Pelagic fish food web linkages, Queensland, Australia (2003-2005)

This data was collected to primarily provide preliminary information on the diets of ten pelagic fish species common to the Northern Prawn Fishery, specifically to investigate any effects of prawn predation by pelagic fish. After the project was initiated the scope of the study was broadened to investigate the age, growth (by otoliths) and reproductive dynamics (by GSI and histology) of these species. Tissue samples from at about 100 specimens representing each species were also taken and stored in DMSO solution and is available for any researcher wishing to undertake a genetic stock structure study. This study was solely funded by CMR as a pilot study. As a result of limited funds, fish specimens were collected opportunistically from recreational fisher donations, commercial catches and from bycatch samples from scientific cruises. As a result, the capture location of the majority of specimens does not have a lat/long, and is generally only identified by the general area of capture (i.e. 'Weipa' or 'Gladstone'). The method of capture was recorded to the best of our knowledge (i.e. hook and line, gillnet etc), although actual gear specifications and shot information were generally not available.

本数据集的采集初衷是为北虾渔业（Northern Prawn Fishery）常见的10种中上层鱼类（pelagic fish）的食性提供初步参考数据，专门探究中上层鱼类捕食虾类所产生的各类影响。项目启动后，研究范围得以拓展，新增了针对这些物种的年龄、生长情况（通过耳石（otoliths）分析）以及繁殖动态（采用性腺指数（GSI）与组织学（histology）技术）的相关研究。此外，研究人员还为每个物种采集了约100份标本的组织样本，储存于二甲基亚砜（Dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO）溶液中，可供所有希望开展遗传种群结构研究的科研人员使用。本研究仅由CMR作为试点项目资助。由于资金有限，鱼类标本均通过机会性采集方式获取，来源包括休闲渔业捐赠样本、商业捕捞渔获以及科学考察航次的兼捕样本。因此，绝大多数标本的捕获位置未记录经纬度（lat/long）信息，通常仅能明确其大致捕获区域，例如“韦帕（Weipa）”或“格拉德斯通（Gladstone）”。尽管实际渔具规格与作业航次信息大多未被留存，但研究人员已尽最大可能记录了捕获方式，例如钩钓法（hook and line）、刺网（gillnet）等。