Horizontal and vertical movement patterns of yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata) in the East Sea of Korea

Abstract

The bio-logging method could be a valuable approach to studying the underwater movement of marine fish. We investigated the horizontal and vertical movement patterns of two yellowtails Seriola quinqueradiata weighing 8.7 kg and 9.5 kg with a popup satellite archival tag from October 2020 to January 2021 in the East Sea of Korea. Our results showed that a yellowtail migrated northward in October and November, and then shifted southward in mid-December. The average swimming depth and temperature of the fish monitored over 82 days were 24.9 ± 9.3 m (average ± SD) and 16.5 ± 1.9℃, respectively, and the total traveled distance was 1,172.4 km. The fish swam significantly deeper during the daytime (33.70 ± 14.80 m) than at nighttime (20.65 ± 8.44 m) from November to December (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the horizontal migratory route of yellowtails in accordance with the East Korea Warm Current which is the main branch of Tsushima Warm Current in the fall and early winter seasons, and showed significant diel vertical movement patterns from November to December.