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Demersal fish communities of the shelf and slope of South Georgia and Shag Rocks (Southern Ocean)

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Abstract

This research is the first to investigate deepwater demersal fish distribution and community structure around South Georgia and Shag Rocks. Analysis of catch data from a trawl survey conducted in 2003 indicated that depth and location have a marked influence over demersal fish community structure in the region. Three distinct, depth-stratified fish assemblages were observed. The demersal fish assemblage found on the shelf to depths of around 400 m was dominated by nototheniids and was comprised largely of species endemic to the Southern Ocean and Scotia Sea. At the greatest depths sampled (>600 m) the demersal fish community was dominated by gadiform fishes including members of the Macrouridae and Moridae, many of which are not endemic to the Southern Ocean. From 400 to 600 m there was a transitional zone with demersal fish representatives of both the shelf and deeper slope communities. Clear geographic differences in the shelf community were apparent with differences observed in community structure between South Georgia and Shag Rocks to depths of around 400 m. These data provide valuable baseline information to aid environmental management decisions and assess potential impacts of rapid ocean warming around South Georgia.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to extend thanks to the captain and crew of the Fisheries Patrol/Research Vessel Dorada, and scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, Marine Resources Assessment Group and Aberdeen University who undertook the survey, and to Dr. Mark Jessopp for his advice on statistical tests. Sample processing was carried out at the King Edward Point Applied Fisheries Laboratory, South Georgia, and the research was funded by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. We are grateful to three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on earlier versions of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Antarctic Survey (NERC), High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

    Susan Gregory & Mark Belchier

  2. Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Government House, Stanley, FIQQ 1ZZ, Falkland Islands

    Martin A. Collins

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  1. Susan Gregory
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  2. Martin A. Collins
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Correspondence to Susan Gregory.

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 3 and 4.

Table 3 2003 deepwater survey haul locations at South Georgia and Shag Rocks
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Table 4 Complete catch record of all fish species from the 2003 deepwater survey at Shag Rocks and South Georgia
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Gregory, S., Collins, M.A. & Belchier, M. Demersal fish communities of the shelf and slope of South Georgia and Shag Rocks (Southern Ocean). Polar Biol 40, 107–121 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-1929-7

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