人工集鱼装置对热带金枪鱼类行为模式的影响

金枪鱼类会聚集在漂浮物周围,人类依据该行为特性研制出人工集鱼装置(fish aggregation devices,FADs)诱集金枪鱼,从而使金枪鱼围网的产量和捕捞效率大幅提高.但目前科学界仍不确定FADs为何能够吸引金枪鱼以及其广泛使用是否会对金枪鱼资源和大洋中上层生态系统产生潜在影响.针对这些问题,国外学者展开了大量以FADs周围金枪鱼为研究对象的个体行为学试验.本文归纳并整理了过去30多年中较可靠和经典的相关试验,从金枪鱼的趋向性行为、集群行为、随附行为、摄食行为和垂直移动行为5个方面分别阐述了漂流FADs和锚泊FADs下金枪鱼的行为模式,并对国内今后开展相关研究的重点方向和注意事项进行了展望.     

人工集鱼装置对热带金枪鱼类摄食模式的影响研究进展

热带金枪鱼类具有聚集在漂浮物体周围的行为特性,形成的集群表现稳定,可捕性较高。以此特性,金枪鱼围网渔业研制并投放了大量的人工集鱼装置(Fish Aggregation Device,FAD)用于聚集并捕捞金枪鱼。然而,大规模出现的FAD会使某些海域海面漂浮物的密度迅速增加,从而在一定程度上人为地改变了金枪鱼的表层栖息环境,对金枪鱼种群具有一系列可能的潜在负面影响,摄食模式的改变就是其中之一。归纳并综合了近年来国内外关于FAD对金枪鱼类摄食模式影响的相关研究,从摄食行为、日摄食量、饵料种类与组成以及生态位宽度4个方面对比了随附于FAD的金枪鱼和自由状态下同类的不同,发现大多情况下FAD的存在会使金枪鱼的摄食模式发生一定的改变。最后,归纳了过往实验存在的不足,对今后研究的发展方向进行了展望。     

基于地统计分析西印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼围网渔获量的空间异质性

西印度洋公海海域是世界上围网黄鳍金枪鱼渔业的主要作业海域之一,根据印度洋金枪鱼委员会1999—2004年的1°×1°的各月黄鳍金枪鱼围网渔获量统计数据,采用地统计方法探索该海域黄鳍金枪鱼渔获量的空间异质性特征及其相关生态动力过程。进行了如下分析:(1)利用GIS制图观察渔获量的时空分布特征,发现其空间格局的变异受到的季节变化和年际变化共同影响,且前者明显强于后者。(2)采用地统计方法计算各月渔获量的空间异质性参数,并按照年际和季节情况分别进行了统计分析,发现渔获量的地统计参数值和变异函数模型有明显的季节和年际差异;渔获量的空间相关距离(变程)平均在1000nm左右,冬季要小于夏季;渔获量的空间变异函数模型主要为相关距离较大且空间依赖性较弱的指数模型;渔获量的空间结构方差比例(平均为65.82%)远大于随机性方差比例(平均为34.18%);渔获量在1°×1°尺度下具有明显的空间自相关性。(3)对地统计参数值和渔获量的相关关系研究,并探讨季节变化下渔获量的空间异质性特征与相关生态动力过程关系,发现各月渔获量随着空间总变异(基台值)增加而增加,两者存在强相关性;各月渔获量和南北和西北-东南向分维数值有一定相关性,意味着海洋动力过程在南北和西北—东南向过程越强,渔获量越低。西印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼围网渔获量的空间变异原因在于季风气候和ENSO循环过程引起的海洋流场、营养盐和温跃层等变化外在因素,以及围网捕捞方式和鱼类的行为方式的内在因素共同导致的。     

纺锤鰤在漂流物下聚集的原因

多种中上层鱼类趋于在漂流物体下方聚集,人们由此发明了漂流人工集鱼装置(FAD)来吸引热带金枪鱼类.FAD同时也能吸引其他非目标鱼种,如纺锤鰤,但它们被FAD聚集的原因至今仍不清楚.本研究利用中西太平洋金枪鱼围网渔业科学观察员收集的渔业生物学数据,评估了纺锤鰤聚集在FAD下方的潜在动机.结果表明:漂流物下的纺锤鰤样本叉长范围为30.0~90.6 cm,优势叉长组为60.0~80.0 cm,占到总体的76.3%,说明漂流物下的纺锤鰤以体型较大的个体为主;纺锤鰤个体的50%性成熟体长为65.7 cm,漂流物下纺锤鰤以性成熟个体为主;样本的胃含物中发现常见小型随附鱼种,如细鳞圆!、长鳍鈟、六带!、鲣鱼以及大眼金枪鱼和黄鳍金枪鱼的幼鱼,表明聚集于漂流物下的纺锤鰤捕食其他的随附种类.纺锤鰤成鱼作为一种大洋性的捕食者,觅食是其游向漂流物最可能的动机之一,"饵料供应"假说和"休息点"假说可用于解释纺锤鰤的聚集原因.     

