Our Living Oceans: Habitat

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Our Living Oceans: Habitat Our Living Oceans: Habitat STATUS OF THE HABITAT OF U.S. LIVING MARINE RESOURCES U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Our Living Oceans: Habitat i This publication may be cited as follows: NMFS. 2015. Our living oceans: habitat. Status of the habitat of U.S. living marine resources. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/SPO-75, 327 p. Also available online—http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/olohabitat/ (by chapter and as the full publication). doi: 10.7755/TMSPO.75 This publication has been in progress for several years, and working drafts or manuscripts of it, which may have been cited earlier, contained preliminary material and a slightly different title; also, earlier citations of this publication as “in-prep.” or “in press” may reference information that was subsequently updated before the publication was formally released. This final printed copy has been thoroughly reviewed and updated, and it should be cited as in the example above. Any earlier citations to NOAA Technical Memorandum F/SPO-75 should be double-checked against this final copy to ensure accuracy. A digital version of this final printed copy was posted online at the URL above in July 2015 with the page header showing the year 2014. The correct year for the header is 2015. The contents of the posted copy with the 2014 header are identical to this copy with the header corrected to 2015. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) does not approve, recommend, or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned in this publication. No reference shall be made to NMFS, or to this publication furnished by NMFS, in any advertising or sales promotion that would indicate or imply that NMFS approves, recommends, or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned herein, or which has as its purpose an intent to cause directly or indirectly the advertised product to be used or purchased because of this NMFS publication. Only the photographs in this publication that are credited to an agency of the U.S. Government are in the public domain. All others are under the copyright protection of the photographers and/or their employers. Photograph on the front and back covers and opposite page: bull kelp habitat and pile perch in the Big Creek Marine Reserve off the central California coast, © Steve Clabuesch, University of California at Santa Cruz. ii Our Living Oceans: Habitat Status of the Habitat of U.S. Living Marine Resources © Steve Clabuesch, UC Santa Cruz Clabuesch, © Steve July 2015 NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-75 U.S. Department National Oceanic and National Marine of Commerce Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service Penny Pritzker Kathryn Sullivan Eileen Sobeck Secretary of Commerce Under Secretary of Commerce Assistant Administrator for Oceans and Atmosphere for Fisheries and NOAA Administrator iii iv CONTENTS xiii FOREWORD xvii PREFACE Part 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 Overview 5 Habitat Areas 6 National Habitat-Use Patterns 6 National Trends in Habitat-Use Information 7 Habitat Status, Trends, and Issues 8 Habitat Protection and Restoration 9 Habitat Research Needs 10 Solutions—The Way Forward 11 References Cited PART 2 INTRODUCTION 17 Overview 20 Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Management 21 NOAA’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) Program 22 Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning 22 Importance of Habitat for Living Marine Resources 26 Summary of NMFS’ Responsibilities for Habitat 26 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 28 Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act 29 NOAA’s Habitat Blueprint 29 Other Mandates Related to Habitat v 30 How Much Habitat is Enough? 32 Current Status of the Science Underlying Habitat Assessment, and the Relationships Among Species, Habitats, and Ecosystems 32 How Do Species Use Habitat? 33 What is the Quantity of Usable Habitat? 35 What Factors Affect the Quantity and Quality of Available Habitat? 