Home > Explore Data & Reports > Feeding by Bluefish and Weakfish along Riprap-Hardened Shorelines: Comparisons with Adjacent Sandy Beach in Delaware Bay, USA

Citation:

Torre, M.P., and T.E. Targett. 2017. Feeding by Bluefish and Weakfish along Riprap-Hardened Shorelines: Comparisons with Adjacent Sandy Beach in Delaware Bay, USA. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 146(3):341-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/00028487.2016.1269023

Data/Report Type:

Sponsored Research

Description

Shoreline hardening alters the morphology of the intertidal zone and has been shown to impact various measures of shore zone habitat quality. Diet composition and stomach fullness of two predatory fishes, the Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix and Weakfish Cynoscion regalis, were compared between natural (beach) shorelines and adjacent hardened (riprap) shorelines at three sites in Delaware Bay during July and August 2013 to assess differences in shore zone habitat function. Young Bluefish were available from one site, and their diet consisted primarily of Bay Anchovy Anchoa mitchilli, Atlantic Silversides Menidia menidia, and the mysid shrimp Neomysis americana. Bluefish diet composition differed significantly between beach and riprap during July, with Atlantic Silversides predominating in beach samples and mysids dominating riprap samples. Bluefish also had significantly higher feeding activity (stomach fullness) along beach shorelines than along riprap during August. For young Weakfish, diets were dominated by mysid shrimp, Bay Anchovy, polychaetes, and larval horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus and were similar between beach and riprap shorelines at all three sites. The presence of riprap appears to affect foraging by Bluefish, perhaps through alterations in prey fields, capture efficiencies, or both. Results reported here for both species demonstrate the need for further research to assess the effects of shoreline hardening on foraging by dominant species along the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast.

Note to readers with disabilities: Some scientific publications linked from this website may not conform to Section 508 accessibility standards due to the complexity of the information being presented. If you need assistance accessing this electronic content, please contact the lead/corresponding author, Primary Contact, or nccos.webcontent@noaa.gov.

Explore Similar Data/Reports

About NCCOS

NCCOS delivers ecosystem science solutions for stewardship of the nation’s ocean and coastal resources to sustain thriving coastal communities and economies.

Stay Connected

Sign up for our quarterly newsletter or view our archives.

NCCOS Multimedia

Visit our new NCCOS Multimedia Gallery. 

Follow us on Social

Listen to our Podcast

Check out our new podcast "Coastal Conversations"