Harbour porpoise feeding ecology in Portuguese waters

Abstract

The harbour porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) was recently classified at national level as “Critically Endangered” in Portugal, emphasising the urgent need for a dedicated conservation action plan for the population (commonly known as the Iberian porpoise population). A better understanding of the porpoise’s feeding ecology can inform appropriate conservation measures and, therefore, a combination of stomach content analysis and Stable Isotope Analysis was used to estimate the feeding ecology of harbour porpoises in Portugal over the past two decades (2003-2020). The analysis of 157 stomach contents identified Common dragonet ( Callionymus lyra ), Trisopterus spp. and Chelon spp. as the main prey species of Iberian harbour porpoise in Portuguese waters. Moreover, isotopic ratios suggested that porpoises have coastal feeding habits. Muscle isotopic ratios also suggested Trisopterus ( Trisopterus luscus were used in analysis) as the main potential prey, while hepatic stable isotopes revealed dietary variations depending on the trophic enrichment factors. Temporal and seasonal diet variations suggest that harbour porpoises may replace the predominant prey species in response to prey availability, movements within their distribution range, and/or seasonal requirements. Overall, the diet inferred from Stable Isotope Analysis was consistent with that derived from stomach content analysis, highlighting a long-term consumption of Trisopterus spp. (probably Pouting) in Portugal. In addition, this study highlights a marked overlap between fishing grounds and porpoise feeding areas, which may explain the high porpoise bycatch rates observed in northern Portugal.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{torrespereira2026harbour,
  title = {{Harbour porpoise feeding ecology in Portuguese waters}},
  author = {Andreia Torres-Pereira and Silvia Monteiro and Yann Planque and Marisa Ferreira and Lídia Nicolau and Ana Marçalo and Zara Aguiar and Sara Sá and Ana Sofia Tavares and Marina Sequeira and Paula Méndez-Fernandez and José Vingada and Catarina Eira},
  journal = {Marine Environmental Research},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108479},
  url = {https://hal.science/hal-05853176v1},
  note = {CC BY},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Harbour porpoise feeding ecology in Portuguese waters
AU  - Andreia Torres-Pereira
AU  - Silvia Monteiro
AU  - Yann Planque
AU  - Marisa Ferreira
AU  - Lídia Nicolau
AU  - Ana Marçalo
AU  - Zara Aguiar
AU  - Sara Sá
AU  - Ana Sofia Tavares
AU  - Marina Sequeira
AU  - Paula Méndez-Fernandez
AU  - José Vingada
AU  - Catarina Eira
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/05
JO  - Marine Environmental Research
DO  - 10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108479
UR  - https://hal.science/hal-05853176v1
AB  - The harbour porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) was recently classified at national level as “Critically Endangered” in Portugal, emphasising the urgent need for a dedicated conservation action plan for the population (commonly known as the Iberian porpoise population). A better understanding of the porpoise’s feeding ecology can inform appropriate conservation measures and, therefore, a combination of stomach content analysis and Stable Isotope Analysis was used to estimate the feeding ecology of harbour porpoises in Portugal over the past two decades (2003-2020). The analysis of 157 stomach contents identified Common dragonet ( Callionymus lyra ), Trisopterus spp. and Chelon spp. as the main prey species of Iberian harbour porpoise in Portuguese waters. Moreover, isotopic ratios suggested that porpoises have coastal feeding habits. Muscle isotopic ratios also suggested Trisopterus ( Trisopterus luscus were used in analysis) as the main potential prey, while hepatic stable isotopes revealed dietary variations depending on the trophic enrichment factors. Temporal and seasonal diet variations suggest that harbour porpoises may replace the predominant prey species in response to prey availability, movements within their distribution range, and/or seasonal requirements. Overall, the diet inferred from Stable Isotope Analysis was consistent with that derived from stomach content analysis, highlighting a long-term consumption of Trisopterus spp. (probably Pouting) in Portugal. In addition, this study highlights a marked overlap between fishing grounds and porpoise feeding areas, which may explain the high porpoise bycatch rates observed in northern Portugal.
SN  - 0141-1136
SN  - 1879-0291
ER  -

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