36 How are Species Abundances Affected by the Quantity and Quality of Habitat? 37 How Can the Structure and Function of Degraded Habitat be Restored? 38 Organization of This Report 42 References Cited and Sources of Additional Information PART 3 NATIONAL SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 49 Overview 50 Habitat Use by Federally Managed Fishery and Protected Species 51 Status of Habitat Knowledge 52 Habitat Status and Trends 53 Freshwater Habitats 53 Estuarine Habitats 54 Shallow Marine and Oceanic Habitats 56 Coastal Wetlands 57 National Habitat Issues 57 Water Quality 64 Water Quantity 66 Infrastructure in Aquatic Habitats 69 Fisheries 71 Other Commercial Uses of Marine Habitats 75 Environmental Issues 81 Habitat Fragmentation and Loss 82 Steps Being Taken to Protect and Restore Habitat 89 Federal Agencies, Organizations, and Programs that Support Habitat Protection, Restoration, and Science 89 NOAA 98 Other Federal Agencies 101 Research Needs 105 References Cited and Sources of Additional Information vi PART 4 REGIONAL SUMMARIES Northeast REGION 117 Habitat Areas 117 Gulf of Maine 120 Georges Bank 121 Mid-Atlantic Bight/Southern New England 123 Deep-Sea Coral Habitats 124 Habitat Use 125 Habitat Use by FMP Species 129 Habitat Use by Protected Species 131 Habitat Use by State-Managed and Non-FMP Species 133 Habitat Trends 133 Freshwater Trends 134 Estuarine and Coastal Habitat Loss and Fragmentation 136 Effects of Fishing Gear 137 Research Needs 137 Atlantic Salmon Ecology 138 Deep-Sea Corals 138 Effects of Fishing Gear on Benthic Ecosystems 138 Habitat Mapping 139 Invasive Species 139 Oyster Disease Control and Habitat Restoration 141 Protecting Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles from Ship Strikes and Fishing Gear 141 References Cited and Sources of Additional Information SOUTHEAST REGION 147 Habitat Areas 147 Freshwater Habitats 149 Estuarine Habitats 152 Shallow Marine Habitats 155 Oceanic Habitats 160 Habitat Use 162 Habitat Use by FMP Species 169 Habitat Use by Protected Species 171 Habitat Use by State-Managed and Non-FMP Species 173 Habitat Trends 173 Freshwater Quality and Quantity 173 Diversion of Freshwater Flow 173 Wetland Loss vii 175 Coastal Development 175 Flood Control 175 Coral Reefs 177 Eutrophication and Hypoxia 178 Research Needs 178 Estuarine Habitat Condition 179 Coral Reef Ecology 179 Habitat Mapping 179 Habitat Requirements of Adult and Early Life Stages of Commercially Important Fish and Invertebrates and Protected Species 181 Impacts of Severe Storms and Sea Level Rise on Fishery and Protected Species and Their Habitats 181 Habitat Restoration 183 Transboundary Biological and Oceanographic Linkages 183 Effects of Underwater Sound 183 Additional Research Needs 183 References Cited and Sources of Additional Information Pacific Coast REGION 189 Habitat Areas 190 Oregonian Province (Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, to Point Conception, California) 194 San Diego Province (Point Conception, California, to Baja California Sur, Mexico) 195 Habitat Use 196 Habitat Use by FMP Species 202 Habitat Use by Protected Species 206 Habitat Use by Non-FMP, State-, and Internationally Managed Species 210 Habitat Trends 213 Research Needs 214 Pacific Salmon 214 Coastal Pelagic Fishes 215 Highly Migratory Species 215 Groundfish 216 Pinnipeds 216 Cetaceans 216 Sea Turtles 217 Protected Marine Invertebrates 217 Additional Research Needs 217 References Cited and Sources of Additional Information viii AlasKA REGION 223 Habitat Areas 225 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 226 North Pacific Ocean (Gulf of Alaska) 227 Arctic Ocean 228 Habitat Use 229 Habitat Use by FMP Species 234 Habitat Use by Protected Species 237 Habitat Use by State-Managed, Non-FMP, and Internationally Managed Species 238 Habitat Trends 238 Research Needs 240 Essential Fish Habitat 241 Loss of Sea Ice 241 Oil and Gas Development 242 Ocean Acidification 242 Ecosystem-Based Approach to Management 243 References Cited and Sources of Additional Information Pacific IslandS REGION 249 Habitat Areas 252 Freshwater Habitat 253 Estuarine