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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 58(4)

Feeding dynamics, consumption rates and daily ration of longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol) in Australian waters, with emphasis on the consumption of commercially important prawns

Shane P. Griffiths A B , Gary C. Fry A , Fiona J. Manson A and Richard D. Pillans A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 120, Cleveland, Qld 4163, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: shane.griffiths@csiro.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 58(4) 376-397 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF06197
Submitted: 20 October 2006  Accepted: 11 January 2007   Published: 13 April 2007

Abstract

The feeding ecology of longtail tuna was studied in northern and eastern Australia. Diet biomass data were used to estimate daily ration and consumption of individual prey taxa, particularly penaeids targeted by Australia’s valuable Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF). Overall, the 497 stomachs contained 101 prey taxa. In both regions, small pelagic and demersal fishes comprised the majority of the diet biomass. Fish in both regions showed a marked increase in prey diversity, variation in prey composition and stomach fullness index in autumn and winter (March–August). This increase in apparently opportunistic feeding behaviour and feeding intensity showed an inverse relationship with reproductive activity, indicating a possible energy investment for gonad development. Daily ration decreased with increasing fish size, while annual consumption by fish increased with size. Total prey consumption in the Gulf of Carpentaria was estimated at 148 178 t year–1. This includes 599 t year-1 of penaeids, equivalent to 11% of the annual NPF catch. This study demonstrated that longtail tuna play an important ecological role in neritic ecosystems. Their interaction with commercial fisheries highlights the need for targeted dietary studies of high order predators to better understand trophic pathways to facilitate ecosystem-based fisheries management.

Additional keywords: diet, ecosystem, fisheries management, pelagic, Penaeus, predation, trophodynamics.


Acknowledgements

We thank A. Vickers and crew from the FV ‘Kundu’, who provided samples from the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the numerous sport fishers who helped collect specimens. K. Davidson and Q. Dell are acknowledged for assistance with processing stomach samples. We are especially appreciative of constructive comments made on drafts of this manuscript by R. J. Olson (IATTC), S. J. M. Blaber and M. D. E. Haywood (CSIRO). This study was funded by CSIRO Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research.


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