体色和社会熟悉度对慈鲷选择集群的影响

为了探究体色和社会熟悉度对慈鲷(Cichlidae)选择集群的影响,以体色呈蓝色的蓝阿里(Sciaenochromis fryeri)为研究对象,体色呈白色的雪鲷(Hindongo socolofi)和体色呈黄色的淡黑镊丽鱼(Labidochromis caeruleus)作为刺激鱼群,通过控制鱼群社会熟悉,测试实验鱼是否与优先偏好的颜色表型发生联系,并观察实验鱼是否更喜欢与偏好的颜色表型但并不熟悉的刺激鱼群联系。结果显示,当刺激鱼群的社会熟悉度没有差异时,个体和群体都更倾向于与偏好的颜色表型鱼群联系;而当刺激鱼群社会熟悉度不同时,个体蓝阿里表现出与社会熟悉度更高的群体联系在一起,但群体实验鱼表现出与偏好的颜色表型联系。研究表明,体色对蓝阿里选择集群的影响要比社会熟悉度更大,并且体色可能是慈鲷重要的集群线索,这为研究鱼群内体色的生态影响(如捕食者-猎物之间的相互作用)奠定了基础。     

应用年龄结构产量模型评估印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼资源

利用年龄结构产量模型(Age structured production model,ASPM)评估了印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼资源状况,同时结合亲体量-补充量曲线陡度系数和年龄组自然死亡系数的敏感性分析,描述了黄鳍金枪鱼资源的发展趋势、判断了开发状况。研究认为,陡度系数设在0.6-0.8才可能使亲体量产生出最大可持续产量(Maximum sustainable yield,MSY)的水平。采用美洲热带金枪鱼委员会推荐的自然死亡系数值时,评估结果最接近渔业现状。研究发现,随着捕捞努力量的增加,总资源量和亲体量呈逐年下降趋势,但总资源量自1990年后趋向稳定,维持在195.9-263.2万t,平均为221万t;亲体量在1994年后下降到100万t以下,1997年以后处在维持MSY所需亲体量的水平之下,目前仍呈下降趋势。补充量在渔业初期呈现大幅度波动,1978年后趋于稳定,并维持在3258.36-6583.35×106尾,平均为4687.66×106尾。未成熟鱼的数量总体较为稳定,但成熟鱼的数量出现剧减,从渔业初期的246.51×106尾减少到2005年的19.02×106尾。模型估计的总捕捞死亡系数从渔业初期开始逐渐上升,1991年后出现大幅度上升,处于0.334-0.456间,2003年时超过FMSY,捕捞产量也于2003年超过MSY。分析认为,2003年以来印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼的持续高产量被认为是不可持续,根据ASPM估算,2003-2006年均产量46.4万t,超过了MSY(36.4万t);S/SMSY为0.76;Fall/FMSY为1.39,由此判断现阶段印度洋黄鳍金枪鱼正处于过度捕捞状态。     

活跃性和社会性对中华倒刺鲃集群行为的影响

为考察群体中不同的个性组成对鱼类集群行为的影响及其内在机制,选取中华倒刺鲃(Spinibarbus sinensis)幼鱼为实验对象,依次测定其活跃性和社会性,随后分别根据活跃性和社会性的高低分为高、低和混合活跃性(或社会性)鱼群,考察鱼群中不同个性组成对集群时的整体运动特征以及每尾鱼的个体运动特征的影响。研究发现：(1)中华倒刺鲃的个性特征稳定且个体间变异较大;(2)高活跃性鱼群的运动时间比和速度同步性均大于低活跃性鱼群,而混合鱼群位于二者之间且与两个同质性鱼群均无显著差异;高社会性鱼群速度同步性显著小于低社会性和混合社会性鱼群,而后两者之间没有显著差异。(3)活跃性特征与集群运动时每尾鱼的运动特征(速度及其同步性等)相关,社会性特征不仅与上述运动特征关联,还与凝聚力大小(距鱼群质心距离)相关。研究表明：(1)鱼群的活跃性和社会性组成均对集群行为产生重要影响,但其内在机制截然不同。主要表现为：就活跃性而言,群体的运动状态是由群体中所有成员共同决定(平均决定机制);就社会性而言,少数低社会性成员对鱼群的运动水平表现有着主导作用(少数决定机制);(2)实验鱼的活跃性在集群行为中得到了较大...     