Habitat 253 Shallow Marine Habitat 254 Oceanic Habitat 255 Habitat Use 256 Habitat Use by MUS Groups Within the FEPs 257 Habitat Use by Protected Species 258 Habitat Use by State-Managed and Non-FMP Species 258 Habitat Trends 259 Invasive Species 260 Trends in MUS Species Habitat 262 Trends in Protected Species Habitat 262 Research Needs 263 Fishery Species 265 Protected Species 266 Invasive Species 267 References Cited and Sources of Additional Information ix PART 5 APPENDICES 273 Appendix 1 Acknowledgments 275 Appendix 2 Legislative Mandates for Habitat 279 Appendix 3 Current Fishery Management Plans and Fishery Ecosystem Plans 281 Appendix 4 Habitat-Use Table Methodology 285 Appendix 5 Common and Scientific Names of Species 325 Appendix 6 Abbreviations x TABLES Introduction 39 Table 1. Characteristics of geographic regions used in the OLO Habitat report. 40 Table 2. Definition of the habitat categories used in theOLO Habitat report. National Summary 51 Table 3. Use of the four major habitat categories nationwide. 58 Table 4. Habitat issues, potential solutions, and some examples of actions being taken. 103 Table 5. Recommendations from the Habitat Assessment Improvement Plan. 104 Table 6. The most critical needs for habitat-related research at the national level for all habitat types. Northeast REGION 125 Table 7. Use of the four major habitat categories in the Northeast Region. 137 Table 8. Overview of research needs for habitats in the Northeast Region. SOUTHEAST REGION 160 Table 9. Use of the four major habitat categories in the Southeast Region. 178 Table 10. Overview of research needs for habitats in the Southeast Region. Pacific Coast REGION 196 Table 11. Use of the four major habitat categories in the Pacific Coast Region. 214 Table 12. Overview of research needs for habitats in the Pacific Coast Region. AlasKA REGION 229 Table 13. Use of the four major habitat categories in the Alaska Region. 239 Table 14. Habitat-related research priorities from key planning documents. 240 Table 15. Overview of research needs for habitats in the Alaska Region. Pacific IslandS REGION 255 Table 16. Use of the four major habitat categories in the Pacific Islands Region.
Recommended publications
  • A COMPARATIVE ACCOUNT of the SMALL PELAGIC FISHERIES in the APFIC REGION by M
    A COMPARATIVE ACCOUNT OF THE SMALL PELAGIC FISHERIES IN THE APFIC REGION by M. Devaraj and E. Vivekanandan Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Cocbin-682014, India Abstract The production of the small pe/agics in the APFIC region was 1.2 mt/sq. km during 1995. Among the four areas in the region, the small pe/agics have registered (i) the maximum annual fluctuations in the western Indian Ocean; (ii) the highest increase duri'}i the past two decades along the west coast of Thailand in the eastern Indian Ocean; and (iii) the consistent decline in the landings during the past one decade along the Japanese coast in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The short rnackerels emerged as the largest fishery in the APFlC region, fom'ing 19.5% of the landings of the small pelagics in 1995. The group consisting afthe sardines and the anchovies has shown clear signs of decline during the past one decade in almost the entire region. Most of the small pelagics have unique biological characteristics such as fast growth, short longevity, late maturity, high nalllral mortality, shoaling behaviour, high fecundity and severe recruitment fluctuations. As many species of the small pelagics undertake migration, collaborative research programmes and close coordination are required among the APFle countries for the stock assessment of all the major species. The management measures under implementation in these countries have been reviewed, with suggestions for regional cooperation for the management of the stocks of the small pelagics. INTRODUCTION The Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission covers four oceanic areas, which have been classified by the FAO as the western Indian Ocean (FAO Statistical Area 51), eastern Indian Ocean (Area 57) , northwest Pacific Ocean (Area 61) and western central Pacific Ocean (Area 71).
