2023

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1807/126407

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    Assessing total mortality following seabird wrecks given variable data quantity and quality: the Cassin’s auklet die-off
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-08-07) Jones, Timothy; Parrish, Julia K; MacCready, Parker; Ballance, Lisa T; Bradley, David W.; Burgess, Hillary K; Dolliver, Jane E; Harvey, James T; Joyce, Trevor W.; Lindquist, Kirsten; Lindsey, Jacqueline; Nevins, Hannahrose M; Roletto, Jan; Wilson, Laurie; Wright, Charlie
    Mass mortality events (MMEs) of seabirds are becoming more frequent as the global climate warms. Often documented via beached bird surveys, methods for estimating event-wide mortality are needed that can accommodate regional differences in carcass deposition and data quality/quantity. We develop a framework for estimating mortality from beached bird counts, extending existing approaches through the novel application of ocean circulation modelling to assess beaching likelihood. We applied our framework to the 2014/15 Cassin’s auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) MME, which spread across three regions (central California, northern California-through-Washington, British Columbia) with varying data quality/quantity. Our best mortality estimate of ~400,000 (estimates ranged from 265,000-700,000 depending on model uncertainty and extent) places this seabird MME as one of the largest on record. However, we caution that much uncertainty exists surrounding model parameterization and deposition in British Columbia where beached bird data were sparse. We suggest that the application of ocean circulation models, combined with process-based modelling of carcass persistence and detection, can improve estimates of MME magnitude.
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    Long life spans can mitigate the genetic effects of strays from temporary conservation hatchery programs.
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-07-29) Buckner, John H; Davies, Trevor; McAdam, D. Steven O.; Taylor, Eric B.; Waples, Robin S.; Baskett, Marissa L
    While conservation fish hatchery programs can be a valuable tool providing demographic support, they can also cause domestication, risking unintended fitness consequences to both target and connected populations. When conservation hatcheries are used over a fixed amount of time, the interaction between program duration and species life history might determine the scale of fitness effects and the effectiveness of mitigation measures. We develop a mathematical model to quantify the effectiveness of approaches to mitigate unintended fitness consequences in such temporary conservation hatchery programs. We parameterize our model to represent a conservation aquaculture-based recovery program for white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontatus) in the Nechako River (British Columbia), which might impose genetic risks on the adjacent populations within the Fraser River. We find that, over a period spanning 50-200 years of hatchery operation, the life history characteristics of white sturgeon, particularly late age of maturity and longevity, reduce the genetic risks of conservation hatcheries when compared to shorter-lived species. The genetic impacts of the hatchery accumulate slowly providing increasing the potential for adaptive management in this system.
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    Using Fin Ray Elemental Signatures and Growth Zone Width to Estimate Onset of Sexually Maturity in Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-07-30) Taylor, Alaina Alyce; Larson, Douglas L; Scribner, Kim T; Baker, Edward A.; Halden, Norman; Anderson, W. Gary
    Characterizing inter- and intra-population levels of variability in age at sexual maturation for long-lived fishes provides insight into year-class strength and recruitment dynamics, allowing for more effective management practices. Here we analyzed the ontogenetic chronology of pectoral fin ray annuli trace elemental concentration profiles as well as changes in annuli growth in Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) to determine onset of sexual maturity (OSM). Elemental concentrations and growth-zone width were used to build a random forest classification model to discriminate year-specific signatures to before or after OSM from 98 individual fin rays from both sexes across multiple populations and watersheds. The model demonstrated an overall accuracy of 98.8%. Ba was the most important variable related to OSM discrimination success followed by zone width, Pb, Mn, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Sr. Fin ray elemental concentrations began to increase at approximately age 24 (± 4.7) in females and 15 (± 3.1) in males while zone width decreased. This study implies that new applications for fin ray microchemistry are possible and could benefit future fisheries management strategies specifically by adding nonlethal or less invasive sampling techniques for evaluating OSM in sturgeon.