基于栖息地指数的东太平洋黄鳍金枪鱼渔场预报

黄鳍金枪鱼是东太平洋海域重要的金枪鱼种类之一,也是我国金枪鱼延绳钓的主要捕捞对象之一。根据2011年东太平洋海域(20°N—35°S、85°W—155°W)延绳钓生产统计数据,结合表温(SST)和海面高度(SSH)的遥感数据,采用频次分析法获得黄鳍金枪鱼分布的SST和SSH适宜范围;运用一元非线性回归方法,以渔获量为适应性指数,按季度分别建立了基于SST和SSH的长鳍金枪鱼栖息地适应性指数,采用算术平均法获得基于SST和SSH环境因子的栖息地指数综合模型,并用2012年各月实际作业渔场进行验证。结果显示,黄鳍金枪鱼渔场多分布在SST为24—29℃、SSH为0.3—0.7 m的海域。采用一元非线性回归建立的各因子适应性指数模型在统计上均为显著(P0.05)。经与2012年实际生产情况比较,作业渔场预报准确性达66%以上。研究获得栖息地指数模型可为金枪鱼延绳钓渔船寻找中心渔场提供参考。     

鱼群中饥饿个体比例和模拟捕食风险对德玛森小岩鲷群体行为的影响

研究旨在探讨同质(所有个体均正常摄食或饥饿)或异质(由不同饥饿个体比例组成的鱼群)鱼群的隐蔽所利用及觅食行为差异,以及上述行为对模拟捕食刺激的响应。实验选取喜好集群的德玛森小岩鲷(Chindongo demasoni)幼鱼为研究对象,以设置了隐蔽所臂和食物臂的六臂迷宫为竞技场,考察不同饥饿个体比例鱼群(8尾成员,分别为8F0S、7F1S、4F4S、1F7S和0F8S, F为正常投喂个体, S为饥饿个体),在自发状态及遭遇模拟捕食刺激下在迷宫不同区域的分布和成群动态。研究发现:(1)8F0S鱼群偏好隐蔽所臂;随着鱼群饥饿个体成员比例上升,鱼群在食物臂分布呈线性增加趋势, 0F8S鱼群在隐蔽所臂和食物臂的分布已不再存在差异;(2)隐蔽所臂的鱼群成群频率随饥饿鱼比例的上升呈下降趋势,但食物臂的鱼群成群频率并未随饥饿鱼比例上升而上升,且鱼群单次持续时间和总体时间占比均不受鱼群内部饥饿个体占比的影响;(3)模拟捕食刺激导致实验鱼在隐蔽所臂分布显著上升,应激状态下几乎所有集群均发生在隐蔽所臂,且该变化不受鱼群组成的影响。研究表明:(1)在陌生环境下德玛森小岩鲷的行为策略是优先避敌,其次才是营养需求...     

基于Argo数据的热带大西洋大眼金枪鱼时空分布

为了解热带大西洋延绳钓大眼金枪鱼适宜渔获水温的等温线时空分布,分析大眼金枪鱼适宜的垂直和水平空间分布范围,采用Argo浮标剖面温度数据,运用Kriging方法重构热带大西洋9、12、13和15℃月平均等温线场,网格化计算了12、13℃等温线深度值和温跃层下界深度差,并结合大西洋金枪鱼国际养护委员会(ICCAT)大眼金枪鱼延绳钓渔业数据,绘制了12、13℃等温线深度与月平均单位捕捞努力渔获量(CPUE)的空间叠加图,用于分析大眼金枪鱼中心渔场CPUE时空分布和高渔获率的水温等值线时空分布的关系.结果表明:热带大西洋大眼金枪鱼中心渔场延绳钓高渔获率的水层垂直分布在温跃层下界以下区域,在表层以下150~450 m深度.在水平空间上,12℃等温线高值CPUE出现的深度值大多小于300m,集中分布在190~260 m,深度值超过400 m几乎没有CPUE值.大眼金枪鱼水平空间分布受12℃等温线影响.13℃等温线高值CPUE出现的深度值大多小于250 m,集中分布在150~230 m,深度值超过300 m几乎没有渔获.采用频次分析和经验累积分布函数计算其适宜次表层环境因子分布:12℃等温线190~260 m;13℃等温线160~240 m;12℃深度差-10~100m;13℃深度差-40~60 m.文章初步得出热带大西洋大眼金枪鱼中心渔场适宜的水平、垂直深度值分布区间,结果可以辅助寻找中心渔场位置,同时指导投钩深度,为大西洋大眼金枪鱼实际生产作业和资源管理提供理论支持.     

