Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Combining fishing and acoustic monitoring data to evaluate the distribution and movements of spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Direct and indirect methods have been used to describe patterns of movement of fishes, but few studies have compared these methods simultaneously. We used 20 years of trawl survey data and 1 year of acoustic telemetry data to evaluate the vertical and horizontal movement patterns of spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei in Puget Sound, WA, USA. Densities of large ratfish (≥30 cm) were higher at the deepest depths trawled (70 m) during daylight hours, whereas densities were similar across depth zones (to 10 m) at night. Acoustic tracking of ratfish showed distinct diel patterns of movement and activity level; ratfish moved into shallow, nearshore habitats at night from deeper, offshore habitats during the day and made ~3 times more moves at night than day in shallow habitats. Broader spatial patterns depended on where ratfish were tagged: one tag group remained in one general location with few excursions, whereas a second tag group moved within a 20-km band with some individuals moving >90 km. These data will help inform food web models’ abilities to quantify interspecific interactions between ratfish and other components of their community.

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.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alldredge AL, King JM (1980) Effects of moonlight on the vertical migration patterns of demersal zooplankton. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 44(2–3):133–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alverson DL, Pruter AT, Ronholt LL (1964) A study of demersal fishes and fisheries of the northeastern Pacific Ocean. H.R. MacMillan Lectures in Fisheries. Institute of Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews KS, Williams GD, Farrer D, Tolimieri N, Harvey CJ, Bargmann G, Levin PS (2009) Diel activity patterns of sixgill sharks, Hexanchus griseus: the ups and downs of an apex predator. Anim Behav 78:525–536

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews KS, Williams GD, Levin PS (2010) Seasonal and ontogenetic changes in movement patterns of sixgill sharks. PLoS One 5(9):e12549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bach P, Dagorn L, Bertrand A, Josse E, Misselis C (2003) Acoustic telemetry versus monitored longline fishing for studying the vertical distribution of pelagic fish: bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus in French Polynesia. Fish Res 60(2–3):281–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett LAK (2008) Life history, abundance, and distribution of the spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei. California State University, Monterey Bay

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett LAK, Earley RL, Ebert DA, Cailliet GM (2009) Maturity, fecundity, and reproductive cycle of the spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei. Mar Biol 156(3):301–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bascompte J, Melián CJ, Sala E (2005) Interaction strength combinations and the overfishing of a marine food web. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102(15):5443

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brill RW, Block BA, Boggs CH, Bigelow KA, Freund EV, Marcinek DJ (1999) Horizontal movements and depth distribution of large adult yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares near the Hawaiian Islands, recorded using ultrasonic telemetry: implications for the physiological ecology of pelagic fishes. Mar Biol 133(3):395–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain J, Kagley AN, Fresh KL, Quinn TP (2011) Movements of yearling Chinook salmon during the first summer in marine waters of Hood Canal, Washington. Trans Am Fish Soc 140:429–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chittaro PM, Finley RJ, Levin PS (2009) Spatial and temporal patterns in the contribution of fish from their nursery habitats. Oecologia 160(1):49–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Combes SA, Daniel TL (2001) Shape, flapping and flexion: wing and fin design for forward flight. J Exp Biol 204(12):2073–2086

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dagit DD (2006) Hydrolagus colliei. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red list of threatened species, version 2010.4. http://www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 24 Jan 2011

  • de la Moriniere C, Pollux BJA, Nagelkerken I, Hemminga MA, Huiskes AHL, Van der Velde G (2003) Ontogenetic dietary changes of coral reef fishes in the mangrove-seagrass-reef continuum: stable isotopes and gut-content analysis. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 246:279–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeAngelis DL, Mooij WM (2005) Individual-based modeling of ecological and evolutionary processes. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 36(1):147–168. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.36.102003.152644

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dill LM, Heithaus MR, Walters CJ (2003) Behaviorally mediated indirect interactions in marine communities and their conservation implications. Ecology 84(5):1151–1157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DOE (2008) Washington State Department of Ecology. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/mar_wat/data.html. Accessed Jan 2008

