..
.
~.
'.'
International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea
C.M. 1995/K:20
Shellfish Committee
OBSERVATIONS ON WHELK POPULATIONS
(BUCCINUM UNDATUM L., MOLLUSCA; GASTROPODA)
IN BREIDIFJÖRDUR, WESTERN ICELAND
Karl Gunnarsson and S61mundur Einarsson
Marine Research Institute, P.O. box 1390, 121 Reykjavfk, Iceland
ABSTRACT
The common whelk Buccinum undatum L. is abundant in shallow waters around Iceland.
Catch experiments were done with baited traps at 12 stations in Breiöifjöröur, W-Iceland.
Catches ofup to 4.3 kg ·trap-l . day-l were taken and numbers up to 178 snails ·trap-l . day-l.
The smallest snails caught had shell height of about 20 mm and the modal sizes were of 40 to 80
mm. Only few snails larger than 90 mm were caught. Size at 50% sexual maturity differed
between sites and varied between 45 and 75 mm shell height. Age determinations indicate that
the animals grow relatively fast during the first 5-6 years after which the growth is slow. The
oldest snails were at the age of 13 years.
INTRODUCTION
The whelk BliCcill1l11l lllldat1l11l L. is a common species in the North Atlantic and in
the Arctie sea. It is found from Spitzbergen in the north to Spain in the south on the
European side and to the border between Canada and USA on the American coast
(Golikov 1968). Although whelk is most abundant in the shallow sublittoral zone it has
been recorded from the littoral zone and down to a depth of more than 200 m (BIOICE
unpublished). It occurs on both soft and hard substratum (Jalbert el al. 1989). The whelk
has internal copulation and the females glue the egg masses to the substratum, preferably
on hard substratum (Martel el al. 1986). Larval stages develop inside the egg capsules
before hatching and the snails start their benthie life without planktonic larva. Tagging
experiments have shown that the movement of the whelk is very limited (Govanlock
1926, Hancock 1963). Exchange between closely situated populations is therefore
probably limited which could explain the fact that growth, size and age at sexual
maturity can differ significantly from one populations to another (Gendron 1992).
The whelk has for a long time been exploided in Europe, mostly in the British Isles,
Holland and Belgium (Hancock 1967). In the eighties however the largest catches were
-2-
taken in Francc (Santerelli et al. 1986). According to FAO statisties thc threc countries
with thc highest whelk catehes in 1993 werc Ireland, England (including Wales) and
France with 2,562, 1,898 and 996 tonns respeetively (FAO fisheries statistics 1995).
Whelks arc also taken in eastem Canada where the eatches reaehed 1,300 tonns in the
1987 (Gendron 1991).
In Iceland whelk has been found in all parts of thc eountry (Oskarsson 1962). In
ancient times whelk was subjeet to loeal fishing and used as bait in hand linc fishing for
eod (Kristjansson 1980). Recently interest has developed for catching whelk for food.
Very limited knowledge is available on the biology of whelk in Iceland. The present
paper describes the results of a survey we made on whelk in West Iceland in 1993.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Sampling: \Vhelks were sampled with baited traps at 12 Iocalities in the bay
BreiUifjöröur, \Vestem Iceland (fig. 1) in May and September 1993. All stations are in
sheltered sites exeept one, Lagmuli 40 m whieh is at an exposed site in the outer part of
the bay. The depth at the sampling sites varied from 8 to 40 m. Four types of baited traps
were used in thc survcy, three were madc of a net with 2 cm mesh sizc fitted on a wirc
frame, pyramidal, conical and cylindrical in shape. The fourth type was made of
perforated plastic pipes (holes 1 em in diameter), 20 cm in diameter and 90 cm in length
with plastic funnels fitted at the openings. All traps were about 30 I in volume. The traps
werc tied to astring, 6 to 10 together with an interval of 10 m. Fresh herring was used as
bait and the traps werc taken up after 24 hours on thc bottom.
