In Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland, juvenile cod (Gadus morhua) (age-group-0 and -1) were found to move into shallow water at night, where they mostly rested near the bottom. This nocturnal inshore migration was not associated with feeding, as stomach contents data suggested that feeding takes place mainly during the day, with little or no feeding at night. Most prey were planktonic, even in age-group-1 cod. This contrasted with earlier studies in Conception Bay, Newfoundland where age-group-1 cod were mainly obtaining benthic prey. These results suggested that juvenile cod predation on benthic invertebrates was likely to be patchy in space and time. Results are discussed in view of previous knowledge of the dietary and activity patterns of juvenile cod from elsewhere.
Language - English
Publisher - Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), Dartmouth, N.S., Canada
Publication Date - December 1992
Publication Type - Journal Article
Descriptors - Atlantic cod, diurnal migration, juveniles, Newfoundland area
Diurnal Feeding of Juvenile Cod (Gadus morhua) which Migrate into Shallow Water at Night in Eastern Newfoundland