Variability of preferred environmental conditions for Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) larvae in the Gulf of Mexico during 1993-2011

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Domingues ◽  
Gustavo Goni ◽  
Francis Bringas ◽  
Barbara Muhling ◽  
David Lindo-Atichati ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Thunnus Thynnus ◽  
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Active prey selection in developing larvae of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in spawning grounds of the Gulf of Mexico

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Shiroza ◽  
Estrella Malca ◽  
John T Lamkin ◽  
Trika Gerard ◽  
Michael R Landry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Larval Rearing ◽  
Thunnus Thynnus ◽  
Small Copepod ◽  
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Larval Stages

Abstract Bluefin tuna spawn in restricted areas of subtropical oligotrophic seas. Here, we investigate the zooplankton prey and feeding selectivity of early larval stages of Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT, Thunnus thynnus) in larval rearing habitat of the Gulf of Mexico. Larvae and zooplankton were collected during two multi-day Lagrangian experiments during peak spawning in May 2017 and 2018. Larvae were categorized by flexion stage and standard length. We identified, enumerated and sized zooplankton from larval gut contents and in the ambient community. Ciliates were quantitatively important (up to 9%) in carbon-based diets of early larvae. As larvae grew, diet composition and prey selection shifted from small copepod nauplii and calanoid copepodites to larger podonid cladocerans, which accounted for up to 70% of ingested carbon. Even when cladoceran abundances were <0.2 m−3, they comprised 23% of postflexion stage diet. Feeding behaviors of larvae at different development stages were more specialized, and prey selection narrowed to appendicularians and primarily cladocerans when these taxa were more abundant. Our findings suggest that ABT larvae have the capacity to switch from passive selection, regulated by physical factors, to active selection of presumably energetically optimal prey.

Annual indices of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) larvae in the Gulf of Mexico developed using delta-lognormal and multivariate models

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Walter Ingram Jr. ◽  
William J. Richards ◽  
John T. Lamkin ◽  
Barbara Muhling
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Thunnus Thynnus ◽  
Multivariate Models ◽  
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Stock-of-origin catch estimation of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) based on observed spatial distributions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilius A. Aalto ◽  
Francesco Ferretti ◽  
Matthew V. Lauretta ◽  
John F Walter III ◽  
Michael J.W. Stokesbury ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Spatial Separation ◽  
Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Thunnus Thynnus ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Monthly Distribution ◽  
To Come ◽  
High Degree

Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, are a highly migratory fish with high commercial and recreational value, currently managed as two major stocks with known spatial separation during spawning in the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean Sea. The stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna exhibit a high degree of intermixing during foraging, making it difficult to assess the abundance and status of individual populations. Current assessment methods rely on a few annual surveys and are unable to make full use of the extensive available catch data. In this study, we used movement patterns from a multi-decadal tagging dataset to create monthly distribution maps for the stocks, which we then use to separate the overall catch records into stock-specific removals. We identified an increase in the past two decades in the proportion of catch estimated to come from Mediterranean stock, attributable to a decrease in catch-per-unit-effort in regions dominated by Gulf of Mexico stock relative to other regions. The stock-specific catch series can be used to improve the accuracy of stock assessments and inform spatial management.

Annual migrations, diving behavior, and thermal biology of Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, on their Gulf of Mexico breeding grounds

2006 ◽  
Vol 151 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven L. H. Teo ◽  
Andre Boustany ◽  
Heidi Dewar ◽  
Michael J. W. Stokesbury ◽  
Kevin C. Weng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Diving Behavior ◽  
Thunnus Thynnus ◽  
Thermal Biology ◽  
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Breeding Grounds
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