Activity of perch, Perca fluviatilis L. in relation to water temperature [Translation from: Kalamies 1973(6) 4.]

Catchability and activity of Perca fluviatilis in relation to temperature is examined. The number of fish caught and water temperature during the 3 summer months was used the assess the numbers of hours of activity of perch. Parallel to the research on activity, large-scale marking was carried out to establish the periods of growth during the year.

Wadge Bank trawl fishery studies. Pt. 4. An analysis of the length frequency measurements of the sea bream (Lethrinus nebulosus) made in 1949 and 1953 to 1958

Length frequency distributions of the sea bream collected during the period 1953 to 1958 have been analysed. The increase in average sizes of the sea bream with depth suggests a movement to deeper waters with increase in size. By numbers, the sea bream is more abundant between 21 and 30 fathoms than in deeper areas. The recruitment was continuous and regular. There is no sign of entry or progression of a dominant brood throughout the period under study. Length frequency distribution shows three distinct modes. The first mode occurs regularly but does not progress beyond 40cm, recruitment being balanced by natural and fishing mortality. The other two which are not regular are probably the result of fishing outside regular areas. Short sections of “growth” lines which fit into one another when extrapolated, are evident. The larger lines obtained by extrapolation are parallel to one another. These tentative "growth lines" indicate that this species which enters the fishing grounds, when 15 cm or larger in length are exploited by the trawl fishery for a period of three to four years. This species appears to be six months old when it enters the fishing grounds and increases in length by about 37.5 cm in the next 30 months. Later growth slows down. The average size of the specimens sampled continued to get smaller from 1953 till 1957. It is shown that this reduction in size is due to increased fishing effort.

Reaction of fishes to the underwater A.C. field

A comparative study on the effect of A.C. field on Puntius ticto, Heteropneustis fossilis and Tilapta mossambica was carried out using a slowly rising field intensity. Well defined reactions appeared in the species of fish with slight specific variations, depending on their orientation in the electrical field, on reaching the field intensity to specific value. These reactions can be distinguished as first reaction, when the fish perceive the surrounding field, jerky swimming when parallel to the current lines (longitudinal oscillotaxis), the static position finally adopted by the fish sooner or latter depending on the potential gradient (transverse oscillotaxis), and a state of muscular rigidity (tetanus). After switching off the current, a hypnotic condition prevailed in the treated fishes before returning to their normal swimming condition. The orientation of fish body in the field had an important bearing on the behaviour reactions and current thresholds necessary for those reactions. Initial reaction, jerky swimming between electrodes and hypnosis after stoppage of current appeared in fishes earlier when the fish body was in parallel to the current lines, whereas fishes responded to transverse oscillotaxis quickly when perpendicular to current lines.

Response of fishes to the underwater D.C. field

Response to external electric field (D. C.) of three different varieties of fish namely Puntius ticto, Heteropneustis fossilis and Tilapia mossambica having different anatomical and behavioural characteristics were studied. Clearly distinguished reactions occurred one after another m all the varieties of fish with the increase in field intensity with minor specific variations. These reactions can be broadly classified into initial start (first reaction), forced swimming (galvanotaxis), slackening of body muscle (galvanonarcosis) and state of muscular rigidity (tetanus). The orientation of the organism (projection of nervous element) to the surrounding field has been found to have important bearing on the behaviour reactions. Clearly differentiated anodic taxis and true narcosis set in when fish body axis was parallel to the lines of current conduction. But with greater angle between the body axis and the current lines, fish did not show well marked reactions. Fish body, when perpendicular to current lines responded for anodic curvature and off balance swimming followed by tetanus.

Interim report on salt-water encroachment in Dade County, Florida

Recently there has been much activity in reclaiming the low-lying coastal areas of Dade County for residential use, by the addition of fill. The fill is obtained by digging canals both normal to and parallel to Biscayne Bay. The canals serve the additional purpose of providing an access to the Bay for boats. A problem needing to be considered is the effect that these canals will have on the ground-water resources. It is expected that the canals will have little effect on ground water in parts of the county distant from the coast, but their effect in coastal areas is a matter of concern. In order to predict what, may happen in the vicinity of these new canals if they are not equipped with adequate control structures, it is instructive to review what has happened in the vicinity of similar canals in the past. The U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Dade County, the cities of Miami and Miami Beach, the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District, and the Florida Geological Survey has collected water-level and salinity data on wells and canals in Dade County since 1939. Some of the agencies named, and others, collected similar data before 1939. Analysis of all the data shows that sea water in the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bayis the sole source of salt-water contamination in the Biscayne aquifer of the Dade County area. (PDF has 19 pages.)

Radioaktives Cäsium im Fisch der Barentssee weiterhin abnehmend

A decrease of 137Cs concentration in cod flesh from Barents Sea is shown by six years random sampling. This reduction runs parallel to reduced emissions from the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant Sellafield (Great Britain). It must be emphasized that even the highest values from 1992 are lower than comparable ones from the North Sea and from the Baltic. Although there is no increase of the radiation dose on people by consuming these fishes further monitoring should not be stopped. Potential risk arises from radioactive wastes of the russian nuclear navy in their coastal area. Obviously a safe storage seams almost too expensive.

