The current state of plankton communities and food availability for walleye pollock in the western Bering Sea
Abstract
One of the most highly productive areas of the Bering Sea is the Anadyr-Navarin shelf. Since the early 2000s, the abundance of walleye pollock migrating from the American zone to Russian waters has been observed to increase. A characteristic feature of the spatial distribution of this species in the current period (2013–2015) is the shorter time spent by this group in the Anadyr-Navarin area. The timing of onset of migrations and their duration depend on many factors, including the food availability for the species. Based on the data of plankton surveys and trophological studies (2010–2015), the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of zooplankton were analyzed; the production of trophic groups was calculated; and the feeding habits of walleye pollock were clarified. Pronounced variations in the quantitative parameters of zooplankton were recorded in autumn: the mean zooplankton biomass ranged from 780 to 1658 mg/m3. The production of non-predatory zooplankton (mainly euphausiids and copepods) amounted to 14.8–53.1 million t. The production of predatory zooplankton (mainly chaetognaths) was estimated at 5–14.2 million t of organic matter per season. In 2013–2015, the diet composition of walleye pollock was almost similar to the annual mean values. This fish actively preyed on euphausiids (49–88% of the size of food bolus), copepods (10–27%), and appendicularians (10%). All these groups belong to the non-predatory zooplankton, characterized by high production rates. At the same time, the stomach fullness indices obtained for walleye pollock in the Anadyr-Navarin area were noticeably higher (70–145.50/000) than those in more easterly waters, particularly in the American zone (57–72.50/000), to which the “reverse” migrations have begun. A comparison of all these values allows a conclusion that the food availability for walleye pollock in the study area is quite high.
About the Author
E. P. Dulepova
Pacific Research Fisheries Centre (FSBSI «TINRO-Centre»)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Vladivostok
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Review
For citations:
Dulepova E.P. The current state of plankton communities and food availability for walleye pollock in the western Bering Sea. Trudy VNIRO. 2018;174:91-104. (In Russ.)
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