Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2267 1999 Annotated bibliography of demersal fish feeding with emphasis on selected studies from the Scotian Shelf and Grand Banks of the northwestern Atlantic by David A. Methven Oceans Sciences Centre Memorial University ofNewfoundland St. John's NF Canada AIC 5S7 iv Abstract Methven, David A. 1999. Annotated bibliography of demersal fish feeding with emphasis on selected studies from the Scotian Shelf and Grand Banks of the northwestern Atlantic. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2267: iv + 106 p. This document summarizes selected studies on the feeding ecology of demersal fishes from the Nova Scotian and Grand Banks regions of the northwestern Atlantic. Some studies from the eastern Atlantic and from Iceland are also included. The following information, if available, is recorded for each study; purpose, predator, predator size, dominant prey, pre size, location and time ofstudy, how prey were quantified, number ofpredator stomachs examined, depth, bottom type, and calorific content of prey. Text describing the contribution of the dominant prey of each predator is also included and is summarized with respect to sources of variation known to influence prey selection. This includes: variation in the diet with respect to predator size, time ofsampling, and sampling location. Eighty-nine studies are summarized. This feeding ecology of four species of Gadidae (Atlantic cod Gadus morhua; haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus, pollock Pollachius virens ; silver hake Merluccius bilinearis), three species ofPleuronectidae (American plaice Hippoglossoides platessoides; yellowtail Pleuronectesferrugineus [=Limandaferruginea]; winter flounder Pleuronectes americanus [Pesudopleuronectes americans]), redfish Sebastes sp., wolffish Anarhichas lupus, and eelpout Macrozoaraces americanus are outlined from these selected studies. Resume Methven, David A. 1999. Annotated bibliography of demersal fish feeding with emphasis on selected studies from the Scotian Shelf and Grand Banks of the northwestern Atlantic. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2267: iv + 106 p. Ce document presente un resume detudes portant sur Ialimentation des poissons dernersaux de la plate-forme neo-ecossaise et des Grands Banes du nord-ouest de l'Atlantique, ainsi que quelques etudes provenant des regions de rest de I'Atlantique et de l'Icelande, Quatre­ vinght neufetudes sont incluse. Pour chaque etude , nous presentons les donnees suivantes, si elles etaient disponibles: le but du projet de recherche, les predateurs etudies, leurs taille , les proies importantes, les tailles des proies, l' endroit et la peri ode OU l' etude aeu lieu, la procedure utilisee pour quantifier le montant de proies, Ie nombre d' estomachs de predateurs etudies, la profondeure, le type de substrat, et la valeure calorifique des proies. Une description de la contribution de la proie principale de chaque predateur, ainsi qu' un resume des sources de variabilite influencant la selection des proies, sont aussi inclus. La variation des contenus stomacaux par rapport ala taille du predateur, ainsi que les temps et les endroits ou les echantillonages ont eu lieu, sont addressees comme sources de variabilite. Ce document presente un resume de lalimentation de quatre especes de la familles Gadidae (Morue franche Gadus morhua; aiglefin Melanogrammus aeglefinus; goberge Pollachius virens; merlu argente Merluccius bilinearis], trois especes de la famille Pleuronectidae (plie Hippoglossoides platessoides; limande aqueue jaune Pleuronectesferrugineus [=Limandaferruginea]; plie rouge Pleuronectes americanus [=Pseudopleuronectes americanus]), le sebaste Sebastes sp., le loup datlantique Anarhichas lupus, et la loquette d'Amerique Macrozoaraces americanus. Objectives (i) identify publications that contain information on the feeding ecology of demersal fish species (age 0+; commercial and non-eommercial) from the north western Atlantic with emphasis on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and the Nova Scotian Shelf; (ii) review selected publications, identify the taxonomic groups and prey species, and where possible the size classes of prey that comprise the most important food of demersal fish; (iii) prepare an annotated bibliography of all pertinent publications with a brief summary; Organization and approach This report summarizes 89 papers from the primary (53) and secondary (33) scientific literature that describe the diet and feeding ecology of demersal fish that occur on the Grand Bank, Scotian Shelf, and nearby waters. Individual studies are summarized in an annotated bibliography. The results are combined to gain an overview of the diet and feeding ecology of several of the best studied, most common, and commercially important species (4 gadids, 3 pleuronectids, redfish, wolffish, and eelpout) that occur on the Scotian Shelf and Grand Bank. The feeding ecology of many small and unmanaged species within the Cottidae, Lumpenidae, Pholidae, etc. from