Identifying and monitoring of forage fish spawning beaches in British Columbia’s Salish Sea for conservation of forage fish

Pacific sand lance ( Ammodytes personatus) and surf smelt ( Hypomesus pretiosus) are ecologically important forage fish in the marine food webs within the Salish Sea, including British Columbia (BC). Although important, little information exists around the spatiotemporal distribution of these fishes’ beach spawning habitat in the BC Salish Sea. In 2017, the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute initiated spawning beach surveys within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR). Surveys have geographically expanded along the eastern Vancouver Island coastline between Bowser and Cowichan Bay, BC, including Gabriola Island and Thetis Island. Pacific sand lance embryos have been detected at 17 beaches, with six beaches located within the MABR. Pacific sand lance spawning events have been detected between November and mid-February, with the bulk of embryos detected in November and December. To date, surf smelt embryos have not been detected at the 56 different beaches. These data begin to fill existing data gaps surrounding Pacific sand lance and surf smelt in BC. Furthermore, longer-term data submissions to the Strait of Georgia Data Centre, an open-access database, will provide the necessary data needed to advocate for improved regulatory protections for these ecologically important fish and their spawning habitat.

Sighting rates and prey of Minke Whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and other cetaceans off Cormorant Island, British Columbia

From June to August 2012, we conducted over 500 h of visual surveys from Cormorant Island, British Columbia, to determine behaviour and habitat use patterns of nearby cetaceans. Seven species were documented, but Minke Whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) were by far the most common and were observed lunge feeding at the surface on 15 occasions. In addition, this species was documented surface lunge feeding on Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasi) and Pacific Sand Lance (Ammodytes personatus) on 32 occasions during vessel-based cetacean surveys around Cormorant Island between 2010 and 2014. Although Minke Whales are relatively uncommon in British Columbia, these results indicate that they can regularly be found in specific feeding areas during the summer.

Feeding patterns of the plain sculpin Myoxocephalus jaok (Cuvier, 1829) (Cottidae) and its position in the trophic system of near-Kamchatka waters

Feeding patterns of the plain sculpin Myoxocephalus jaok in near-Kamchatka waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea and Pacific Ocean are considered using materials collected during 1978–2008. This species of Cottidae is characterized by wide feeding spectra (over 100 nutritive objects); nonetheless, fishes (on average 64.1 %) and Decapoda (32.2 %) have the highest significance in its diet. The fishes include flatfish Pleuronectidae (24.3 % of food mass), Alaska pollock Theragra chalcogramma (14.4 %), Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus (9.5 %), and sculpins Cottidae (5.6 %). Decapoda include crabs from the family Majidae (22.4 %) (Chionoecetes opilio – 14.2 %, Hyas coarctatus – 8.1 %), and Atelecyclidae (4.7 %) (Telmessus cheiragonus – 4.5 %) and shrimps from the family Crangonidae (3.1 %). Seasonal, local, interannual, and age-related changes in food composition of the plain sculpin are considered. This species is a facultative ambuscade predator; it is characterized by a wide feeding spectra that permits it to use a considerable range of food components. In the trophic system of near-Kamchatka regions, units that form the biomass of the plain sculpin are determined.

LONG-TERM AVERAGE BIOMASS AND DOMINANT FISH SPECIES IN THE BOTTOM BIOTOPES OF THE OKHOTSK SEA. PART 1. COMPOSITION AND QUANTITATIVE RATIO OF SPECIES ON SHELVES IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE SEA

Composition of the demersal fish community in the bottom biotopes of 14 biostatistical areas of the Okhotsk Sea is considered on the data of 9,189 standard trawl catches obtained in 95 expeditions conducted by Pacific Fish. Res. Center (TINRO) in 1977–2010. The most abundant fish species in each area are ranked by biomass. The total demersal fish biomass is estimated as 9583.0 . 103 t (2124.9 . 103 t without pollock and herring). The most numerous demersal species are: pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus, yellowfin sole Limanda aspera, pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus, great sculpin Mycocephalus polyacanthocephalus, and saffron cod Eleginus gracilis.