Boie: Intermingling and seasonal migrations of Reinhaidtius hippoglossoides 



421 



migrations. Some spawning and spent specimens have 

 been observed in the fjords (Smidt, 1969; Riget et al., 1989; 

 Nielsen and Boje") and therefore spawning may occur in 

 the fjords, at least sporadically. However, low bottom tem- 

 peratures in the Qords probably inhibit the maturation 

 process (Jensen, 1935; Templeman, 1973). 



The seasonality apparent in local migrations for fish in 

 the flords of northwestern Greenland (Fig. 4) is presumed 

 to correlate with feeding behavior Allthough information 

 is not available on the seasonality of prey organisms for 

 Greenland halibut in the fjords, seasonal patterns for pri- 

 mary production are expected to affect other trophic levels 

 in the food chain. Seasonality is reflected in the practices of 

 the fishery; it tends to be concentrated in the inner part of 

 the ^ords during summer and more dispersed during winter 

 near cities and human settlements (Simonsen and Boje"'). 



Davis Strait tagging data demonstrated that Greenland 

 halibut within this area migrate widely and show no dis- 

 tinct patterns in orientation of movement. Such movements 

 could be associated with spawning as suggested by Bower- 

 ing (1984), i.e. a northward migration of Greenland hali- 

 but tagged in Newfoundland and Labrador to a proposed 

 spawning area in Davis Strait. Jorgensen ( 1997) also found 

 indications of movements during six years of a survey se- 

 ries, which he interpreted as seasonal movements between 

 feeding areas and spawning grounds in the eastern part 

 of Davis Strait. The wide migrations of offshore Greenland 

 halibut as observed in the present study, i.e. within Davis 

 Strait and from Davis Strait and Godthaab Fjord to New- 

 foundland, lend support to a proposed relationship between 

 adult movements and spawning behavior. 



Acknowledgments 



I thank F. Riget for his invaluable effort during the early 

 part of the tagging program. I am also grateful to M. J. 

 Karlson for helpful comments on the manuscript. 



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