of human health risk.

SURROGATE SPECIES IN ASSESSING CONTAMINANT RISK FOR ENDANGERED FISHES

Science.gov (United States)

Rainbow trout, fathead minnows, and sheepshead minnows were tested as surrogate species to assess contaminant risk for 17 endangered fishes and one toad species. Acute toxicity tests were conducted with carbaryl, copper, 4-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol, and permethrin in accord...

Nutritive values of some food plants, fresh and processed fish species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Aberoumand

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The chemical composition of four edible plant foods species, three fish species and one prawn were analyzed in Food Chemistry Laboratory of Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Behbahan, Iran in 2014. The analysis of fatty acid and sugars composition were performed by gas liquid chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Protein and lipid content were founded higher in baked and fried in fish S. commersonnianus (74.29%, (20.20%, fish Sphyraena helleri (88.12% and (17.77%, respectively. Ash content in fish S. commersonnianus varies from 9.80% to 15.34%, and in fish S. helleri from 5.83% to 7.68%. Based on the proximate analysis, it can be calculated that an edible portion of 100 g of studied edible plant foods provides, on average, around 303.9±1.04 kcal. The plant Portulaca neglecta is suitable for high temperature food processes. The macronutrient profile in general revealed that the wild plant foods were with rich sources of protein and carbohydrates, and had low amounts of fat. The highest protein, the lowest fat and energy contents were found in boiled in both fish species; therefore, boiling can be recommended as the best cooking method for healthy diet.

78 FR 28805 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-16

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS..., NMFS received an application, including an HGMP, from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, a section... the Snake River basin, rear juveniles, and release eggs, juveniles, and adult fish into upper Salmon...

78 FR 79674 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-31

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR.... Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) submitted an application and supporting documents to NMFS for a...

78 FR 32378 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-30

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... application was provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Public Utility... Department of Fish and Wildlife submitted an application for an ESA permit to operate the Nason Creek spring...

76 FR 8713 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-15

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226... handling of fish is already covered under the Incidental Take Statement associated with the Biological...

77 FR 63294 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-16

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... Klallam Tribe and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have submitted five Hatchery and Genetic... programs are currently operating, and all five hatchery programs raise fish native to the Elwha River basin...

78 FR 25954 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-03

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... 15, 2012, NMFS received an application, including an HGMP, from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game... salmon returning to the Snake River basin, rear juveniles, and release eggs, juveniles, and adult fish...

ECOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE OF COASTAL COMMUNITY ON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION (Case Study of Bajau Coastal Communities, Gorontalo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramli Utina

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Human behavior is a part of the ecological system, therefore overcoming the ecological crisis and living resources need to explore human traditions, way of life and human behavior toward natural resources. Understanding and translation of human harmonious relationship with all elements along with other living beings is a form of human ecological intelligence. The objective of this study was to describe the traditions and coastal communities behavior that contains the value of ecological intelligence in coastal biodiversity conservation. The study was based on observation, focus group discussion and identification of Bajau coastal community tradition in their lives and livelihoods on fishing, as well as the behavior toward biological resources. Bajau coastal communities settled in three villages in Pohuwato regency, Gorontalo. There are two themes that contains the value of ecological intelligence of  Bajau communities in the conservation of biodiversity, namely; mamia kadialo in tradition of fishing, and fishing behavior. The prohibition in the tradition of mamia kadialo contains the value of conservation of biodiversity. Usage of simple equipment on fishing activities provide a positive ecological consequences for the conservation of coastal biodiversity.

Trophic structure of a coastal fish community determined with diet and stable isotope analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Malek, A J; Collie, J S; Taylor, D L

2016-09-01

A combination of dietary guild analysis and nitrogen (δ(15) N) and carbon (δ(13) C) stable-isotope analysis was used to assess the trophic structure of the fish community in Rhode Island and Block Island Sounds, an area off southern New England identified for offshore wind energy development. In the autumn of 2009, 2010 and 2011, stomach and tissue samples were taken from 20 fish and invertebrate species for analysis of diet composition and δ(15) N and δ(13) C signatures. The food chain in Rhode Island and Block Island Sounds comprises approximately four trophic levels within which the fish community is divided into distinct dietary guilds, including planktivores, benthivores, crustacivores and piscivores. Within these guilds, inter-species isotopic and dietary overlap is high, suggesting that resource partitioning or competitive interactions play a major role in structuring the fish community. Carbon isotopes indicate that most fishes are supported by pelagic phytoplankton, although there is evidence that benthic production also plays a role, particularly for obligate benthivores such as skates Leucoraja spp. This type of analysis is useful for developing an ecosystem-based approach to management, as it identifies species that act as direct links to basal resources as well as species groups that share trophic roles. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Detection of Listeria species in Gamma irradiated Fishes during Storage periods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, W.S.

2011-01-01

This investigation was carried out to detect the post irradiation recovery and growth of Listeria species encountered in frozen whole Tilapia fishes ,Tilapia fillet and frozen Hamour fillets fishes (-18 degree C) irradiated at 1, 2, 2.5 and 3 kGy. The pathogen was eliminated at a dose of 2.5 kGy of gamma radiation. The presence of the microorganism was monitored for sex months on appropriate selective media. The ability of recovery of the organism from irradiation damage was not influenced by the kind of fish. No increased counts of the organism in irradiated fishes at 2.5 kGy of gamma radiation was noticed during 6 months of freezing storage at -18 degree C. This study also aimed to evaluate the effect of different enrichment procedures on the detection of Listeria species in fishes

Reef fishes in biodiversity hotspots are at greatest risk from loss of coral species.

Science.gov (United States)

Holbrook, Sally J; Schmitt, Russell J; Messmer, Vanessa; Brooks, Andrew J; Srinivasan, Maya; Munday, Philip L; Jones, Geoffrey P

2015-01-01

Coral reef ecosystems are under a variety of threats from global change and anthropogenic disturbances that are reducing the number and type of coral species on reefs. Coral reefs support upwards of one third of all marine species of fish, so the loss of coral habitat may have substantial consequences to local fish diversity. We posit that the effects of habitat degradation will be most severe in coral regions with highest biodiversity of fishes due to greater specialization by fishes for particular coral habitats. Our novel approach to this important but untested hypothesis was to conduct the same field experiment at three geographic locations across the Indo-Pacific biodiversity gradient (Papua New Guinea; Great Barrier Reef, Australia; French Polynesia). Specifically, we experimentally explored whether the response of local fish communities to identical changes in diversity of habitat-providing corals was independent of the size of the regional species pool of fishes. We found that the proportional reduction (sensitivity) in fish biodiversity to loss of coral diversity was greater for regions with larger background species pools, reflecting variation in the degree of habitat specialization of fishes across the Indo-Pacific diversity gradient. This result implies that habitat-associated fish in diversity hotspots are at greater risk of local extinction to a given loss of habitat diversity compared to regions with lower species richness. This mechanism, related to the positive relationship between habitat specialization and regional biodiversity, and the elevated extinction risk this poses for biodiversity hotspots, may apply to species in other types of ecosystems.

Reef fishes in biodiversity hotspots are at greatest risk from loss of coral species.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sally J Holbrook

Full Text Available Coral reef ecosystems are under a variety of threats from global change and anthropogenic disturbances that are reducing the number and type of coral species on reefs. Coral reefs support upwards of one third of all marine species of fish, so the loss of coral habitat may have substantial consequences to local fish diversity. We posit that the effects of habitat degradation will be most severe in coral regions with highest biodiversity of fishes due to greater specialization by fishes for particular coral habitats. Our novel approach to this important but untested hypothesis was to conduct the same field experiment at three geographic locations across the Indo-Pacific biodiversity gradient (Papua New Guinea; Great Barrier Reef, Australia; French Polynesia. Specifically, we experimentally explored whether the response of local fish communities to identical changes in diversity of habitat-providing corals was independent of the size of the regional species pool of fishes. We found that the proportional reduction (sensitivity in fish biodiversity to loss of coral diversity was greater for regions with larger background species pools, reflecting variation in the degree of habitat specialization of fishes across the Indo-Pacific diversity gradient. This result implies that habitat-associated fish in diversity hotspots are at greater risk of local extinction to a given loss of habitat diversity compared to regions with lower species richness. This mechanism, related to the positive relationship between habitat specialization and regional biodiversity, and the elevated extinction risk this poses for biodiversity hotspots, may apply to species in other types of ecosystems.

78 FR 7755 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-04

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS...)(A) of the ESA of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and regulations governing listed fish and wildlife.... In situations where the SWFSC are unable to rely on collaborators to capture fish through rotary...

77 FR 76001 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-26

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits(50 CFR parts 222-226). NMFS issues permits based on... described below, researchers do not expect to kill any listed fish but a small number may die as an...

Demersal and larval fish assemblages in the Chukchi Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Norcross, Brenda L.; Holladay, Brenda A.; Busby, Morgan S.; Mier, Kathryn L.

