© 2005 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
Activity patterns, home-range size, and habitat utilization of Sarpa salpa (Teleostei: Sparidae) in the Mediterranean Sea
a Department of Eco-ethology, University of Liege Aquarium "M. Dubuisson", Quai Van Beneden 22 4020 Liège, Belgium
b CREMA L'Houmeau UMR 10 (CNRS/IFREMER), B.P. 5, 17137 L'Houmeau, France
c Department of Cartography and Geography, University of Liege Allée du 6 Août, 17, 4000 Liège, Belgium
*Correspondence to C. Jadot: tel: +32 4 366 50 18; fax: +32 4 366 50 93. e-mail: catherine.jadot{at}ulg.ac.be.
Acoustic telemetry was used to record diel movement and habitat utilization of the salema (Sarpa salpa) (Teleostei: Sparidae) during three consecutive summers from 2000 to 2002 in the Calvi and Achiarina bays of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 18 fish was equipped with acoustic transmitters inserted in the body cavity, 13 were tracked in the Bay of Calvi (275 mm ± 26.9 LF), and 5 in Achiarina Bay (260 mm ± 33.6 LF). Two different systems were used to track the fish. The one used in the Bay of Calvi was a manual receiver and a directional hydrophone. The second system, used in Achiarina Bay, was a radio-acoustic-positioning (RAP) system that continuously monitored the movements of the fish. Fish positions were put in a geographic information system (GIS) with information on the substratum and depth. Two patterns of behaviour could be identified in the three years. Either the fish had clearly defined daytime as opposed to night-time areas of residency, characterized by different depths and substrata or the fish persistently occupied the same sites during both day and night. In the Bay of Calvi, six fish were released 1 km from the capture site. All of them showed homing ability and returned to the site within 48 h.
Keywords: GIS, habitat utilization, home range, homing, manual tracking, Sarpa salpa, telemetry, VRAP
Received 21 July 2003; accepted 28 June 2005.