‘Nothing but fish nests’: huge icefish colony found in Antarctic sea

‘Nothing but fish nests’: huge icefish colony found in Antarctic sea

By Mabel Banfield-Nwachi

Source: theguardian

1/13/2022

Credit: Alfred Wegener Institute

Researchers exploring Antarctica’s seabed have discovered a thriving, unprecedented colony of icefish “about a third of the size of London”.

The surprise discovery of about 60 million active nests was made by a team of biologists while collecting routine data at 1.5-2.5 metres above the seafloor of Antarctica’s southern Weddell Sea. Before this discovery, the largest found colony contained only 60 nests.

“We expected to see the normal Antarctic seafloor … [but] during the first four hours of our dive, we saw nothing but fish nests,” said Autun Purser, of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Germany, and lead author of the study published in Current Biology.

The ecosystem was found by accident using the ocean floor observation and bathymetry system, a large, towed camera device that records photos, videos and takes measurements of deep-sea habitats.

Researchers were initially interested in the area because of a process called upwelling, in which wind and currents bring cold water to the surface, causing the water to be 2C warmer than the surrounding area.

Purser suggested the fish may use this warmer water as a navigational tool to help track the colony. “When they feel like reproducing, they look for this warmer water and reproduce there,” he said.

Continue...

News Id		Source	Stamp	country
4526	Environmental Group Gives First-Time Nod to Sustainable Salmon-Farming Method	scientific american	2010-01-14	US
4527	Three Second Fish Memory 'Just Rubbish'; Learning And Memory 'Quite Sophisticated'	Underwatertimes	2010-01-14	AU
4528	Man catches carp the weight of Kylie Minogue	telegraph	2010-01-11	FR
4529	Big freeze and ice is 'good for pond life'	BBC News	2010-01-11	UK
4530	New Acoustic Telemetry System Helps Explain Salmon Migration; 'A Clearer, More Complete Picture'	Underwatertimes	2010-01-08	US
4531	Giant river fish faces extinction after years of overfishing	the guardian	2010-01-05	US
4532	Michigan balks at Obama's stance in Asian carp fight	cs monitor	2010-01-06	US
4533	Man gets house arrest for fish smuggling	upi	2009-12-31	US
4534	Sawridge Creek flood study will replace one from 1993	lakesideleader	2020-12-16	CA
4535	Michigan asks U.S. to block fish invasion	UPI	2009-12-21	CA
4536	Banned snakehead fish Rocky dies a year after being targeted by state officials	The Post-Standard	2009-03-23	US
4537	Carp battle not over yet	Journal Sentinel	2009-11-27	US
4538	Biologists save fish after landslide	usatoday	2009-11-10	US
4539	It’s Official, Bass Season is Open Now in Ontario’s Zone 20	fishncanada	2021-02-19	CA
4540	Gigantic Black Crappie Sets New State Record	fishncanada	2021-02-19	US
4541	Despite pandemic challenges, B.C. lakes stocked with millions of fish	vancouversun	2021-02-08	CA
4542	Lillooet River project a major undertaking, says new report	piquenewsmagazine	2019-04-29	CA
4543	The odd Hawaiianfish that Climb Cliffs	BBC News	2021-02-10	US
4544	Taranaki workmates land massive fish on tiny 'undersize' boat	stuff	2021-02-10	NZ
4545	Fish Kill: Nanosilver Mutates Fish Embryos	scientificamerican	2009-11-17	US
4546	95-pound catfish caught in Ohio	Odd News	2009-11-11	US
4547	Farming Fish in the Sky	hakaimagazine	2021-02-08	SG
4548	Missouri man fined more than $6,000 for possessing fish over the legal limit	tbnewswatch	2021-02-05	US
4549	Ask Dr. Universe: How can you tell if a fish is female or male?	spokesman	2021-02-07	US
4550	Biologist calls for judicial inquiry on salmon decline	ctvbc	2009-10-03	CA

181 of [218 - pages.]