Comparative analysis of the blue whiting diet in the Barents, Norwegian Seas and the area west of the British Isles (1998-2012)

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Analysis of the blue whiting diet in the North-Eastern Atlantic (the Barents and Norwegian Seas and the area west of the British Isles) was carried out. It was based on quantitative data obtained in 1998-2012. Spatial peculiarities in the feed composition and feeding intensity of blue whiting were discussed. The studies showed that blue whiting predominantly fed on plankton in the Norwegian Sea, whereas more intensive feeding on a large number of fish preys was observed in the area of the British Isles and the Barents Sea. The feeding migration of blue whiting to the Barents Sea can be considered as an adaptive mechanism for better consumption of food resources.