Changes in distribution of Greenland halibut in a varying environment

Abstract

Fish are expected to respond to changing oceanographic temperature by altering their distribution. Off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, there have been major changes in oceanographic temperature over the last several decades, with both record cold and record warm years being observed. Greenland halibut is an important flatfish species in the area, and is distributed in deep waters over a very wide geographic range. Thus, it might be buffered from temperature change in the overall area by reduced temperature variation at depth, and the diverse temperature conditions over its wide range. We examined intrapopulation variation in temperature and depth distribution, and the biological changes in relation to changes in available temperature. On the Flemish Cap, variation in available temperature was limited, and changes in depth were related to changing age composition and the differential depth distribution with age/size. In other areas there was a larger decline in available temperature, and associated with this, Greenland halibut moved to deeper waters and occupied warmer temperatures than they had previously. Concurrently, growth declined and condition increased. This study shows that shifts in distribution may not result in maintenance of homogeneous environmental conditions, and that resulting biological changes will be difficult to predict. © Crown copyright 2012.