    [Show full text]
  • Ovarian Development of the Mud Crab Scylla Paramamosain in a Tropical Mangrove Swamps, Thailand
    Available Online JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Publications J. Sci. Res. 2 (2), 380-389 (2010) www.banglajol.info/index.php/JSR Ovarian Development of the Mud Crab Scylla paramamosain in a Tropical Mangrove Swamps, Thailand M. S. Islam1, K. Kodama2, and H. Kurokura3 1Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Jessore Science and Technology University, Jessore- 7407, Bangladesh 2Marine Science Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Channel View Drive, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, USA 3Laboratory of Global Fisheries Science, Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan Received 15 October 2009, accepted in revised form 21 March 2010 Abstract The present study describes the ovarian development stages of the mud crab, Scylla paramamosain from Pak Phanang mangrove swamps, Thailand. Samples were taken from local fishermen between June 2006 and December 2007. Ovarian development was determined based on both morphological appearance and histological observation. Ovarian development was classified into five stages: proliferation (stage I), previtellogenesis (II), primary vitellogenesis (III), secondary vitellogenesis (IV) and tertiary vitellogenesis (V). The formation of vacuolated globules is the initiation of primary vitellogenesis and primary growth. The follicle cells were found around the periphery of the lobes, among the groups of oogonia and oocytes. The follicle cells were hardly visible at the secondary and tertiary vitellogenesis stages. Yolk granules occurred in the primary vitellogenesis stage and are first initiated in the inner part of the oocytes, then gradually concentrated to the periphery of the cytoplasm. The study revealed that the initiation of vitellogenesis could be identified by external observation of the ovary but could not indicate precisely.
    [Show full text]
  • Cascading of Habitat Degradation: Oyster Reefs Invaded by Refugee Fishes Escaping Stress
    Ecological Applications, 11(3), 2001, pp. 764±782 q 2001 by the Ecological Society of America CASCADING OF HABITAT DEGRADATION: OYSTER REEFS INVADED BY REFUGEE FISHES ESCAPING STRESS HUNTER S. LENIHAN,1 CHARLES H. PETERSON,2 JAMES E. BYERS,3 JONATHAN H. GRABOWSKI,2 GORDON W. T HAYER, AND DAVID R. COLBY NOAA-National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research, 101 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516 USA Abstract. Mobile consumers have potential to cause a cascading of habitat degradation beyond the region that is directly stressed, by concentrating in refuges where they intensify biological interactions and can deplete prey resources. We tested this hypothesis on struc- turally complex, species-rich biogenic reefs created by the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the Neuse River estuary, North Carolina, USA. We (1) sampled ®shes and invertebrates on natural and restored reefs and on sand bottom to compare ®sh utilization of these different habitats and to characterize the trophic relations among large reef-as- sociated ®shes and benthic invertebrates, and (2) tested whether bottom-water hypoxia and ®shery-caused degradation of reef habitat combine to induce mass emigration of ®sh that then modify community composition in refuges across an estuarine seascape. Experimen- tally restored oyster reefs of two heights (1 m tall ``degraded'' or 2 m tall ``natural'' reefs) were constructed at 3 and 6 m depths. We sampled hydrographic conditions within the estuary over the summer to monitor onset and duration of bottom-water hypoxia/anoxia, a disturbance resulting from density strati®cation and anthropogenic eutrophication. Reduc- tion of reef height caused by oyster dredging exposed the reefs located in deep water to hypoxia/anoxia for .2 wk, killing reef-associated invertebrate prey and forcing mobile ®shes into refuge habitats.
