Food and Feeding Chronology of American Plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) in the North Atlantic

• Main Authors: González-Iglesias, María de la Concepción, Román-Marcote, Esther, Paz, Xabier
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo; Pesquerías; American plaice; Food; Daily feeding; Grand Bank; Flemish Cap; Svalbard; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Greenland; Greenland Sea; North Atlantic; Northeast Atlantic; Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/687; http://hdl.handle.net/10261/327820

Food and feeding of 5592 individuals of American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides, Fabricius) was examined from Grand Bank (NAFO Divisions 3NO), Flemish Cap (NAFO Div. 3M) and Svalbard Area (ICES Div. IIb). Differencies in diet composition were observed by areas. Feeding intensity was higher on Flemish Cap (77.6%) and lower in the Svalbard (4.7%). There was significant seasonal feeding variation in the Svalbard, with higher feeding intensity in summer. The main groups of prey were Pisces (46%), Echinodermata (20%), Crustacea (16%) and Mollusca (10%). The prey spectrum was larger in the south of the Grand Bank, the main prey being Pisces (64%), while both on Flemish Cap and in Svalbard the main prey was Ophiuroidea (39%). Feeding pattern indicated that American plaice is a daytime feeder, and no marked differences were noted over a 24 hour period. Low cannibalism intensity was observed on Grand Bank. A greater similitude was present between the diets on Flemish Cap and in Svalbard. Composition and overlapping diet, by length classes, were also analyzed.