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Marine Fish

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What are the characteristics of this group?

  • The Peruvian sea has a high diversity of bony and cartilaginous fish. Around 730 species are reported in different submerged habitats.

  • Diversity is not homogeneously distributed and changes in local biodiversity are possibly associated with the complexity of available habitats and the variability of environmental characteristics.

  • The greatest species richness is found in habitats associated with the tropical current, but species associated with the Humboldt Current are more abundant, due to the productivity of the system.

 

Where do we study marine fish?
The study occurs on the central coast of Peru in the area PERU LNG maritime terminal and surrounding area at ELU 15. This area forms part of the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. 

 

What questions do we want to answer with this study?

  • How does the wealth and abundance of fish species and communities in the area surrounding the maritime terminal vary spatially, temporally, and seasonally?

  • What are the environmental parameters that best explain the variability in the composition and structure of fish communities?

 

What results have we obtained thus far?

  • Up to 81 species have been recorded, 69 of which have been fully identified. On average, 35 species per field outflow are reported.

  • The fish community is composed of soft bottom species and hard bottom species. 

  • The submareal fish community for the coastal strip is dominated by the Scianidae family, a common group in soft bottoms.

  • The assemblage of fish communities responds to seasonality (cold vs. temperate).

  • Preliminarily spillover due to the maritime terminal is detected for two species of soft bottoms fish: Menticirrhus ophicephalus ("bobo") and Sciaena deliciosa ("lorna").

 

Why is it important to conserve these species?

  • Fish communities play functional roles in their habitats that allow the existence of numerous ecosystem services, including provisions (food).

  • Fish are one of the main sources of protein from marine environments.

  • Many species of coastal marine fish are of commercial importance, but overfishing and the effects of climate change have markedly reduced their populations.

  • The knowledge of basic aspects of the biology, ecology and dynamics of the fish populations is required in order to make a sustainable use.

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