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    Low predator and conspecific density lead to larger juveniles
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-08-19) Bath, Devon Robert; Gregory, Robert S; Snelgrove, Paul VR; Geissinger, Emilie A
    Predation is a key size-selective mechanism structuring juvenile fish populations, given typically greater susceptibility of small juveniles in a population to predation compared to larger individuals. We tested the hypothesis that greater predator abundance selectively removes the smallest age 0 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in nearshore habitat, truncating their size distribution in nursery habitats. We tested this hypothesis using fifteen years of historical data on nearshore fish abundance in Newman Sound, Newfoundland. Using skewness to estimate size-frequency distribution asymmetry, our analyses showed smaller age 0 cod were least prevalent under low predator and low conspecific densities. In contrast, high predator abundances corresponded to weak, size-selective removal of the smallest juveniles. Age 0 cod reached the largest sizes under lower predator and conspecific densities. Our analyses link size of individual juvenile fish in the wild with their survival, where predator abundance modulates the advantages gained by attaining larger size.
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    Sprinting performance and behavior of adult Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-12-14) Castro-Santos, Theodore; Kieffer, Micah; Goerig, Elsa
    Swimming ability and performance are central to the ecology of aquatic species and to the design of structures intended to promote access to habitat. This is particularly important for migratory species traveling over significant distances. Here we present results of a study of swimming behaviors of adult shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). Sturgeon were presented with velocity challenges of 0.5-2.5 m s-1 in a 35 m long flume that they were allowed to enter and ascend volitionally. Attempt rate was greatest among large sturgeon, at warm temperatures, and at low flow velocities. Sturgeon swam for shorter distances and durations against high-velocity flows; larger sturgeon had greater overall performance and endurance, but when velocities were standardized to body lengths the relative performance was reduced with increased body size. Overall, however, sturgeon were able to swim at much greater speeds than previously predicted, consistent with other studies showing that volitional performance exceeds that of data collected in common laboratory apparatus.
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    Sprinting performance and behavior of adult Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-12-14) Castro-Santos, Theodore; Kieffer, Micah; Goerig, Elsa
    Swimming ability and performance are central to the ecology of aquatic species and to the design of structures intended to promote access to habitat. This is particularly important for migratory species traveling over significant distances. Here we present results of a study of swimming behaviors of adult shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). Sturgeon were presented with velocity challenges of 0.5-2.5 m s-1 in a 35 m long flume that they were allowed to enter and ascend volitionally. Attempt rate was greatest among large sturgeon, at warm temperatures, and at low flow velocities. Sturgeon swam for shorter distances and durations against high-velocity flows; larger sturgeon had greater overall performance and endurance, but when velocities were standardized to body lengths the relative performance was reduced with increased body size. Overall, however, sturgeon were able to swim at much greater speeds than previously predicted, consistent with other studies showing that volitional performance exceeds that of data collected in common laboratory apparatus.
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    Spatiotemporal model improves survey indices for witch flounder stock assessment in the Grand Banks
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-28) Chen, Jiaying; Gao, Jin; Zhang, Fan
    Accurate and precise estimates of survey abundance indices are essential inputs for stock assessment models therefore are important for the successful conservation and management of fisheries stocks. Since abundance indices can be standardized by various different ways from conventional design-based approaches to model-based approaches, it is essential to compare the efficiency of those approaches and quantify the consequences for stock assessments. In this study, we focus on an important commercial stock of witch flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) in NAFO 3N+3O divisions. We first compare the survey indices standardized by design-based and model-based approaches, and find that a model-based estimator provides more precise estimates of survey indices than design-based approach for this stock. We then apply a widely used Age-structured Statistical Catch-at-Length (ACL) assessment model to the standardized catch-at-length survey indices from both approaches to estimate the age-based population dynamics for this stock. We conclude that the ACL model fit to model-based indices performed better than the same model fit to design-based indices.