•
Measurements: In thc field thc total weight to the nearest 0.1 g of the individual whelks
was determined and the height of thc shell measured with a vemier caliber to thc nearcst
0.1 mm. Thc shell was then cracked with pliers and removed. Thc total weight of thc soft
tissuc was determined and for thc males the length of the penis was measured to thc
nearest 0.1 mm. Thereafter thc animals were fixed in 10 % formalin in sea water. In thc
laboratory thc animals werc washed in sea water and thc following parts werc weighted
after dissecting the animals: for the females thc gonads and the capsular gland, and for
thc males thc testis. At thc onset of sexual maturity thc penis Iength increases rapidly and
its length becomes more than half thc height of thc shell. Malc whelks with penis length
of morc than half the height of the shell have been classified as mature and those with a
shorter penis as immaturc (Hancock 1962, Köic 1969).
Thc agc of the whelk was determined by eounting coneentric rings in the operculum
after staining them with methylene blue for beUer discrimination of growth zones
(Santerelli and Gros 1985, Gendron 1992). A Von BertalanfTy growth curve is fitted to
-3-
the data
where Ht is shell height at age t, H co the asymptotic maximum shell height and k is the
growth constant.
RESULTS
Catches
•
•
Whelk was the dominant species in the traps, accounting for more than 90 % of the
catch. Other species caught ineluded spider crabs (Hyas aranells), hermit crabs
(Eupagurus bemhardus), the conch Neptlmea despecta, short spined sea scorpion
(Myoxocephalus scorpills) and juvenile cod (Gadus morhua). The catch at each locality
varied from 17 to 416 whelks and the mean catch varied between 3 and 52 per trap, with
weight varying between 60 and 860 g average catch per trap (table ). Catches of up to 4.3
kg per trap per 24h were taken with numbers up to 178 snails per trap per 24h. On the
average the largest catches were taken at "Sviönur" at 18 m depth Le. 863 g per trap per
24 h. When comparing pairs of localities elose to each other, but differing in depth,
bigger catches were always taken at greater depth. This was statistically significant in
two cases at "Staöur" 18 vs 10 m depth and at "Sviönur" at 18 vs 8 m (Student's t-test
p<0.05, see table 1).
Size jreqllency
No animals smaller than 16 mm were caught in the traps and very few were smaller
than 35 mm. The largest animal was 104 mm in shell height. The size distribution in the
catches varied from locality to locality (fig. 2). The distribution of shell height was either
unimodal (e.g. "Staöur",18 m and "Sviönur" 18 m) or as was most often the case,
multimodal, with modes in the interval from 40 to 80 mm shell height. The mean size of
the whelks in the catches varied from 50 mm to 63 mm (table 1).
No significant difference was found in the height-weight relationship between
localities. The relationship . between the two parameters is shown in figure 3 for all
stations together. A highly significant relationship was observed between the two
parameters.Sexual maturity
-4-
There is a marked seasonal variation in the size of gonads in the whelk (Martel et al.
1986). In the present study the size of the gonads were found to be very variable. The use
of the gonads to determine sexual maturity proved to be impossible from these sampies
as the time of spawning is not known and it is impossible e.g. to tell whether an animal
with small gonads is immature or just spent.
In general the length of the penis of the male whelks inereased slowly with inerease
in shell height while the whelks were small (fig. 4). Then there was a rapid inerease in
the length of the penis and its length became more than half the shell height. This was
tme for an station except the most exposed one, Lagmuli at 40 m. At Lagmuli the penis
length only reached about 1/3 the shen height after the rapid growth and would therefore
be eonsidered immature by the eriteria adopted. Non of the animals at Lagmuli had
dcvcloped gonads which indicatcs that these males were aetually immature. Thc
inOexion point Le. the shell height at which 50% of the males (in 5 mm height intervals)
have passed this fast growth period, and henee are sexually mature, varies from locality
to locality. Thc range was from 45-50 mm penis length at sexual maturity at Staöur 18 m
to over 75 mm at Miöjanes 10 m (table 1).
