Trophic ecology of deepwater fishes associated with the continental slope of the eastern Norwegian Sea

Abstract

In June 1995 and 1996 demersal fishes on the continental slope of the eastem Norwegian Sea were sampled to study distribution patterns and community structure. The diets of the more abundant slope species were characterised and linkages within the upper slope food-web identified. Few cases of predator-prey relationships between the typical slope fishes were found. Most of the smaller fishes fed on epibenthic crustaceans such as amphipods and mysids, while pelagic crustaceans and fish dominated the diets of larger fishes. Herring ( Clupea harengus) and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) were important prey items of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides), and were also eaten by Lycodesfrigidus, Raja hyperborea and roughhead grenadier (Macrourus berglax). At !east for the latter three species this probably reflected scavenging.