    [Show full text]
  • Saco River Saco & Biddeford, Maine
    Environmental Assessment Finding of No Significant Impact, and Section 404(b)(1) Evaluation for Maintenance Dredging DRAFT Saco River Saco & Biddeford, Maine US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS New England District March 2016 Draft Environmental Assessment: Saco River FNP DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Section 404(b)(1) Evaluation Saco River Saco & Biddeford, Maine FEDERAL NAVIGATION PROJECT MAINTENANCE DREDGING March 2016 New England District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 696 Virginia Rd Concord, Massachusetts 01742-2751 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 2.0 PROJECT HISTORY, NEED, AND AUTHORITY .......................................... 1 3.0 PROPOSED PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................... 3 4.0 ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................ 6 4.1 No Action Alternative ..................................................................................... 6 4.2 Maintaining Channel at Authorized Dimensions............................................. 6 4.3 Alternative Dredging Methods ........................................................................ 6 4.3.1 Hydraulic Cutterhead Dredge....................................................................... 7 4.3.2 Hopper Dredge ........................................................................................... 7 4.3.3 Mechanical Dredge ....................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Salt Point State Marine Conservation Area North Central California Marine Protected Areas (Mpas), Established May 2010
    Salt Point State Marine Conservation Area North Central California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Established May 2010 Red abalone Blue rockfish Salt Point SMCA (Haliotis rufescens) (Sebastes mystinus) Photo by Brian Owens Photo by CDFW Photo by Kevin Joe Site Overview Photos are representative of the North Central Coast Region and may not be within this MPA. What is an MPA? MPAs are a type of marine managed area (MMA) where marine or estuarine waters are set aside primarily to protect or conserve marine life and associated habitats. California has a coastal network of 124 protected areas designed to help increase the coherence and effectiveness of protecting the state’s marine life, habitats, and ecosystems. The network includes three types of MPA: state marine reserve (SMR), state marine conservation area (SMCA), and state marine park (SMP); one MMA: state marine recreational management area (SMRMA); and special closures. There are 119 MPAs, 5 MMAs and 15 special closures, each with unique boundaries and regulations in the network. Non-consumptive activities, restoration, and permitted scientific research are allowed. What is an SMCA? An SMCA is a type of MPA that protects resources by allowing for only specific types of recreational and/or commercial take to occur. (Area restrictions are defined in Title 14, Section 632(a)(1)(C)). Salt Point SMCA Overview Salt Point SMCA Key Habitats MPA size: 1.84 square miles Beaches: 0.62 miles Depth range: 0 to 226 feet Rocky shores: 4.30 miles Along-shore span (shoreline): 2.40 miles Sand (all depths): 1.14 square miles Rock (all depths): 0.40 square miles Where is Salt Point SMCA? Average Kelp (1989 to 2008): 0.11 square miles Unidentified (all depths): 0.28 square miles Boundaries and Regulations Boundary: This area is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed: 38° 35.600' N.
    [Show full text]
  • A Practical Handbook for Determining the Ages of Gulf of Mexico And
    A Practical Handbook for Determining the Ages of Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast Fishes THIRD EDITION GSMFC No. 300 NOVEMBER 2020 i Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Commissioners and Proxies ALABAMA Senator R.L. “Bret” Allain, II Chris Blankenship, Commissioner State Senator District 21 Alabama Department of Conservation Franklin, Louisiana and Natural Resources John Roussel Montgomery, Alabama Zachary, Louisiana Representative Chris Pringle Mobile, Alabama MISSISSIPPI Chris Nelson Joe Spraggins, Executive Director Bon Secour Fisheries, Inc. Mississippi Department of Marine Bon Secour, Alabama Resources Biloxi, Mississippi FLORIDA Read Hendon Eric Sutton, Executive Director USM/Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Florida Fish and Wildlife Ocean Springs, Mississippi Conservation Commission Tallahassee, Florida TEXAS Representative Jay Trumbull Carter Smith, Executive Director Tallahassee, Florida Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas LOUISIANA Doug Boyd Jack Montoucet, Secretary Boerne, Texas Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Baton Rouge, Louisiana GSMFC Staff ASMFC Staff Mr. David M. Donaldson Mr. Bob Beal Executive Director Executive Director Mr. Steven J. VanderKooy Mr. Jeffrey Kipp IJF Program Coordinator Stock Assessment Scientist Ms. Debora McIntyre Dr. Kristen Anstead IJF Staff Assistant Fisheries Scientist ii A Practical Handbook for Determining the Ages of Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast Fishes Third Edition Edited by Steve VanderKooy Jessica Carroll Scott Elzey Jessica Gilmore Jeffrey Kipp Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission 2404 Government St Ocean Springs, MS 39564 and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission 1050 N. Highland Street Suite 200 A-N Arlington, VA 22201 Publication Number 300 November 2020 A publication of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award Number NA15NMF4070076 and NA15NMF4720399.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mississippi River Find