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    Spatially-varying effects of the California Undercurrent on Pacific hake distribution
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-10-03) Malick, Michael J.; Hunsicker, Mary; Haltuch, Melissa A.; Parker-Stetter, Sandy L.; Marshall, Kristin N.; Pohl, John; Berger, Aaron M; Siedlecki, Samantha; Gauthier, Stéphane; Hermann, Al
    In the California Current Ecosystem, the California Undercurrent (CU) is the predominate subsurface current that transports nutrient rich water from southern California poleward. In this study, we used a large data set of spatially explicit in situ observations of Pacific hake and the CU (36.5–48.3°N) to estimate relationships between northward undercurrent velocity and hake distribution and determine if these relationships vary across space or life-history stage. We found that both hake occurrence and density had strong spatially complex relationships with the CU. In areas north of 44°N (central Oregon), the CU effect was spatially consistent and opposite for occurrence (negative) and density (positive), indicating that hake may aggregate in areas of high northward velocity in this region. In areas south of 44°N, the CU effect showed a cross-shelf gradient for both occurrence and density, indicating a more nearshore hake distribution when northward velocity is higher in this region. Together, our results suggest that future changes in the CU due to climate change are likely to impact hake differently in northern and southern areas.
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    The estuarine growth and residency of juvenile Pacific salmon in North America: a compilation of empirical data
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-10) Arbeider, Michael; Pemberton-Renaud, Violaine; Hodgson, Emma E; Moore, Jonathan W.
    The value of estuaries as nursery habitat for juvenile anadromous salmon is likely variable across estuaries and species. Here, we compiled published empirical data on juvenile salmon estuarine growth and residency. We aimed to quantify the range and variability of these aspects for five species of Pacific salmon across estuaries, methodologies, and life histories. The majority of studies focused on Chinook and coho salmon, and largely from their southern range. While there is some evidence of higher growth in wild-origin fish relative to hatchery-origin fish, the wide range of metrics employed made identification of trends among life histories challenging, and unification of reporting could strengthen future research. Different salmon life histories exhibited different residencies, with natural-origin subyearling coho exhibiting the longest mean residency (~3 months) and 1+ sockeye salmon exhibiting the shortest (3.7 days). Across life histories, hatchery fish exhibited much shorter estuary residencies than wild fish. Collectively, our review highlights key patterns in salmon estuary ecology, knowledge gaps, and lays the foundation for future studies to quantify the importance of estuaries for specific salmon.
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    Applying the Ideal Free Distribution to the movement of a highly mobile gillnet fishery for Pacific salmon
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-15) McElroy, Katherine N.; Stern , Caitlin A.; Quinn, Thomas P.; Hilborn, Ray
    Ecological models are used to understand where fishing vessels operate, improving fisheries management success. The Ideal Free Distribution (IFD) predicts equalization of catch across locations in response to distributions of fish and competing vessels. We applied the IFD as a null model to investigate the movement and catch per vessel (CPUE) of the sockeye salmon drift gillnet fleet in Bristol Bay, AK, from 1980-2019. The IFD prediction of equal CPUE across areas was not supported, so we explored violations of two assumptions of the theory. We categorized each vessel according to its mobility, highlighting the “free to move” assumption, and found when we removed nonmobile vessels, some districts had fewer vessels than predicted from their high CPUE. We examined the “equal competitive ability” assumption by calculating the average CPUE, relative to success of other vessels. The underutilization of profitable districts persisted. Overall, the fleet underused high CPUE areas when considering differences in mobility and relative fishing success, indicating unmeasured safety concerns, travel costs, knowledge of fishing grounds, or other factors could be preventing an IFD.