Studying small purse‐seine vessel fishing behavior with tuna catch data: Implications for eastern Pacific Ocean dolphin conservation

Despite achievements in dolphin conservation for the tuna purse‐seine fishery of the eastern Pacific Ocean, debate continues about the magnitude and importance of dolphin mortality caused by small (unobserved) vessels. In‐port sampling of tuna catch size composition is a potentially cost‐effective means of identifying unobserved vessels that may be catching tunas associated with dolphins because yellowfin tuna caught in association with dolphins are larger, on average, than those caught in other types of purse‐seine sets. A classification algorithm to predict purse‐seine set type (“dolphin” vs. “nondolphin”) was built from port‐sampling data on yellowfin tuna length‐frequencies and the date and location of fishing of large (observed) vessels. This classification algorithm was used to screen the port‐sampling data of small vessels collected during 2006‐2009, assuming the fishing practices of the two groups resulted in similar catch characteristics. From these results, hypothetical time series of dolphin mortality for small vessels were constructed and incorporated into a population dynamics model, along with mortalities of large vessels. Results suggest that any dolphin mortality of small vessels is unlikely to be substantially affecting trends in dolphin abundance. These results underscore the importance of in‐port sampling, in combination with at‐sea observation and fishery‐independent surveys, to effective management.     

Fine‐scale vertical and horizontal movements of juvenile yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) associated with a subsurface fish aggregating device (FAD) off southwestern Taiwan

An increase in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) catch by danish seine fisheries around the subsurface fish aggregating devices (FADs) in southern Taiwan waters has been a concern of local government and environmental groups. However, the attraction mechanism of aggregating tunas at the subsurface FADs is still poorly understood. The objective of this study is to examine the fine‐scale vertical and horizontal movements of juvenile yellowfin tunas around a subsurface FAD. In total, 53 tunas (35–81 cm fork length) were tagged with ultrasonic telemetry tags and released at a subsurface FAD in the waters off Shiao‐Liu‐Chiu Island, southwestern Taiwan from October 2008 to December 2009. These tunas stayed at the subsurface FAD for up to 31 days, with daytime vertical movement depths averaging 60–80 m at a maximum depth of 250 m. At night, the tuna gathered at a shallow depth of 40 m. The mean depth of vertical movement in the daytime is significantly different from that of the nighttime (P < 0.05). The maximum detectable distance of horizontal movement was 1.6 km, with 80% of the long horizontal movements occurring in the daytime. It is likely that the purpose of these vertical and horizontal movements was for feeding or avoiding predators. Moreover, the tagged tunas did not depart from the subsurface FAD simultaneously, suggesting distinct behaviors in their movements.     

Diet of young-of-the-year bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758), in the southern Tyrrhenian (Mediterranean) Sea

The diet of juvenile bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) caught 2 to 8 miles off NE Sicily was investigated in order to improve knowledge of the species’ early life history. From 1998 to 2000, 107 specimens ranging from 63 to 495 mm (total length) were fished between July and November. Fishes were caught by trolling line or purse seine in a Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) area 2 to 8 miles offshore and as by‐catch of the purse‐seine sardine fishery 2 to 4 miles offshore. Most frequently found items in the T. thynnus stomachs were fishes (84.5%), crustaceans (54.6%) and cephalopods (50.5%). The largest contribution in weight was provided by cephalopods (47.3%) and fishes (46.5%), while the most abundant items were fishes (51%), cephalopods (27.2%) and crustaceans (21.1%). These results suggest that young‐of‐the‐year tuna have an essentially piscivorous diet, although invertebrate prey provide a substantial contribution to the food array. Prey show little relationship with FADs, although one prey species (blue runner, Caranx crysos) is associated with FADs in the Mediterranean.     

Discrimination of juvenile yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye (T. obesus) Tunas using mitochondrial DNA control region and liver morphology

Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788) and bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus (Lowe, 1839) are two of the most economically important tuna species in the world. However, identification of their juveniles, especially at sizes less than 40 cm, is very difficult, often leading to misidentification and miscalculation of their catch estimates. Here, we applied the mitochondrial DNA control region D-loop, a recently validated genetic marker used for identifying tuna species (Genus Thunnus), to discriminate juvenile tunas caught by purse seine and ringnet sets around fish aggregating devices (FADs) off the Southern Iloilo Peninsula in Central Philippines. We checked individual identifications using the Neighbor-Joining Method and compared results with morphometric analyses and the liver phenotype. We tested 48 specimens ranging from 13 to 31 cm fork length. Morpho-meristic analyses suggested that 12 specimens (25%) were bigeye tuna and 36 specimens (75%) were yellowfin tuna. In contrast, the genetic and liver analyses both showed that 5 specimens (10%) were bigeye tuna and 43 (90%) yellowfin tuna. This suggests that misidentification can occur even with highly stringent morpho-meristic characters and that the mtDNA control region and liver phenotype are excellent markers to discriminate juveniles of yellowfin and bigeye tunas.     

Feeding ecology of silky sharks Carcharhinus falciformis associated with floating objects in the western Indian Ocean

The silky shark Carcharhinus falciformis is commonly associated with floating objects, including fish aggregating devices (FADs), in the Indian Ocean. While the motives for this associative behaviour are unclear, it does make them vulnerable to capture in the tuna purse seine fishery that makes extensive use of FADs. Here, the diet of 323 C. falciformis, caught at FADs in the Indian Ocean, was investigated to test the hypothesis that trophic benefits explain the associative behaviour. A high proportion of stomachs with fresh contents (57%) suggested that extensive feeding activity occurred while associated with FADs. Multiple dietary indices showed that typical non‐associative prey types dominated, but were supplemented with fishes typically found at FADs. While the trophic benefits of FAD association may be substantial, our results suggest that associative behaviour is not driven solely by feeding.     

Consequences of fishing moratoria on catch and bycatch: the case of tropical tuna purse-seiners and whale and whale shark associated sets

Time–area regulations have been introduced to manage stocks of tropical tuna, given the increased use of drifting fish aggregation devices (FADs). However, the consequences in terms of changes in fishing strategies and effort reallocation may not always be as expected. For instance, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, previous studies have highlighted that the increase use of FAD-fishing following the demand for tuna caught without dolphin mortality has raised concerns about the bycatch and the capture of juvenile tuna. In the tropical eastern Atlantic and western Indian Oceans, this study aimed to (1) assess, using before–after analysis, the consequences of previous time–area regulations on FAD sets on the fishing effort allocated to megafauna associated sets, and (2) evaluate through Monte Carlo simulations the potential effect of new regulations banning whale or/and whale shark associated sets. Firstly, we showed that previous time–area regulations, which were mainly implemented during seasons with few whale and whale shark associated sets, generally had thus little effect on the number of megafauna associated sets. Secondly, some simulations, particularly when both whale and whale shark associated sets were banned, predicted consequences of changes in fishing strategy. Indeed, these types of ban could lead to an increase in the number of FAD and free school sets but no change in the tuna catch, as well as a slight decrease in bycatch. These results indicate that an ecosystem approach to fisheries, by taking into account megafauna associated sets and bycatch, should thus be adopted when implementing management or conservation measures.     

The Large-Scale Deployment of Fish Aggregation Devices Alters Environmentally-Based Migratory Behavior of Skipjack Tuna in the Western Pacific Ocean

Fish aggregation devices (FADs) have been used extensively in the tuna purse seine fishery since the 1980s. This long-term modification of natural habitat has generated discussions as to whether FADs impact movement patterns of tuna species. We examined this question using data collected from the skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) fishery. We used the longitudinal gravitational center of catch (G) to examine temporal variability in skipjack movement in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, and related this to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. We found that in most cases G for free-swimming school sets changed with the onset of ENSO events, while G for floating-object-associated school sets remained relatively constant. This suggests that skipjack exhibit distinguishable behavioral strategies in response to ENSO events: they either react by moving long distances or they associate with floating objects. There has been no previous attempt to evaluate the interaction between FADs and the environmentally-determined movement of skipjack; this study shows evidence of an interaction, which should be considered when managing skipjack populations.