Fish Populations in a Tidal Estuary in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, from 1971 to 2004

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Fish Populations in a Tidal Estuary in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, from 1971 to 2004 Fish Populations in a Tidal Estuary in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, from 1971 to 2004. J. Roger Bray and Gwendolyn J. Struik P. O. Box 494, Nelson 7040, New Zealand [email protected] http://www.oceansatlas.org © J. Roger Bray and Gwendolyn J. Struik, 2006 Published in 2006 and obtainable from http://www.oceansatlas.org Copyright © J. Roger Bray and Gwendolyn J. Struik 2006 P. O. Box 494, Nelson 7040, New Zealand [email protected] All rights reserved. This book is copyright. With the exception of fair dealing for purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission in writing from the copyright holders. Copying for general distribution, for advertising or promotional purposes, for creating new collective works or for resale is prohibited. Special requests should be addressed to the copyright holders. ISBN 0-473-11195-0 Acknowledgements We thank Anne and Vic Marchant, Greg and June Harney, Claire and Ernie Twose; and Paul Creswell and Scott Williamson of Ministry of Fisheries; N.Z. Lottery Science Research, and the libraries of Canterbury University, Greta Point fisheries research and Nelson. About the Authors J. Roger Bray and Gwendolyn Struik have doctorates in plant and animal ecology from the University of Wisconsin. After teaching and research in the U.S.A and Canada, they moved to New Zealand in 1963 and have lived in Nelson and Duncan Bay where, since 1971, they have worked on forest regeneration, possum populations and estuarine fish. Dr. Bray has published over 70 papers in scientific journals and books in North America, Europe and Australasia on ecology and climatology, and has worked at the Universities of Minnesota and Toronto and at D.S.I.R. in New Zealand. Dr. Struik has scientific publications on forest ecology in North America, grasslands ecology and fisheries in New Zealand and has worked at Wheaton College, Nelson Polytech and D.S.I.R. Fish populations in a tidal estuary in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand from 1971 to 2004. J. R. Bray and G. J. Struik (2006). http://www.oceansatlas.org ABSTRACT From 1971 to 2004, we sampled the fish populations of Te Mako tidal estuary in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand by setting a monofilament net, at low tide, in the same location for a total of 2832 tides. Fifteen hundred and eighteen fish of 23 species were caught and measured. Results showed percent tidal occurrence was 26, number per tide 0.54, mean weight per fish 783g, weight per tide 420g, mean length per fish 355 mm and length per tide 190 mm. The eleven major species, followed by family name and weight per tide, were divided into Early Dominants- Rig (Inshore shark) 73g and Yellow-eyed mullet (Mullet) 12g, Mid Dominants- Snapper (Seabream) 68g and Barracouta (Snake mackerel) 14g, Later Dominants- Kahawai (Kahawai) 119g, Warehou (Raft) 40g and Spotty (Wrass) 3g, and Invaders- Flounder (Right-eyed flounder) 29g, Grey mullet (Mullet) 14g, Blue mackerel (Tuna) 9g and Dab (Right-eyed flounder) 3g. Predominant species were the Early Dominants in the early and late 1970s, the Mid Dominants in the mid 1970s, followed by the Invaders in the early to mid 1980s and the Later Dominants thereafter. A schooling index was inversely related (Rs -0.98, p<.01) to percent of single individuals per tide. Of 55 species pairs, 18 had significant positive associations and none were significantly negative. Positive interspecific association was related to intraspecific association, to an environmental variable and to food preference, which indicated fish- eating species had the highest percentage of significantly associated species pairs, while invertebrate and bottom feeders were less associated with other species. All species showed distinctive seasonal, temperature, rainfall and day/night distributions, and nearly every species peaked on a new or waning moon. A significant relationship was shown between spring precipitation and a consequent increase in fish weight and length followed in the next year by increases in weight, length and number per tide, and percent tidal occupancy, which may reflect a flushing of nutrients from land to sea during the crucial vernal warming period. The population variables for the sum of all species declined between 1971-86 and 1987- 2002 and, especially, from 1971-74 to 2001-04 when there were declines in weight per fish (71%), length per fish (48%), number per tide (70%), weight per tide (91%), length per tide from (85%) and occupied tides (46%). These massive declines may reflect the large increase in unregulated