2010-01-01

A multidisciplinary research cruise was conducted in the Chukchi Sea in summer 2004 during which we investigated assemblages of small demersal fishes and ichthyoplankton and the water masses associated with these assemblages. This study establishes a baseline of 30 demersal fish and 25 ichthyoplankton taxa in US and Russian waters of the Chukchi Sea. Presence/absence of small demersal fish clustered into four assemblages: Coastal Fishes, Western Chukchi Fishes, South Central Chukchi Fishes, and North Central Chukchi Fishes. Habitats occupied by small demersal fishes were characterized by sediment type, bottom salinity, and bottom temperature. Abundance of ichthyoplankton grouped into three assemblages with geographical extent similar to that of the bottom assemblages, except that there was a single assemblage for Central Chukchi Fishes. Water-column temperature and salinity characterized ichthyoplankton habitats. Three water masses, Alaska Coastal Water, Bering Sea Water, and Winter Water, were identified from both bottom and depth-averaged water-column temperature and salinity. A fourth water mass, Resident Chukchi Water, was identified only in the bottom water. The water mass and habitat characteristics with which demersal and larval fish assemblages were associated create a baseline to measure anticipated effects of climate change that are expected to be most severe at high latitudes. Monitoring fish assemblages could be a tool for assessing the effects of climate change. Climate-induced changes in distributions of species would result in a restructuring of fish assemblages in the Chukchi Sea.

Genetic assessment of ornamental fish species from North East India.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhar, Bishal; Ghosh, Sankar Kumar

2015-01-25

Ornamental fishes are traded with multiple names from various parts around the world, including North East India. Most are collected from the wild, due to lack of species-specific culture or breeding, and therefore, such unmanaged collection of the wild and endemic species could lead to severe threats to biodiversity. Despite many regulatory policies, trade of threatened species, including the IUCN listed species have been largely uncontrolled, due to species identification problems arising from the utilization of multiple trade names. So, the development of species-specific DNA marker is indispensable where DNA Barcoding is proved to be helpful in species identification. Here, we investigated, through DNA Barcoding and morphological assessment, the identification of 128 ornamental fish specimens exported from NE India from different exporters. The generated sequences were subjected to similarity match in BOLD-IDS as well as BLASTN, and analysed using MEGA5.2 for species identification through Neighbour-Joining (NJ) clustering, and K2P distance based approach. The analysis revealed straightforward identification of 84 specimens into 35 species, while 44 specimens were difficult to distinguish based on CO1 barcode alone. However, these cases were resolved through morphology, NJ and distanced based method and found to be belonging to 16 species. Among the 51 identified species, 14 species represented multiple trade names; 17 species belonged to threatened category. Species-level identification through DNA Barcoding along with traditional morphotaxonomy reflects its efficacy in regulating ornamental fish trade and therefore, appeals for their conservation in nature. The use of trade names rather than the zoological name created the passage for trafficking of the threatened species and demands immediate attention for sustaining wildlife conservation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The fish fauna of Anambra river basin, Nigeria: species abundance and morphometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregory Ejikeme Odo

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The fish yields of most Nigeria inland waters are generally on the decline for causes that may range from inadequate management of the fisheries to degradation of the water bodies. Sustainable exploitation requires knowledge of the ichthyofaunal composition in the water bodies. We did a survey of fish species in Anambra river basin for 22 months. Fish samples were collected using four different gears -hook and line of size 13, caste nets, gill nets, and cages of mesh sizes of 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm each. We recorded 52 fish species belonging to 17 families: 171, 236, and 169 individuals at Ogurugu, Otuocha, and Nsugbe stations respectively. Two families, Characidae, 19.5 %, and Mochokidae, 11.8%, constituted the dominant fish families in the river. The dominant fish species were Citherinus citherius, 9.02%, and Alestes nurse, 7.1%. Other fish species with significant abundance were Synodontis clarias 6.9%, Macrolepidotus curvier 5.7%, Labeo coubie 5.4%, Distichodus rostrtus 4.9%, and Schilbe mystus 4.5%. The meristic features of the two most abundant fish species caught are as follows: Citharinus citharius dorsal fins 20, anal fins 30, caudal fins 21, pectoral fins, 9 and 8 ventral fins, and Alestes nurse 10 dorsal fins, 14 anal fins, 31 caudal fins, 7 pectoral fins and 6 ventral fins. The morphometric features of the two most abundant fish species are Citharinus citharius total length 300mm, standard length 231mm, head length 69mm, body length 101mm, body girth 176 mm, body weight 900mg. Alestes nurse total length 200, standard length 140mm, head length 60mm, body length 80mm, body girth120mm, body weight 400mg. The most abundant animal utilizing the basin was Ardea cinerea(D3 with 22.2% occurrence (D4 and this was followed by Caprini with 13.51%, and Varanus niloticus, 10.04%. The least abundant animals utilizing basin were Chephalophus rufilatus, and Erythrocebus patas, with 0.58% each of occurrence. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2: 177-186. Epub

Assemblage characteristics and diet of fish in the shallow coastal waters of James Ross Island, Antarctica

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jurajda, Pavel; Roche, Kevin Francis; Sedláček, I.; Všetičková, Lucie

2016-01-01

Roč. 39, č. 12 (2016), s. 2299-2309 ISSN 0722-4060 R&D Projects: GA ČR GBP505/12/G112 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Antarctic Peninsula * Fish assemblage structure * Notothenioidei * Shallow coastal waters * Ice pack * Czech Antarctic Station Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.949, year: 2016

Trophic segregation of a fish assemblage along lateral depth gradients in a subtropical coastal lagoon revealed by stable isotope analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Mont'Alverne, R; Pereyra, P E R; Garcia, A M

2016-07-01

Stable isotopes were used to evaluate the hypothesis that fish assemblages occurring in shallow and deep areas of a large coastal lagoon are structured in partially segregated trophic modules with consumers showing contrasting reliance on benthic or pelagic food sources. The results revealed that fishes in deep areas were mainly dependent on particulate organic matter in the sediment (SOM), whereas emergent macrophytes were as important as SOM to fish consumers in shallow areas. Conceptual trophic diagrams depicting relationships among basal food sources and consumers in different regions of the lagoon highlighted the greater use of multiple basal food sources by more feeding mode functional guilds in shallow water compared with the use of predominantly benthic resources (SOM) in deep areas. The findings appear to corroborate the initial hypothesis and offer complementary perspectives in understanding the role of spatial ecology in structuring coastal ecosystem function and productivity. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Some peculiarities of fish abundance, species and sizes distribution, and spacing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astrauskas, A.; Bernotas, E.; Jovaisha, R.

1995-01-01

During the construction and exploitation process of Ignalina NPP the abundance of fishes has dropped, and especially stenothermic species (smelt and vendace). The general increase of fish abundance is observed in recent years (1992-1994). This is linked with changes of fish species and their adaptation to the new environmental conditions. Now the partial renovation of vendace abundance is observed, too. It is a result of free feeding recess coming out as the smelt dramatically decreased. Before now the ecosystem of the lake is greatly disbalanced due to antropogenetic impact of the NPP. It's partial stabilisation (but on the essentially high level) is possible only in some generations of fish living in the lake. (author). 18 refs., 1 tab., 11 figs

Chemical composition, mineral content and amino acid and lipid profiles in bones from various fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Toppe, Jogeir; Albrektsen, Sissel; Hope, Britt; Aksnes, Anders

2007-03-01

The chemical composition, content of minerals and the profiles of amino acids and fatty acids were analyzed in fish bones from eight different species of fish. Fish bones varied significantly in chemical composition. The main difference was lipid content ranging from 23 g/kg in cod (Gadus morhua) to 509 g/kg in mackerel (Scomber scombrus). In general fatty fish species showed higher lipid levels in the bones compared to lean fish species. Similarly, lower levels of protein and ash were observed in bones from fatty fish species. Protein levels differed from 363 g/kg lipid free dry matter (dm) to 568 g/kg lipid free dm with a concomitant inverse difference in ash content. Ash to protein ratio differed from 0.78 to 1.71 with the lowest level in fish that naturally have highest swimming and physical activity. Saithe (Pollachius virens) and salmon (Salmo salar) were found to be significantly different in the levels of lipid, protein and ash, and ash/protein ratio in the bones. Only small differences were observed in the level of amino acids although species specific differences were observed. The levels of Ca and P in lipid free fish bones were about the same in all species analyzed. Fatty acid profile differed in relation to total lipid levels in the fish bones, but some minor differences between fish species were observed.

Multiple nuclear and mitochondrial genotyping identifies emperors and large-eye breams (Teleostei : Lethrinidae) from New Caledonia and reveals new large-eye bream species

OpenAIRE

Borsa, Philippe; Collet, Adeline; Carassou, Laure; Ponton, Dominique; Chen, W. J.

2010-01-01

International audience; Species identification is fundamental to address questions about community ecology, biodiversity, conservation and resource management, at any life history stage. Current studies on fish larval ecology of tropical species are hampered by the lack of reliable and effective tools for identifying larvae at the species level. Emperors and large-eye breams comprise fish species from the perciform fish family Lethrinidae. They inhabit coastal and coral-reef habitats of the t...

Length-weight relationships for 13 fish species from the Gulf of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Length-weight relationships (LWR) were estimated for 13 fish species which are of economic relevance in the commercial fisheries of the Gulf of Gabes (southern Tunisia). A total of 2403 fish specimens were sampled with several fishing gears from October 2008 to September 2009. The sample size ranged from 65 ...

