MEPS 687:95-111 (2022)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14011

ABSTRACT: The diets of 3 of the most abundant coastal pelagic fish species in the eastern Atlantic (sardine, anchovy and Atlantic chub mackerel) were investigated, including seasonal, geographical and ontogenetic variability of the diets. We also estimated the impact of cannibalism and intraguild predation on egg mortality, and a different method to evaluate egg mortality is proposed taking the spatial overlap of predators and eggs into account. Diet overlap occurred between the 3 pelagic species, which derive most of their dietary carbon from mesozooplankton prey. However, calanoid copepods were mostly important for anchovy and sardine, whereas the diet of the Atlantic chub mackerel also included crustacean eggs, nauplii, small copepodites and larger prey such as decapods. Sardine was the main predator of fish eggs (90% of all identified eggs), followed by Atlantic chub mackerel (8%) and anchovy (2%). Cannibalism by anchovies and sardines on their eggs was low (<10% of spawned eggs) for all areas and seasons. The impact of sardine predation on anchovy egg mortality was high (71% of the anchovy eggs spawned per day during the spring off northwestern Iberia) and may explain why anchovy abundance has only peaked in recent years, when sardine abundance was at its lowest level, highlighting the importance of taking an ecosystem approach to fisheries management into account. However, species-specific data of gastric evacuation rates and feeding durations are needed to obtain more accurate estimates of the impact of cannibalism and intraguild predation on egg mortality.

KEY WORDS: Trophic ecology · Small pelagics · Stomach contents · Egg mortality · Cannibalism