the Grand Banks and Scotian Shelf likely have not been examined. Consequently, studies that describe the diet from neighbouring regions such as the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, Bay of Fundy, and eastern Atlantic were included. Studies that describe the diet of demersal feeding fishes from inshore areas of Atlantic Canada were also included. Inshore studies often examine fewer stomachs than studies conducted offshore at sea. Hence, ifthere is a tradeoff between number of stomachs examined and level oftaxonomic identification of the prey, then studies conducted inshore may provide complete descriptions of the diet. This document does not include all known studies on the feeding ecology of demersal fishes in the Canadian Atlantic but does include information on as many different predator species as possible. For each study in the bibliography the important taxonomic groups and species are identified . The diet is described with respect to sources of variation that generally influence the diet. This includes variation in the diet with respect to size of predator, time and location of sampling. Each study is identified with a reference number. The reference number is located on the first line of the box included with each individual study in the bibliography section of this review. Individual papers are in alphabetical order by the first author. The first paper in the bibliography section is by Albert (1993). Its reference number is (I). This number is used to identify papers applicable to a specific predator and specific region, be it the Scotian Shelf, Grand Bank, etc. Reference numbers are used to summarize papers by sampling location (Table 1) and predator (Table 2). Table 1. Distribution of studies by region. Region Study Iceland - Greenland 62,63 eastern Atlant ic 1,2,13,18,22,23,29,5Q..52,58,59 ,70 Newfoundland and Labrador Shelf 3,5,9,12,20,24-28,30,32.33,4C-46,55,56,57,64-66,69,n-79,88,8l Gulf of St. Lawrence 30,31,33,67,68,73,74,84 Scotian Shelf 6,8 ,10,15,30,31,34,35,36,37,48,49,53,54,72,73,75,76,81,83,85 Bay of Fundy 47,75,80.66 Gulf of Maine - Georges Bank 4,6 ,7,8,10,11,14,15,16,17,19,21,34,35,36,37,38,39,53,54,60,61 71,81,82,87 Table 2. Distribution of studies by predator. Gadidae Reference number Fourbeard rockling Enche~opusdmbrius 1,6,36,50,80 Haddock Melanogrammus eeglefinus 2,6,23 ,31,34,36,48,52,53,62,80,87 Atlantic cod Gadus morlJue 6,15,18,20,21,22,29,31,32,34,36,40,41,42, 43,44,45,46,47,51,53,55,57,62,67,70,79,80,84 Silver hake Merluccius bilineeris 6,7,10,14,15,34,36,53,71,76,79,80,81,82,83,85 Pollock Pol/echius virens 6,14,34,36,75,80 Red hake Urophycis chuss 6,21,34,36,81,82,83 Wh ite hake Urophycis tenuis 6,34,36,64,79,80 Spotted hake Urophycis regius 6,34,36 Longfin hake Phycis chesteri 36 Offshore hake Merluccius albidus 36 Cusk Brosmebrosme 36 Pleuornectidae Plaice Hippoglossoides platessiodes 6,20,25,32,34,37,38,47,49,56,59,61 ,62,65 ,68,80,89 Yellowta il Pleuronectes (errugineus 6,11,17,21,34,35,37,38,39,49,66 Winter flounder P/euronectes americanus 19,21,24,28,37,38,47,49,73,80,86 Atlantic halibut Hippog/ossus hippog/ossus 30 Witch G/yptocepha/us cynog/ossus 34,37,47,50 Greenland halibut Remharduush~pog~ssomes 5,9,20 ,69,79 Bothidae Windowpane Scophtha/mus aquosus 21,37 Summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus 37 Gulf stream flounder Cilharichthys erctinons 37 Four spot flounder Para/ichthys ob/ongus 34,37 Other species Checker eelpout Lycodes vahlii 1 Wolffish AnarlJichas sp. 3,26,62,78 Ocean pout Macrozoarces american us 4,21,27,34,36,38,47,80 Dogfish Squa/us acanthias 8 Lumpfish Cyc/opterus lutnpus 12 Tautog Tautoga onius 60 Cunner Tautogolabrus adspersus 60 Anglerfish Lophius piscatorius 13 Redfish Sebastes sp. 14,32,33,34,62,74,79,88 Longhorn sculpin Myoxocepha/us octodecemspinosus 21,34,38,80 W inter skate Raja ocel/ata 54 Little skate Raja erinacea 21,34,38,54,80 Thorny skate Raja radiata 54,63,77,79,80 Smooth skate Raja senta 54 Butterfish Peprilus triacanthus 34 Scup Stenotomus chrysops 34 Marlin spike Nezumia bairdi 36 Longnose grenadier Coe/orlJynchus carmininatus 36 Fawn cusk eel Lepophidium cerinum 36 Sand lance Ammodytes sp. 72 2 Species summaries describing diet composition and feeding ecology Individual species accounts that follow summarize the diet offour species ofGadidae (Atlantic cod Gadus morhua; haddock Melanogrammus aeglejinus; pollock Pollachius virens; silver hake Merluccius bilinearis), three species ofPleuronectidae (American plaice Hippoglossoides platessoides; yellowtail Pleuronectesferrugineus; winter flounder Pleuronectes americanus), redfish Sebastes sp., wolffish Anarhichas lupus, and eelpout, Macrozoaraces americanus. The feeding ecology ofthese species was examined because they are relatively well studied and most are commercially important in the Canadian Atlantic. Atlantic cod Gadus morhua Cod are visual feeders that respond to prey movement and therefore feed most often on nektonic, epibenthic, and shallow infaunal prey (Lilly 1987, Macdonald and Green 1987).