Ontogenetic niche segregation and its implications for mercury levels in Japanese anchovy from the high seas of the northwestern Pacific Ocean as revealed by fatty acid analysis

Abstract

Japanese anchovy ( Engraulis japonicus ) is a small pelagic fish that is frequently targeted by commercial fisheries. Japanese anchovy plays a crucial role as a vital link between primary and higher‐order consumers. The elemental mercury in Japanese anchovy muscles easily bioaccumulates and is transmitted to top predators. We investigated the variation in the diets and mercury accumulation of Japanese anchovy in the high seas of the northwestern Pacific Ocean. We measured the amounts of mercury and fatty acids in the muscles of 149 Japanese anchovy specimens that were obtained from the open seas of the northwestern Pacific Ocean (39°2′ N ~ 42°30′ N, 154°02′ E ~ 161°29′ E) between June and July 2021. The results revealed that the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents significantly decreased and then increased with the growth of Japanese anchovy ( p

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