Influence of food quality on lipids and essential fatty acids in the body of the Black Sea sprat Sprattus sprattus phalericus (Clupeidae)

The food supply of the Black Sea sprat Sprattus sprattus phalericus off the Crimea coast in the feeding periods of 2006–2013 was studied. The level of accumulation of storage lipids in the fish body and the content of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic) served as criteria of food supply. It is shown that the average annual content of sprat total lipids varies over a wide range (4.5–9.5% of wet body weight) due to changes in the storage lipid content (58–71% of total lipids). The content of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (101–451 and 123–622 mg/100 g wet weight, respectively) is positively correlated with the level of storage lipid accumulation in the body. The interannual variability in the content of lipids and fatty acids is determined not only by the quantity but also the qualitative composition of consumed food (namely, the proportion of planktonic organisms of the cold-water and warm-water complexes). The possible influence of the interannual variability in the composition of forage mesoplankton on the condition of the Black Sea sprat off the Crimea coast is discussed.