foreign fishing vessels in New Zealand from 1967 to 1977, subsequent increase in domestic fishing, deterioration of nearby benthic communities by trawling and dredging, and an increase in nutrient loss to farmed mussels. Fish populations in a tidal estuary in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand from 1971 to 2004. J. R. Bray and G. J. Struik (2006). http://www.oceansatlas.org SHORT ABSTRACT Fish netted in a tidal New Zealand estuary from 1971 to 2004 declined between 1971-74 and 2001-04 by 46% in percent occupied tides, 70% in number per tide, 71% in weight per fish, 91% in weight per tide, 48% in length per fish and 85% in length per tide. There was a shift from Early to Mid Dominant species followed by fluctuation between Later Dominants and, briefly, Invaders. Degree of interspecific association was significantly dependent on food preference, a seasonal variable and level of intraspecific association. Spring precipitation was positively related to increases in fish weight and length, followed in the next year by increases in number, weight and length per tide. Table of Contents Chapter page Summary....................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................... 5 2. Site description and sampling methods ......................................................................... 5 3. Te Mako fish species and their New Zealand distribution ............................................ 8 4. Fish species data summary .......................................................................................... 12 5. Species numbers, weights and lengths......................................................................... 15 6. Species Importance Index............................................................................................ 17 7. Intraspecific and interspecific association................................................................... 20 8. Stomach content and fullness, food preference and interspecific association............. 29 9. Species number, diversity and presence ..................................................................... 34 10. Diversity and global abundance-weight profiles ....................................................... 36 11. Biyearly fish population variables............................................................................. 40 12. Percent changes in the six biyearly population variables .......................................... 50 13. Biyearly running means for weight per tide and length per tide ............................... 51 14. Early, Mid and Later Dominants and Invaders.......................................................... 54 15. Environmental variables and fish populations........................................................... 56 16. Yearly fish population variables and precipitation.................................................... 59 17. Te Mako fish population trends................................................................................. 64 References.................................................................................................................. 71 Fish populations of a New Zealand estuary from 1971 to 2004. Bray & Struik (2006) 1 SUMMARY Chapter 1. Introduction. A monofilament net was set at monthly intervals on 493 occasions and 2832 tides from 1971 to 2004, at low tide, in the same location in Te Mako estuary, Duncan Bay, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand (41o 7’ 35” S, 173o 45’75” E). Chapter 2. Site description and sampling methods. Te Mako estuary has a catchment of warm temperate rain forest, sheep pasture and coastal shrubs, sedges and rushes. The estuary is tidal with patches of sand, silt and Eel grass. The set net was 27.4 m with stretched mesh size of 124 mm. Fish caught were weighed and measured. Chapter 3. Te Mako fish species and their New Zealand distribution. Of the twenty- three species netted, there was a mean overlap with eleven New Zealand estuarine and coastal sites of 64%. For the eleven major species, the mean overlap was 75% with 91 to 100% overlap with the three closest sites. Chapter 4. Fish species summary. Eleven major species occurred in twelve or more years and twelve minor species occurred in three or less years. Seven original major species were first caught between 1971 to 1974, and four later arrivals first caught from 1977 to 1981. Number per tide x 1000 and mean weight per tide were Kahawai 130 and 119g, Warehou 110 and 40g, Yellow-eyed mullet 80 and 12g, Yellowbelly Flounder 68 and 29g, Snapper 53 and 68g, Blue mackerel 19 and 9g, Rig 19 and 73g, Barracouta 16 and 40g, Spotty 16 and 3g, Dab 9 and 3g, Grey mullet 7 and 14g. Chapter 5. Species weights, lengths and numbers. Mean weight per species was 1147g, mean length per
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