Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Otoliths speak out: why the Pacific halibut in Puget sound are different

  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pacific halibut, Hippoglossus stenolepis, is one of the most important commercial groundfish and is managed as a single coast-wide population from Alaska to northern California. Nevertheless, genetic investigations did not show success in detecting the population structure of the species. Here I report stable oxygen and carbon isotope analyses (δ18O and δ13C) in otoliths to discriminate the stock differences from two sample locations between the Washington coast (WC) and the northern Puget Sound (PS), and two sample years in 2007 and 2008. In general the δ18O values of halibut otoliths from WC ranged from −0.2 to 1.8‰, higher than the PS samples from −0.5 to 1.4‰. In contrast, the δ13C values from WC ranged from −3.6 to −1.0‰, lower than the PS samples from −3.2 to −1.2‰. Results from the otolith nuclei (age-0 halibut) and the 8th (the earliest maturity age for male halibut) and edge otolith rings (the latest location where the fish lived) showed significant differences between halibut samples from PS and WC. In particular, the sample location difference (between PS and WC) in both δ13C and δ18O data was significant and markedly larger than the sample year difference (between 2007 and 2008). These isotopic signatures provide evidence that the PS halibut may belong to a distinct stock that is significantly different from WC halibut.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bell FH (1981) The Pacific halibut: the resource and the fishery. Alaska Northwest Publishing Company, Anchorage

    Google Scholar 

  • Chittaro PM, Klinger T, Telmer K, Sanborn M, Morgan L (2010) Using otolith chemistry to investigate population structure of quillback rockfish in Puget Sound. Northwest Sci 84:243–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conover WJ (1980) Practical nonparametric statistics, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • DeNiro MJ, Epstein S (1978) Influence of diet on the distribution of carbon isotopes in animals. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:495–506

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edmonds JS, Fletcher WJ (1997) Stock discrimination of pilchards Sardinops sagax by stable isotope ratio analysis of otolith carbonate. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 152:241–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein S, Buchsbaum R, Lowenstam HA, Urey HC (1953) Revised carbonate-water isotopic temperature scale. Geol Soc Am Bull 64:1315–1326

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Forsberg JE (2001) Ageing manual for Pacific halibut: procedures and methods used at the International Pacific Halibut Commission. IPHC Tech Rep 46

  • Gao YW (1999) Microsampling of fish otoliths: a comparison between DM 2800 and Dremel in stable isotope analysis. Environ Biol Fish 55:443–448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao YW, Beamish RJ (1999) Isotopic composition of otoliths as a chemical tracer in population identification of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 56:2062–2068

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao YW, Beamish RJ (2003a) Stable isotope variations in otoliths of Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) and indications of the possible 1990 regime shift. Fish Res 60:393–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao YW, Beamish RJ (2003b) Stable isotopic composition of otoliths from tagged Pacific halibut, Hippoglossus stenolepis. Environ Biol Fish 67:253–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao YW, Dettman DL, Piner KR, Wallace FR (2010) Isotopic correlation (δ18O versus δ13C) of otoliths in identification of groundfish stocks. Trans Am Fish Soc 139:491–501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geffen AJ (2012) Otolith oxygen and carbon isotopes in wild and laboratory-reared plaice (Pleuronectes platessa). Environ Biol Fish, this special issue

  • Gilroy HL (2012) The Pacific halibut fishery in 2011. International Pacific Halibut Commission 88th Annual Meeting Handout (Bluebook). January 24–27, 2012, Anchorage, Alaska

  • Grant WS, Stahl G (1988) Evolution of Atlantic and Pacific cod: loss of genetic variation and gene expression in Pacific cod. Evolution 42:138–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant WS, Utter FM (1980) Biochemical genetic variation in walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma: population structure in the south-eastern Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 37:1093–1100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant WS, Zhang CI, Kobayashi T, Stahl G (1987) Lack of genetic stock discretion in Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 44:490–498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IBM SPSS (2010) PASW Statistics 19. SPSS, Inc. Chicago, Illinois

  • IPHC (International Pacific Halibut Commission) (1987) The Pacific halibut: biology, fishery, and management. IPHC Tech. Rep. 22 (revision of Nos. 6 and 16)

