The trophic relationships of several commercial finfish species from the southwest Atlantic ...

• Main Authors: Pierce, G.J., Santos, M.B., Bishop, A., Desormonts, S., Portela, J.M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: ASC 2002 - N - Theme session 2024
• Subjects: Ecosystem observation, processes and dynamics; Patagonian Toothfish
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.25443142.v1; https://ices-library.figshare.com/articles/conference_contribution/The_trophic_relationships_of_several_commercial_finfish_species_from_the_southwest_Atlantic/25443142/1

No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.This study aims to quantify the trophic relationships of seven commercially valuable predatory fish species (Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi, southern hake Merluccius australis, Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides, southern blue whiting Micromesistius australis australis, red cod Salilota australis, kingclip Genypterus blacodes and hoki Macruronus magellanicus) over a two-year period. A total of 1590 stomachs from these species was collected from the high seas of the southwest Atlantic and in the waters around the Falkland Islands. The percentage similarity index shows that all species except southern hake occupy very similar trophic positions, with a high percentage dietary overlap. Despite this, niche breadths were relatively narrow, with the majority of feeding occurring on locally abundant prey items (notothiniid fish and the squids Illex argentinus and Loligo gahi). In the two species for which sample size was largest, ...