Age and growth of free-swimming whale sharks observed over a 10-year period was estimated at South Ari Atoll, Maldives. Measurement methods were compared and von Bertalanffy growth parameters were calculated for males and combined sexes. Our estimates were similar to those from traditional techniques, suggesting that our methods could be used when individuals can be distinguished and re-identified over time.

Surveys over several decades before and after reserve status showed large changes in the fish community. Most prominent were the arrival of predatory snapper after full protection and decline of subtropical and coastal wrasses, mostly >20 years before protection. Snapper feed mostly in the water column on planktivores. We conclude that long-term environmental fluctuations affected the abundance of many fish at these islands.

Studies have shown that nutrients from marine ecosystems can be incorporated into terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems through vectors such as salmon and seabirds. However, little is known about the physiological consequences of these marine nutrients. Despite detecting seabird-derived nutrient in the streams in this study, we found that seabird nitrogen replaced existing nitrogen rather than making stream biota more nitrogen rich.

The blind cave eel Ophisternon candidum is one of Australia’s least known fishes and is one of only three obligate cave-dwelling vertebrates in Australia. For decades, this fish was known from a few coastal caves in north-western Australia, but analyses suggest that two newly discovered populations have recent evolutionary origins. All populations face threats, with a need for management strategies to protect them.

Knowledge of the extent and distribution of wetlands is important to inform policy and decision making to achieve wetland wise use. Although overall global wetland extent and changes in extent have been estimated, herein we compile available estimates for different wetland classes: many natural inland and marine or coastal classes are declining in area, but areas of human-made wetlands are increasing. The global wetland area estimated from this wetland class information (between 15.2 × 10⁶ and 16.2 × 10⁶ km²) is as large or larger than recent global estimates derived from remote-sensing, despite there being no information available for half the wetland classes.

This paper has demonstrated the different food-web responses to teleconnection indices, which are proxy of climate fluctuations, in lakes characterised by different trophic levels. The winter large-scale circulation patterns control a chain of linked causal factors, including winter air temperature, spring water temperature, water vertical mixing depth, epilimnetic concentration of total phosphorus, phytoplankton growth and phenology of zooplanktonic primary and secondary consumers.

To help understand the factors that affect the invasiveness of introduced fish in new waters, the growth and reproductive characteristics of the invasive monkey goby Neogobius fluviatilis were assessed in its native waters. The results revealed high variability in these characteristics, which we argue are important for the adaptation of N. fluviatilis to new waters that provide novel conditions for the fish.

Copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, chromium and lead were detected along the coastline of Yanbu (Red Sea, Saudi Arabia), at concentrations of 1.35–73.0, 1.73–94.62, 5.88–241.10, 0.05–1.81, 4.81–201.01 and 0.08–23.33 µg g^–1 respectively. Geo-accumulation, potential ecological risk and potential toxicity risk response values indicated moderate pollution in the shorelines of Yanbu. Management strategies are suggested for the study area.

This study identifies and describes scale abnormalities in freshwater fish from the Kaniv Reservoir, Ukraine. Many scale deformities were found and were classified into two major categories: slight and severe. In all, 211 abnormal scales (172 slight and 39 severe deformities) were observed and described. The scale deformities described herein could help direct future work on relationships between environmental conditions and fish health.

In this study, the feasibility of tagging small-bodied estuarine fish was assessed using the yellow-eyed mullet (Aldrichetta forsteri). Tank-based experiments showed that T-bar and passive integrated responder (PIT) tags were suitable tag types and that wild capture, handling and tagging of fish smaller than 50 g (~170 mm) was detrimental to survival. The possibility of using small-bodied fish for tagging studies is demonstrated and advocated.

This paper describes the peripheral olfactory organs and distribution of crypt cells in the olfactory epithelium in relation to the maturity of carp. Because crypt cells mediate reproductive behaviour, including mate attraction, their relative quantum and position in the epithelia serve as surrogates to predict the susceptibility of mature carp to carnal lure, which could be exploited in the management of their pest populations.

Patterns in trophic niche estimated from stable isotope data were used to examine potential competitive interactions arising from eastern king prawn (Penaeus plebejus) stocking. The results highlight some differences in trophic niche over time, and environmental variability likely played an important role in driving the patterns observed. This approach shows promise for monitoring interactions between stocked animals and their competitors.

This study investigated the importance of a free-flowing tributary of a dammed river as a reproductive migration route using a hydroacoustics technique combined with active fish collection. The data suggest that the higher density and proportion of larger fishes, as well as the higher density of ichthyoplankton, observed in the tributary show its importance as an alternative route for migratory fishes.

Sabellaria alveolata is a coastal engineer species that builds sandy reefs, hosting a rich associated fauna. In this study we report, for the first time, the phyllodocid worm Eulalia ornata in the Tyrrhenian Sea and highlight its high-fidelity link with S. alveolata bioconstructions. Studies aimed at improving our knowledge of Sabellaria reefs and their associated fauna are an important step towards more appropriate management plans for sensitive coastal habitats.