Tethering Pandalus danae as a Method for Observing Predator Prey Interactions in the San Juan Islands

Abstract

Predator prey interactions, specifically predation acts, were observed and recorded to better understand trophic level interactions and community ecology in the San Juan Islands. We looked at predation between Pandalus danae and predators such as Sebastes caurinus and Sebastes malige. Using a tethering method we attached Pandalus danae to frames and deployed them at high and low rockfish concentrated sites in the San Juan Islands. We observed predator prey interactions using a GoPro underwater camera set to time lapse photography which provided us with information on shrimp predators and showed that our method was successful.