Infection by the parasitic copepod Pennella sp. induces mortality in the Pacific saury Cololabis saira

Abstract The Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) is a fish of commercial importance subject to unpredictable epidemics of infection by Pennella sp., a parasitic copepod. We analyzed the distribution of fish presenting with newly attached Pennella to determine the region and season in which Pennella first infect the fish. Pacific sauries migrate northward in the spring to spend the summer in the subarctic region, successively crossing the Subarctic Boundary (SAB) and the Subarctic Front (SAF). The fish then return to subtropical waters in the fall and overwinter there. Pacific sauries infected with Pennella were observed on both the north and south sides of the SAF from May to December. Newly attached Pennella, however, were observed mainly to the south of the SAF during the northward migration of the fish in May and June, and only to the south of the SAB during the southward migration in November and December. These results indicate that the intermediate host or hosts of Pennella inhabit the region south of the SAF, with infection of Pacific saury occurring during late fall and spring. Such information may assist in identifying the intermediate host(s).

Download Full-text

Influence of climate-driven sea surface temperature increase on potential habitats of the Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsr070 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 68 (6) ◽

pp. 1105-1113 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Chen-Te Tseng ◽

Chi-Lu Sun ◽

Su-Zan Yeh ◽

Shih-Chin Chen ◽

Wei-Cheng Su ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surface Temperature ◽

Sea Surface Temperature ◽

Temperature Increase ◽

Fishery Management ◽

Sea Surface ◽

Pacific Saury ◽

Cololabis Saira ◽

The Pacific ◽

Potential Habitats ◽

Poleward Shift

Abstract Tseng, C-T., Sun, C-L., Yeh, S-Z., Chen, S-C., Su, W-C., and Liu, D-C. 2011. Influence of climate-driven sea surface temperature increase on potential habitats of the Pacific saury (Cololabis saira). – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1105–1113. Logbook data of the 2006–2008 Taiwanese Pacific saury fishery, coupled with MODIS satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) data, were used to determine Pacific saury's SST preferences and predict their potential habitats monthly. Results indicated that the SST preferences ranged from 12 to18.5°C, with significant monthly variability. Possible changes in potential saury habitats were estimated under four scenarios: recent years (2006–2008) and with 1, 2, and 4°C increases in SST because of climate change. Results revealed an obvious poleward shift of potential saury habitats under the influence of increases in SSTs. The southernmost boundary of potential saury habitat in recent years, located at 40.24°N, shifted to 46.15°N under the scenario of a 4°C increase in SSTs. These results improve our understanding of the variability in the spatial distribution of saury habitats and could form the basis for future fishery management and fishing forecasts.

Download Full-text