Does blue whitting migrate from Porcupine bank to Bay of Biscay after spawning season?

• Main Authors: Carrera, P. (Pablo), Meijide-Cameselle, M. (Manuel), Porteiro-Lago, C. (Carmen), Miquel-Batle, J. (Joan)
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo 1996
• Subjects: Porcupine Bank; North Atlantic; Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10508/8844

Duiing March-April 1994 and 1996 two cruises have been carrieed out around Bay of Biscay in order to check movements of blue whiting using acoustic methods. These cruises consisted in a double coverage of an area from 47°30' N, 7°15' W to 43º30' N, 6º30'W along the French and spanish continental shelf-break (200m to 1000 m isobaths). Whereas in 1994 a zigzag survey design with 20 nmi between peaks was performed, in 1996 the survey design consisted in parallel transepts with 24 nmi apart and, in both cases, normal to depth contour. The majority of the blue whiting from the Northem areas migrates to the main spawning area which is located West of British Isles, mainly around Porcupine Bank, during March-April. After spawning, there is an exodus from this area to the feeding grounds. The main migration route is in Northward direction which has been widely reported but it is not known in fish comming from the Bay of Biscay takes part in this migration. From this surveys, it could be concluded that there are important movements of blue whiting around Bay of Biscay, mainly on younger fish and these seem to be in relation with a southward migration after spawning.