    The Journal of Diving History, Volume 23, Issue 1 (Number 82), 2015 Item Type monograph Publisher Historical Diving Society U.S.A. Download date 04/10/2021 06:15:15 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/32902 First Quarter 2015 • Volume 23 • Number 82 • 23 Quarter 2015 • Volume First Diving History The Journal of The Mississippi River Find Find River Mississippi The The Journal of Diving History First Quarter 2015, Volume 23, Number 82 THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FIND This issue is dedicated to the memory of HDS Advisory Board member Lotte Hass 1928 - 2015 HISTORICAL DIVING SOCIETY USA A PUBLIC BENEFIT NONPROFIT CORPORATION PO BOX 2837, SANTA MARIA, CA 93457 USA TEL. 805-934-1660 FAX 805-934-3855 e-mail: [email protected] or on the web at www.hds.org PATRONS OF THE SOCIETY HDS USA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ernie Brooks II Carl Roessler Dan Orr, Chairman James Forte, Director Leslie Leaney Lee Selisky Sid Macken, President Janice Raber, Director Bev Morgan Greg Platt, Treasurer Ryan Spence, Director Steve Struble, Secretary Ed Uditis, Director ADVISORY BOARD Dan Vasey, Director Bob Barth Jack Lavanchy Dr. George Bass Clement Lee Tim Beaver Dick Long WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTINUED Dr. Peter B. Bennett Krov Menuhin SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING: Dick Bonin Daniel Mercier FOUNDING CORPORATIONS Ernest H. Brooks II Joseph MacInnis, M.D. Texas, Inc. Jim Caldwell J. Thomas Millington, M.D. Best Publishing Mid Atlantic Dive & Swim Svcs James Cameron Bev Morgan DESCO Midwest Scuba Jean-Michel Cousteau Phil Newsum Kirby Morgan Diving Systems NJScuba.net David Doubilet Phil Nuytten Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • (Anarhichas Lupus) and Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas Minor) in West Greenland Waters
    NAFO SCI. Coun. Studies, 12: 13-20 Distribution, Abundance and Migration of Atlantic Wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) and Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor) in West Greenland Waters Frank Riget Greenland Fisheries and Environment Research Institute Tagensvej 135, Copenhagen N, Denmark and J. Messtorff Bundesforschungsanstalt fUr Fischerei, Institut fUr Seefischerei 0-2850 Bremerhaven, Federal Republic of Germany Abstract Results from stratified-random bottom-trawl surveys off West Greenland during the autumns of 1982-86 indicated substantial decline in biomass and abundance of both Atlantic wolffish and spotted wolffish. Atlantic wolffish were the more abundant of the two species, with the catch rate generally decreasing from north to south, and occurred mainly in the 0-200 and 200-400 m depth ranges. Spotted wolffish, on the other hand, were rather uniformly distributed over the three depth ranges (to 600 m) and also over the north-south strata. Mean lengths of both species tended to increase from north to south. Reported recaptures from the taggings, during 1955-64, of 174 Atlantic wolffish and 746 spotted wolffish were 2 and 53 respectively. The two Atlantic wolffish were taken in the vicinity of the tagging site about 2 years after they were tagged. Spotted wolffish exhibited rather stationary behavior, with most recaptures generally within 20 nautical miles (nm) of the tagging sites up to 10 years after they were tagged. Only three spotted wolffish were found more than 100 nm from the tagging sites, two southward and one northward. Analysis of long line catches of spotted wolffish in the Nuuk area indicated local seasonal movements. Introduction experiments.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean Volume
    ISBN 0-9689167-4-x Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean (Davis Strait, Southern Greenland and Flemish Cap to Cape Hatteras) Volume One Acipenseriformes through Syngnathiformes Michael P. Fahay ii Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean iii Dedication This monograph is dedicated to those highly skilled larval fish illustrators whose talents and efforts have greatly facilitated the study of fish ontogeny. The works of many of those fine illustrators grace these pages. iv Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean v Preface The contents of this monograph are a revision and update of an earlier atlas describing the eggs and larvae of western Atlantic marine fishes occurring between the Scotian Shelf and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (Fahay, 1983). The three-fold increase in the total num- ber of species covered in the current compilation is the result of both a larger study area and a recent increase in published ontogenetic studies of fishes by many authors and students of the morphology of early stages of marine fishes. It is a tribute to the efforts of those authors that the ontogeny of greater than 70% of species known from the western North Atlantic Ocean is now well described. Michael Fahay 241 Sabino Road West Bath, Maine 04530 U.S.A. vi Acknowledgements I greatly appreciate the help provided by a number of very knowledgeable friends and colleagues dur- ing the preparation of this monograph. Jon Hare undertook a painstakingly critical review of the entire monograph, corrected omissions, inconsistencies, and errors of fact, and made suggestions which markedly improved its organization and presentation.