Age and growth
•
The annual growth zones of the opereulum of whelk are often hard to distingish. A
number of seeondary zones make determination of actual age diffieault. Figure 5 shows
the relationship between shen height and age of animals selected because of relatively
clear growth rings. Growth was relatively fast until the age of 5 years when the average
shen height was about 55 mm. After 5 years the growth slowed down and the average
shen height of 10 year old whelks was about 65 mm. The oldest snail examined was at
the age of 13 years.
DISSCUSSION
Although the traps used could catch up to 4.3 kg after 24 h immersion the average
cateh was always weIl below 1 kg. This does not necessarily mean that the survey area is
unproduetive in terms of whelk. The sampling stations were chosen without any prior
knowledge of the area. Later experimental fishing in the area has given much higher
catches (Gunnarsson and Einarsson, unpublished results).
The fact that only very few whelks less than 35 mm in shen height, which
corresponds to about 17 mm shell width, were caught by the traps, indicates that smaller
snails are not attracted by the traps to the same degree as thc larger ones. Jalbert et al.
(1989) havc shown that the smallest whelks prefer different habitat than larger ones,
possibly because of difTerence in dietary preference (Nielsen 1975). In addition sman
-5-
whelks that arc found in the lower littoral zone are usually found in rock crevises and
under stones (Gunnarsson personal observations), probably escaping predation. Thc
cryptic habit might prevent thc small snails from exposing themself by moving over a
largc distancc to scek food in thc traps.
•
Hancock and Simpson (1962) and Köie (1969) have shown that the penis length
increascs rapidly at thc onset of sexual maturity und its length becomes more than half
the hcight of the shell. This rapid increasc in penis sizc coincidcs with thc dcvclopmcnt
of rcproductivc tissue in the males (Hancock and Simpson 1962, Gendron 1992). In
France SantereIli and Gros (1986) found size at sexual maturity of 55 mm for both males
und females using gonado-somatic indices. In Britain a similar size at sexual maturity is
given by Hancock and Simpson (1962). In Breiöifjörüur the increase in the sizc of the
penis happened at a shell height that differs from one locality to another. The size at 50
% sexual maturity varies from 45 to 80 mm between localities. In thc Gulf of St.
Lawrence in Canada Gendron (1992) has equally shown that therc is a variation in the
sizc at sexual maturity between populations ranging from 49 to 81 mm.
It has been proposed to use sizc at sexual maturity for regulating the fisheries, and to
set the minimum catchable size of the snails at a size that secures that some reproductivc
animals arc left in thc population (Gendron 1992). As the size at sexual maturity in
Brciöifjörüur differs from onc locality to anothcr thc minimum catchablc sizc havc to
vary betwecn fishing arcas even bctween arcas that are dose togethcr. Using a
compromis of an average size for larger areas, one would risk that some of the local
populations would be driven to extinction.
•
The growth of whelks in Breiöifjöröur was relativcly rapid to thc age of 5, after
which it slowcd down and thc sizc at 10 ycars was on the avcrage 65 mm. Thc largest
individual caught in the survcy was 104 mm in shcIl height and was 13 ycars of age
according to thc numbcr of growth zones in the operculum. In France the size of the
whelks is similar to that found in Iceland (SuntereIli and Gros 1985). The average height
of the whelk at 5 years in Francc was 57.1 mm but thc growth after the age of 5 seemed
to be faster as whelks at the age of 9 have reached 78.7 mm in France compared to about
65 mm in Iceland.
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are most gratefull to Anton Galan, 16n Ami Sigurösson and 16hunnes Haraldsson
who took part the sampling work. We also wish to thank Gr6a Petursd6ttir and Droplaug
Olafsdottir for thcir assistance in the laboratory,
-6-
REFERENCES
FAO fisheries statistics 1992. FAO, Rome 1995.
Gendron, L. 1991. Gestion de l'exploitation du buccin Buccim1111 ll1ulatu11l au Quebec:
determination d'une taille minimale de capture. Rapport technique canadien des sciences
halieutiques 1833,40 pp.
