Distribution and life history of two diminutive flatfishes, Citharichthys gymnorhinus and C. cornutus (Pleuronectiformes: Paralichthyidae), in the western North Atlantic

Citharichthys cornutus and C. gymnorhinus, diminutive flatfishes inhabiting continental shelves in the western Atlantic Ocean, are infrequently reported and poorly known. We identified 594 C. cornutus in 56 different field collections (68–287 m; most between 101–200 m) off the eastern United States, Bahamas, and eastern Caribbean Sea. Historical records and recently captured specimens document the northern geographic range of adults on the shelf off New Jersey (40°N, 70°W). Citharichthys cornutus measured 17.2–81.3 mm standard length (SL); males (20.0–79.1 mm SL) and females (28.0–81.3 mm SL) attain similar sizes (sex could not be determined for fish <20 mm SL). Males reach nearly 100% maturity at ≥60 mm SL. The smallest mature females are 41.5 mm SL, and by 55.1 mm SL virtually all are mature. Juveniles are found with adults on the outer shelf. Only 214 C. gymnorhinus were located in 42 different field collections (35–201 m, with 90% between 61 and 120 m) off the east coast of the United States, Bahamas, and eastern Caribbean Sea. Adults are found as far north as the shelf off Cape Hatteras, NC (35°N, 75°W). This diminutive species (to 52.4 mm SL) is among the smallest flatfishes but males (n=131; 20.3–52.4 mm SL) attain a slightly larger maximum size than that of females (n=58; 26.2–48.0 mm SL). Males begin to mature between 29 and 35 mm SL and reach 100% maturity by 35–40 mm SL. Some females are mature at 29 mm SL, and all females >35.1 mm SL are mature. Overlooked specimens in museum collections and literature enabled us to correct long-standing inaccuracies in northern distributional limits that appear in contemporary literature and electronic data bases for these species. Associated locality-data for these specimens allow for proper evaluation of distributional information for these species in relation to hypotheses regarding shifts in species ranges due to climate change effects.

Abundance and distribution of the eastern North Pacific Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) population

The eastern Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) population comprises animals that breed along the west coast of North America between California and southeastern Alaska. There are currently 13 major rookeries (>50 pups): five in southeastern Alaska, three in British Columbia, two in Oregon, and three in California. Overall abundance has increased at an average annual rate of 3.1% since the 1970s. These increases can largely be attributed to population recovery from predator-control kills and commercial harvests, and abundance is now probably as high as it has been in the last century. The number of rookeries has remained fairly constant (n=11 to 13) over the past 80 years, but there has been a northward shift in distribution of both rookeries and numbers of animals. Based on the number of pups counted in a population-wide survey in 2002, total pup production was estimated to be about 11,000 (82% in southeastern Alaska and British Columbia), representing a total population size as approximately 46,000−58,000 animal

Distribution and Abundance of Steller Sea Lions, Eumetopias jubatus, on the Asian Coast, 1720's-2005

We analyzed published and archived records for the past 250 years to assess changes in distribution and abundance of Steller sea lions, Eumetopias jubatus, along the Asian coast from the Bering Strait to the Korean Peninsula. We found that the northern extent of Steller sea lion distribution has not changed but that the southern limit has moved north by some 500–900 km (~300–500 n.mi.) over the past 50 years. Additionally, the number of animals and their distribution has changed on the Commander Islands, Kuril Islands, and Kamchatka Peninsula. We found no changes in the number of rookeries in the northern Sea of Okhotsk, but a new rookery was established at Tuleny Island on the eastern coast of Sakhalin Island. We estimate that the total abundance of Steller sea lions along the Asian coast in the late 19th century was about 115,000 animals; during the 1960’s, the total estimate was about 27,000 (including pups), most of which were in the Kuril Islands. The fewest number of Steller sea lions occurred in the northwestern Pacific in the late 1980’s–early 1990’s when only about 13,000 individuals (including pups) were estimated in the entire region. During the 1990’s, and especially in early 2000, an increasing trend in abundance occurred in most areas. Present estimated abundance of Steller sea lions in Asia is about 16,000 individuals (including about 5,000 pups), about half of which occur in the Kuril Islands. Changes in abundance occurred during all time periods but varied by site and period. Specifically, over the past 150 years Steller sea lion abundance at most sites has changed. There were no rookeries on the Commander Islands between 1850 and 1960 and abundance was low, but by 1977, abundance increased to 4,800 individuals and a rookery was established in the mid 1980’s; abundance there has declined since the early 1980’s and in 2004 only 895 individuals (including 221 pups) were counted during the breeding season. Between 1940 and 2004, abundance along the eastern coast of Kamchatka declined from ~7,000 to ~600 individuals, an overall reduction of 90%. Steller sea lion abundance on the Kuril Islands declined by >90% from the 1800’s to 2005; the most severe decline there occurred during 1969–1981. Steller sea lion numbers in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk declined during 1930–2002 from 7,200 to 3,100 individuals. Numbers at Tuleny Island have increased since establishment of a rookery there during 1983–2005 and by immigration from other sites.