  • Dorel D, Koutsikopoulos C, Desaunay Y, Marchand J (1991) Seasonal distribution of young sole Solea solea in the nursery ground of the Bay of Vilaine (northern Bay of Biscay). Neth J Sea Res 27(3–4):297–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Douglas RH, Partridge JC, Marshall NJ (1998) The eyes of deep-sea fish I: lens pigmentation, tapeta and visual pigments. Prog Retinal Eye Res 17(4):597–636

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ebert DA (1986) Biological aspects of the sixgill shark Hexanchus griseus. Copeia 1:131–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Estes JA, Tinker MT, Williams TM, Doak DF (1998) Killer whale predation on sea otters linking oceanic and nearshore ecosystems. Science 282(5388):473–476

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans SM (1971) Behavior in polychaetes. Q Rev Biol 46(4):379–405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fields RD, Lange GD (1980) Electroreception in the ratfish Hydrolagus colliei. Science 207(4430):547

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flammang BE (2005) Distribution and reproductive ecology of deep-sea catsharks (Chondrichthyes: Scyliorhinidae) of the eastern North Pacific. MS Thesis, California State University, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

  • Fortin D, Beyer HL, Boyce MS, Smith DW, Duchesne T, Mao JS (2005) Wolves influence elk movements: behavior shapes a trophic cascade in Yellowstone National Park. Ecology 86(5):1320–1330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster KL, Higham TE (2010) How to build a pectoral fin: functional morphology and steady swimming kinematics of the spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei. Can J Zool-Rev Can Zool 88(8):774–780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fresh KL, Rabin D, Simenstad CA, Salo EO, Garrison K, Matheson L (1979) Fish ecology studies in the Nisqually Reach area of southern Puget Sound, Washington. University of Washington, Fisheries Research Institute, FRI-UW-7812, p 151

  • Gibson RN, Robb L, Burrows MT, Ansell AD (1996) Tidal, diel and longer term changes in the distribution of fishes on a Scottish sandy beach. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 130(1–3):1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson RN, Pihl L, Burrows MT, Modin J, Wennhage H, Nickell LA (1998) Diel movements of juvenile plaice Pleuronectes platessa in relation to predators, competitors, food availability and abiotic factors on a microtidal nursery ground. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 165:145–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillanders BM, Kingsford MJ (1996) Elements in otoliths may elucidate the contribution of estuarine recruitment to sustaining coastal reef populations of a temperate reef fish. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 141(1):13–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillanders BM, Able KW, Brown JA, Eggleston DB, Sheridan PF (2003) Evidence of connectivity between juvenile and adult habitats for mobile marine fauna: an important component of nurseries. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 247:281–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham JB, Dewar H, Lai NC, Lowell WR, Arce SM (1990) Aspects of shark swimming performance determined using a large water tunnel. J Exp Biol 151:175–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Grutter AS (1998) Habitat-related differences in the abundance of parasites from a coral reef fish: an indication of the movement patterns of Hemigymnus melapterus. J Fish Biol 53(1):49–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart JL (1973) Pacific fishes of Canada. J Fish Res Board Can 180:1–740

    Google Scholar 

  • Heithaus MR, Wirsing AJ, Dill LM, Heithaus LI (2007) Long-term movements of tiger sharks satellite-tagged in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Mar Biol 151(4):1455–1461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heupel MR, Simpfendorfer CA (2005) Using acoustic monitoring to evaluate MPAs for shark nursery areas: the importance of long-term data. Mar Technol Soc J 39(1):10–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heupel MR, Simpfendorfer CA, Hueter RE (2004) Estimation of shark home ranges using passive monitoring techniques. Environ Biol Fish 71(2):135–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hixon MA, Tissot BN (1992) Fish assemblages of rocky banks of the Pacific Northwest (Stonewall Bank). USDI Minerals Management Service, OCS Study MMS:92-0025

