Food of American Plaice ( Hippoglossoides platessoides ) from the Grand Bank, Newfoundland

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Author: Pitt, T. K.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1973
• Subjects: General Medicine; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f73-206; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f73-206

Invertebrates, principally benthic forms, occurred most frequently in plaice stomachs from the Grand Bank. Fish, almost entirely capelin and sand lance, however, contributed the greatest proportion of total weight: 85% on the southeast part of the bank (ICNAF Division 3N) and 55% in the northeast section (ICNAF Division 3L).A seasonal feeding cycle was difficult to document because of the lack of winter samples, however, a greater proportion of empty stomachs occurred in February and March. The greater average weight of contents in spring samples (April–June) in Division 3L and in fall samples (October–November) for Division 3N was probably related to the availability of capelin and lance. The greater annual consumption of capelin and lance in Division 3N apparently accounted for the estimated higher caloric values of the average contents in this division than in Division 3L.