  • IPHC (International Pacific Halibut Commission) (2009) International Pacific Halibut Commission 85th Annual Meeting Handout (Bluebook). January 12–16, 2009, Vancouver, British Columbia

  • Kalish JM (1991) Oxygen and carbon stable isotopes in the otoliths of wild and laboratory- reared Australian salmon (Arripis trutta). Mar Biol 110:37–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimura DK, Shimada AM, Shaw FR (1998) Stock structure and movement of tagged sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria, in offshore Northeast Pacific waters and the effects of El Nino-Southern Oscillation on migration and growth. Fish Bull 96:462–481

    Google Scholar 

  • McCulloch CE, Searle SR (2001) Generalized, linear, and mixed models. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Milliken GA, Johnson DE (1992) Analysis of messy data, vol I: Designed Experiments. Chapman and Hall, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulcahy SA, Killingley JS, Phleger CF, Berger WH (1979) Isotopic composition of otoliths from a bentho-pelagic fish, Coryphaenoides acrolepis, Macrouridae: Gadiformes. Oceanol Acta 2:423–427

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson CS, Northcote TG, Hendy CH (1989) Potential use of oxygen and carbon isotopic composition of otoliths to identify migratory and non-migratory stocks of the New Zealand common smelt: a pilot study. N Z J Mar Freshw Res 23:337–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norusis MJ (2010) PASW Statistics 18 advanced statistical procedures companion. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  • Pannella G (1971) Fish otoliths: daily growth layers and periodical patterns. Science 173:1124–1126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn TJII, Best EA, Bijsterveld L, McGregor IR (1983) Sampling Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) landings for age composition: history, evaluation, and estimation. IPHC Sci Rep 68

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarcz HP, Gao Y, Campana S, Browne D, Knyf M, Brand U (1998) Stable carbon isotope variations in otoliths of cod (Gadus morhua). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 55:1798–1806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skud BE (1977) Drift, migration, and intermingling of Pacific halibut stocks. IPHC Sci Rep 63

  • Stout HA, McCain B, Vetter R, Builder T, Lenarz W, Johnson L, Methot R (2001) Status review of copper rockfish, quillback rockfish, and brown rockfish in Puget Sound, Washington. NOAA Tech Memo, NMFS-NWFSC-46, U.S. Department of Commerce

  • St-Pierre G (1984) Spawning locations and season for Pacific halibut. IPHC Sci Rep 70

  • Thompson WF, Van Cleve R (1936) Life history of the Pacific halibut. (2) Distribution and early life history. Int. Fish. Comm. Rep. No. 9

  • Trumble RJ, St-Pierre G, McGregor IR (1991) Evaluation of Pacific halibut management for Regulatory Area 2A. I. Review of the Pacific halibut fishery in Area 2A. IPHC Sci Rep 74

  • Trumble RJ, Neilson JD, Bowering WR, McCaughran DA (1993) Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) and Pacific halibut (H. stenolepis) and their North American fisheries. Can Bull Fish Aquat Sci 227

  • Zar JH (1974) Biostatistical analysis. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work would not have been done without the interest and support from the Makah Tribal Council and multiple-level government agencies, especially the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). Many dedicated fisheries staff and colleagues helped me for initiating the project, particularly for the consistent interest and support from Russell Svec, Steve Joner, and Colby Brady from Makah Fisheries Management. I thank Rebecca Bernard from Swinomish Natural Resources and Greg Bargmann from WDFW who provided otolith samples from Puget sound. Robert Conrad from the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) did statistical analyses and Ron McFarlane from NWIFC helped me for GIS mapping. Dick Beamish from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and David Noakes from Oregon State University reviewed an early draft and provided supportive comments. I am grateful to Lora Wingate at the Stable Isotope Laboratory, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, for her assistance with processing otolith samples.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Makah Fisheries Management, P.O. Box 115, Neah Bay, WA, 98357, USA

    Yongwen Gao

  2. College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China

    Yongwen Gao

Authors
  1. Yongwen Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yongwen Gao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gao, Y. Otoliths speak out: why the Pacific halibut in Puget sound are different. Environ Biol Fish 95, 469–479 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-012-0057-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-012-0057-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation