Previously undocumented relationship between spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias and juvenile Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus revealed by stereo-BRUV

This study revealed a previously undocumented association between a teleost and a shark. Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus were observed following spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias during 3 consecutive years (2018-2020) on off-shore banks in Kattegat (57 degrees N; 11 degrees E, Sweden). The observations were made by the use of stereo-BRUV (baited remote underwater stereo-video systems). Our findings provide additional information about relationships between sharks and teleosts and suggest that stereo-BRUV can add to the ecological knowledge gained from the commonly deployed trawl surveys in temperate waters such as the Kattegat. With the increasing use of BRUVs in areas where the method has rarely been used before, such as higher latitudes or deeper water, observations as the one described here will likely increase. We urge the growing community of BRUVvers to make use of the methods full potential and to share not only estimations of abundance of different species but also observations of species associations and behaviors. These observations are important for better understanding of the interaction between species and could be important knowledge for targeted management measures.