Temporal comparison and predictors of fish species abundance and richness on undisturbed coral reef patches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena L.E.S. Wagner

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Large disturbances can cause rapid degradation of coral reef communities, but what baseline changes in species assemblages occur on undisturbed reefs through time? We surveyed live coral cover, reef fish abundance and fish species richness in 1997 and again in 2007 on 47 fringing patch reefs of varying size and depth at Mersa Bareika, Ras Mohammed National Park, Egypt. No major human or natural disturbance event occurred between these two survey periods in this remote protected area. In the absence of large disturbances, we found that live coral cover, reef fish abundance and fish species richness did not differ in 1997 compared to 2007. Fish abundance and species richness on patches was largely related to the presence of shelters (caves and/or holes, live coral cover and patch size (volume. The presence of the ectoparasite-eating cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, was also positively related to fish species richness. Our results underscore the importance of physical reef characteristics, such as patch size and shelter availability, in addition to biotic characteristics, such as live coral cover and cleaner wrasse abundance, in supporting reef fish species richness and abundance through time in a relatively undisturbed and understudied region.

[Seasonal changes of fish species composition and diversity in mudflat wetlands of Hangzhou Bay].

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Xing-huan; Zhang, Heng; Jiang, Ke-yi; Wu, Ming

2010-12-01

In order to understand the spatiotemporal variation of fish species composition and biodiversity in the mudflat wetlands of Hangzhou Bay, thirty six surveys were conducted in the mudflat area, inning area, and aquaculture area in the south bank of the Bay in. March (early spring), May (spring), July (summer), and October (autumn), 2009. A total of 41 species belonging to 9 orders and 16 families were observed, among which, Cyprinid had the largest species number (14 species, 33.3% of the total), followed by Gobiidae (8 species, 19.1%). According to the lifestyle of fish, these 41 species could be divided into five ecological types, i.e., freshwater type (21 species), brackish-water type (16 species), inshore type (2 species), anadromous type (Coilia ectenes), and catadromios type (Anguilla japonica). The fish abundance was the highest (54. 5 fish per net) in summer, followed by in spring and autumn, and the lowest (17.7 fish per net) in early spring. In the three habitats, mudflat area and inning area had the similar seasonal change of fish abundance, i.e., the lowest in early spring, the highest in summer, and then decreased in autumn. Only two or three species were the dominant species in different seasons. In mudflat area, the dominant species were Mugil cephalus and Liza carinatus; while in inning and aquaculture areas, the dominant species were Carassius auratus, Hemiculter leucisculus, and Pseudorasbora parva. The values of Margalef's richness index (D), Pielou's evenness index (J), and Shannon index (H) were lower in March than in other months, but had no significant differences among May, July, and October (P > 0.05). The H value ranged in 0. 27-2. 13, being the lowest in March and higher in May and October (1.66 and 1.63, respectively). Overall, the fish abundance and biodiversity in the mudflat wetlands of Hangzhou Bay had apparent seasonal changes.

77 FR 3743 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-25

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... with section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and regulations governing listed fish... listed fish but a small number may die as an unintended result of the research activities. The objectives...

78 FR 17355 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-21

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) and regulations governing listed fish and... expect to kill any listed fish but a small number may die as an unintended result of the research...

Effects of industrial processing on the immunogenicity of commonly ingested fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Sletten, Gaynour; Van Do, Thien; Lindvik, Helene; Egaas, Eliann; Florvaag, Erik

2010-01-01

Food-processing techniques may induce changes in fish protein immunogenicity. Allergens from >100 fish species have been identified, but little is known on the effects of processing on fish protein immunogenicity. IgE binding of sera of patients allergic to fresh and processed (smoked, salted/sugar-cured, canned, lye-treated and fermented) cod, haddock, salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel and herring and of hydrolysates based on salmon and whiting was investigated using immunoblot and inhibition ELISA. Parvalbumin oligomers were identified using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. IgE binding was seen in most sera at 12-14 kDa (parvalbumin), and at 17-60 kDa for all fish except tuna. Changes in IgE binding appeared to reflect altered parvalbumin monomers and oligomers. Smoked haddock, salmon and mackerel had increased IgE binding and novel bands at 30 kDa. Chemically processed cod, salmon, trout and pickled herring had reduced or abolished IgE binding. The serum of 1 subject, however, had increased IgE binding to these products and also inhibition of binding by both fish hydrolysates to their constituent fish species. Process-induced changes in fish protein immunogenicity were more dependent on process rather than species, although individual responses varied. Changes in the allergenicity of a product may depend on the net effect of processing on parvalbumin oligomerization patterns, which may also vary in different species. Chemical processes generally caused loss in IgE-binding activity, though sensitization may occur to modified or degraded rather than intact peptides as shown by increased binding by chemically processed fish and hydrolysates in 1 subject. The clinical significance of these findings remains to be established.

Grades of 43 Fish Species in Japan Based on IgE-binding Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harumi Koyama

2006-01-01

Conclusions: A correlation was observed between IgE levels and expression of symptoms after fish ingestion. High consumption of salmon, tuna, scad (including saurel, skipper, yellowtail, sardine, bonita and mackerel in Japan might be the cause of the high IgE-binding activity of these species. The grades of fish species consumed widely in Japan are likely to be useful for nutritional instruction of fish-allergic patients.

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Central California: FISHL (Fish Lines)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for anadromous fish and rare fish species occurrences in Central California. Vector lines in this data set...

Identification of potential essential fish habitats for skates based on fishers' knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Serra-Pereira, Bárbara; Erzini, Karim; Maia, Catarina; Figueiredo, Ivone

2014-05-01

Understanding of spatio-temporal patterns of sensitive fish species such as skates (Rajidae) is essential for implementation of conservation measures. With insufficient survey data available for these species in Portuguese Continental waters, this study shows that fishery-dependent data associated with fishers' knowledge can be used to identify potential Essential Fish Habitats (EFH) for seven skate species. Sites with similar geomorphology were associated with the occurrence of juveniles and/or adults of the same group of species. For example, sites deeper than 100 m with soft sediment include predominantly adults of Raja clavata, and are the habitat for egg deposition of this species. Raja undulata and R. microocellata are the more coastal species, preferring sand or gravel habitats, while coastal areas with rocks and sand seabed are potential nursery areas for R. brachyura, R. montagui and R. clavata. The main output of this study is the identification of preferential fishing sites enclosing potential EFH for some species, associated with egg-laying and nursery grounds. The location of these areas will be considered for future seasonal closures, and studies will be conducted to evaluate the biological and socio-economic impacts of such measures. As in the past, fishermen will collaborate in the process of evaluating those impacts, since they have practical and applied knowledge that is extremely valuable for evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of such closures. In conclusion, this study is a first contribution to the understanding and identification of EFH for skate species, associated with nursery and egg deposition sites, with direct application to management.

Identification of Potential Essential Fish Habitats for Skates Based on Fishers' Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Serra-Pereira, Bárbara; Erzini, Karim; Maia, Catarina; Figueiredo, Ivone

2014-05-01

Understanding of spatio-temporal patterns of sensitive fish species such as skates (Rajidae) is essential for implementation of conservation measures. With insufficient survey data available for these species in Portuguese Continental waters, this study shows that fishery-dependent data associated with fishers' knowledge can be used to identify potential Essential Fish Habitats (EFH) for seven skate species. Sites with similar geomorphology were associated with the occurrence of juveniles and/or adults of the same group of species. For example, sites deeper than 100 m with soft sediment include predominantly adults of Raja clavata, and are the habitat for egg deposition of this species. Raja undulata and R. microocellata are the more coastal species, preferring sand or gravel habitats, while coastal areas with rocks and sand seabed are potential nursery areas for R. brachyura, R. montagui and R. clavata. The main output of this study is the identification of preferential fishing sites enclosing potential EFH for some species, associated with egg-laying and nursery grounds. The location of these areas will be considered for future seasonal closures, and studies will be conducted to evaluate the biological and socio-economic impacts of such measures. As in the past, fishermen will collaborate in the process of evaluating those impacts, since they have practical and applied knowledge that is extremely valuable for evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of such closures. In conclusion, this study is a first contribution to the understanding and identification of EFH for skate species, associated with nursery and egg deposition sites, with direct application to management.

Artificial marine habitats favour a single fish species on a long-term scale: the dominance of Boops boops around off-shore fish cages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Riera

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Off-shore fish cages are new artificial habitats that can affect pelagic fish assemblages and constitute an important food source for wild fish assemblages. This aggregation has noticeable ecological consequences in cage areas in impoverished ecosystems such as those in the Canary archipelago (NE Atlantic Ocean. However, this new habitat could be dominated by a single species, reducing its positive ecological effects. Wild fish assemblages associated with an off-shore fish lease on the northeastern coast of Tenerife (Canary Islands were sampled for six years. Fish assemblage structure beneath fish cages and at controls ( > 500 m from cages differed significantly between locations, with 13 times greater abundance at cage locations. These differences were mainly explained by the dominance of bogue (Boops boops around fish cages. This trend was consistent in the long-term throughout the study period (2004-2009, affecting local fisheries. The presence of fish cages significantly altered wild fish assemblages in the study area, enhancing mainly biomass and abundance of one species, bogue, and causing shifts in species composition.

