Spatial segregation within the spawning migration of North Eastern Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) as indicated by juvenile growth patterns.
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A similar significant relationship was found between the growth in the first year (derived from the otolith inner winter ring) and latitude for adult mackerel spawning between 44°N (Bay of Biscay) and 54°N (west of Ireland).No such relationship was found in mackerel spawning at more northerly latitudes, possibly as a consequence of increased spatial mixing in a more energetic regime with stronger currents.This study provides previously lacking support for spawning segregation behaviour among North East Atlantic mackerel--an important step towards understanding the migratory behaviour of mackerel and hence the spatiotemporal distribution dynamics around spawning time.
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PubMed Central - PubMed
Affiliation: DTU AQUA-National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Charlottenlund, Denmark. Tej@aqua.dtu.dk
ABSTRACT
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A comparison of growth data (fish length) with latitude shows that southern juvenile mackerel attain a greater length than those originating from further north before growth ceases during their first winter. A similar significant relationship was found between the growth in the first year (derived from the otolith inner winter ring) and latitude for adult mackerel spawning between 44°N (Bay of Biscay) and 54°N (west of Ireland). These observations are consistent with spatial segregation of the spawning migration; the further north that the fish were hatched, the further north they will tend to spawn. No such relationship was found in mackerel spawning at more northerly latitudes, possibly as a consequence of increased spatial mixing in a more energetic regime with stronger currents. This study provides previously lacking support for spawning segregation behaviour among North East Atlantic mackerel--an important step towards understanding the migratory behaviour of mackerel and hence the spatiotemporal distribution dynamics around spawning time. |
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pone-0058114-g001: Latitude-length relation by mackerel age.Early life observations during the first year show negative latitude-length relations (p = 0.0011), while later observations show no significant correlation. The inclination (slope) parameter (β1) on the Y-axis are the effect of latitude in the model log(mean body length) = β0 + β1 * Latitude + βy + ε, where βy is the year-specific effect and ε is the random error term. Mentions: In order to ensure that the observed relationship between latitude and body length after the first year of growth is not a consequence of size- dependent migration, we investigated the variability of this relationship through the first two years of growth. While the earliest observations (July-September) confirmed the negative latitude-length relation, later observations (during the mackerel's second year) showed no significant correlation, consistent with spatial mixing (Figure 1). |
View Article: PubMed Central - PubMed
Affiliation: DTU AQUA-National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Charlottenlund, Denmark. Tej@aqua.dtu.dk