Etelis

Abstract: A gross measure of repro- ductive condition (ovary weight ad- justed for body size and oocyte volume) is developed and evaluated as an alter- native to commonly used gonad indices, for classifying the maturity status of in- dividual ehu (Etelis carbunculus) and kalekale (Pristipomoides sieboldii), two species of eteline snappers (Lutjanidae) that contribute to the deep-slope hand- line fishery in Hawaii. Discriminant analysis and logistic regression, based on body length, ovary weight, and oo- cyte volume, were used to classify fish as either immature or mature. Dis- criminant analysis correctly classified the maturity of about 98% of both ehu and kalekale, with histological criteria as the standard for comparison. Logis- tic regression correctly classified ma- turity of 97% of the ehu and 100% of the kalekale. Misclassification errors increased by 3.75-5% (discriminant analysis) or 0-5% (logistic regression) if oocyte volume was excluded and only body length and ovary weight were used as predictors of maturity. For kalekale, estimates of lengths at

Abstract: During a 6-week Royal Society Expedition in the western Indian Ocean 638 fishes were caught on drop lines worked chiefly at night at depths between 100 and 1000 m. Many of the species caught were rare or unrecorded from the area. The primary aim of the Expedition, to find specimens of the coelacanth Latimeria and thereby extend its known range, was not fulfilled. One teleost, the lutianid Etelis marshi , and a squaloid shark, Centrophorus sp., were particularly common, accounting for 60 % of the total catch; the remainder comprised 24 teleost and 11 elasmobranch species. Details are given of the itinerary, the fishing gear, fishing methods and the individual species caught, together with a brief discussion on the effect of depth, height of hooks above the sea floor and geographical position on the composition of the catches.

Abstract: Deep-sea fisheries provide an important source of protein to Pacific Island countries and territories that are highly dependent on fish for food security. However, spatial management of these deep-sea habitats is hindered by insufficient data. We developed species distribution models using spatially limited presence data for the main harvested species in the Western Central Pacific Ocean. We used bathymetric and water temperature data to develop presence-only species distribution models for the commercially exploited deep-sea snappers Etelis Cuvier 1828, Pristipomoides Valenciennes 1830, and Aphareus Cuvier 1830. We evaluated the performance of four different algorithms (CTA, GLM, MARS, and MAXENT) within the BIOMOD framework to obtain an ensemble of predicted distributions. We projected these predictions across the Western Central Pacific Ocean to produce maps of potential deep-sea snapper distributions in 32 countries and territories. Depth was consistently the best predictor of presence for all species groups across all models. Bathymetric slope was consistently the poorest predictor. Temperature at depth was a good predictor of presence for GLM only. Model precision was highest for MAXENT and CTA. There were strong regional patterns in predicted distribution of suitable habitat, with the largest areas of suitable habitat (> 35% of the Exclusive Economic Zone) predicted in seven South Pacific countries and territories (Fiji, Matthew & Hunter, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tonga, Vanuatu and Wallis & Futuna). Predicted habitat also varied among species, with the proportion of predicted habitat highest for Aphareus and lowest for Etelis. Despite data paucity, the relationship between deep-sea snapper presence and their environments was sufficiently strong to predict their distribution across a large area of the Pacific Ocean. Our results therefore provide a strong baseline for designing monitoring programs that balance resource exploitation and conservation planning, and for predicting future distributions of deep-sea snappers.