[Dietary composition and food competition of six main fish species in rocky reef habitat off Gouqi Island].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kai; Zhang, Shou-Yu; Wang, Zhen-Hua; Zhao, Jing; Xu, Min; Lin, Jun

2012-02-01

Based on the monthly investigation data of fish resources in the rocky reef habitat off Gouqi Island from March 2009 to February 2010, this paper studied the dietary composition of three native fish species (Sebasticus marmoratus, Hexagrammos otakii and Hexagrammos agrammus) and three non-native fish species (Lateolabrax japonica, Nibea albiflora and Larimichthys polyactis). The analysis of gut content indicated that the main prey items of these six dominant fish species were Caprellidae, Gammaridea, juvenile S. marmoratus, Engraulis japonicas and Acetes chinensis and the dietary composition of each of the 6 fish species had obvious seasonal variation. There was an intense food competition between native species H. otakii and H. agrammus in autumn, between non-native species N. albiflora and L. polyactis in summer, between non-native species N. albiflora and native species S. marmoratus in autumn, and between non-native species N. albiflora and native species H. otakii in winter. It was suggested the non-native species N. albiflora was the key species in the food competition among the six dominant fish species in this rocky reef habitat, and thus the feeding behaviors of these six fish species could have definite effects on the resource capacity of juvenile S. marmoratus.

Relationship of dietary intake of fish and non-fish selenium to serum lipids in Japanese rural coastal community.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazaki, Yukiko; Koyama, Hiroshi; Nojiri, Masami; Suzuki, Shosuke

2002-01-01

Several studies have suggested that dietary selenium deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). In the present study, 55 men and 71 women were selected from participants in a health examination in a rural coastal community in Japan. The mean dietary selenium intake calculated from the simple food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) was 127.5 micrograms/day. Fish was the major source of dietary selenium and it contributed to 68.7% of the daily total. HDL cholesterol was higher in the middle selenium intake group and in the high selenium intake group than in the low selenium intake group in all subjects and for males, and a significant difference was found between the middle selenium intake group and the low selenium intake group. The atherogenic index was significantly higher in the low selenium intake group than in the middle selenium intake group and in the high selenium intake group in males. GPx activity, total cholesterol and triacylglycerols did not show any significant differences among the three different selenium intake groups. Dietary intake of non-fish Se had a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol, and an inverse correlation with the atherogenic index in all subjects and for females. On the other hand, dietary intake of fish-Se had no relationship with any serum lipids. Non-fish Se is an important factor in selenium status for the prevention of CHD.

Endangered fish species of the world - a review

OpenAIRE

Radu Hărşan; I. Valentin Petrescu-Mag

2008-01-01

The present paper summarizes a large part of the endangered and critically endangered fish species of the world. The list was constructed using the comprehensive IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (available in December 2008) and the well elaborated FISHBASE (available on the official website, in 2008) for taxonomy and accepted scientific names of the species. To these two important sources, many scientific papers and communications were added when recent and useful reports were found. Howev...

Seasonal variation of assemblage and feeding guild structure of fish species in a boreal tidal basin

Science.gov (United States)

Kellnreitner, Florian; Pockberger, Moritz; Asmus, Harald

2012-08-01

Species composition, abundance, feeding relationships and guild structure of the fish assemblage in the Sylt-Rømø bight, a tidal basin in the northern Wadden Sea, were investigated to show seasonal differences and the importance of functional groups in this area. The tidal flats and in shallow subtidal areas were sampled using a beach seine and a bottom trawl net was used for deeper subtidal areas and tidal gullies. Species richness of fish was highest in summer where 26 species were caught, while the lowest richness was recorded in winter (17 species). Clear differences in species richness and abundance were found between shallow areas and deeper parts of the bight. Clupea harengus and Ammodytes tobianus were the most abundant species in deeper areas, while Pomatoschistus microps and Pomatoschistus minutus dominated shallower waters. Gut contents of 27 fish species were identified and the guild structure analyzed by UPGMA clustering of niche overlaps. Calanoid copepods (19.9%), Crangon crangon (18.2%) and mysid shrimps (8.4%) were the most abundant prey items of all fish species combined. Seven feeding guilds were present in the fall and winter, and eight and six in spring and summer, respectively. Fish feeding on calanoid copepods and C. crangon were present year round, whereas the occurrence of other guilds varied between seasons. Species composition of prey changed through seasons and, for some fish species, even the feeding mode itself varied with season. Most noticeable, 11 fish species changed guilds between seasons. We found a convergence in summer towards abundant prey items, whereas in winter diet overlap was lower. This is the first investigation of guild structure of almost all fish species present in a Wadden Sea area, and shows that consideration of seasonal differences is essential when determining feeding relationships of fish in temperate areas.

Fish species composition, diversity and abundance of the lower New ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A thirteen-week investigation to determine the fish species composition, diversity and abundance of the Lower New Calabar River, in Rivers State, aimed at providing information on the fish stock and their status for documentation, knowledge improvement, and development of conservation and management strategies was ...

Effective ecological half-lives of Cs-137 for fishes controlled by their surrounding sea-waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, T.; Yoshida, K.

2004-01-01

National Research Institute of Fisheries Science (NRIFS) has carried out the long term monitoring program for radioactive pollution in marine organisms caught around Japan in order to confirm the safety of marine organisms as food source. Main radionuclide in our monitoring program is Cs-137 because it has the relatively high radiotoxicity and the long term physical half-life (about 30.1 y), and tends to accumulate in the muscle. Recently, the effective ecological half-lives have been introduced to estimate the recovery time from radioactive pollution, and been applicable to various ecosystems. In this study, effective ecological half-lives of Cs-137 for some fishes were calculated from our long term monitoring data. It is known that fish species have each effective ecological half-lives. However, it has been unclear what change the effective ecological half-lives of Cs-137 for fishes. Fishes intake Cs-137 through food chain and directly from their surrounding sea-waters. Accordingly, the effective ecological half-lives of Cs-137 for some fishes would be controlled by the effective environment half-lives of Cs-137 for their surrounding sea-waters. There is difference in effective environment half-lives of Cs-137 between the open ocean and the coastal sea-waters because they have the different input sources of Cs-137. Some fishes move between the open ocean and the coastal areas, and therefore their effective ecological half-lives of Cs-137 are influenced by the effective environment half-lives of Cs-137 for sea-waters of both areas. Consequently, the differences in effective ecological half-lives of Cs-137 among fish species would depend the rate of coastal area in their lives. (author)

75 FR 50746 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-17

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to..., Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service...

Prevalence of salmonella species in fishes and its control using irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, W. S.

2010-01-01

The prevalence of Salmonella species infecting frozen Tilapia fish fillets and whole fishes was determined, during the summer seasons of years 2006 and 2007.Elimination of Salmonella species in Tilapia fishes with different doses of γ-rays was investigated. Doses of 1, 2, 3, 3.5, 5, 4 and 5 kGy were used to find out the least dose that will be sufficient to eliminate the pathogen from the examined samples. Two hundred fish fillet samples and 200 whole fishes were subjected for bacteriological examination for the incidence of Salmonella infection. Out of them 19 fillets and 8 whole fishes were infected with the pathogen in a percentage of 9.5 % and 4 % respectively. The serological determination detected the infection with Salmonella typhimurium in all the affected samples. A dose of 3.5 kGy γ-rays was determined to be the least appropriate dose for elimination of Salmonella typhimurium from Tilapia fishes. The best appearance characteristics were obtained at 3.5 kGy of γ-irradiation. There was a gradual decrease in the count of the micro-organism as the dose of irradiation increased (linear regression). So a dose of 3.5 kGy of γ-irradiation is recommended for healthy, good looking and economic fishes for public health benefits.

Spawning and nursery habitats of neotropical fish species in the tributaries of a regulated river

Science.gov (United States)

Makrakis, Maristela Cavicchioli; da Silva, Patrícia S.; Makrakis, Sergio; de Lima, Ariane F.; de Assumpção, Lucileine; de Paula, Salete; Miranda, Leandro E.; Dias, João Henrique Pinheiro

2012-01-01

This chapter provides information on ontogenetic patterns of neotropical fish species distribution in tributaries (Verde, Pardo, Anhanduí, and Aguapeí rivers) of the Porto Primavera Reservoir, in the heavily dammed Paraná River, Brazil, identifying key spawning and nursery habitats. Samplings were conducted monthly in the main channel of rivers and in marginal lagoons from October through March during three consecutive spawning seasons in 2007-2010. Most species spawn in December especially in Verde River. Main river channels are spawning habitats and marginal lagoons are nursery areas for most fish, mainly for migratory species. The tributaries have high diversity of larvae species: a total of 56 taxa representing 21 families, dominated by Characidae. Sedentary species without parental care are more abundant (45.7%), and many long-distance migratory fish species are present (17.4%). Migrators included Prochilodus lineatus, Rhaphiodon vulpinus, Hemisorubim platyrhynchos, Pimelodus maculatus, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, Sorubim lima, two threatened migratory species: Salminus brasiliensis and Zungaro jahu, and one endangered migratory species: Brycon orbignyanus. Most of these migratory species are vital to commercial and recreational fishing, and their stocks have decreased drastically in the last decades, attributed to habitat alteration, especially impoundments. The fish ladder at Porto Primavera Dam appears to be playing an important role in re-establishing longitudinal connectivity among critical habitats, allowing ascent to migratory fish species, and thus access to upstream reaches and tributaries. Establishment of Permanent Conservation Units in tributaries can help preserve habitats identified as essential spawning and nursery areas, and can be key to the maintenance and conservation of the fish species in the Paraná River basin.

Thermal tolerance of some important fish species from Kali river, Karnataka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayyappan, S.; Pal, A.K.; Das, T.; Bagchi, S.; Dalvi, R.

