Environmental preferences of yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares ) at the northern extent of its range

Block, Barbara A.; Keen, J.M.; Castillo, Bernard F.; Dewar, Heidi; Freund, E. V.; Marcinek, David J.; Brill, Richard W.; Farwell, Charles J.

doi:10.1007/s002270050231

Cited by 152 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This clearly indicates that ocean sunfish are active swimmers, not substantially affected by the velocity or direction of the currents. While it may not be surprising that other pelagic species such as tunas show minimal influence by ocean currents due to their swimming abilities, it is interesting to note that the ROMs of ocean sunfish tracked in this study are similar to those found by Block et al (1997) for yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares (1.7 to 3.2 km h -1 ) in the southern California Bight.…”

Section: Horizontal Movementssupporting

confidence: 70%

Diel movement patterns of ocean sunfish Mola mola off southern California

Cartamil¹,

Lowe²

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

101

115

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Ocean sunfish Mola mola are a seasonally common inhabitant of southern Californian waters, and comprise the largest bycatch component (29% of total catch) of the California drift gillnet fishery for swordfish. We used temperature and depth-sensing acoustic transmitters to quantify the fine-scale movement patterns of ocean sunfish near Santa Catalina Island, California. Eight ocean sunfish were tracked continuously over 24 to 72 h periods, during which oceanographic data were collected every 2 h. Geographical position and depth of tracked fish were analyzed in relation to oceanographic data and time of day. Ocean sunfish traveled a mean distance of 26.8 ± 5.2 (± SD) km d ) (SD = 0.58) was significantly higher than either nighttime period. Horizontal movements were highly directional, with angular concentration values (r) as high as 0.765 over the duration of entire tracks. Nocturnal vertical movements were confined to the surface mixed layer and thermocline, while diurnal vertical movements were often characterized by repeated dives below the thermocline. A significant relationship was found between maximum dive depth and the post-dive period spent in the mixed layer, suggesting that ocean sunfish may behaviorally thermoregulate between deeper daytime dives. The observed depth-distribution patterns of ocean sunfish indicate that lowering the depth of gillnets in the water column could significantly reduce bycatch of this species in the California drift gillnet fishery. KEY WORDS: Acoustic telemetry · Pelagic tracking · Drift gillnet fishery · Bycatch · ThermoregulationResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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Section: Horizontal Movementssupporting

confidence: 70%

Diel movement patterns of ocean sunfish Mola mola off southern California

Cartamil¹,

Lowe²

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

101

115

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“…Yellowfin tuna occur primarily in waters where surface temperatures range 20-30°C, although have been observed to occur in waters down to 15°C in low numbers (Sund et al 1981). Similar water temperatures limit their vertical distribution, with fish predominantly distributed in the upper 200 m of the water column (Sund et al 1981;Block et al 1997;Brill et al 1999;Schaefer et al 2007). Temperature appears to dictate the distribution of yellowfin tuna in all regions except the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) where both temperature and oxygen concentrations contribute to form a cold hypoxic environment, restricting the distribution of most tunas and billfish (Prince and Goodyear 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of climate variability on the distribution and fishing conditions of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the western Indian Ocean

2012

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Variations in the abundance and distribution of pelagic tuna populations have been associated with large-scale climate indices such as the Southern Oscillation Index in the Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic Oscillation in the Atlantic Ocean. Similarly to the Pacific and Atlantic, variability in the distribution and catch rates of tuna species have also been observed in association with the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), a basin-scale pattern of sea surface and subsurface temperatures that affect climate in the Indian Ocean. The environmental processes associated with the IOD that drive variability in tuna populations, however, are largely unexplored. To better understand these processes, we investigated longline catch rates of yellowfin tuna and their distributions in the western Indian Ocean in relation to IOD events, sea surface water temperatures (SST) and estimates of net primary productivity (NPP). Catch per unit effort (CPUE) was observed to be negatively correlated to the IOD with a periodicity centred around 4 years. During positive IOD events, SSTs were relatively higher, NPP was lower, CPUE decreased and catch distributions were restricted to the northern and western margins of the western Indian Ocean. During negative IOD events, lower SSTs and higher NPP were associated with increasing CPUE, particularly in the Arabian Sea and seas surrounding Madagascar, and catches expanded into central regions of the western Indian Ocean. These findings provide preliminary insights into some of the key environmental features driving the distribution of yellowfin tuna in the western Indian Ocean and associated variability in fisheries catches.

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“…For instance, González-Gurriarán and Friere (1994) lost detailed tracking information (using ultrasonic telemetry) when spider crabs (Maja squinado) migrated to deeper and colder offshore waters. The application of multidirectional hydrophone arrays that can be towed by ship coupled with independent acoustic receivers may improve data capture for animals undertaking movements over several kilometres (Block et al, 1997). Alternatively, fixed position automated 'listening stations' can be deployed on moorings (Klimley et al, 1998;Arendt et al, 2001).…”

Section: Juveniles and Adultsmentioning

confidence: 99%