    [Show full text]
  • Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (2012)
    FGDC-STD-018-2012 Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard Marine and Coastal Spatial Data Subcommittee Federal Geographic Data Committee June, 2012 Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-018-2012 Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, June 2012 ______________________________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS PAGE 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Need ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Scope ........................................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Application ............................................................................................................... 3 1.5 Relationship to Previous FGDC Standards .............................................................. 4 1.6 Development Procedures ......................................................................................... 5 1.7 Guiding Principles ................................................................................................... 7 1.7.1 Build a Scientifically Sound Ecological Classification .................................... 7 1.7.2 Meet the Needs of a Wide Range of Users ......................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sediment Transport in the San Francisco Bay Coastal System: an Overview
    Marine Geology 345 (2013) 3–17 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Marine Geology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/margeo Sediment transport in the San Francisco Bay Coastal System: An overview Patrick L. Barnard a,⁎, David H. Schoellhamer b,c, Bruce E. Jaffe a, Lester J. McKee d a U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA b U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, Sacramento, CA, USA c University of California, Davis, USA d San Francisco Estuary Institute, Richmond, CA, USA article info abstract Article history: The papers in this special issue feature state-of-the-art approaches to understanding the physical processes Received 29 March 2012 related to sediment transport and geomorphology of complex coastal–estuarine systems. Here we focus on Received in revised form 9 April 2013 the San Francisco Bay Coastal System, extending from the lower San Joaquin–Sacramento Delta, through the Accepted 13 April 2013 Bay, and along the adjacent outer Pacific Coast. San Francisco Bay is an urbanized estuary that is impacted by Available online 20 April 2013 numerous anthropogenic activities common to many large estuaries, including a mining legacy, channel dredging, aggregate mining, reservoirs, freshwater diversion, watershed modifications, urban run-off, ship traffic, exotic Keywords: sediment transport species introductions, land reclamation, and wetland restoration. The Golden Gate strait is the sole inlet 9 3 estuaries connecting the Bay to the Pacific Ocean, and serves as the conduit for a tidal flow of ~8 × 10 m /day, in addition circulation to the transport of mud, sand, biogenic material, nutrients, and pollutants.
    [Show full text]
  • Seriola Dumerili (Greater Amberjack)
    UWI The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Diversity Seriola dumerili (Greater Amberjack) Family: Carangidae (Jacks and Pompanos) Order: Perciformes (Perch and Allied Fish) Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish) Fig. 1. Greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili. [http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/amberjack_greater downloaded 20 October 2016] TRAITS. The species Seriola dumerili displays rapid growth during development as a juvenile progressing to an adult. It is the largest species of the family of jacks. At adulthood, S. dumerili would typically weigh about 80kg and reach a length of 1.8-1.9m. Sexual maturity is achieved between the age of 3-5 years, and females may live longer and grow larger than males (FAO, 2016). S. dumurili are rapid-moving predators as shown by their body form (Fig. 1) (FLMNH, 2016). The adult is silvery-bluish in colour, whereas the juvenile is yellow-green. It has a characteristic goldish side line, as well as a dark band near the eye, as seen in Figs 1 and 2 (FAO, 2016; MarineBio, 2016; NCDEQ, 2016). DISTRIBUTION. S. dumerili is native to the waters of Trinidad and Tobago. Typically pelagic, found between depths of 10-360m, the species can be described as circumglobal. In other words, it is found worldwide, as seen in Fig. 3, though much more rarely in some areas, for example the eastern Pacific Ocean (IUCN, 2016). Due to this distribution, there is no threat to the population of the species, despite overfishing in certain locations. Migrations do occur, which are thought to be linked to reproductive cycles.
    [Show full text]