The daily feeding dynamics in various lenght groups of the Barents Sea capelin during the feeding period

Abstract

A total of 700 capelin stomachs collected during the feeding period in August 1989 by 24-h fishery were analyzed for each 3-cm length groups. The number of prey categories consumed by the Barents sea capelin showed a tendency to increase with increasing fish length up to 12 cm. Calanus finmarchicus was the major contributor in the diet (66.39%) of length group 6-8.9 cm. Capelin in length group 9-11.9 cm had mainly fed on Calanus finmarchicus (33.53% ), Parathemisto abyssorum (14.54%) and Thysanoessa raschii (28.04%) while the two species, Thysanoessa inermis and Thysanoessa raschii occupied 95.2% of the stomach contents weight in length group 12-14.9 cm. The evening peaks in feeding occured approximately for all length groups and the feeding was at minimum during the midday. The daily ration during the first half of August is estimated between 1.47% and 2.0% of fish body weight. Accordingly, these data gives about 4116 tonnes as the daily consumption of zooplankton by capelin stock at the Goose Bank area.