Mutual prey of fish and humans: a comparison of biomass consumed by bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, with that harvested by fisheries

The bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, has long been considered a key predator on U.S. east coast fish species. Many of its prey species are also landed b y humans, but no comparison of prey biomass harvested by bluefish versus fi shermen has been attempted previously. We used data an growth, mortality, g ross growth efficiency, and abundance to model the total prey consumption r ate by bluefish at the population level. This estimate and previously publi shed information on diet were used to calculate the biomass of individual r esource species "harvested" by bluefish. The prey biomass consumed by bluef ish annually along the U.S. Atlantic coast is equal to eight times the biom ass of the bluefish population. Bluefish consume a much higher biomass of s quid and butterfish than is currently harvested by commercial fisheries for these species. Bluefish consumption of Atlantic menhaden, however, was bel ow the current fisheries landings for this species. For resource species th at are shared with bluefish, our findings highlight the need for multi-spec ies assessment and management.