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    Tracking aquatic animals to understand a world increasingly shaped by a changing climate and extreme weather events
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-09-19) Lennox, Robert J.; Afonso, Pedro; Birnie-Gauvin, Kim; Dahlmo, Lotte S.; Nilsen, Cecilie Iden; Arlinghaus, Robert; Cooke, Steven J; Souza, Allan T.; Jarić, Ivan; Prchalová, Marie; Říha, Milan; Westrelin, Samuel; Twardek, William M.; Aspillaga, Eneko; Kraft, Sebastian; Smejkal, Marek; Baktoft, Henrik; Brodin, Tomas; Hellström, Gustav; Villegas-Ríos, David; Vollset, Knut Wiik; Adam, Timo; Sortland, Lene; Bertram, Michael G.; Crossa, Marcelo; Vogel, Emma; Gillies, Natasha; Reubens, Jan
    Despite great promise for understanding the impacts and extent of climate change on aquatic animals, their species, and ecological communities, it is surprising that tracking tools, like biotelemetry and biologging devices, have not been extensively used to understand climate change or develop and evaluate potential interventions that may forestall or mitigate its effects. In this review, we provide an overview of methodologies and study designs that leverage available tracking tools to investigate aspects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems. Key interventions to protect aquatic life from the impacts of climate change, including habitat restoration, protected areas, conservation translocations, mitigations against interactive effects of climate change, and simulation of future scenarios can all be greatly facilitated by using electronic tagging and tracking. We anticipate that adapting study designs (e.g. use of replicated ponds, randomized control trials, physiologging) to effectively use tracking will greatly enhance our understanding of climate change and its impacts on aquatic ecosystems, hopefully also facilitating research into effective solutions and interventions against the most extreme and acute impacts.
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    Environmental determinants of round goby invasion refuges at a river scale: implications for conservation of native biodiversity
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-10-20) Morissette, Olivier; Charette, Cristina; Windle, Matthew; Francis, Abraham; Drouin, Annick; Goldsmit, Jesica; Derry, Alison M.
    Introductions of exotic invasive species are a global disturbance for natural habitats. The severity of invasions can greatly vary from local to global scales, as observed in invasion refuges, exhibiting lower-than-expected invasion intensity. In this study, we analyzed the effects of water conductivity and wetland presence on the density of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in a large-scale study (> 1300 sites), spanning a 400 km stretch of the St. Lawrence River (Canada). Our results showed that round goby density was null in sites with water conductivity under 100 µS/cm and increased toward a probable biological optimum at 300 µS/cm. The presence of wetlands appeared to also decrease round goby density along the conductivity continuum. Similarly, fish community diversity was maximal outside of the round goby water conductivity optimum. Hence, low water conductivity (
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    Lakewater chemistry and its relationship to shoreline residential development and natural landscape features in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-10-03) DeSellas, Anna M; Paterson, Andrew M.; Rühland, Kathleen M; Smol, John P
    There is a scarcity of long-term, chemical monitoring data for lakes in Algonquin Provincial Park (APP), with minimal understanding of the impacts of cottage-leases (e.g., cottage lots, campgrounds, and commercial leases) on lakewater chemistry. We examine spatial patterns in water chemistry and landscape features of 32 reference and 22 cottage-lease lakes in APP. Multivariate techniques were used to examine differences in water chemistry, and to identify the subset of landscape features that best explain this variability. Breakpoint analysis was used to examine the relationship between gradients of water chemistry and specific landscape features. Lakes were separated along a primary gradient of ions and pH and a secondary gradient of nutrients and colour. These gradients were best explained by a combination of six landscape features (wetlands, elevation, lake depth, road length, coniferous trees). Except for chloride, there was no statistically significant difference in water chemistry between cottage-lease and reference lakes. A roughly west-to-east gradient in catchment vegetation and lake chemistry was related to the location of the Algonquin Dome, a natural geological feature in APP, and the park’s glacial history. These results emphasize the importance of the park’s topography in influencing regional water chemistry.