2002-01-01

Fish catch composition of Kadra reservoir at three different sampling points, viz., end of the hot water discharge channel of the nuclear power station i.e. Mixing Zone (Mz), 500 meters away from mixing zone at Hartuga village (Hv) and 15 km away from mixing zone at Virgae village (Vv) and thermal tolerance studies viz., Critical temperature maximum (CTmax), Critical temperature minimum (CTmin), oxygen consumption rates of different fish were determined for acclimation temperatures of 26, 31, 33 and 36 degC. The enzyme activities viz., Acetylcholine esterase (AchE), Malate dehydrogenase (MDH), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Aspartate amino transferase (AST), Alanine amino transferase (ALT), Acid phosphatase (ACP) and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were studied in liver, gill, brain and muscle of Puntius ticto and Rasbora elanga at different acclimatized temperatures in a constant thermostatic aquarium. The fish catch composition varied at different sampling points. The predominant fish species identified from the three sampling points were Etroplus suratensis, Puntius sarana, Rasbora elanga, Chela argenta, Chela sardinella, Danio aequipinnatus at Mixing zone, Etroplus suratensis, Channa striatus, Channa micropeltes, Channa marulius, Ompok bimaculatus, Ompok malabarichus, Horabagrus brachysoma, Nemacheilus Sp., Mastacymbelus armastus at Hartuga village and Puntiu ticto, Labeo calbasu, Citrine cirrhosa, Ambasis dayi, Hemiramphus schlosseri, Periopthalmus limbatus at Virgae village. CT max varied from 38.5 degC to 42.6 degC in different fish species. Oxygen consumption rate of all species of fishes increased with increase in water temperature but magnitudes of increase was different in different species. The enzymatic activities increased concomitantly with increase in temperature up to 33 degC and followed a decrease at 36 degC. (author)

Multi-scale approach for predicting fish species distributions across coral reef seascapes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon J Pittman

Full Text Available Two of the major limitations to effective management of coral reef ecosystems are a lack of information on the spatial distribution of marine species and a paucity of data on the interacting environmental variables that drive distributional patterns. Advances in marine remote sensing, together with the novel integration of landscape ecology and advanced niche modelling techniques provide an unprecedented opportunity to reliably model and map marine species distributions across many kilometres of coral reef ecosystems. We developed a multi-scale approach using three-dimensional seafloor morphology and across-shelf location to predict spatial distributions for five common Caribbean fish species. Seascape topography was quantified from high resolution bathymetry at five spatial scales (5-300 m radii surrounding fish survey sites. Model performance and map accuracy was assessed for two high performing machine-learning algorithms: Boosted Regression Trees (BRT and Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modelling (MaxEnt. The three most important predictors were geographical location across the shelf, followed by a measure of topographic complexity. Predictor contribution differed among species, yet rarely changed across spatial scales. BRT provided 'outstanding' model predictions (AUC = >0.9 for three of five fish species. MaxEnt provided 'outstanding' model predictions for two of five species, with the remaining three models considered 'excellent' (AUC = 0.8-0.9. In contrast, MaxEnt spatial predictions were markedly more accurate (92% map accuracy than BRT (68% map accuracy. We demonstrate that reliable spatial predictions for a range of key fish species can be achieved by modelling the interaction between the geographical location across the shelf and the topographic heterogeneity of seafloor structure. This multi-scale, analytic approach is an important new cost-effective tool to accurately delineate essential fish habitat and support

Influences of recreation influence of forest and rangeland management on anadromous fish habitat in Western North America: influences of recreation.

Science.gov (United States)

Roger N. Clark; Dave R. Gibbons; Gilbert B. Pauley

1985-01-01

Public and private lands in the United States are used by millions of people for recreational activities. Many of these activities occur in or near streams and coastal areas that produce various species of anadromous fish. A major concern of fishery managers is the possible adverse effect of recreational uses on fish habitat. Conversely, the management of fish habitats...

78 FR 60254 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR 222-226). NMFS issues permits based on findings... conduct water quality, [[Page 60255

[Species composition, diversity and density of small fishes in two different habitats in Niushan Lake].

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Shao-Wen; Li, Zhong-Jie; Cao, Wen-Xuan

2007-07-01

This paper studied the spatial distribution of small fishes in a shallow macrophytic lake, Niushan Lake in spring 2003, and its relations with habitat heterogeneity. Based on the macrophyte cover condition, distance from lake shore and water depth, two representative habitat types in the lake were selected. Habitat A was near the shore with dense submersed macrophyte, while habitat B was far from the shore with sparse submersed macrophyte. Small fishes were sampled quantitatively by block net (180 m2), and their densities within the net area were estimated by multiple mark-recapture or Zippin's removal method. The results showed that there were some differences in species composition, biodiversity measurement, and estimated density of small fishes between the two habitats: 1) the catches in habitat A consisted of 14 small fish species from 5 families, among which, benthopelagic species Rhodeus ocellatus, Paracheilognathus imberbis and Pseudorasbora parva were considered as dominant species, while those in habitat B consisted of 9 small fish species from 3 families, among which, bottom species Rhinogobius giurinus and Micropercops swinhonis were dominant; 2) the Bray-Curtis index between the two small fish communities was 0.222, reflecting their low structure similarity, and no significant difference was observed between their rank/ abundance distributions, both of which belonged to log series distribution; 3) the total density of 9 major species in habitat A was 8.71 ind x m(-2), while that of 5 major species in habitat B was only 3.54 ind x m(-2). The fact that the spatial distribution of the small fishes differed with habitats might be related to their habitat need for escaping predators, feeding, and breeding, and thus, aquatic macrophyte habitat should be of significance in the rational exploitation of small fish resources as well as the conservation of fish resource diversity.

Fishing gear-related injury in California marine wildlife.

Science.gov (United States)

Dau, Brynie Kaplan; Gilardi, Kirsten V K; Gulland, Frances M; Higgins, Ali; Holcomb, Jay B; Leger, Judy St; Ziccardi, Michael H

2009-04-01

We reviewed medical records from select wildlife rehabilitation facilities in California to determine the prevalence of injury in California Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), gulls (Larus spp.), and pinniped species (Zalophus californianus, Mirounga angustirostris, and Phoca vitulina) due to fishing gear entanglement and ingestion from 2001 to 2006. Of 9,668 Brown Pelican, gull, and pinniped cases described during the 6-yr study period (2001-06), 1,090 (11.3%) were fishing gear-related. Pelican injuries caused by fishing gear were most common in the Monterey Bay region, where 59.6% of the pelicans rescued in this area and admitted to a rehabilitation center were injured by fishing gear over the 6-yr period. The highest prevalence of fishing gear-related injury in gulls was documented in the Los Angeles/Orange County region (16.1%), whereas the highest prevalences in pinnipeds were seen in the San Diego region (3.7%). Despite these higher prevalences of gull and pinniped fishing gear-related injuries in these specific regions, there was no statistical significance in these trends. Juvenile gulls and pinnipeds were more commonly injured by fishing gear than adults (gulls: P = 0.03, odds ratio = 1.29; pinnipeds: P = 0.01, odds ratio = 2.07). Male pinnipeds were twice as likely to be injured by fishing gear as females (P gear-related injury cases that were successfully rehabilitated and released (percentage of cases successfully rehabilitated to the point of release out of the total number of fishing gear-related injury cases) was high in all three species groups (pelicans: 63%; gulls: 54%; pinnipeds: 70%). Fishing gear-related injuries in Brown Pelicans and gulls were highest in the fall, but there was only a significant difference between seasons for fishing gear-related injuries in pelicans. Fishing gear-related injuries in pinnipeds most commonly occurred in summer; however, a statistical difference was not detected between seasons for pinnipeds. Derelict

77 FR 75611 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-21

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... promulgated under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The plans specify the propagation of five species of... 10, 2000). Dated: December 17, 2012. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of...

75 FR 23671 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish; Research Permit Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-04

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish; Research Permit Applications AGENCY: National Marine... listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The... capture, handle, and release juvenile fish from all the species covered by this notice. They would also...

Fish Ecology and Evolution in the World's Oxygen Minimum Zones and Implications of a Warming Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Gallo, N.; Navarro, E. C.; Yazzie, A. T.; Barry, J. P.; Levin, L. A.

2016-02-01

Predicting how demersal fish communities will respond as hypoxic areas expand with climate change requires an understanding of how existing oxygen gradients influence the abundance, diversity, and trophic ecology of demersal fish communities. A literature review of studies from continental margins with oxygen minimum zones in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean, is combined with new data from research cruises to the Gulf of California and the US West Coast, to examine how hypoxic areas influence the structure and function of demersal fish communities. Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) are deep-sea environments where organisms experience chronic hypoxic and suboxic conditions and have persisted over much longer timescales than coastal eutrophication-induced hypoxic zones, allowing for the evolution of adaptations to low oxygen conditions. While coastal studies have found that fish are one of the most hypoxia-intolerant groups, representative demersal fish species in the orders Cottiformes, Scorpaeniformes, Pleuronectiformes, Gobiiformes, Perciformes, Lophiiformes, Carcharhiniformes, Ophidiiformes, Myxiniformes, and Gadiformes have evolved to exploit physiologically extreme OMZ environments and are important components of the benthic community. In OMZs, certain fish species are some of the most hypoxia-tolerant members of the megafauna community, present even under extremely low oxygen conditions (< 5 µmol/kg) where most invertebrates are absent, though these communities are typically characterized by single-species dominance. To explore differences in the trophic ecology of these "hypoxia-tolerant" fish communities, stable isotope and gut content analysis are used to compare the Southern California Bight OMZ core fish community to the hypoxia-intolerant upper slope fish community. Results show that fish living in the OMZ core have significantly enriched δ13C and δ15N signatures and feed on different prey items.

