title: Electronic tagging of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus, L.) reveals habitat use and behaviors in the Mediterranean Sea.
abstract: We analyzed the movements of Atlantic tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.) in the Mediterranean Sea using data from 2 archival tags and 37 pop-up satellite archival tags (PAT). Bluefin tuna ranging in size from 12 to 248 kg were tagged on board recreational boats in the western Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea between May and September during two different periods (2000 to 2001 and 2008 to 2012). Although tuna migrations between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean have been well reported, our results indicate that part of the bluefin tuna population remains in the Mediterranean basin for much of the year, revealing a more complex population structure. In this study we demonstrate links between the western Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Gulf of Sidra (Libya) using over 4336 recorded days of location and behavior data from tagged bluefin tuna with a maximum track length of 394 days. We described the oceanographic preferences and horizontal behaviors during the spawning season for 4 adult bluefin tuna. We also analyzed the time series data that reveals the vertical behavior of one pop-up satellite tag recovered, which was attached to a 43.9 kg tuna. This fish displayed a unique diving pattern within 16 days of the spawning season, suggesting a use of the thermocline as a thermoregulatory mechanism compatible with spawning. The results obtained hereby confirm that the Mediterranean is clearly an important habitat for this species, not only as spawning ground, but also as an overwintering foraging ground.
authors: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, California 93950, United States of America; WWF Mediterranean Programme, Barcelona 08002, Spain.
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Cermeño
authors: WWF Mediterranean Programme, Barcelona 08002, Spain.
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: Quílez-Badia
authors: WWF Mediterranean Programme, Barcelona 08002, Spain; Center for Marine Conservation & Department of Ecology, Biological sciences Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile 6513677, Chile.
authors: Andrés
authors: A
authors: Ospina-Alvarez
authors: WWF Mediterranean Programme, Barcelona 08002, Spain.
authors: Susana
authors: S
authors: Sainz-Trápaga
authors: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, California 93950, United States of America; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States of America.
authors: Andre M
authors: AM
authors: Boustany
authors: Tuna Research and Conservation Center, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California 93940, United States of America; School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States of America.
authors: Andy C
authors: AC
authors: Seitz
authors: WWF Mediterranean Programme, Barcelona 08002, Spain.
authors: Sergi
authors: S
authors: Tudela
authors: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, California 93950, United States of America.
authors: Barbara A
authors: BA
authors: Block
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D017753:Ecosystem; D055615:Electrical Equipment and Supplies; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D009791:Oceanography; D010473:Perciformes; D018531:Spacecraft