Variabilities in stomach contents of cod, collected by demersal and pelagic trawl in the southern part of the Barents Sea
Original version
This report is not to be cited without prior reference to the authorAbstract
Samples of Northeast Arctic cod stomachs were collected separately on
demersal and pelagic stations at the same date in February 1986 and
were analysed for length group 30-40cm. The results indicate that the
mean value of the stomach contents weight as well as the food composition
are substantially different for the two type of gear. The
Spearman rank correlation coefficent (rs = 0.109;t = 0.363;P > 0.1) is
not significant based on frequency data calculated from the diet of
cod gathered by demersal and pelagic stations. These results question
the accuracy of the consumption estimates which is based on a combination
of field stomach contents weight and laboratory gastric evacuation
rate studies. Therefore the mean value of the stomach contents
weight should be distributed on the fishing gears, in addition to
seasons, subareas, fish size and time of the day.