  • Jones BC, Geen GH (1977) Food and Feeding of Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in British Columbia Waters. J Fish Res Board Can 34(11):2056–2066. doi:10.1139/f77-274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jopson HGM (1958) A concentration of the ratfish Hydrolagus colliei Cape Arago, Oregon. Copeia 1958(3):232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Littell RC, Milliken GA, Stroup WW, Wolfinger RD (1996) SAS system for mixed models. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Long ER, Dutch M, Aasen S, Welch K, Hameedi MJ (2003) Chemical contamination acute toxicity in laboratory tests, and benthic impacts in sediments of Puget Sound: A summary of results of the joint 1997–1999 Ecology/NOAA survey. Washington Department of Ecology, Publication No. 03-03-049, Olympia

  • Lowe CG (1996) Kinematics and critical swimming speed of juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks. J Exp Biol 199:2605–2610

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowe CG, Topping DT, Cartamil DP, Papastamatiou YP (2003) Movement patterns, home range, and habitat utilization of adult kelp bass Paralabrax clathratus in a temperate no-take marine reserve. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 256:205–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machias A, Labropoulou M (2002) Intra-specific variation in resource use by red mullet Mullus barbatus. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 55(4):565–578. doi:10.1006/ecss.2001.0924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machias A, Somarakis S, Tsimenides N (1998) Bathymetric distribution and movements of red mullet Mullus surmuletus. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 166:247–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maruyama A, Yamada Y, Rusuwa B, Yuma M (2001) Change in stable nitrogen isotope ratio in the muscle tissue of a migratory goby Rhinogobius sp, in a natural setting. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 58(11):2125–2128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy DA, Forward RB, Young CM (2002) Ontogeny of phototaxis and geotaxis during larval development of the sabellariid polychaete Phragmatopoma lapidosa. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 241:215–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller BS, Simenstad CA, Moulton LL, Fresh KL, Funk FC, Karp WA, Borton SF (1977) Puget Sound baseline program: nearshore fish survey. University of Washington, Fisheries Research Institute, FRI-UW-7710, p 220

  • Morales JM, Moorcroft PR, Matthiopoulos J, Frair JL, Kie JG, Powell RA, Merrill EH, Haydon DT (2010) Building the bridge between animal movement and population dynamics. Phil Trans R Soc B Biol Sci 365(1550):2289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moulton LL (1977) An ecological analysis of fishes inhabiting the rocky nearshore regions of northern Puget Sound. University of Washington, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  • Palsson WA, Clarke P, Hoffmann S, Beam J (2002) Results from the 2000 transboundary trawl survey of the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca and Discovery Bay. Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Olympia

    Google Scholar 

  • Palsson WA, Hoffmann S, Clarke P, Beam J (2003) Results from the 2001 transboundary trawl survey of the southern Strait of Georgia, San Juan Archipelago and adjacent waters. Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Olympia

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons D, Egli D (2005) Fish movement in a temperate marine reserve: new insights through application of acoustic tracking. Mar Technol Soc J 39(1):56–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Partridge V, Weakland S, Long ER, Welch K, Dutch M, Jones M (2009) Urban Waters Initiative, 2007: Sediment Quality in Elliott Bay. Washington State Department of Ecology, Publication No. 09-03-014, Olympia

  • Payne JC, Andrews KS, Chittenden CM, Crossin GT, Goetz FA, Hinch S, Levin PS, Lindley S, McKinley S, Melnychuk M, Nelson T, Rechisky E, Welch D (2010) Tracking fish movements and survival on the Northeast Pacific Shelf. In: McIntyre AD (ed) Life in the world’s oceans: distribution, diversity and abundance. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 269–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Pillar SC, Barange M (1997) Diel variability in bottom trawl catches and feeding activity of the Cape hakes off the west coast of South Africa. Ices J Mar Sci 54(3):485–499

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn TP, Miller BS, Wingert RC (1980) Depth distribution and seasonal and diel movements of ratfish Hydrolagus colliei in Puget Sound, Washington. Fish Bull 78(3):816–821

