Review of fish associative behaviour: toward a generalisation of the meeting point hypothesis

Associative behaviour is defined as the spatial relationship between an ani mal (or a group) of a given species and another animal of another species, which is based on a decision by at least one of the two individuals to main tain contact with the other associate, but not for the purpose of feeding o n the other. This definition is expanded to include objects and topographic structures (seamount, island, etc) that are not the exclusive habitat of t he associated animal. Associations between fish and objects, mammals, topog raphic structures and other species of fish are reviewed, and the different hypotheses for these associations analysed. Finally, a generalisation of t he meeting point hypothesis, fitting all types of association, is proposed. This hypothesis, initially applied to the association between tuna and flo ating objects, proposes that fish make use of animate or inanimate targets to increase the encounter rate between isolated individuals or small school s and other schools in order to constitute bigger schools that are more eff icient to the survival of the species. It is strongly recommended to move f rom the scientific description of the association to specific experimental studies aimed at identifying ethological processes. This would provide a be tter understanding of the dynamics of associative behaviour of pelagic spec ies, which in turn would permit better stock assessment and fishery managem ent.