Blue Marlin, Makaira nigricans, Movements in the Western North Atlantic Ocean: Results of a Cooperative Game Fish Tagging Program, 1954-88

Blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, tag and recapture data are summarized for 1954-1988. During this period, 8,447 fish have been tagged and only 30 (0.35 percent) have been returned. Results of the tagging program indicate that blue marlin not only travel considerable distances (7,OOO km from the U. S. Virgin Islands to the Ivory Coast of West Africa), but have remained at large for up to 8 years. Seasonal movements, however, are difficult to determine accurately.

Seasonality in the coastal ocean of North America, 35°N - 48°N [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): The seasonal cycles of coastal wind stress, adjusted sea level height (ASL), shelf currents and water temperatures off the west coast of North America (35°N to 48°N) were estimated by fitting annual and semiannual harmonics to data from 1981-1983. Longer records of monthly ASL indicate that these two harmonics adequately represent the long-term monthly average seasonal cycle, and that the current measurement period is long enough to define the seasonal cycles, with relatively small errors in magnitude and phase.

A Biogeographic assessment off North/Central California: In support of the National Marine Sanctuaries of Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase II - Environmental setting and update to marine birds and animals

NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) conducts and supports research, monitoring, assessments, and technical assistance to meet NOAA’s coastal stewardship and management responsibilities. In 2001 the Biogeography Branch of NCCOS partnered with NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) to conduct biogeographic assessments to support the management plan updates for the sanctuaries. The first biogeographic assessment conducted in this partnership focused on three sanctuaries off north/ central California: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase I of this assessment was conducted from 2001 to 2004, with the primary goal to identify and gather the best available data and information to characterize and identify important biological areas and time periods within the study area. The study area encompasses the three sanctuaries and extends along the coastal ocean off California from Pt. Arena to Pt. Sal (35°-39°N). This partnership project was lead by the NCCOS Biogeography Branch, but included over 90 contributors and 25 collaborating institutions. Phase I results include: 1) a report on the overall assessment that includes hundreds of maps, tables and analyses; 2) an ecological linkage report on the marine and estuarine ecosystems along the coast of north/central California, and 3) related geographic information system (GIS) data and other summary data files, which are available for viewing and download in several formats at the following website: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/canms_cd/welcome.html Phase II (this report) was initiated in the Fall of 2004 to complete the analyses of marine mammals and update the marine bird colony information. Phase II resulted in significant updates to the bird and mammal chapters, as well as adding an environmental settings chapter, which contains new and existing data and maps on the study area. Specifically, the following Phase II topics and items were either revised or developed new for Phase II: •environmental, ecological settings – new maps on marine physiographic features, sea surface temperature and fronts, chlorophyll and productivity •all bird colony or roost maps, including a summary of marine bird colonies •updated at-sea data CDAS data set (1980-2003) •all mammal maps and descriptions •new overall density maps for eight mammal species •new summary pinniped rookery/haulout map •new maps on at-sea richness for cetaceans and pinnipeds •most text in the mammal chapter •new summary tables for mammals on population status and spatial and temporal patterns

Fish and habitat community assessments on North Carolina shipwrecks: potential sites for detecting climate change in the graveyard of the Atlantic

