A Decline in Starfish, Asterias forbesi, Abundance anda Concurrent Increase in Northern Quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria, Abundance and Landings in the Northeastern United States

MacKenzie, Jr. , Clyde L.; Pikanowski, Robert

A Decline in Starfish, Asterias forbesi, Abundance anda Concurrent Increase in Northern Quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria, Abundance and Landings in the Northeastern United States

1999

MacKenzie, Jr. , Clyde L. | Pikanowski, Robert

The abundance of the common starfish, Asterias forbesi, fluctuates widely over time. The starfish is a predatorof pre-recruit northern quahogs, Mercenaria mercenaria. During the 1990’s, starfish became scarce in Raritan Bay and Long Island Sound. Quahog populations concurrentlyerupted in abundance and quahog landings have risen sharply in both locations. The extensive scale of this observationwould seem to imply a cause and effect; at the least, both populations may be responding differently to a large scale exogenous factor.

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