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinnell S, Schmitt C (1991) Abundance of Puget Sound demersal fishes: 1987 research trawl survey results. Washington State Department of Fisheries, Olympia

    Google Scholar 

  • Reum JCP, Essington TE (2008) Seasonal variation in guild structure of the Puget Sound demersal fish community. Estuar Coast 31(4):790–801. doi:10.1007/s12237-008-9064-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rose KA, Allen JI, Artioli Y, Barange M, Blackford J, Carlotti F, Cropp R, Daewel U, Edwards K, Flynn K, Hill SL, HilleRisLambers R, Huse G, Mackinson S, Megrey B, Moll A, Rivkin R, Salihoglu B, Schrum C, Shannon L, Shin Y-J, Smith SL, Smith C, Solidoro C, St. John M, Zhou M (2010) End-to-end models for the analysis of marine ecosystems: challenges, issues, and next steps. Mar Coast Fish Dyn Manag Ecosyst Sci 2:115–130. doi:10.1577/c09-059.1

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS (2004) SAS 9.1.3. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • SCCWRP (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project) (1973) The ecology of the Southern California Bight: implications for water quality management. Technical Report 104. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, El Segundo, p 531

  • Sims DW, Wearmouth VJ, Southall EJ, Hill JM, Moore P, Rawlinson K, Hutchinson N, Budd GC, Righton D, Metcalfe JD, Nash JP, Morritt D (2006) Hunt warm, rest cool: bioenergetic strategy underlying diel vertical migration of a benthic shark. J Anim Ecol 75(1):176–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Starr RM, O’Connell V, Ralston S (2004) Movements of lingcod Ophiodon elongatus in southeast Alaska: potential for increased conservation and yield from marine reserves. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 61(7):1083–1094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Staubitz WW, Bortleson GC, Semans SD, Tesoriero AJ, Black RW (1997) Water-quality assessment of the Puget Sound Basin, Washington—Environmental setting and its implications for water quality and aquatic biota. Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4013. US Geological Survey

  • Thomas MLH, Jelley E (1972) Benthos trapped leaving bottom in Bideford River, Prince-Edward-Island. J Fish Res Board Can 29(8):1234–1237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolimieri N, Andrews KS, Williams GD, Katz SL, Levin PS (2009) Home range size and patterns of space use by lingcod, copper rockfish and quillback rockfish in relation to diel and tidal cycles. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 380:229–243. doi:10.3354/Meps0793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turchin P (1991) Translating foraging movements in heterogeneous environments into the spatial distribution of foragers. Ecology 72:1253–1266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood AJ (1997) Ecological experiments: their logical design and interpretation using analysis of variance. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Walters C, Christensen V, Pauly D (1997) Structuring dynamic models of exploited ecosystems from trophic mass-balance assessments. Rev Fish Biol Fish 7(2):139–172. doi:10.1023/a:1018479526149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weng KC, Foley DG, Ganong JE, Perle C, Shillinger GL, Block BA (2008) Migration of an upper trophic level predator, the salmon shark Lamna ditropis, between distant ecoregions. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 372:253–264. doi:10.3354/meps07706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiens JA, Stenseth NC, Vanhorne B, Ims RA (1993) Ecological mechanisms and landscape ecology. Oikos 66(3):369–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Charlie Eaton, owner/operator of the R/V Kittiwake, and all of the students and teaching assistants involved in UW’s Fisheries Ecology course for helping to collect the trawl data over the past 20 years. We also thank J. Scheuerell and C. Ewing for their help in designing the online acoustic detections database, HYDRA, used by researchers in Puget Sound; N. Tolimieri for statistical help with GAMM and sp(pow). This work was supported by the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA

    Kelly S. Andrews

  2. School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355020, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Thomas P. Quinn

Authors
  1. Kelly S. Andrews
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Thomas P. Quinn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kelly S. Andrews.

Additional information

Communicated by D. Righton.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Andrews, K.S., Quinn, T.P. Combining fishing and acoustic monitoring data to evaluate the distribution and movements of spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei . Mar Biol 159, 769–782 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1853-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1853-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation