L'alimentation du merlan bleu Micromesistius poutassou (Risso, 1826) (Teleosteens, Gadidae) dans le nord-est de l'ocean Atlantique

• Published in: ICES Journal of Marine Science
• Main Author: Geistdoerfer, P.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1983
• Subjects: Articles; Norwegian Sea; Iceland; Northeast Atlantic; Copepods; Thysanoessa inermis
• Online Access: http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/41/1/67; https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/41.1.67

The food habits of blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou , were studied during various seasons in the northeast Atlantic. The 1238 blue whiting examined (16 827 preys) came from 28 trawl catches made by RV “Thalassa” of the Institut scientifique et technique des Peches maritimes, in division Va (northeast Iceland and Rosengarten) and subdivision Vbl (Faroe Plateau) in July 1978, in divisions Vllh (Ouessant) and Vllg (Smalls) in May 1979, and in divisions IVa (N North Sea) and Via (NW coast of Scotland and N Ireland) in February, March, and May 1980. Blue whiting feed on pelagic, planktonic, and nectonic groups, especially euphausiids (80 · 1 % of the prey), including Meganycliphanes norvegica and Thysanoessa inermis , calanid copepods (11 · 2 % of the prey), hyperid amphipods (4 · 5 % of the prey), fish larvae and fishes (3 · 5 % of the prey) including Sprattus sprattus, Maurolicus muelleri , and Gadiculus argenteus thori . A relationship was found between the feeding of blue whiting and its migration. In winter feeding activity decreases; many stomachs are empty when the blue whiting is on its spawning areas on the continental slope to the west of Ireland and the British Isles. In summer blue whiting feeds intensively on its feeding areas in the Norwegian Sea; few stomachs are empty.