Importance of zooplankton secondary production to fishes at offshore petroleum platforms

Abstract

Our research demonstrates that macrozooplankton are an important dietary component of arelatively large predator [Caranx chrysos]. Direct consumption of zooplankton apparently bypasses the usual (.e., forage fish) trophic levels. Such energy transfer,from macrozooplankton to higher trophic levels, would be more efficient and may explain, in part, how platforms help sustain the high fish biomass observed around these offshore structures