Using BRUVS to describe the fish assemblage and its seasonality in two shallow marine inlets within protected areas of Patagonia, Argentina

Gastón Trobbiani; Agustin M. De Wysiecki; Nelson Bovcon; Alejo J. Irigoyen

doi:10.25260/EA.21.31.1.0.1152

Authors

Gastón Trobbiani Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT CENPAT-CONICET).
Agustin M. De Wysiecki Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT CENPAT-CONICET). https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0506-3495
Nelson Bovcon Instituto de Investigación en Hidrobiología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3786-406X
Alejo J. Irigoyen Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT CENPAT-CONICET). https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6082-7398

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.21.31.1.0.1152

Keywords:

fish monitoring, marine protected areas, Southwest Atlantic, video imagery

Abstract

Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS) complemented with fishing methods were used to describe the fish assemblage and its seasonal pattern in two marine inlets from Patagonia. The combined results for BRUVS and fishing sessions identified 13 fish species. Our results agree with the biogeographic schemes proposed for the southern Southwest Atlantic. The fish species belonging to the Argentine Biogeographic Province presented a seasonal pattern with a peak of maximum abundance (Notorynchus cepedianus and Galeorhinus galeus) or were recorded during warm months only (Mustelus schmitti, Myliobatis goodei, and M. ridens), coinciding with the general latitudinal pattern expected for fish species richness. The use of BRUVS in this study allowed for the assessment of different fish species and wide range of sizes, from large sharks (N. cepedianus) to small cryptic species (Patagonotothem sp.). However, three of 13 species were only recorded by fishing methods, like it was the case for M. ridens. The record of M. ridens is the first in Patagonian waters, extending its distribution for c. 180 km south of the previously known southern limit. This study contributes to filling large data gaps along the Southwest Atlantic regarding the description and understanding of the temporal dynamics of fish assemblages in particular environments within protected areas.

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