MOVEMENT PATTERNS AND HABITAT PREFERENCES OF SARPA SALPA
USING ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY COMBINED TO A GEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION SYSTEM
Jadot C.1, A. Donnay, E. Guyot, D. Collart, M.L. Acolas and M.L. Bégout-Anras.
1
University of Liege, Department of Eco-ethology of aquatics vertebrates. Quai Van
Beneden 22. 4020 Liege. Belgium. Phone: +32 4 366 50 18. Fax: +32 4 366 50 93. Email: Catherine.Jadot@ulg.ac.be
Acoustic telemetry was used to record diel movement and habitat utilisation of the
goldline (Sarpa salpa) during three consecutive summers (from 2000 to 2002) in the
Calvi and Achiarina bays. A total of eighteen fish were equipped with an acoustic
transmitter in the peritoneal cavity, thirteen in the Calvi bay and five in the Achiarina
Bay. Two different systems were used to track the fish. The first system, used in the
Calvi bay, was a manual receiver and a directional hydrophone. The second system,
used in the Achiarina bay, was a radio-acoustic-positioning (RAP) system, for
continuously monitoring the movements of the fish. Fish position were put in a
geographical information system (GIS) database with information on the substratum
and depth. Two patterns of behaviour occurred in the three years. Either the fish had
clearly defined daytime and night-time habitats, characterised by different depths and
substratum. Or the fish had a persistent occupation of the same sites during day and
night. In the Calvi bay, seven fish were realised at 1km from the capture site. All the
fish return to the capture site within 48 hours, showing an ability to homing.