Parasites as biological indicators of stocks of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) off Newfoundland, Canada

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (S1) ◽  
pp. 195-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Khan ◽  
C. Tuck

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were collected from six locations on the continental shelf off Newfoundland, Canada, including one inshore area and examined for parasites from 1981 to 1983. The protozoan Loma branchialis was more prevalent in North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) areas 3Pn-4R (Gulf of St. Lawrence) and 2J-3K (Labrador), whereas the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus gadi was more abundant in the latter than in other locations. Similarly, the prevalence and (or) abundance of the fillet-inhabiting larval nematode Pseudoterranova decipiens and the blood-feeding copepod Lernaeocera branchialis were significantly greater in fish from 3Ps (St. Pierre Bank) and 3Pn-4R than from all adjacent areas. Gastrointestinal ascaridoid nematodes were more abundant in 3M (Flemish Cap) cod than in other localities. No differences in the prevalence and abundance of E. gadi were detected in samples in relation to sex or size class. Paired comparisons of transformed data for the different parasite taxa revealed that there were more significant differences than similarities in cod sampled from adjacent NAFO divisions. These observations based on selected parasites (Loma branchialis, Trypanosoma murmanensis, Myxidium gadi, P. decipiens, gastrointestinal ascaridoid nematodes, E. gadi, and Lernaeocera branchialis) support the view that discrete stocks of cod inhabit the Newfoundland–Labrador continental shelf.

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Khan ◽  
C.V. Chandra

AbstractA study was conducted in 2000 and 2003, following the collapse of the commercial fishery in 1990, to compare metazoan parasites of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, captured off coastal Labrador, with samples taken in 1980 and 1986. Fish were captured by otter trawl offshore in the North Atlantic Fish Organisation subarea 2J. Parasites were removed from the digestive tract, stained, identified and compared between the different groups. Both the prevalence and mean abundance of trematodes, larval nematodes and E. gadi were significantly lower in fish taken in 2000 and 2003 than in 1980. While mean values of trematodes and nematodes declined in 1986, those of Echinorhynchus gadi remained unchanged in 1986 and 1990. Four-year-old cod sampled in 1990 harboured significantly fewer E. gadi than older age groups. The most commonly occurring trematodes included Podocotylereflexa, Lepidapedon elongatum, Derogenes varicus and Hemiurus levinseni while the larval nematode, Anisakis sp. was predominant. Comparison of offshore samples taken in 2000 and 2003 with others taken in previous years suggests an overall decline of parasites coincident with a change in climatic conditions, the absence of a major food source, namely capelin Mallotus villosus, of cod and ultimately the decline of the Labrador population.


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyjólfur Reynisson ◽  
Hélène L Lauzon ◽  
Hannes Magnússon ◽  
Rósa Jónsdóttir ◽  
Guðrún Ólafsdóttir ◽  
...  

2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (7) ◽  
pp. 1464-1476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ransom A Myers ◽  
Brian R MacKenzie ◽  
Keith G Bowen ◽  
Nicholas J Barrowman

Population and community data in one study are usually analyzed in isolation from other data. Here, we introduce statistical methods that allow many data sets to be analyzed simultaneously such that different studies may "borrow strength" from each other. In the simplest case, we simultaneously model 21 Atlanic cod (Gadus morhua) stocks in the North Atlantic assuming that the maximum reproductive rate and the carrying capacity per unit area are random variables. This method uses a nonlinear mixed model and is a natural approach to investigate how carrying capacity varies among populations. We used empirical Bayes techniques to estimate the maximum reproductive rate and carrying capacity of each stock. In all cases, the empirical Bayes estimates were biologically reasonable, whereas a stock by stock analysis occasionally yielded nonsensical parameter estimates (e.g., infinite values). Our analysis showed that the carrying capacity per unit area varied by more than 20-fold among populations and that much of this variation was related to temperature. That is, the carrying capacity per square kilometre declines as temperature increases.


1999 ◽  
Vol 56 (11) ◽  
pp. 2069-2077 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Planque ◽  
T Frédou

Variability in the recruitment of fish has been attributed to either changes in the environment or variations in the size of reproductive stocks. Disentangling the effects of environment and stock has proven to be problematic and has resulted in recurrent controversy between studies supporting either hypothesis. In the present study, we examine the relationship between interannual changes in temperature and variation in recruitment for nine Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stocks in the North Atlantic. We show that for individual stocks, the relationship often appears weak and statistically not significant. On the other hand, by combining in a single metaanalysis the results from individual stocks, we demonstrate that recruitment of Atlantic cod is linked to interannual fluctuations in temperature in such a way that for stocks located in warm water the relationship is negative, for stocks located in cold water the relationship is positive, and there is no relationship for stocks located in the middle of the temperature range.


2008 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPHE PAMPOULIE ◽  
MAGNÚS ÖRN STEFÁNSSON ◽  
THÓRA DÖGG JÖRUNDSDÓTTIR ◽  
BRET S. DANILOWICZ ◽  
ANNA KRISTÍN DANÍELSDÓTTIR

2001 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J Marcogliese

Prevalence and abundance of sealworm (Pseudoterranova decipiens) and other anisakid nematodes were determined in a variety of fishes from the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1990 and 1992. Sealworm abundance and prevalence were also determined in three species of seals in the Gulf between 1988 and 1992. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and shorthorn (Myoxocephalus scorpius) and longhorn sculpin (M. octodecemspinosus) were the fishes most heavily infected with sealworm. Grey seals(Halichoerus grypus) proved to be the most important definitive hosts for sealworm in the Gulf. Abundance of sealworm increased, whereas that of Anisakis simplex and contracaecine nematodes decreased, from north to south in the Gulf. Abundance of sealworm increased compared to earlier surveys in most areas of the Gulf, but decreased in both cod and grey seals during the course of this study. In contrast, abundance of Contracaecum osculatum and Phocascaris spp. in grey seals and cod continued to increase during the study period. Observed increases of nematodes are attributed to growing populations of grey seals (for sealworm) and harp seals (for Contracaecinea). Levels of A. simplex remained relatively constant between 1988 and 1992 in both grey seals and cod. There is no evidence suggesting that observed patterns in nematode abundance were due to changes in grey seal diet. Nor was there any evidence of competition between P. decipiens and C. osculatum in grey seals affecting either sealworm abundance or fecundity. The trends detected herein are attributed to climatic events in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where water temperatures in the cold intermediate layer consistently decreased between 1986 and 1994. It is suggested that low temperatures inhibited development and hatching of sealworm eggs, but not those of C. osculatum.


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