SITE FIDELITY AND RETURN TRIPS OF VISUALLY AND OLFACTORILY INHIBITED BLACK ROCKFISH (SEBASTES SCHLEGELII) INDIVIDUALS TRACKED BY ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY

For fish of the genus Sebastes, which have strong site fidelity, understanding characteristics their return trips and how sensory cues influence behavior will be useful for conservation resource management. Here, we conducted a behavioral tracking study black rockfish Sebastes schlegelii using acoustic telemetry inhibition. We compared aspects process individuals in control group (CNT), blind (BLD) olfactory inhibition (OLF) conditions. Nine were released 850 m from fishing site, all them returned. However, time taken to complete varied, with BLD taking longest, followed by OLF then CNT. One CNT individual at 2 km did not return. The route was through waters shallower than 10 west receiving area, Area 1, north area including release point, 2, while swam opposite direction, depth 40 northeast 2. took longer although they same as after release. Therefore, visual likely used determine direction return, vision probably affected speed activity patterns. Inhibition olfaction affects on small spatial scales. Though it may less impact inhibition, still prevent perception specific environments conspecifics.