The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary (MNMS) was the nation’s first sanctuary, originally established in 1975 to protect the famous civil war ironclad shipwreck, the USS Monitor. Since 2008, sanctuary sponsored archeological research has branched out to include historically significant U-boats and World War II shipwrecks within the larger Graveyard of the Atlantic off the coast of North Carolina. These shipwrecks are not only important for their cultural value, but also as habitat for a wide diversity of fishes, invertebrates and algal species. Additionally, due to their unique location within an important area for biological productivity, the sanctuary and other culturally valuable shipwrecks within the Graveyard of the Atlantic are potential sites for examining community change. For this reason, from June 8-30, 2010, biological and ecological investigations were conducted at four World War II shipwrecks (Keshena, City of Atlanta, Dixie Arrow, EM Clark), as part of the MNMS 2010 Battle of the Atlantic (BOTA) research project. At each shipwreck site, fish community surveys were conducted and benthic photo-quadrats were collected to characterize the mobile conspicuous fish, smaller prey fish, and sessile invertebrate and algal communities. In addition, temperature sensors were placed at all four shipwrecks previously mentioned, as well as an additional shipwreck, the Manuela. The data, which establishes a baseline condition to use in future assessments, suggest strong differences in both the fish and benthic communities among the surveyed shipwrecks based on the oceanographic zone (depth). In order to establish these shipwrecks as sites for detecting community change it is suggested that a subset of locations across the shelf be selected and repeatedly sampled over time. In order to reduce variability within sites for both the benthic and fish communities, a significant number of surveys should be conducted at each location. This sampling strategy will account for the natural differences in community structure that exist across the shelf due to the oceanographic regime, and allow robust statistical analyses of community differences over time.

Migration patterns of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in the North Pacific Ocean

From 1978 to 1988, approximately 71,000 spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) were tagged off the west coast of Canada. This program is the most extensive tagging study conducted for a shark species. Twelve years after the last year of tagging, recaptured tagged spiny dogfish are still being reported. As of December 2000, 2940 tagged fish (4.1%) have been recaptured. Spiny dogfish were tagged in three major areas: Strait of Georgia, west coast Vancouver Island, and northern British Columbia waters. Generally, spiny dogfish were recaptured close to their release site; however, extensive migrations (up to 7000 km) did occur. Migration rates varied across release areas. Spiny dogfish tagged in the Strait of Georgia underwent the least extensive movement; only 10–14% of the recaptures occurred outside the strait. Spiny dogfish tagged off the west coast of Vancouver Island or in northern British Columbia waters underwent more extensive movement; approximately 49–80% of the tagged spiny dogfish recaptured outside of the release areas. Spiny dogfish from all three release areas were recaptured off the west coast of United States and Alaska. Most impressive are the recaptures of tagged spiny dogfish off the coast of Japan. Over 30 spiny dog-fish were recaptured near Japan, most of which originated off the west coast of Vancouver Island or from northern British Columbia waters.

The early life history of swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in the western North Atlantic

Lengths and ages of sword-fish (Xiphias gladius) estimated from increments on otoliths of larvae collected in the Caribbean Sea, Florida Straits, and off the southeastern United States, indicated two growth phases. Larvae complete yolk and oil globule absorption 5 to 6 days after hatching (DAH). Larvae <13 mm preserved standard length (PSL) grow slowly (~0.3 mm/d); larvae from 13 to 115 mm PSL grow rapidly (~6 mm/d). The acceleration in growth rate at 13 days follows an abrupt (within 3 days) change in diet, and in jaw and alimentary canal structure. The diet of swordfish larvae is limited. Larvae <8 mm PSL from the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and off the southeastern United States eat exclusively copepods, primarily of one genus, Corycaeus. Larvae 9 to 11 mm eat copepods and chaetognaths; larvae >11 mm eat exclusively neustonic fish larvae. This diet indicates that young larvae <11 mm occupy the near-surface pelagia, whereas, older and longer larvae are neustonic. Spawning dates for larvae collected in various regions of the western North Atlantic, along with the abundance and spatial distribution of the youngest larvae, indicate that spawning peaks in three seasons and in five regions. Swordfish spawn in the Caribbean Sea, or possibly to the east, in winter, and in the western Gulf of Mexico in spring. Elsewhere swordfish spawn year-round, but spawning peaks in the spring in the north-central Gulf of Mexico, in the summer off southern Florida, and in the spring and early summer off the southeastern United States. The western Gulf Stream frontal zone is the focus of spawning off the southeastern coast of the United States, whereas spawning in the Gulf of Mexico seems to be focused in the vicinity of the Gulf Loop Current. Larvae may use the Gulf of Mexico and the outer continental shelf off the east coast of the United States as nursery areas. Some larvae may be transported northward, but trans-Atlantic transport of larvae is unlikely.

