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Tracking movements of deep demersal fishes in the Porcupine Seabight, north-east Atlantic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

P.M. Bagley
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, Department of Zoology, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB9 2TN
A. Smith
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, Department of Zoology, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB9 2TN
I.G. Priede
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, Department of Zoology, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB9 2TN

Abstract

Miniature acoustic transponders wrapped in bait were deployed on the sea floor in the continental rise and slope regions of the Porcupine Seabight during August 1992. These were ingested by Centroscymnus coelolepis (Chondrichthyes, Selachii) at 1517–1650 m depth, Antimora rostrata (Osteichthyes, Moridae) at 2020–2501 m depth, and Coryphaenoides (Nematonurus) armatus (Osteichthyes, Macrouridae) at 2501–4050 m depth. Fish with baits in their stomachs were tracked using a scanning sonar deployed on the sea floor. All fish had moved out of range of the sonar (500 m) within 3–9 h of the bait reaching the sea floor, indicating no site fidelity. Swimming speed of C. (N.) armatus increased with depth from 0056 m s-1 at 2500 m to 0·109 m s-1 at 4000 m. This is partially explained by a bigger-deeper trend in fish size.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1994

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