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    Cross-scale environmental impacts across persistent and dynamic aggregations within a complex population: implications for fisheries management
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-09-25) Kerametsidis, Georgios; Thorson, James T; Rossi, Vincent; Álvarez-Berastegui, Diego; Barnes, Cheryl; Certain, Gregoire; Esteban, Antonio; García, Encarnacion; Jadaud, Angelique; Piñeiro, Safo; Vivas, Miguel; Hidalgo, Manuel
    Accounting for marine stocks spatiotemporal complexity has become one of the most pressing improvements that should be added to the new generation of stock assessment. Disentangling persistent and dynamic population subcomponents and understanding their main drivers of variation are still stock-specific challenges. Here, we hypothesized that the spatiotemporal variability of two adjacent fish stocks density is associated with spatially structured environmental processes across multiple spatiotemporal scales. To test this, we applied a generalized Empirical Orthogonal Function and Dynamic Factor Analysis to fishery-independent and -dependent data of red mullet, a highly commercial species, in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Areas with persistent and dynamic high aggregations were detected for both stock units. A large-scale climatic index and local open-ocean convection were associated with both stocks while other variables exhibited stock-specific effects. We also revealed spatially structured density dynamics within the examined management units. This suggests a metapopulation structure and supports the future implementation of a spatial stock assessment. Considering the common assumptions of panmictic structure and absence of connectivity with neighbouring stock units, our methodology can be applied to other species and systems with putative spatial complexity to inform a more accurate structure of biological populations.
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    Assessing small pelagic fish trends in space and time using piscivore stomach contents
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-09-12) Gaichas, Sarah K.; Gartland, James; Smith, Brian E; Wood, Anthony; Ng, Elizabeth; Celestino, Michael; Drew, Katie; Tyrell, Abigail S.; Thorson, James T
    Changing distribution and abundance of small pelagic fishes may drive changes in predator distributions, affecting predator availability to fisheries and surveys. However, small pelagics are difficult to survey directly, so we developed a novel method of assessing the aggregate abundance of 21 small pelagic forage taxa via predator stomach contents. We used stomach contents collected from 22 piscivore species captured by multiple bottom trawl surveys within a Vector Autoregressive Spatio-Temporal (VAST) model to assess trends of small pelagics on the Northeast US shelf. The goal was to develop a spatial “forage index” to inform survey and/or fishery availability in the western North Atlantic bluefish (*Pomatomus saltatrix*) stock assessment. This spatially-resolved index compared favorably with more traditional design-based survey biomass indices for forage species well sampled by surveys. However, our stomach contents-based index better represented smaller unmanaged forage species that surveys are not designed to capture. The stomach-based forage index helped explain bluefish availability to the recreational fishery for stock assessment, and provided insight into pelagic forage trends throughout the regional ecosystem.
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    Assessing the trophic ecology of Southern Ocean Myctophidae: the added value of DNA metabarcoding
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-10-13) Vasiliadis, Michaelis; Freer, Jennifer J.; Collins, Martin A.; Cleary, Alison Clare
    Lanternfishes (Myctophidae) are key components of mesopelagic fish communities globally. In the Southern Ocean, incomplete information on myctophid diets limits our understanding of their energetics, interactions and wider ecosystem impact. Traditional microscopic methods of diet analysis have relatively coarse prey resolution and possible taxonomic and observer biases. DNA metabarcode sequencing promises higher taxonomic and temporal resolution, but uncertainty remains in comparing this is with microscopy-based analyses. Here, we applied 18S DNA metabarcode sequencing to stomach contents from twenty Electrona antarctica individuals which had previously been examined via microscopic analysis. Across all fish, crustacean and gastropod taxa dominated the prey identified via both methods, with broad agreement between methods on the relative abundance of different prey items. DNA metabarcode sequencing recovered greater taxonomic diversity and resolution, particularly for soft-bodied prey items and small crustaceans. DNA sequencing results also more clearly differentiated diet between individuals collected from different environments. Overall, our findings illustrate how DNA based methods are complementary to, and consistent with, traditional methods and can provide additional, high-resolution data on a range of trophic interactions.
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    Stable Isotopes Delineate Regional Pelagic Food Web Structure in British Columbia’s Coastal Ocean
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-12-12) Lerner, Jacob; Hunt, Brian PV
    The pelagic food webs of British Columbia’s (BC) coastal oceans have never had a comprehensive review of their trophic structure. In this study, we analyzed carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope ratios of pelagic food web components collected from four regions in southern BC: the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia, Queen Charlotte Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound during an August 2019 survey. In addition, CTD, chlorophyll, and nutrient data were collected to assess the oceanographic basis for regionalization. Between regions, we observed differences in the isotopic baseline driven by regional oceanography. Likewise, we also observed oceanography-driven differences in regional food chain length, carbon range, and isotopic overlap. Species-specific trophic level and isotopic niche were determined. For common pelagic species we described how trophic level varied regionally, was not always in line with previously published dietary data, and instead largely tracked regional changes in food chain length. We conclude that variable food web properties and trophic ecology can manifest across the small spatial scales of the BC coast’s discrete regions.
