Movements and Habitat Use of Dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ) in the East China Sea

Shian-Jhong Lin, Wei-Chuan Chiang, Michael K. Musyl, Sheng-Ping Wang, Nan-Jay Su, Qi-Xuan Chang, Yuan-Shing Ho, Itsumi Nakamura, Chen-Te Tseng and Ryo Kawabe
Additional contact information
Shian-Jhong Lin: Eastern Marine Biology Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, 22 Wuchuan Road, Taitung, Chenggong 961, Taiwan
Wei-Chuan Chiang: Eastern Marine Biology Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, 22 Wuchuan Road, Taitung, Chenggong 961, Taiwan
Michael K. Musyl: Pelagic Research Group LLC, P.O. Box 10243, Honolulu, HI 96816, USA
Sheng-Ping Wang: Department of Environmental Biology and Fishery Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, 2 Beining Road, Jhongjheng District, Keelung 202, Taiwan
Nan-Jay Su: Department of Environmental Biology and Fishery Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, 2 Beining Road, Jhongjheng District, Keelung 202, Taiwan
Qi-Xuan Chang: Eastern Marine Biology Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, 22 Wuchuan Road, Taitung, Chenggong 961, Taiwan
Yuan-Shing Ho: Eastern Marine Biology Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, 22 Wuchuan Road, Taitung, Chenggong 961, Taiwan
Itsumi Nakamura: Institute for East China Sea Research, Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, 551-7 Taira-Machi, Nagasaki, Nagasaki 851-2213, Japan
Chen-Te Tseng: Fisheries Research Institute, No. 199, Hou-Ih Rd., Jhongjheng District, Keelung City 202, Taiwan
Ryo Kawabe: Institute for East China Sea Research, Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, 551-7 Taira-Machi, Nagasaki, Nagasaki 851-2213, Japan

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-17

Abstract: To refine the regional and global stock and ecological assessments of dolphinfish in fisheries, it is necessary to have information on the species habitat use, fisheries interaction, migration corridors, and on changes in spatial-temporal patterns over their ontogeny. In order to inform management, pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) were deployed on dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ) in the Northern East China Sea to get data on the movement patterns and habitat utilization of this species in this location. During October–November 2018, four dolphinfish (94–102 cm fork length) were captured by set-nets and PSAT tagged. Tagged dolphinfish retained PSATs for 5–31 days-at-liberty (total 69 days) and linear dispersion from deployment to pop-up locations ranged from 63 to 204 km. According to most probable tracks, tagged fish made primarily northward movements. Tagged fish reached depths of ~94 m and experienced ambient temperatures from 17.8 to 23 °C. Movements appeared to be limited by a 3 °C change relative to sea surface temperature (SST) and were confined to the mixed-layer. Diel diving patterns indicated dolphinfish spent >80% of daytime activity and 40% of nighttime activity near the surface, where variability in diving patterns was more pronounced. The vertical diving patterns showed pronounced changes during dawn and dusk, where dolphinfish mirrored the movements of diel migrating prey organisms. Our preliminary results provide vertical distribution patterns of dolphinfish in a location that supports important fisheries. This information will be useful for management to develop stock assessments which support the sustainable use of this species.

Keywords: fisheries management; horizontal movements; pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs); spatial-temporal; stock assessments; thermal niche; vertical habitat (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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