Fisheries Science

, Volume 80, Issue 4, pp 735–748 | Cite as

Gonadal maturation and spawning migration of stocked female barfin flounder Verasper moseri off the Pacific coast of northern Japan

  • Takaaki Kayaba
  • Toshihiro Wada
  • Kyoichi Kamiyama
  • Osamu Murakami
  • Hidetsugu Yoshida
  • Sayumi Sawaguchi
  • Takashi Ichikawa
  • Yuichiro Fujinami
  • Shinsaku Fukuda
Original Article Biology
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Commercial catches of barfin flounder Verasper moseri, an important target flatfish for stock enhancement programs in northern Japan, have recovered remarkably since the large-scale release of seedlings from Hokkaido in 2006. However, their reproductive ecology remains unclear. Our study of 2008–2012 investigated seasonal changes in the maturity of stocked female barfin flounder (n = 4,123) off the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Tohoku (35.7°–43.4°N). Histological observation of ovaries revealed that fish undergoing vitellogenesis were observed mainly off Hokkaido and partially off northern Tohoku during August–January (40.2°–43.4°N). However, fully matured or spawning fish were not found near those areas. They were observed only in southern Tohoku. Ongoing spawning was observed off southernmost Tohoku (35.8°–37.5°N around 300 m depth) from early February through late April, when commercial landings had decreased drastically off Hokkaido. Spent fish were caught only rarely off southern Tohoku, but were observed frequently off Hokkaido during April–June. These results demonstrate that spawning grounds form at the upper continental slope off southernmost Tohoku during February–April. Relations between maturation traits and seasonal landings strongly suggest that female barfin flounder repeatedly migrate more than 700 km from feeding grounds off Hokkaido to spawning grounds off southern Tohoku.

Keywords

Verasper moseri Reproductive ecology Spawning migration Spawning ground Spawning period Released seedling Northern Japan 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. T. Matsubara and Dr. R. Kawabe for helpful advice and encouragement on this study. We thank the Fishery Cooperative, town office, and fisheries technical guidance offices of Hokkaido and Tohoku for assisting with our experiments. This study was conducted as part of a research project, “Research and Development Projects for Application in the New Policy of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,” funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan.

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Copyright information

© Japanese Society of Fisheries Science 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Takaaki Kayaba
    • 1
  • Toshihiro Wada
    • 2
  • Kyoichi Kamiyama
    • 3
  • Osamu Murakami
    • 4
  • Hidetsugu Yoshida
    • 5
  • Sayumi Sawaguchi
    • 6
  • Takashi Ichikawa
    • 7
  • Yuichiro Fujinami
    • 8
  • Shinsaku Fukuda
    • 9
  1. 1.Kushiro Fisheries Research InstituteHokkaido Research OrganizationKushiroJapan
  2. 2.Soma BranchFukushima Prefectural Fisheries Experimental StationSomaJapan
  3. 3.Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Experimental StationIwakiJapan
  4. 4.Mariculture Fisheries Research InstituteHokkaido Research OrganizationMuroranJapan
  5. 5.Hokkaido Nuclear Energy Environmental Research CenterKyowaJapan
  6. 6.Seikai National Fisheries Research InstituteFisheries Research AgencyNagasakiJapan
  7. 7.Akkeshi Laboratory, Hokkaido National Fisheries Research InstituteFisheries Research AgencyAkkeshiJapan
  8. 8.Stock Enhancement and Aquaculture Division, Tohoku National Fisheries Research InstituteFisheries Research AgencyMiyakoJapan
  9. 9.Aomori Aquaculture Promotion AssociationHashigamiJapan

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