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    Comparison of known spawner abundance from fence counts to visual counts for simplified spawner estimation methods.
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-08-15) Askey, Paul J.; Ward, Hillary G. M.; Weir, Tyler J; King, Kristen
    Many salmon species are monitored by visual counts of spawners in streams, however, there are few data sets where abundance is known and compared to estimates derived from visual counts. We used spawner fences to obtain known kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawner abundance (14 stream-years) on streams that are monitored with annual visual surveys (7-9 counts per year) and incorporated similar published data from pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) (11 stream-years). We investigated the performance of several simplified expansion factor estimation methods with survey life and observer efficiency as unknown nuisance parameters. All visual indices of kokanee and pink salmon spawners from live ground counts were highly correlated to abundance from fence counts (r2 >= 0.96 and 0.89, respectively). Application of cross-validation on out-of-sample data for both species showed mean percent error could range between 13% to 53% on a previously unsampled stream depending on the species, counting method and visual index used. Predictive performance metrics were less sensitive to counting frequency than observer efficiency and associated variability, which was influenced by the counting method (aerial versus ground surveys).
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    Artificial water level fluctuation modulates trophic niches of benthic fish assemblages in one of the world's largest reservoirs
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-08-28) Liao, Chuansong; Wang, Jiacheng; Correa, Sandra Bibiana; Yu, Jixin; Yang, Rui; Yuan, Jing; Li, Wei; Ye, Shaowen; Guo, Chuanbo; Liu, Jiashou
    The impoundment of the Yangtze River and construction of the Three Gorges Dam and Reservoir created an unnatural flow regime with a 30 m water-level fluctuation and four artificial seasons that differ from the river's natural flow-regime timing. Using stable isotopes, we selected 15 common benthic fish species representing five trophic guilds to analyze seasonal variation in production sources, trophic niche width, and niche overlap. We hypothesized that, similarly to a natural flow regime, artificial hydrological seasons effectively influence fish trophic niches. We found consistency in seasonal shifts in the contribution of aquatic and terrestrial producers to fish biomass. δ13C and δ15N depicted seasonal changes in intra-guild trophic niche width and intra- and inter-guild niche overlap. Considering that the Three Gorges Reservoir's flow regime is artificially regulated, our findings suggest that water level fluctuation is one of the key mechanisms driving such trophic shifts and allowing multiple species to coexist. Given the increased cascaded large reservoir construction and the concomitant creation of unnatural flow regimes in large rivers worldwide, these findings are timely. Our findings contribute to improving water level management by optimizing rhythmicity while balancing flood control and fish protection.
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    Explicitly Incorporating Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management into Management Strategy Evaluation, with a focus on Small Pelagics
    (Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-09-25) de Moor, Carryn Lee
    The need to transition from traditional single-species fisheries management approaches towards Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM), or an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries, is widely recognised. EBFM is particularly important when considering management actions for economically valuable fisheries for small pelagic forage fish, given their key ecological role. Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) is an effective approach to advance the quantitative implementation of EBFM by enabling stakeholders to explore trade-offs among competing ecosystem-related objectives. This paper puts forward six different approaches to advance EBFM with MSE explicity, by taking advantage of data and research already available and by guiding future research. These approaches can be grouped into those which (i) involve the Operating Model and/or link directly to the Operating Model while potentially providing additional performance metrics to evaluate ecosystem objectives, (ii) can be incorporated into the performance metrics, and (iii) involve the Harvest Control Rule of the Management Procedure. This review demonstrates that immediate steps can be taken to implement EBFM targeted at quantitative tactical management, even without a complex, data-rich ecosystem Operating Model.