Gendron, L. 1992. Determination of the size at sexual maturity of the waved whelk
Buccinll1n undatu11l Linnaeus, 1758, in the gulf of St. Lawrence, as a basis for the
establishment of minimum catchable size. J. Shellfish Research, 11: 1-7.
Golikov, AN. 1968. Distribution and variability of long lived benthic animals as
indicators of currents and hydrological conditions. Sarsia 34: 199-208.
Govanlock, J.N. 1926. Contribution to the study of marine Gastropods. 11. The intertidal
life of Buccinu11l undatu11l, a study in non-adaption. Contrib. Can. Biol. 3: 169-177.
Hancock. D.A. 1963. Marking experiments with the common whelks (Buccinu11l
lllldatll1n). Int. Comm. f. the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, special publication no 4, North
Atlantic Fish Marking Symposium 176-193.
Hancock. D.A. and AC. Simpson 1962. Parameters of marine invertebrate populations.
In E. Le Cren and M.W. Holdgate (e.ds.), The exploitation 01 natural populations. pp 2950.
•
Jalbert, P., J.H. Himmelman, P. Belan, B. Thomas 1989. Whelks (Buccinulll lmdatu11l)
and other subtidal invertebrate predators in the northem Gulf of St. Lawrence. Naturalist
can. 116: 1-15.
Kristjansson, L. 1980. fslenskir sjavarh<eUir, I. B6kautgafa Menningarsj6ös, Reykjavfk.
Köie, M. 1969. On the endoparasites of BuccinUlll undatum L. with special reference to
the Trematodes. Ophelia 6: 251-279.
M artel, A, D.H. Larrivee and J.H. Himmelaman 1986. Behaviour and timing of
copulation and egg-Iaying in the Neogastropod Buccinu11l 1l1ldatum L. J. Exp. Mar. Biol.
Ecol. 96: 27-42.
Nielsen, C. 1975. Observations on Bucciml11z 1l1ldatu11l L. attacking bivalves and on prey
responses, with a short review on attack methods of other Prosobranchs. Ophelia 13: 87108.
Oskarsson, I. 1962. Skeldyrafana fslands. Leiftur, Reykjavfk.
Santerelli, L. and P. Gros 1985. Determination de l'age et de la croissance de Buccill1l11l
-7 -
undatum L. (Gasteropoda : Prosobranchia) a I'aide des isotopes stables de la coquille et
de l'omementation operculaire. Oceanologia Acta 8: 221-229.
Santerelli, L. and P. Gros 1986. Exploitation du buccin dans le golf Normano-Breton. La
peche maritime, 1986,48-52.
•
-8Table 1. Population parameters measured for whelk in Breiöafjörour.
Mean numbers
•
•
Locality
n
1 Staour 10 m
2 Staour 18 m
3 Svionur 8 m
4 Svionur 18 m
5 Mu1anes 8 m
6 Mu1anes 18 m
7 Hnallar 18 m
8 F1ikrusker 18 m
9 Hrappsey 10m
10 Miöjanesvfk 10m
11 Sandsker 20 m
12 Lagmuli 40 m
43
268
83
277
62
119
144
22
98
63
40
178
Catch pr.
trap
weight (g)
number
pr.trap
Shell
height
(mm)
Shell
weight
(g)
Shell
height
at 50%
maturity
(mm)
165
578
220
863
169
400
207
65
290
223
74
364
6.1
51.8
9.2
34.6
7.5
14.9
13.1
3.7
14.7
9
4
22.3
61.3
49.5
60.8
61.2
61.5
62.8
49.9
50.5
53.2
58.5
52.8
49.6
26.9
12.8
25.1
24.9
21.8
26.9
15.4
17.6
18.8
25.2
18.5
11.9
70-75
45-50
55-60
65-70
60-65
70-75
55-60
60-65
55-60
75-80
70-75
55-60
- 9-
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-0
Figure 1. Sampling localities in Breiöifjöröur Western Ieeland, The numbers refer
to sampling localities as listed in table 1.
