Preliminary telemetry data on the movement patterns and habitat use of European catfish (Silurus glanis) in a reservoir of the River Ebro, Spain

Abstract

Abstract – Knowledge of the movements and diel behaviour of the European catfish (Silurus glanis), the largest European freshwater fish, is limited to anecdotal information. In a preliminary telemetry study of European catfish, the spring diel movement patterns of five adult catfish were examined. After intraperitoneal insertion of the acoustic tags, the positions of the fish were recorded automatically in the Flix Reservoir (River Ebro, NE Spain). A marked nocturnal mobility pattern was observed throughout the study. During daytime, the catfish were consistently located in the littoral zone and spent extended periods of the day hidden in concealed habitats. Catfish movements were in a radial pattern, with upstream and downstream excursions followed by returns to a previously occupied location. Significant individual variations in movement pattern were observed among the tagged fish and within the 24 h cycle for each fish. Mean instantaneous swimming speed was 0.17 body lengths per second (BL·s⁻¹) at night but 0.09 BL·s⁻¹ during the daytime.