Age, growth, and spawning season of red bream (Beryx decadactylus) off the southeastern United States

Red bream (Beryx decadactylus) is a commercially important deep-sea benthopelagic fish with a circumglobal distribution on insular and continental slopes and seamounts. In the United States, small numbers are caught incidentally in the wreckfish (Polyprion americanus) fishery which operates off the southeastern coast, but no biological information exists for the management of the U.S. red bream population. For this study, otoliths (n=163) and gonads (n=161) were collected from commercially caught red bream between 2003 and 2008 to determine life history parameters. Specimens ranged in size from 410 to 630 mm fork length and were all determined to be mature by histological examination of the gonads. Females in spawning condition were observed from June through September, and reproductively active males were found year-round. Sectioned otoliths were difficult to interpret, but maximum age estimates were much higher than the 15 years previously reported for this species from the eastern North Atlantic based on whole-otolith analysis. Estimated ages ranged from 8 to 69 years, and a minimum lifespan of 49 years was validated by using bomb radiocarbon dating. Natural mortality was estimated at 0.06/yr. This study shows that red bream are longer lived and more vulnerable to overfishing than previously assumed and should be managed carefully to prevent overexploitation

Species composition, distribution, and relative abundance of fishes in the coastal habitat off the southeastern United States

Ichthyofauna of the coastal «10 m depth) habitat of the South Atlantic Bight were investigated between Cape Fear, North Carolina, and the St. John's River, Florida. Trawl collections from four nonconsecutive seasons in the period July 1980 to December 1982 indicated that the fish community is dominated by the family Sciaenidae, particularly juvenile forms. Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) and Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) were the two most abundant species and dominated catches during all seasons. Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortin tyrannus) was also very abundant, but only seasonally (winter and spring) dominant in the catches. Elasmobranch fIShes, especially rajiforms and carcharinids, contributed to much of the biomass of fishes collected. Total fish abundance was greatest in winter and lowest in summer and was influenced by the seasonality of Atlantic menhaden and Atlantic croaker in the catches. Biomass was highest in spring and lowest in summer, and was influenced by biomass of spot. Fish density ranged from 321 individuals and 12.2 kg per hectare to 746 individuals and 25.2 kg per hectare. Most species ranged widely throughout the bight, and showed some evidence of seasonal migration. Species assemblages were dominated by ubiquitous year-round residents of the coastal waters of the bight. Diversity (H') was highest in summer, and appeared influenced by the evenness of distribution of individuals among species. (PDF file contains 56 pages.

Feeding Habits of Sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, in Offshore Reef Habitats of the Southeastern Continental Shelf

The feeding habits of sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, were studied by examining contents of digestive tracts from fish collected on offshore live bottom reefs in the South Atlantic Bight. Sessile invertebrates were the most important prey for sheeps· head. Smaller sheepshead (\u3c350 mm standard length) had a diet dominated by bryozoans. Larger sheepshead also fed heavily on bryozoans, but included more bivalves, echinoderms and ascidians in the diet. Barnacles and decapods were consumed in lesser amounts by both size classes. Foraminiferans, cnidarians, polychaetes, gastropods and small arthropods were also eaten. The sessile species utilized as prey by sheepshead are common colonial organisms found on offshore reefs. Motile epifaunal species consumed by sheepshead were common species associated with hard substrates or sessile species. Predation by sheepshead may be important in regulating the structure of epifaunal communities in reef habitats

Nocturnal depth distribution of western North Atlantic swordfish (Xiphias gladius, Linnaeus, 1758) in relation to lunar illumination

Swordfish are known to undergo large diel vertical movements from surface waters at night to \u3e 300 m depth during the day. Evidence presented over the past several deeades suggests the lunar cycle affects these vertical migrations. This study collected data concurrently from 7 swordfish throughout 3 consecutive lunar cycles using pop-up satellite archival tags. All individuals demonstrated an inverse relationship between recorded nocturnal depths and lunar illumination

Gag

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about the Gag, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success

Feeding habits of Whitebone Porgy, Calamus leucosteus (Teleostei: Sparidae), associated with hard bottom reefs off the Southeastern United States

The feeding habits of whitebone porgy. Calamus leucosteus. were investigated by examining stomachs of specimens collected from hard bottom reef habitat on the southeastern continental shelf and by comparing stomach samples with benthic samples and with stomach samples from four other sparids collected from the same habitat. Whitebone porgy were found to feed mainly on small hard-shelled species of gastropods. pagurid decapods. and sipunculids. Polychaetes. pelecypods. barnacles, and fishes were also eaten. Fishes and echinoderms were consumed by larger individuals. Whitebone porgy selected invertebrate species that were not abundant in benthic samples from the reef. suggesting that these fish forage on sand bottom fauna. Patterns of diet overlap with other reef-associated sparids appeared to be related to feeding morphology and feeding habitat. Overlap in diet between whiteuone porgy and southern porgy. Sfenotomus aculeatus. was low. although both species forage on sand bottom organisms. Pinfish. Lagodon rhomboides. fed mainly on a sessile reef amphipod that was rarely consumed by whitebone porgy. Whitebone porgy had a higher diet over·lap with sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, and with red porgy. Pagrus pagrus, because all three species fed on barnacles not consumed by other sparids examined

Food habits, prey selectivity and food resource partitioning of a community of fishes on the outer continental shelf

The demersal fish community of the outer continental shelf in the Middle Atlantic Bight consists of resident species, seasonal species with boreal affinities, and seasonal species with warm temperature affinities. Dominant demersal fishes of the outer continental shelf feed primarily on macrobenthic invertebrates, which persist in dense, stable communities. Some dominant predators also feed heavily on fishes, cephalopods, and planktonic invertebrates, at least seasonally. Food habits of the fishes change seasonally, especially at the species level. Food habits of fishes also change considerably with size, with most predators showing distinct feeding stanzas separated by a marked change in feeding strategy. Electivity patterns of predators upon the benthos were varied with respect to prey distribution and abundance patterns. Some dominant benthic species were not selected as food. Other rarer species were preferentially selected. Some prey species that varied in abundance with respect to habitat strata were eaten in proportion to their abundance in most habitats. Others were eaten only where very abundant, or were consumed in moderate amounts regardless of their abundance in the benthos. Several factors may account for these patterns. Most predator species shared many prey species. Overlap in diet among the predators varied seasonally, with overlap relationships changing as species and size class composition of the predators changed. Intra-specific diet overlap between feeding stanzas was low, but higher interspecific overlap occurred between species of similar size. Dietary overlap was lowest in the spring, when planktonic and nektonic organisms were consumed by most size classes of dominant predators. Although many important prey species were consumed by several predators, some were selectively consumed by only a few predators, so that there was never complete dietary overlap between two species

A study of the archibenthic and abysobenthic fishes of Deep Water Dump Site 106 and the adjacent area : completion report

Deep water dtnnp site 106 (DWD 106) is located 145 km off the coast of New Jersey and is bounded by the latitudes of ! 38°40\u27 and 39°00\u27N and longitudes 72°00\u27 and 72°30\u27W. The depth of DWD 106 varies from about 1300 min the northeast corner to • 2700 min the southwest (Fig. 1). Most of the site is deeper than 2000 m. Within DWD 106 is a smaller dwnp site that has been in use for many years for industrial wastes and munitions. Due south of DWD 106 is an additional dwnpsite (Fig. 1) at which the Atomic Energy Commission reported dumping radioactive wastes (rad site). The purpose of this report is to describe the fish fauna in the area of DWD 106 and to provide information on the ecology of dominant species