Vertical temperature structure of 250 m. water layer around Sri Lanka at the tail-end of the north-east monsoon

Data collected during cruises of the Hoyo Maru in Jan-Mar 1975 are analysed. Data is tabulated to show vertical temp profile, surface water temp and temp gradient. Each of these features is discussed. Thermoclines are shown to be established off the coast of India, their depth varying according to time of year. Upwelling off the Cochin coast is discussed. This occurs during Oct-Nov. Surface temp is considerably influenced by the north-east monsoon. The 'clockwise current' (or 'transparent current) characterised by high salinity, high transparency, and rich nutrient conchs, and which prevails in Jan-May brings oceanic water into the Bay of Bengal and sweeps along the Ceylon coast.

PICES-GLOBEC International Program on Climate Change and Carrying Capacity: Report of 2001 BASS/MODEL, MONITOR and REX Workshops, and the 2002 MODEL/REX Workshop

Table of Contents [pdf, 0.22 Mb] Executive Summary [pdf, 0.31 Mb] Report of the 2001 BASS/MODEL Workshop [pdf, 0.65 Mb] To review ecosystem models for the subarctic gyres Report of the 2001 MONITOR Workshop [pdf, 0.7 Mb] To review ecosystem models for the subarctic gyres Workshop presentations: Sonia D. Batten PICES Continuous Plankton Recorder pilot project Phillip R. Mundy GEM (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council`s "Gulf Ecosystem Monitoring" initiative) and U.S. GOOS plans in the North Pacific Ron McLaren and Brian O`Donnell A proposal for a North Pacific Action group of the international Data Buoy Cooperation Panel Gilberto Gaxiola-Castrol and Sila Najera-Martinez The Mexican oceanographic North Pacific program: IMECOCAL Sydney Levitus Building global ocean profile and plankton databases for scientific research Report of the 2001 REX Workshop [pdf, 1.73 Mb] On temporal variations in size-at-age for fish species in coastal areas around the Pacific Rim Workshop presentations: Brian J. Pyper, Randall M. Peterman, Michael F. Lapointe and Carl J. Walters [pdf, 0.33 Mb] Spatial patterns of covariation in size-at-age of British Columbia and Alaska sockeye salmon stocks and effects of abundance and ocean temperature R. Bruce MacFarlane, Steven Ralston, Chantell Royer and Elizabeth C. Norton [pdf, 0.4 Mb] Influences of the 1997-1998 El Niño and 1999 La Niña on juvenile Chinook salmon in the Gulf of the Farallones Olga S. Temnykh and Sergey L. Marchenko [pdf, 0.5 Mb] Variability of the pink salmon sizes in relation with abundance of Okhotsk Sea stocks Ludmila A. Chernoivanova, Alexander N. Vdoven and D.V. Antonenko [pdf, 0.3 Mb] The characteristic growth rate of herring in Peter the Great Bay (Japan/East Sea) Nikolay I. Naumenko [pdf, 0.5 Mb] Temporal variations in size-at-age of the western Bering Sea herring Evelyn D. Brown [pdf, 0.45 Mb] Effects of climate on Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii, in the northern Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound, Alaska Jake Schweigert, Fritz Funk, Ken Oda and Tom Moore [pdf, 0.6 Mb] Herring size-at-age variation in the North Pacific Ron W. Tanasichuk [pdf, 0.3 Mb] Implications of variation in euphausiid productivity for the growth, production and resilience of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) from the southwest coast of Vancouver Island Chikako Watanabe, Ahihiko Yatsu and Yoshiro Watanabe [pdf, 0.3 Mb] Changes in growth with fluctuation of chub mackerel abundance in the Pacific waters off central Japan from 1970 to 1997 Yoshiro Watanabe, Yoshiaki Hiyama, Chikako Watanabe and Shiro Takayana [pdf, 0.35 Mb] Inter-decadal fluctuations in length-at-age of Hokkaido-Sakhalin herring and Japanese sardine in the Sea of Japan Pavel A. Balykin and Alexander V. Buslov [pdf, 0.4 Mb] Long-term variability in length of walley pollock in the western Bering Sea and east Kamchtka Alexander A. Bonk [pdf, 0.4 Mb] Effect of population abundance increase on herring distribution in the western Bering Sea Sergey N. Tarasyuk [pdf, 0.4 Mb] Survival of yellowfin sole (Limanda aspera Pallas) in the northern part of the Tatar Strait (Sea of Japan) during the second half of the 20th century Report of the 2002 MODEL/REX Workshop [pdf, 1.2 Mb] To develop a marine ecosystem model of the North Pacific Ocean including pelagic fishes Summary and Overview [pdf, 0.4 Mb] Workshop presentations: Bernard A. Megrey, Kenny Rose, Francisco E. Werner, Robert A. Klumb and Douglas E. Hay [pdf, 0.47 Mb] A generalized fish bioenergetics/biomass model with an application to Pacific herring Robert A. Klumb [pdf, 0.34 Mb] Review of Clupeid biology with emphasis on energetics Douglas E. Hay [pdf, 0.47 Mb] Reflections of factors affecting size-at-age and strong year classes of herring in the North Pacific Shin-ichi Ito, Yutaka Kurita, Yoshioki Oozeki, Satoshi Suyama, Hiroya Sugisaki and Yongjin Tian [pdf, 0.34 Mb] Review for Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) study under the VENFISH project lexander V. Leonov and Gennady A. Kantakov [pdf, 0.34 Mb] Formalization of interactions between chemical and biological compartments in the mathematical model describing the transformation of nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon and carbon compounds Herring group report and model results [pdf, 0.34 Mb] Saury group report and model results [pdf, 0.46 Mb] Model experiments and hypotheses Recommendations [pdf, 0.4 Mb] Achievements and future steps Acknowledgements [pdf, 0.29 Mb] References [pdf, 0.32 Mb] Appendix 1. List of Participants [pdf, 0.32 Mb] Appendices 2-5. FORTRAN codes [pdf, 0.4 Mb] (Document pdf contains 182 pages)