Quantifying tolerance indicator values for common stream fish species of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, M.R.; Carlisle, D.M.

2007-01-01

The classification of fish species tolerance to environmental disturbance is often used as a means to assess ecosystem conditions. Its use, however, may be problematic because the approach to tolerance classification is based on subjective judgment. We analyzed fish and physicochemical data from 773 stream sites collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program to calculate tolerance indicator values for 10 physicochemical variables using weighted averaging. Tolerance indicator values (TIVs) for ammonia, chloride, dissolved oxygen, nitrite plus nitrate, pH, phosphorus, specific conductance, sulfate, suspended sediment, and water temperature were calculated for 105 common fish species of the United States. Tolerance indicator values for specific conductance and sulfate were correlated (rho = 0.87), and thus, fish species may be co-tolerant to these water-quality variables. We integrated TIVs for each species into an overall tolerance classification for comparisons with judgment-based tolerance classifications. Principal components analysis indicated that the distinction between tolerant and intolerant classifications was determined largely by tolerance to suspended sediment, specific conductance, chloride, and total phosphorus. Factors such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH may not be as important in distinguishing between tolerant and intolerant classifications, but may help to segregate species classified as moderate. Empirically derived tolerance classifications were 58.8% in agreement with judgment-derived tolerance classifications. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed that few TIVs, primarily chloride, could discriminate among judgment-derived tolerance classifications of tolerant, moderate, and intolerant. To our knowledge, this is the first empirically based understanding of fish species tolerance for stream fishes in the United States.

Invasion of parasitic isopods in marine fishes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ganapathy Rameshkumar

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To carry out a detailed three-year observation study on isopod parasites infestation in fish. Methods: Fish samples were collected from different localities in various landing centers along the Tamil Nadu coastal area. The prevalence and mean intensity were calculated. The proximate composition of infestation and uninfestation were studied in different marine fishes. A comparative analysis of bacteria and fungi in the infected and uninfected regions of fishes were analysed. Results: Tweenty six species including 12 genera of isopods (Cymothoidae distributed in 39 species of marine fishes along the Tamil Nadu coast. The isopod parasites were attached in three different microhabitats in host fishes viz. , buccal, branchial and body surfaces. They exhibited host and site specific occurrence. Maximum prevalence 17.11% was recorded in March 2010 and minimum 0.27% in Febuary 2010. The intensity ranged from 1 to 1.7 parasites per fish during the different months from Decmber 2008 to November 2011. There was a decrease in the protein, carbohydrate and lipid content in the infested fishes compared to uninfected fishes. A comparative analysis of bacteria and fungi in the infected and uninfected region of fishes were analysed. It revealed that infected portions had dense bacterial load as observed in the lesions of infected fishes than uninfected fishes. Conclusion: Factors which are able to induce parasitic manifestation are stock quality, stocking density, environmental conditions, biological and physiological characteristics of parasite, zoo technical measures, food quantity, feeding strategies, etc.

The differentiation of common species in a coral-reef fish assemblage for recreational scuba diving.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tsen-Chien; Ho, Cheng-Tze; Jan, Rong-Quen

2016-01-01

Recreational scuba diving is a popular activity of the coral reef tourism industry. In practice, local diving centers recommend interesting sites to help visiting divers make their plans. Fish are among the major attractions, but they need to be listed with care because the temporal occurrence of a fish species is difficult to predict. To address this issue, we propose methods to categorize each fish species based on its long-term occurrence and likelihood of being seen. We assume that there are K categories of occurrence of a fish assemblage and propose two methods [an arithmetic-mean method (AM) and a geometric-mean method (GM)] to define the range of species in each category. Experiments based on long term datasets collected at three underwater stations (each having 51-53 surveys and totals of 262-284 fish species) on coral reefs in southern Taiwan showed that when K = 4 (rare, occasional, frequent and common categories), 11-14 species were concurrently assigned to the common category by AM for data sets based on surveys 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 51-53 in contrast to the 18-26 species assigned as common by GM. If a similarity index of 0.7 (compared to the total pool of fish species) was the minimum threshold for diver satisfaction, then 20-25 surveys provide sufficient data for listing the common species at a given dive spot. Common fish species, are the most temporally stable, and thus are more appropriate for attracting divers. These can be effectively differentiated by either AM or GM with at least 25 surveys. We suggest regular updating of each fish's category through periodic surveys to assure the accuracy of information at a particular dive spot.

Species Profile: Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum) on Military Installations in the Southeastern United States

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Palis, John

1997-01-01

.... Fish and Wildlife Service. The species inhabits the lower Southeastern Coastal Plain from southern South Carolina to northern Florida, and westward through Georgia to extreme southwestern Alabama...

Identification And Study Of Fish Species In Karkheh River (Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khoshnood Zahra

2014-10-01

Full Text Available For the investigation of fish from Karkheh River, sampling was performed in a six month period from August 2014 to January 2015. All sampled fish were measured for biometrical values (length and weight. General results of the sampling and identification of the fish showed the presence of 14 species from four fish families of Cyprinidae, Mugilidae, Siluridae and Macrostomidae, out of which the Cyprinidae family were the most frequent of the sampled fish. The most significant abundance belongs to Cyprinus carpio. The fish sampled in the present study were: Liza abu, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Barbel sp., Cyprinion macrostomum, Barbus sharpeyi, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Barbus esocinus, Barbus barbulus, Barbus luteus, Barbus grypus, Cyprinus carpio, Silurus triostegus, Mastacembelus circumcinctus and Capoeta trutta. Shannon Index results showed that the fish biodiversity in the studyed area followed a uniform path and additionally that the considered area at the studied period has good fish biodiversity.

Phytoplankton blooms in estuarine and coastal waters: Seasonal patterns and key species

Science.gov (United States)

Carstensen, Jacob; Klais, Riina; Cloern, James E.

2015-01-01

Phytoplankton blooms are dynamic phenomena of great importance to the functioning of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. We analysed a unique (large) collection of phytoplankton monitoring data covering 86 coastal sites distributed over eight regions in North America and Europe, with the aim of investigating common patterns in the seasonal timing and species composition of the blooms. The spring bloom was the most common seasonal pattern across all regions, typically occurring early (February–March) at lower latitudes and later (April–May) at higher latitudes. Bloom frequency, defined as the probability of unusually high biomass, ranged from 5 to 35% between sites and followed no consistent patterns across gradients of latitude, temperature, salinity, water depth, stratification, tidal amplitude or nutrient concentrations. Blooms were mostly dominated by a single species, typically diatoms (58% of the blooms) and dinoflagellates (19%). Diatom-dominated spring blooms were a common feature in most systems, although dinoflagellate spring blooms were also observed in the Baltic Sea. Blooms dominated by chlorophytes and cyanobacteria were only common in low salinity waters and occurred mostly at higher temperatures. Key bloom species across the eight regions included the diatoms Cerataulina pelagica and Dactyliosolen fragilissimus and dinoflagellates Heterocapsa triquetra and Prorocentrum cordatum. Other frequent bloom-forming taxa were diatom genera Chaetoceros, Coscinodiscus, Skeletonema, and Thalassiosira. Our meta-analysis shows that these 86 estuarine-coastal sites function as diatom-producing systems, the timing of that production varies widely, and that bloom frequency is not associated with environmental factors measured in monitoring programs. We end with a perspective on the limitations of conclusions derived from meta-analyses of phytoplankton time series, and the grand challenges remaining to understand the wide range of bloom patterns and

Application of otolith shape analysis for stock discrimination and species identification of five goby species (Perciformes: Gobiidae) in the northern Chinese coastal waters

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xin; Cao, Liang; Liu, Jinhu; Zhao, Bo; Shan, Xiujuan; Dou, Shuozeng

2014-09-01

We tested the use of otolith shape analysis to discriminate between species and stocks of five goby species ( Ctenotrypauchen chinensis, Odontamblyopus lacepedii, Amblychaeturichthys hexanema, Chaeturichthys stigmatias, and Acanthogobius hasta) found in northern Chinese coastal waters. The five species were well differentiated with high overall classification success using shape indices (83.7%), elliptic Fourier coefficients (98.6%), or the combination of both methods (94.9%). However, shape analysis alone was only moderately successful at discriminating among the four stocks (Liaodong Bay, LD; Bohai Bay, BH; Huanghe (Yellow) River estuary HRE, and Jiaozhou Bay, JZ stocks) of A. hasta (50%-54%) and C. stigmatias (65.7%-75.8%). For these two species, shape analysis was moderately successful at discriminating the HRE or JZ stocks from other stocks, but failed to effectively identify the LD and BH stocks. A large number of otoliths were misclassified between the HRE and JZ stocks, which are geographically well separated. The classification success for stock discrimination was higher using elliptic Fourier coefficients alone (70.2%) or in combination with shape indices (75.8%) than using only shape indices (65.7%) in C. stigmatias whereas there was little difference among the three methods for A. hasta. Our results supported the common belief that otolith shape analysis is generally more effective for interspecific identification than intraspecific discrimination. Moreover, compared with shape indices analysis, Fourier analysis improves classification success during inter- and intra-species discrimination by otolith shape analysis, although this did not necessarily always occur in all fish species.

