Feeding Habits of Winter Flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) in a Habitat Exposed to Anthropogenic Distribution

The feeding habits of the winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) were examined in a habitat subjected to chronic anthropogenic disturbance by organic and inorganic nutrient disposal and shipping activity. The macrobenthic community was numerically dominated by the types of polychaetes and amphipods found in a disturbed community. Little variability was found in the diets of 151 winter flounder (100-300 mm total length) in 4 size-classes. Combining all size-classes, winter flounder were found to feed on 18 different genera of macrobenthos. Amphipods and polychaetes dominated the diet. These groups provided from 12-25% of the diet by weight, 16-48% by number, and had index of relative importance values between 552 and 2 510. Major prey items were the amphipod, Ampelisca abdita and the polychaete, Streblospio benedicti. These diets were compared to those winter flounder captured in habitats where benthic assemblages were not exposed to human perturbation. Regardless of habitat, winter flounder fed on primarily the most abundant and active benthic species. This study supports the contention that winter flounder are in general, opportunistic feeders and usually feed on the most abundant and available prey source.