Feeding ecology of redfish (Sebastes sp.) inferred from the integrated use of fatty acid profiles as complementary dietary tracers to stomach content analysis

Abstract

AbstractIn the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence (nGSL), redfish (Sebastes mentella and Sebastes fasciatus combined) are at record levels of abundance following the strong recruitment of three consecutive cohorts in 2011–2013 and have become by far the most abundant demersal fish in the region. Understanding redfish trophic relationships is essential for the effective management and conservation of species in the nGSL ecosystem. To date, description and quantification of redfish diet in the region have been restricted to conventional stomach content analysis (SCA). Using analysis of fatty acid (FA) profiles as complementary dietary tracers, the authors conducted multivariate analyses on 350 livers of redfish which were collected in combination with stomach contents during a bottom‐trawl scientific survey in August 2017. The predator FA profiles were compared to those of eight different redfish prey types identified as dietary important with SCA. Results suggested similitude between SCA and FA results, with zooplankton prey being more related to small (<20 cm) and medium (20–30 cm) redfish (16:1n7, 20:1n?, 22:1n9 and 20:5n3) than large (≥30 cm) ones, whereas shrimp prey seemed more related to large redfish size classes (18:2n6 and 22:6n3) relative to the small and medium ones. Although the SCA offers a glimpse in the diet only based on the most recently consumed prey, analysis of FA profiles provides a mid‐term view indicating pelagic zooplankton consumption on calanoid copepod and confirming high predation pressure on shrimp. This study constitutes the first attempt of combining FA with SCA to assess the diet of redfish, highlights the benefits of FA as a qualitative tool and suggests improvements for future studies.