. An ecological characterization of Coastal Maine (north and east of Cape Elizabeth). Coastal ecology -- Maine. Chapter 11 Fishes Authors: Patricia Shettig, Stanley Chenoweth, Beth Surgens. Over 100 species of fishes, representing 40 families, inhabit the marine, estuarine, and freshwater systems of coastal Maine. The majority are resident species, and many have commercial and recreational value. Fishes are both predators and prey in aquatic food chains and play an important role in energy flow within aquatic systems because of their great abundance at different trophic levels. Fishes generall
. An ecological characterization of Coastal Maine (north and east of Cape Elizabeth). Coastal ecology -- Maine. Chapter 11 Fishes Authors: Patricia Shettig, Stanley Chenoweth, Beth Surgens. Over 100 species of fishes, representing 40 families, inhabit the marine, estuarine, and freshwater systems of coastal Maine. The majority are resident species, and many have commercial and recreational value. Fishes are both predators and prey in aquatic food chains and play an important role in energy flow within aquatic systems because of their great abundance at different trophic levels. Fishes generally can be classified into two major categories: pelagic and demersal. Pelagic fishes (, herrings, mackerel, and striped bass) are highly mobile and range freely throughout the water column. They feed mostly on plankton and other pelagic organisms. Demersal fishes (, flounders, sculpins, and cod) are less mobile and usually stay on or near the bottom. These fishes feed mostly on benthic invertebrates and other bottom fishes. Freshwater fishes, for the most part, are semidemersal in habit. Because most marine and estuarine fishes are highly mobile, geographic and habitat preferences are difficult to identify. The habitat and food requirements of most fishes vary according to the life stage of the fish. If fish resources are to be managed effectively the environmental requirements of species or groups of species at each life stage of the fish must be understood. Unfortunately, very few of these requirements are known. This chapter discusses the status and distribution of fish species in coastal Maine habitats and systems and the factors that influence their distribution and abundance. Marine and estuarine fishes are emphasized. Natural factors that affect the distribution and abundance of fishes include salinity, temperature, food availability, streamflow and cover, competition, predation, and disease. Water pollution, barriers tc migration, and overharvesting (overfishing
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