Proceedings of the Second PICES Workshop on the Okhotsk Sea and Adjacent Areas [Nemuro, Japan, November 9-12, 1998]

Table of Contents [pdf, 0.01 Mb] Preface [pdf, 0.01 Mb] Masaaki Aota Long-term tendencies of sea ice concentration and air temperature in the Okhotsk Sea coast of Hokkaido [pdf, 0.05 Mb] Hajime Ito & Miki Yoshioka Geography of the seasonally ice covered seas [pdf, 0.5 Mb] George V. Shevchenko & Victor F. Putov On wind and tide induced sea-ice drift on the northeastern shelf of Sakhalin Island (analysis of radar data) [pdf, 0.96 Mb] Boris S. Dyakov, A.A. Nikitin, L. S. Muktepavel & T.A. Shatilina Variability of the Japan and Okhotsk Seas ice cover depending on geopotential field H500 over the Far-Eastern region [pdf, 0.10 Mb] Aleksandr G. Petrov & Nikolay A. Rykov Intermediate cold layer and ice cover in the Sea of Okhotsk [pdf, 0.37 Mb] Vladimir Ponomarev, Olga Trusenkova, Elena Ustinova & Dmitry Kaplunenko Interannual variations of oceanographic and meteorological characteristics in the Sea of Okhotsk [pdf, 0.16 Mb] George V. Shevchenko & Akie Kato Seasonal and interannual changes of atmospheric pressure, air and water temperature in the area of the Kuril Ridge [pdf, 0.13 Mb] George V. Shevchenko & Vladimir Yu. Saveliev Spatial variability of the wind field in the area of the Kuril Islands [pdf, 0.15 Mb] Alexander L. Figurkin & Igor A. Zhigalov Seasonal variability and specifity of the oceanological conditions in the northern Okhotsk Sea in 1997 [pdf, 1.04 Mb] Igor A. Zhabin Ventilation of the upper portion of the intermediate water in the Okhotsk Sea [pdf, 0.80 Mb] Vladimir A. Luchin & Alexander L. Figurkin Oceanographic conditions over the Kashevarov Bank [pdf, 0.61 Mb] Toshiyuki Awaji, Tomohiro Nakamura, Takaki Hatayama, Kazunori Akimoto & Takatoshi Takizawa Tidal exchange through the Kuril Straits [pdf, 2.01 Mb] Tomohiro Nakamura, Toshiyuki Awaji, Takaki Hatayama, Kazunori Akimoto, Takatoshi Takizawa & Masao Fukasawa Vertical mixing induced by tidally generated internal waves in the Kuril Straits [pdf, 0.83 Mb] Katsuro Katsumata & Ichiro Yasuda Water exchange between the Okhotsk Sea and the North Pacific Ocean estimated by simple models [pdf, 0.97 Mb] Konstantin A. Rogachev Oyashio west path culmination as the consequence of a rapid thermohaline transition in the Pacific Subarctic [pdf, 0.22 Mb] Yasuhiro Kawasaki On the year-to-year change in subarctic water characteristics around the Kuril Islands [pdf, 0.39 Mb] Alexander L. Figurkin & Evgeniy E. Ovsyannikov Influence of oceanological conditions of the West Kamchatka shelf waters on spawning grounds and on pollock egg distribution [pdf, 0.97 Mb] Igor E. Kochergin & Alexander A. Bogdanovsky Transport and turbulence characteristics for the northeastern Sakhalin shelf conditions [pdf, 0.08 Mb] Igor E. Kochergin, Alexander A. Bogdanovsky, Valentina D. Budaeva, Vyacheslav G. Makarov, Vasily F. Mishukov, S.N. Ovsienko, Victor F. Putov, L.A. Reitsema, J.W. Sciallabba, O.O. Sergucheva & P.V. Yarosh Modeling of oil spills for the shelf conditions of northeastern Sakhalin [pdf, 0.32 Mb] Valentina D. Budaeva & Vyacheslav G. Makarov A peculiar water regime of currents in the area of eastern Sakhalin shelf [pdf, 0.66 Mb] Nikolay A. Rykov The oceanographic databases on the Sakhalin shelf [pdf, 0.27 Mb] Akifumi Nakata, Iori Tanaka, Hiroki Yagi, Tomomi Watanabe, Gennady A. Kantakov & Andrew D. Samatov Formation of high-density water (over 26.8 sigma-t) near the La Perouse Strait (the Soya Strait) [pdf, 0.09 Mb] Minoru Odamaki & Kouji Iwamoto Currents and tidal observations by Hydrographic Department of Maritime Safety Agency, off the Okhotsk coast of Hokkaido [pdf, 0.16 Mb] Yasushi Fukamachi, Genta Mizuta, Kay I. Ohshima, Motoyo Itoh, Masaaki Wakatsuchi & Masaaki Aota Mooring measurements off Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido in 1997-1998 [pdf, 0.19 Mb] Mikhail A. Danchenkov, David Aubrey & Stephen C. Riser Oceanographic features of the La Perouse Strait [pdf, 0.91 Mb] Iori Tanaka & Akifumi Nakata Results of direct current measurements in the La Perouse Strait (the Soya Strait), 1995-1998 [pdf, 0.06 Mb] Gennady A. Kantakov & George V. Shevchenko In situ observations of Tsushima and West-Sakhalin currents near La Perouse (Soya) Strait [pdf, 0.79 Mb] Irina Y. Bragina Geographical and biological characteristics of the net zooplankton in the southwestern part of the Sea of Okhotsk during 1987-1996 [pdf, 0.27 Mb] List of corresponding authors [pdf, 0.01 Mb] (Document pdf contains 193 pages)

Mollusks taken by Beam Trawl in the vicinity of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary on the Continental Shelf off Georgia, Southeastern U.S.

Mollusks were sorted from samples of shell hash (obtained as bycatch during NOAA-sponsored studies of larval and juvenile fish distribution), and analyzed to gain qualitative insights on species composition, distribution and habitat affinities of the molluscan fauna on the continental shelf off Georgia. Samples came from beam trawls at 37 stations located in the immediate vicinity and offshore of the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) at depths of 4.9 to 103 m. Two hundred sixty-three (263) taxa of mollusks (~58% as dead shells only) were collected, and nearly all (~99%) were identified to the species level. Ninety-seven of these taxa appeared in samples from one or more of the four stations established near the corners of the GRNMS. Samples were highly variable in terms of appearance, volume and species composition of mollusks, reflecting the extreme patchiness of benthic habitats within this region of the continental shelf. With very few exceptions, the mollusks were generally characteristic of either the Carolinian or Caribbean faunal provinces. The Georgia continental shelf, however, was outside the previously reported ranges for at least 16 of the species reported here. Most of these extralimital species were known previously from the East Coast of Florida, and represented northerly range extensions of 1-5° Latitude (110-560 km). One species represented a more significant range extension from the Bahamas and the southern Caribbean, and two represented southerly range extensions, known previously from only as close as off North Carolina. The high incidence of range extensions found in this study and the potential for discovery of additional species are discussed in the context of the diversity and patchiness of benthic habitats on the continental shelf of the region, and the sensitivity of species recruitment to variability in Gulf Stream patterns and global climate change. (PDF contains 52 pages)

An Integrated Assessment of the Introduction of Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) to the Western Atlantic Ocean.

Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) are venomous coral reef fishes from the Indian and western Pacific oceans that are now found in the western Atlantic Ocean. Adult lionfish have been observed from Miami, Florida to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and juvenile lionfish have been observed off North Carolina, New York, and Bermuda. The large number of adults observed and the occurrence of juveniles indicate that lionfish are established and reproducing along the southeast United States coast. Introductions of marine species occur in many ways. Ballast water discharge, a very common method of introduction for marine invertebrates, is responsible for many freshwater fish introductions. In contrast, most marine fish introductions result from intentional stocking for fishery purposes. Lionfish, however, likely were introduced via unintentional or intentional aquarium releases, and the introduction of lionfish into United States waters should lead to an assessment of the threat posed by the aquarium trade as a vector for fish introductions. Currently, no management actions are being taken to limit the effect of lionfish on the southeast United States continental shelf ecosystem. Further, only limited funds have been made available for research. Nevertheless, the extent of the introduction has been documented and a forecast of the maximum potential spread of lionfish is being developed. Under a scenario of no management actions and limited research, three predictions are made: ● With no action, the lionfish population will continue to grow along the southeast United States shelf. ● Effects on the marine ecosystem of the southeast United States will become more noticeable as the lionfish population grows. ● There will be incidents of lionfish envenomations of divers and/or fishers along the east coast of the United States. Removing lionfish from the southeast United States continental shelf ecosystem would be expensive and likely impossible. A bounty could be established that would encourage the removal of fish and provide specimens for research. However, the bounty would need to be lower than the price of fish in the aquarium trade (~$25-$50 each) to ensure that captured specimens were from the wild. Such a low bounty may not provide enough incentive for capturing lionfish in the wild. Further, such action would only increase the interaction between the public and lionfish, increasing the risk of lionfish envenomations. As the introduction of lionfish is very likely irreversible, future actions should focus on five areas. 1) The population of lionfish should be tracked. 2) Research should be conducted so that scientists can make better predictions regarding the status of the invasion and the effects on native species, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services. 3) Outreach and education efforts must be increased, both specifically toward lionfish and more generally toward the aquarium trade as a method of fish introductions. 4) Additional regulation should be considered to reduce the frequency of marine fish introduction into U.S. waters. However, the issue is more complicated than simply limiting the import of non-native species, and these complexities need to be considered simultaneously. 5) Health care providers along the east coast of the United States need to be notified that a venomous fish is now resident along the southeast United States. The introduction and spread of lionfish illustrates the difficulty inherent in managing introduced species in marine systems. Introduced species often spread via natural mechanisms after the initial introduction. Efforts to control the introduction of marine fish will fail if managers do not consider the natural dispersal of a species following an introduction. Thus, management strategies limiting marine fish introductions need to be applied over the scale of natural ecological dispersal to be effective, pointing to the need for a regional management approach defined by natural processes not by political boundaries. The introduction and success of lionfish along the east coast should change the long-held perception that marine fish invasions are a minimal threat to marine ecosystems. Research is needed to determine the effects of specific invasive fish species in specific ecosystems. More broadly, a cohesive plan is needed to manage, mitigate and minimize the effects of marine invasive fish species on ecosystems that are already compromised by other human activities. Presently, the magnitude of marine fish introductions as a stressor on marine ecosystems cannot be quantified, but can no longer be dismissed as negligible. (PDF contains 31 pages)

Preliminary guide to the identification of the early life history stages of Priacanthid fishes of the Western Central Atlantic

The family Priacanthidae contains four genera and four species that occur in the western central North Atlantic (Starnes, 1988). Pristigenys alta is distributed in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and along the east coast of North America. Although juveniles have been reported from as far north as southern New England waters, adults are not reported north of Cape Hatteras, NC. Priacanthus arenatus is distributed in tropical and tropically influenced areas of the western central North Atlantic in insular and continental shelf waters. Adult P. arenatus are distributed north to North Carolina and Bermuda, juveniles have been collected as far north as Nova Scotia. Cookeolus japonicus and Heteropriacanthus cruentatus are circumglobally distributed species and are both common in insular habitats. In the western central North Atlantic, C. japonicus ranges from New Jersey to Argentina; H. cruentatus from New Jersey and northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil (Starnes, 1988). (PDF contains 6 pages)