Identification of a new Irgarol-1051 related s-triazine species in coastal waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, K.-H.; Cai Zongwei; Wai, H.-Y.; Tsang, Vic W.-H.; Lam, Michael H.-W.; Cheung, Richard Y.-H.; Yu Hongxia; Lam, Paul K.-S.

2005-01-01

A previously unknown s-triazine species present in commercially available Irgarol-1051, a booster biocide additive in copper-based antifouling paints for the replacement of organotin-based antifoulants, has been identified in the coastal aquatic environment. After careful isolation, purification and characterization by high resolution MS-MS and 1 H NMR, the molecular structure of that unknown species is found to be N,N'-di-tert-butyl-6-methylthiol-s-triazine-2,4-diamine (designated as M3). Levels of Irgarol-1051, its major degradation product (M1) and the newly identified M3 in the coastal waters of Hong Kong, one of the world's busiest ports located in the southern coast of China, were monitored by SPME-GC-MS and SPME-GC-FID. Water samples from five locations within Hong Kong waters were analysed and the levels of Irgarol-1051, M1 and M3 were found to be 0.1-1.6 μg l -1 , 36.8-259.0 μg l -1 and 0.03-0.39 μg l -1 , respectively. Our results indicate that M3 is relatively stable against photo-and bio-degradation and may pose considerable risk to primary producer communities in the coastal marine environment. - An s-triazine species resists degradation and may be a chemical risk for marine coastal communities

Listeria species in retail smoked fish at Jos, Nigeria | Chukwu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The prevalence of Listeria species in 65 samples of smoked fish at the retail markets in Jos, Nigeria, is reported. The experimental samples which included 30 catfish (Clarias species) and 35 Tilapia were screened for Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species using a two-step enrichment method. Total Listeria ...

Concentrations and trophic magnification of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in marine fish from the Bohai coastal area, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Lili; Wang, Shasha; Gao, Lirong; Huang, Huiting; Xia, Dan; Qiao, Lin; Liu, Wenbin

2018-03-01

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) have been found widely in the aquatic environment and can be transferred through food chains, which can magnify or dilute their toxic effects on humans. In this study, PCNs were analyzed in samples of 17 species of fish with different dietary habits collected in the Bohai coastal area in China. Dichloronaphthalenes, which have rarely been quantified in previous studies, were determined. The total PCN concentrations were from 7.3 to 214 pg/g wet weight, and the highest concentration was found in ditrema. The trichloronaphthalenes were the most abundant PCNs, followed by the dichloronaphthalenes and pentachloronaphthalenes. The relatively high contributions of the less-chlorinated homologs to the total PCN concentrations indicated that the main PCN sources around the Bohai were industrial thermal process emissions rather than technical PCN formulations. The trophic magnification factors of the PCN homologs were from 3.1 to 9.9, indicating that PCNs were biomagnified by fish. The trophic magnification factor of dichloronaphthalene and trichloronaphthalenes was 5.8 and 6.4, respectively, indicating for the first time that dichloronaphthalene and trichloronaphthalenes can undergo trophic magnification by fish. The two highest trophic magnification factors were for the pentachloronaphthalenes and hexachloronaphthalenes, probably because these PCNs having fewer vicinal carbon atoms without chlorine atoms attached are less easily biotransformed than the other homologs. The dioxin-like toxicities of the PCNs in the samples, expressed as potential toxic equivalences (TEQs), were assessed. The highest total TEQ was 0.0090 pg/g ww, in Pacific herring, and the hexachloronaphthalenes were the dominant contributors to the total TEQs in the fish samples. The PCN TEQs were much lower than the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl TEQs found in fish from the Bohai in previous studies, and

Checklist of non-indigenous fish species of the River Danube

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zorić Katarina

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Twenty non-indigenous fish species were recorded in the Danube River. The manner of their introduction, vectors, pathways, as well as invasive status are discussed. The major modes of introduction and translocation were found to be aquaculture and fish stocking. The main environmental consequences of the spread of alien fish are related to changes in the structure and functioning of the fish community and to the introduction of non-indigenous parasites. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. ON 173025, TR 37009 and III 43002 and European Commission 6th Framework Program: Integrated Project ALARM (contract GOCE-CT-2003-506675

Freshwater fishes in Greek lakes: Species richness and body size patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthi Oikonomou

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Freshwater ecosystems are widely recognised as hotspots of biodiversity and endemism; thus they are of great value for conservation biogeography. Amongst the taxa found in freshwater ecosystems, fish are the ideal biological model for testing biogeographical patterns and have often been used in large-scale ecological and biogeographical analyses. Lakes of Greece provide a unique opportunity to test biogeographical theories, however, biogeographical studies in Greece at broader, regional, scales, based on the distribution of freshwater species, species richness and endemism, are scarce. The aim of the current study is to test the effect of key environmental factors and spatial variables on species richness of lacustrine fishes and to test their effect on species’ size distributions. We assembled datasets of species richness and body size and environmental (predictor factors for 13 Greek lakes. Model selection procedures revealed that fish species richness increased with ecosystem area and decreased with altitude. In addition, our results showed that latitude per se is a good predictor of body size. Indeed, the mean size of lacustrine communities in the northern and southern lake ecosystems differed significantly. These patterns reflect the biogeographical history of these areas and highlight the crucial role connectivity plays in communities’ species composition.

Alien fish species in upper Sakarya River and their distribution ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

However, the fact that the flood plains have been reclaimed, excessive hunting, destruction of the ecologic balance and invasion of the area by the alien fish species threatens the fish stocks in Sakarya River. In this study, we aimed to determine the dispersion area of Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782), Oreochromis niloticus ...

On the occurrence of the Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus Bennet, 1833 (Carnivora: Felidae) in coastal Kerala, India

OpenAIRE

R. Janardhanan; S. Mukherjee; P.V. Karunakaran; R. Athreya

2014-01-01

The Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus is classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List and yet its distribution range within India is not resolved. In spite of its potential habitat being present in coastal Kerala, there are only a few, unsubstantiated records of the cat. Moreover, its occurrence in Sri Lanka strengthens the possibility of its presence (historical or current population) in southern India, including Kerala. This survey was conducted to assess the occurrence of the Fishing Ca...

REMOTE DETENTION OF INVASIVE AND OPPORTUNISTIC PLANT SPECIES IN GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS

Science.gov (United States)

Invasive and opportunistic plant species have been associated with wetland disturbance. Increases in the abundance of plant species such as common reed (Phragmites australis) in coastal Great Lakes wetlands are hypothesized to occur with shifts toward drier hydrologic regimes, fr...

78 FR 4836 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-23

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... steelhead promulgated under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The plan specifies fishery management...: January 17, 2013. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources...

76 FR 5338 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-31

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XA183 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... regulations (50 CFR parts 222-226) governing listed fish and wildlife permits. [[Page 5339

78 FR 77659 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-24

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XD040 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... NMFS regulations (50 CFR parts 222-226) governing listed fish and wildlife permits. [[Page 77660...

76 FR 6401 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-04

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XA110 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife submitted to NMFS, pursuant to the protective...

77 FR 67796 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-14

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XC342 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226). Those individuals...

Composition and temporal patterns of larval fish communities in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipe Ribeiro

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Comparing larval fish assemblages in different estuaries provides insights about the coastal distribution of larval populations, larval transport, and adult spawning locations (Ribeiro et al. 2015. We simultaneously compared the larval fish assemblages entering two Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB estuaries (Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay, USA through weekly sampling from 2007 to 2009. In total, 43 taxa (32 families and 36 taxa (24 families were collected in Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, respectively. Mean taxonomic diversity, mean richness, and evenness were generally lower in Delaware Bay. Communities of both bays were dominated by Anchoa spp., Gobiosoma spp., Micropogonias undulatus, and Brevoortia tyrannus; Paralichthys spp. was more abundant in Delaware Bay and Microgobius thalassinus was more abundant in Chesapeake Bay. Inter-annual variation in the larval fish communities was low at both sites, with a relatively consistent composition across years, but strong seasonal (intra-annual variation in species composition occurred in both bays. Two groups were identified in Chesapeake Bay: a ‘winter’ group dominated by shelf-spawned species (e.g. M. undulatus and a ‘summer’ group comprising obligate estuarine species and coastal species (e.g. Gobiosoma spp. and Cynoscion regalis, respectively. In Delaware Bay, 4 groups were identified: a ‘summer’ group of mainly obligate estuarine fishes (e.g. Menidia sp. being replaced by a ‘fall’ group (e.g. Ctenogobius boleosoma and Gobionellus oceanicus; ‘winter’ and ‘spring’ groups were dominated by shelf-spawned (e.g. M. undulatus and Paralichthys spp. and obligate estuarine species (e.g. Leiostomus xanthurus and Pseudopleuronectes americanus, respectively. This study demonstrates that inexpensive and simultaneous sampling in different estuaries provides important insights into the variability in community structure of fish assemblages at large spatial scales.

78 FR 4834 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-23

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XC444 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... species. Dated: January 16, 2013. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected...

77 FR 21084 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-09

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed research program is intended to increase knowledge.... Lisa Manning, Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine...

77 FR 34349 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-11

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... and steelhead under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The HGMPs specify the operations of four... Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries...

