Virtual Posters

Black halibut is an important commercial species in the Barents Sea fisheries. Studying features of Greenland halibut feeding and trophic interactions is of great importance for fisheries. In spite of the fact that the general features of Greenland halibut feeding in the Barents Sea had been studied by the end of the twentieth century, new data on black halibut feeding was obtained in the Barents Sea for the last decade. Year-to-year variability of Greenland halibut diet and feed rate in 2001-2009 was studied in this paper. The role of separate food items had significant variations from year to year. The years of intensive fattening with polar cod, capelin and herring were noted. In 2003-2007, an abrupt increase of cannibalism level was observed near to West Spitsbergen. In addition, features of Greenland halibut feeding in different areas of the Barents Sea were analysed. As a result, three separate areas of Greenland halibut fattening with different food items were found (namely, with herring in the south-western sea, with polar cod in the northern sea and with capelin in the central and north-western sea). Fishery wastes predominated in black halibut diet in the areas of the most intensive fishing (western and north-western areas). Also, differences in feeding of individuals of different sizes were found along the continental slope: individuals of middle and large sizes fed on Cephalopoda as well as individuals of a size of 30 to 35 cm fed on shrimps.