Salish Sea Marine Survival Project researchers investigated environmental and biological factors impacting age-0 Pacific herring. These small fish are important competitors and prey for Salish Sea salmon species during their first marine year; examining herring dynamics can lead to better understanding of how herring population fluctuations affect salmon growth and survival. Researchers found that environmental factors favorable to age-0 herring were also favorable to juvenile salmon and that high predator abundances were associated with decreased fish condition. There was evidence of potential density-dependent effects on age-0 herring. Overall, researchers concluded that age-0 herring condition and abundance in the Strait of Georgia are primarily influenced by bottom-up processes, with some additional top-down effects on herring condition. These results are consistent with previous studies, and studies in other areas. Read more: Boldt et al. (2018) Bottom-up and top-down control of small pelagic forage fish: factors affecting age-0 herring in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. DOI: 10.3354/meps12485
Recent Comments