- 1010
Staöur 10m
80
15
8
~
.0
Staöur 18 m
60
n:::83
6
E
~ 4
40
2
20
o
o
10
5
o
20
70 Sviönur 18 m
60
40
60
80
~ 40
~
E
20
30
20
6
15
4
10
10
2
5
0
0
20
40
60
80
40 Hnallar 18 m
4
~
10
~
0
20
Miöjanesvfk 10 m
12
40
60
Sandsker 25 m
80
8
6
6
E
~ 4
.Illt!dd~lblfhUlql
~~~II~IIIIII.·I. ~l~11
2
o
20
40
60
80
Shell height (mm)
40
20
60
80
Lagmuli 40 m
40
10
8
.D
n:::98
5
0
80
80
10
2
o
60
15
.0
z
40
Hrappsey 10m
20
6
10
n:::119
Flikrusker 18 m
30
E 20
80
Mulanes 18 m
20
25
....
Q.l
60
0
20
8
40
25
10
8
20
30
12
n:::277
50
•
Sviönur 8 m
n:::178
30
20
4
10
2
I
100
o
o
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Shell height (mm)
Figure 2. Size distribution of whelk in the 12 sampling localities in BreiOifjöröur.
- 11 -
.
-.
100
..
80
0>
.........
.....
..
.
.. ..
• ...1
60
..s:::
0>
"(j)
~
40
-.
20
o
o
20
40
60
80
Shell height (mm)
Figure 3. Shell height - weight relationship of whelk
sampies.
In
Breiöifjöröur. All
100
.
.
- 1260
60
Stai5ur 10 m
60
Staöur 18 m
&
'E50
E
-; 40
'c
[30
&
&
&
40
&
Cl
20
~
10
. ~~
c:
j
10
&&
4&~
0
Sviönur18m
'E50
E
-; 40
'c
[30
ö
-520
Cl
0
80
20
40
&#,
J
80
&
40
&
60
80
~
....
10
&
&
0
Hn allar 18 m
Mulanes 18 m
&
50
.. t."
.. & . .
&t.
20
20
&
"&&
...'*:
10
&t
&
&~\~ ..
&01>
&
0
40
80
60
0
20
40
60
80
60
Hrappsey 10 m
50
40
&&&
40
&
30
30
"&
Ö
-520
Cl
20
&
10
&
20
t. ...&i/'
U
...
&
& &ll
c:
j 10
10
& - ....
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0
0
60
20
40
60
&
&
&
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Ö
&
c:
10
.
0
0
20
40
80
60
0
20
:t
J ..
40
.
60
60 , - - - - - - - - - - - - ,
Sandsker 25 m
50
.
&
&
20
t&
....
40
30
......
-520
Cl
20
40
.
&
0
0
80
Mii5j anesvfk 10m
'E50
E
-; 40
'c
~30
j
80
30
Flikrusker 18 m
50
'E50
E
-; 40
'c
[30
•
60
40
.
60
60
40
&
0
40
20
& ....
&
"&
20
0
20
0
60
"&
30
&l~Jiä
C
t.ft. .
0
01>
..&
&
....
~
0
60
&
10
.
&t &
...& \....
50
. . . . .&
& '"
&&
&
20
10
Mulanes 8 m
&~#t
c:
j
60
40
..
60
60
e
20
& ...
&
&
~
0
0
&
...... u
40
30
.......&
&
&
&
.
&
-520
Sviönur8 m
50
..ll'!&
ut~
30
&&
Ö
50
&
&
&
&
& &
&
"","
.. #
10
/-~&...
&&
&& ..
0
60
80
100
Shell height (mm)
0
20
40
60
80
Shell height (mm)
-
Figure 4. Size of penis in relation to shell height of whelk in the 12 sampling
localities in Breiöafjöröur.
80
- 13 -
80
Hnallar 18 m
60
-E
E
--..c
0>
"CD
..c
40
Q)
..c
Cf)
20
O-?------,--------.------,-----.-------i
2
8
4
6
10
o
Age (years)
Fi1lure 5. Relationship between shell height and age of whelk at Hnallar 18 m in
Breiöifjöröur. A von Bertalanffy growth curve is fitted to the data.