Global overview of the major constituent-based billfish tagging programs and their results since 1954

2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Ortiz ◽  
Eric D. Prince ◽  
Joseph E. Serafy ◽  
David B. Holts ◽  
Kay B. Davy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Minimum Cost ◽  
Reporting Rate ◽  
Major Constituent ◽  
Annual Number ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Blue Marlin ◽  
Makaira Nigricans ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Individual

Release and recovery files from the world's five major constituent-based billfish (Istiophoridae) tagging programs were assembled into a single composite database. Data sources included the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) Cooperative Tagging Center (MIA) in the Atlantic Ocean, the NMFS's Cooperative Billfish Tagging Program (LJA) in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Australian Cooperative Tagging Program in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the New Zealand Cooperative Game Fish Tagging Program in the Pacific Ocean, and The Billfish Foundation's (TBF) tagging program in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Results for the main target species, including black marlin (Makaira indica), blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), white marlin (Tetrapturus albidus), striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) and sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) were compared and contrasted based on species, ocean body and tagging program. A total of over 317 000 billfish have been tagged and released, and 4122 have been recovered since 1954. Tag recovery percentages were generally higher for a recently developed double-barb nylon anchor tag compared with the typically used stainless steel dart tag. Greatest distances moved were largest for blue marlin and black marlin, followed by striped marlin, white marlin and sailfish. The TBF program had the highest tag recovery percentages for white marlin (2.4%) and blue marlin (1.7%), whereas the MIA program had the highest percentage recovery for sailfish (1.8%). The LJA program had the highest recovery percentages for black marlin (1.9%) and striped marlin (1.4%). The annual number of releases and recoveries for each target species tended to increase over the time series, particularly during the last decade. Cyclic annual movement patterns and/or seasonal site fidelity were evident for black marlin and white marlin. The data suggest that tag recovery percentages can be affected by tag type, reporting rate, localized fishing activities, outreach activities, and a variety of logistical issues indirectly related to size of ocean body. The efficiencies of the tagging programs are compared and recommendations are made to improve the programs. The composite tagging database provides the opportunity for a more comprehensive evaluation of the data and tagging programs than has previously been possible by examining the individual programs in isolation. The main advantage of constituent-based tagging programs is that large numbers of billfish can be tagged at a minimum cost. The main drawbacks are a lack of control over the tagging event and return of recovery data. Constituent-based tagging programs provide essential data on billfish movement and biology, and should be expanded and improved to meet the increasing need for this information.

Sex-structured population dynamics of blue marlin Makaira nigricans in the Pacific Ocean

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Hua Lee ◽  
Kevin R. Piner ◽  
Michael G. Hinton ◽  
Yi-Jay Chang ◽  
Ai Kimoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Blue Marlin ◽  
Makaira Nigricans ◽  
Structured Population ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Structured Population Dynamics ◽  
The Pacific Ocean

scholarly journals Power output and force-velocity relationship of red and white muscle fibres from the Pacific blue marlin (Makaira nigricans)

1984 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Johnston ◽  
J. Salamonski
Keyword(s):  
Power Output ◽  
White Muscle ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Muscle Fibres ◽  
Blue Marlin ◽  
Makaira Nigricans ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Velocity Relationship ◽  
Force Velocity ◽  
Relationship Of

Single white fibres and small bundles (two to three) of red fibres were isolated from the trunk muscle of Pacific Blue Marlin (50–121 kg body weight). Fibres were chemically skinned with 1% Brij. Maximum Ca2+-activated force production (Po) was 57 kN m-2 for red fibres and 176 kN m-2 for white fibres at 25 degrees C. The force-velocity (P-V) characteristics of these fibres were determined at 15 and 25 degrees C. Points below 0.6 Po on the P-V curve could be fitted to a linear form of Hill's equation. The degree of curvature of the P-V curve was similar at 15 and 25 degrees C (Hill's constant a/Po = 0.24 and 0.12 for red and white fibres respectively). Extrapolated maximum contraction velocities (Vmax) were 2.5 muscle lengths s-1 (Lo S-1) (red fibres) and 5.3 Lo S-1 (white fibres) at 25 degrees C. Q10(15–25 degrees C) values for Vmax were 1.4 and 1.3 for red and white fibres respectively. Maximum power output had a similar low temperature dependence and amounted to 13 W kg-1 for red and 57 W kg-1 for white muscle at 25 degrees C. The results are briefly discussed in relation to the locomotion and ecology of marlin.

scholarly journals Modelling the impacts of environmental variation on the distribution of blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, in the Pacific Ocean