Observation on the urinogenital papilla and sexual dimorphism in some Indian gobiids (Gobiidae: Teleostei)

A thorough comparative study on the urinogenital papilla and sexual dimorphism has been made for the first time in both the sexes of twelve Indian gobiids: Glassogobius giuris (Hamilton); Acentrogobius cyanomos (Bleeker); Eleotriodes muralis (Valenciennes); Parapocryptes serperaster (Richardson); Apocryptes bato (Hamilton); Scartclaos viridis (Hamilton); Boleophthalmus boddarti (Pallas), Periophthalmus schlosseri (Pallas); P. koelreuteri (Pallas); Taenioides anguillaris (Linnaeus); T. buchanani (Day); Odontamblyopus rubicundus (Hamilton). The urinogenital papilla, originating as a free muscular organ from the ventral surface of the body-wall and shortly behind anus, is present in both the sexes. It is an important organ of primary sex recognition in all species. In case of male the papilla is conical, broad at the base and in female it is either flattened, distally truncated or bluntly rounded. The presence of permanent colour mark over the specific region of the body surface is another secondary sexual character in a few species. Besides, colouration may also be a nuptial secondary sex character developed in some during peak breeding season. The enlargement and colouration of the organ is subject to seasonal variations parallel to the seasonal gonadal cycle. The histological architecture of the papilla shows a high degree of cellular specialization and an interrelationship to the urinary and genital ducts. The functional efficacy and significance of the papilla in the breeding biology of these fishes has been discussed.

Biology of the exploited stock of mackerel tuna E. affinis (Cantor) off the south-west region of Ceylon

According to the statistical data published annually in the Administration Report of the Director of Fisheries, the bloodfish production in 1967-68 showed about 100% increase over a period of five years and the production figures for none of the other groups of fishes have exhibited a parallel to this. Furthermore, the bloodfish group ranks first in the order of production, having displaced the herring and sardine group which had been in the lead for over a decade. This indicates that increasing attention was paid on the production of this group of fishes, in the coastal waters of Sri Lanka.

On the selection of effective impulse frequencies for specific movements of fish in an electrical field

In order to determine effective pulse limits for Salmo irideus, Cyprinus carpio, Gasterosteus aculeatus, Tinca tinca, Salmo fario and ldus melanotus in impulse D. C. for galvanotaxis and galvanonarcosis, studies were carried out with rectangular and square impulses. The narcotizing pulse limits remained constant for each variety in an impulse D. C. of specific wave form. The anodic effect of fishes was better in square wave form and varied with the variation of temperature of surrounding medium. S. fario reacted better when placed parallel to the lines of electrical force. Transversal escape movement occured when the axis of fish body was at right angles to the direction of current.

Studies on threshold current densities for convulsion of fish using a square wave stimulator

The threshold current densities and voltage tensions (body voltages) between the head and tail for bringing about distinct reactions in Salmo irideus, Cyprinus Carpio, Tinea tinca, Gasterosteus aculeatus and Salmo fario were studied. In C. carpio and T. tinca, absolute current densities required decreased with increase in length of fish. Threshold current densities for different reactions of fish increased with rise in water temperature and conductivity of surrounding medium except in case of T. tinca where low current densities were sufficient in higher conductivity of water. Impulse D.C. was superior to continuous D.C. Better effect was noticed in fishes in lower current densities when their bodies were parallel to the lines of current conduction.

Some changes in the physical qualities of muscle lipid of the freshwater murrel, Ophicephalus striatus (bloch.) during storage

The present communication reports the changes in the specific gravity, coefficient of viscosity, fluidity and surface tension of the muscle lipid of O. striatus, a common freshwater murrel, when stored at room temp (32 ± 2°C) The specific gravity of muscle lipid was found to rise from 0.894 to 0.912 during the first 25 days of storage but registered the highest (0.925) when stored for 50 days. Surface tension seemed to rise with the duration of storage. This was, presumably, due to an increase in the forces with which the molecules in the surface of the lipid tended to compress the molecules below to the smallest possible volume. During the period of storage marked changes seemed to occur in the direction of an increase in the value of the coefficient of viscosity and a reciprocal decline in the fluidity. Evidently, the observed increase in the viscosity seemed to be the result of increased internal friction between different molecular layers of the lipid, whereas a decline in the fluidity was perhaps the consequence of its inverse correlation with the coefficient of viscosity.

Results of drift card experiments and considerations on the movement of milkfish eggs and larvae in the northern Sulu Sea

For a period of one year beginning December 1977, drift card experiments were conducted off the western and southern coasts of Panay Island to determine the surface currents in the area. Of a total 2,384 drift cards released during the study, 382 (16.02%) were recovered, 92% of them within 30 days following dispatch. The surface currents in the study area are strongly influenced, in direction and speed, by the prevailing monsoon winds. During the NE monsoon period, the surface currents move away from the coast; during the SW monsoon, toward and/or parallel to the coast. Based on the results, the probable movement and transport of milkfish (Chanos chanos) eggs and larvae from the spawning ground to the fry collection ground are also discussed.