Changes in benthic fish assemblages as a consequence of coastal works in a coastal lagoon: The Mar Menor (Spain, Western Mediterranean).

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Ruzafa, A; García-Charton, J A; Barcala, E; Marcos, C

2006-01-01

The benthic fish assemblage of the Mar Menor consisted of 37 species. Dominant species are: Gobius cobitis, Lipophrys pavo and Tripterygion tripteronotus on infralittoral rocks; Pomatoschistus marmoratus, Callionymus pussillus, Callionymus risso and Solea vulgaris on sandy bottoms and Gobius niger, Syngnathus abaster, Hippocampus ramulosus and Symphodus cinereus on Cymodocea nodosa-Caulerpa prolifera mixed beds. From 1985 to 1989 tourist development has led to the creation of new beaches and the installation of artificial rocky structures for retaining sediments. Dredging for the extraction of sand and subsequent pumping altered sediment characteristics causing a real stress leading to the substitution of typical sandy bottoms communities with Cymodocea nodosa by Caulerpa prolifera communities on mud. Soft bottom fish assemblages responded to changes in vegetation cover and substratum characteristics mainly changing the species composition, while artificial hard substrata contain a similar fish community than natural ones, harbouring even richer and more diverse assemblages. This positive effect of breakwaters should not obscure their likely negative effects on hydrodynamics and the subsequent changes of sediment quality and vegetation cover on the breakwaters' area of influence.

Species persistence: a re-look at the freshwater fish fauna of Chennai, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.D.M. Knight

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Loss of habitat is one of the prime reasons for species extinction. It is generally established that certain classes of animals are more prone to extinction than others due to their restricted use of available habitats. Freshwater fish are among these sensitive animals. While local extinctions have rendered some species rare throughout their geographical range, many others have demonstrated higher levels of persistence. This paper focuses on a recent in-depth study of the primary freshwater fishes in and around Chennai. The study that spanned a period of two years recorded a total of 75 species of primary freshwater fish, of which 17 are new reports.

Ethnotaxonomical considerations and usage of ichthyofauna in a fishing community in Cear? State, Northeast Brazil

OpenAIRE

Pinto, M?rcia Freire; Mour?o, Jos? da Silva; Alves, R?mulo Romeu N?brega

2013-01-01

Background Artisanal fishery is one of the most important economic activities for human populations living in coastal areas. The traditional knowledge that fishermen have of fishes is of utmost importance for the establishment of conservation strategies for many species. This study aimed to analyse the knowledge of and utilization of fishes by the artisanal fishermen in a fishing community on the coast of Cear? State (Northeast Brazil). Methods In 2011, a number of semi-structured interviews ...

76 FR 5339 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-31

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XA182 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... are issued in accordance with and are subject to the ESA and NMFS regulations governing listed fish...

Prevalence of listeria, Aeromonas, and Vibrio species in fish used for human consumption in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Yücel, Nihal; Balci, Senay

2010-02-01

A total of 78 raw retail fish samples from 30 freshwater and 48 marine fish were examined for the presence of Listeria, Aeromonas, and Vibrio species. The overall incidence of Listeria spp. was 30% in freshwater samples and 10.4% in marine fish samples. Listeria monocytogenes (44.5%) was the most commonly isolated species in freshwater fish, and Listeria murrayi (83.5%) was the most commonly isolated species in marine fish samples. Motile aeromonads were more common in marine fish samples (93.7%) than in freshwater fish samples (10%). Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio fluvialis, and Vibrio damsela were isolated only in marine fish samples, representing 40.9, 38.6, and 36.3% of Vibrio isolates, respectively. In freshwater and marine fish, the highest incidences of Listeria and Aeromonas were found in skin samples; the highest incidence of Vibrio in marine fish was found in gill samples. The location of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in a fish was significantly different among freshwater fish. A high incidence of these bacterial pathogens was found in the brown trout (Salmo trutta) and horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). Handling of contaminated fish, cross-contamination, or eating raw fish might pose a health hazard, especially in immunosuppressed individuals, elderly people, and children. This study highlights the importance of bacterial pathogens in fish intended for human consumption, but more study is needed.

Expression levels of parvalbumins determine allergenicity of fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Griesmeier, U; Vázquez-Cortés, S; Bublin, M; Radauer, C; Ma, Y; Briza, P; Fernández-Rivas, M; Breiteneder, H

2010-02-01

Parvalbumins are the most important fish allergens. Polysensitization to various fish species is frequently reported and linked to the cross-reactivity of their parvalbumins. Studies on cross-reactivity and its association to the allergenicity of purified natural parvalbumins from different fish species are still lacking. In addition, some studies indicate that dark muscled fish such as tuna are less allergenic. Total protein extracts and purified parvalbumins from cod, whiff, and swordfish, all eaten frequently in Spain, were tested for their IgE-binding properties with 16 fish allergic patients' sera from Madrid. The extent of cross-reactivity of these parvalbumins was investigated by IgE ELISA inhibition assays. Additionally, the cDNA sequences of whiff and swordfish parvalbumins were determined. Extractable amounts of parvalbumins from cod were 20 times and from whiff 30 times higher than from swordfish. Parvalbumins were recognized by 94% of the patients in extracts of cod and whiff, but only by 60% in swordfish extracts. Nevertheless, a high cross-reactivity was determined for all purified parvalbumins by IgE inhibition. The amino acid sequence identities of the three parvalbumins were in a range of 62-74%. The parvalbumins of cod, whiff and swordfish are highly cross-reactive. The high amino acid sequence identity among cod, whiff and swordfish parvalbumins results in the observed IgE cross-reactivity. The low allergenicity of swordfish is due to the low expression levels of its parvalbumin.

Temporal variation in the dispersion patterns of metazoan parasites of a coastal fish species from the Gulf of Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal-Martínez, V M; Pal, P; Aguirre-Macedo, M L; May-Tec, A L; Lewis, J W

2014-03-01

Global climate change (GCC) is expected to affect key environmental variables such as temperature and rainfall, which in turn influence the infection dynamics of metazoan parasites in tropical aquatic hosts. Thus, our aim was to determine how temporal patterns of temperature and rainfall influence the mean abundance and aggregation of three parasite species of the fish Cichlasoma urophthalmus from Yucatán, México. We calculated mean abundance and the aggregation parameter of the negative binomial distribution k for the larval digeneans Oligogonotylus manteri and Ascocotyle (Phagicola) nana and the ectoparasite Argulus yucatanus monthly from April 2005 to December 2010. Fourier analysis of time series and cross-correlations were used to determine potential associations between mean abundance and k for the three parasite species with water temperature and rainfall. Both O. manteri and A. (Ph.) nana exhibited their highest frequency peaks in mean abundance at 6 and 12 months, respectively, while their peak in k occurred every 24 months. For A. yucatanus the frequency peaks in mean abundance and k occurred every 12 months. We suggest that the level of aggregation at 24 months of O. manteri increases the likelihood of fish mortality. Such a scenario is less likely for A. (Ph.) nana and A. yucatanus, due to their low infection levels. Our findings suggest that under the conditions of GCC it would be reasonable to expect higher levels of parasite aggregation in tropical aquatic hosts, in turn leading to a potential increase in parasite-induced host mortality.

Dynamic estuarine plumes and fronts: importance to small fish and plankton in coastal waters of NSW, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Kingsford, M. J.; Suthers, I. M.

1994-05-01

In 1990, low density estuarine plumes in the vicinity of Botany Bay, Australia, extended up to 11 km across a narrow continental shelf ( ca 25 km) on ebb tides. The shape and seaward extent of plumes varied according to a combination of state of the tide, freshwater input and the direction and intensity of coastal currents. Offshore plumes dissipated on the flood tide and fronts reformed at the entrance of Botany Bay. Major differences in the abundance and composition of ichthyoplankton and other zooplankton were found over a 400-800 m stretch of water encompassing waters of the plume, front and ocean on seven occasions. For example, highest abundances of the fishes Gobiidae, Sillaginidae, Gerreidae and Sparidae as well as barnacle larvae and fish eggs were found in plumes. Cross-shelf distribution patterns of zooplankton, therefore, are influenced by plumes. Distinct assemblages of plankters accumulated in fronts, e.g. fishes of the Mugilidae and Gonorynchidae and other zooplankters (e.g. Jaxea sp.). Accumulation in fronts was variable and may relate to variable convergence according to the tide. We argue that plumes provide a significant cue to larvae in coastal waters that an estuary is nearby. Moreover, although many larvae may be retained in the turbid waters of plumes associated with riverine input, larvae are potentially exported in surface waters on ebb tides.

77 FR 27188 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-09

... and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... regulations promulgated for Pacific salmon and steelhead under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The HGMPs...). Dated: May 3, 2012. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources...

The diet and consumption of dominant fish species in the upper Scheldt estuary, Belgium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maes, J.; De Brabandere, Loreto; Ollevier, F.

2003-01-01

Seasonal changes in the diet composition and trophic niche overlap were examined for the dominant members of the fish assemblage of the turbid low-salinity zone of the Scheldt estuary (Belgium). Samples of fish were taken in the cooling water of a power plant. Juveniles of eight species dominated...... of trophic niche overlap showed that, in general, niche overlap between individuals of the same species was significantly higher than overlap between individuals from different species, suggesting that the available food resources were partitioned. The total annual prey consumption by the dominant fish...

DNA barcoding commercially important fish species of Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Keskın, Emre; Atar, Hasan H