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 1072-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan-Jay Su ◽  
Chi-Lu Sun ◽  
André E. Punt ◽  
Su-Zan Yeh ◽  
Gerard DiNardo
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
El Niño ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Environmental Variation ◽  
Additive Models ◽  
Blue Marlin ◽  
Makaira Nigricans ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Pacific Ocean

Abstract Su, N-J., Sun, C-L., Punt, A. E., Yeh, S-Z., and DiNardo, G. 2011. Modelling the impacts of environmental variation on the distribution of blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, in the Pacific Ocean. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1072–1080. Blue marlin are distributed throughout tropical and temperate waters in the Pacific Ocean. The preference of this species for particular habitats may affect its distribution and vulnerability to being caught. The relationships between the spatial pattern of blue marlin abundance and oceanographic conditions, which may be influenced by climate change, were examined using generalized additive models fitted to catch and effort data from longline fisheries. Distributions of blue marlin density, based on combining the probability of presence and abundance given presence, indicate that there is annual variation in the distribution of blue marlin and that the population apparently moved east during the 1997–1998 El Niño. The interannual variability in blue marlin distribution appears to be associated with El Niño events and is related to shifts in sea surface temperature and the deepening of the thermocline. Models of catch and effort that include oceanographic variables could be used, given predictions from climate models, to explore future changes in distribution, which could then be used to provide management advice related to time-area closures.

Hydrodynamic drag in steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus)

2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (12) ◽  
pp. 1915-1923 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.L. Stelle ◽  
R.W. Blake ◽  
A.W. Trites
Keyword(s):  
Minimum Cost ◽  
The Body ◽  
Hydrodynamic Drag ◽  
Eumetopias Jubatus ◽  
Steller Sea Lions ◽  
California Sea Lions ◽  
Cost Of Transport ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Drag Forces ◽  
The Individual

Drag forces acting on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) were investigated from ‘deceleration during glide’ measurements. A total of 66 glides from six juvenile sea lions yielded a mean drag coefficient (referenced to total wetted surface area) of 0.0056 at a mean Reynolds number of 5.5×10(6). The drag values indicate that the boundary layer is largely turbulent for Steller sea lions swimming at these Reynolds numbers, which are past the point of expected transition from laminar to turbulent flow. The position of maximum thickness (at 34 % of the body length measured from the tip of the nose) was more anterior than for a ‘laminar’ profile, supporting the idea that there is little laminar flow. The Steller sea lions in our study were characterized by a mean fineness ratio of 5.55. Their streamlined shape helps to delay flow separation, reducing total drag. In addition, turbulent boundary layers are more stable than laminar ones. Thus, separation should occur further back on the animal. Steller sea lions are the largest of the otariids and swam faster than the smaller California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). The mean glide velocity of the individual Steller sea lions ranged from 2.9 to 3.4 m s(−)(1) or 1.2-1.5 body lengths s(−)(1). These length-specific speeds are close to the optimum swim velocity of 1.4 body lengths s(−)(1) based on the minimum cost of transport for California sea lions.

scholarly journals Comparisons between SCIAMACHY and ground-based FTIR data for total columns of CO, CH<sub>4</sub>, CO<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 1953-1976 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Dils ◽  
M. De Mazière ◽  
J. F. Müller ◽  
T. Blumenstock ◽  
M. Buchwitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Polynomial Interpolation ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Order Polynomial ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Total Column

Abstract. Total column amounts of CO, CH4, CO2 and N2O retrieved from SCIAMACHY nadir observations in its near-infrared channels have been compared to data from a ground-based quasi-global network of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers. The SCIAMACHY data considered here have been produced by three different retrieval algorithms, WFM-DOAS (version 0.5 for CO and CH4 and version 0.4 for CO2 and N2O), IMAP-DOAS (version 1.1 and 0.9 (for CO)) and IMLM (version 6.3) and cover the January to December 2003 time period. Comparisons have been made for individual data, as well as for monthly averages. To maximize the number of reliable coincidences that satisfy the temporal and spatial collocation criteria, the SCIAMACHY data have been compared with a temporal 3rd order polynomial interpolation of the ground-based data. Particular attention has been given to the question whether SCIAMACHY observes correctly the seasonal and latitudinal variability of the target species. The present results indicate that the individual SCIAMACHY data obtained with the actual versions of the algorithms have been significantly improved, but that the quality requirements, for estimating emissions on regional scales, are not yet met. Nevertheless, possible directions for further algorithm upgrades have been identified which should result in more reliable data products in a near future.

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