Spatio-temporal patterns in juvenile habitat for 13 groundfishes in the California Current Ecosystem

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237996
• Publication Date: 2020-08-21T17:41:16Z
• Authors: Nick Tolimieri; John Wallace; Melissa Haltuch
• Keywords: Sebastes; Rockfish; Scorpaenidae; Nursery habitat

Identifying juvenile habitats is critical for understanding a species' ecology and focusing spatial fishery management by defining references like essential fish habitat (EFH). Here, we used vector autoregressive spatio-temporal models (VAST) to delineate temporal patterns in density 13 commercially important species of groundfishes off the US west coast. In particular, identified hotspots with high density. Three qualitative distribution abundance emerged. First, Dover sole Microstomus pacificus, Pacific grenadier Coryphaenoides acrolepis, shortspine thornyhead Sebastolobus alascanus, splitnose rockfish Sebastes diploproa had distinct, spatially-limited that were spatially consistent through time. Next, hake Merluccius productus darkblotched crameri limited hotspots, but location these varied Finally, arrowtooth flounder Atheresthes stomias, English Parophrys vetulus, sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria, lingcod Ophiodon elongatus, longspine altivelis, petrale Eopsetta jordani, sanddab Citharichthys sordidus large spanned broad latitudinal range. These represent potential, if not likely, nursery areas, which will inform management.