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Journal of Tropical Oceanography

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A preliminary study on carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of fish species in the inner and outer waters of Yangjiang offshore wind farm in autumn

DANG Yingchao1,2,3, JIANG Wei1,2,3*, ZHAO Zhigang1,4, FENG Lingling1,4, LI Sha1,2,3, LI Bo1,2,3   

  1. 1. China Three Gorges Corporation, Wuhan, Hubei 430000, China;

    2. National Engineering Center of Eco-Environments in Pan-Yangtze Basin, Wuhan, Hubei 430014, China;

    3. Hubei Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Project for Fish Resource Conservation, Yichang, Hubei 443100, China;

    4. Three Gorges New Energy Yangjiang Power Co. , Ltd. , Yangjiang, Guodong 529500, China



  • Received:2026-01-19 Revised:2026-03-30 Accepted:2026-04-08
  • Supported by:
    The Independent Research Program of China Three Gorges Corporation(NBZZ202400117)

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Abstract: To investigate the trophic structure characteristics of the main fish species in the inner and outer waters of the Yangjiang offshore wind farm, a fish trawl survey was conducted in the offshore wind farm (OWF) of Yangjiang Shapa and the surrounding waters of Hailing Island in the autumn of 2024. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of the collected fish samples were measured, and their trophic levels were calculated based on this. The trophic structure differences of the main fish species in the inner and outer areas of the wind farm were analyzed. The results show a total of 74 species of fish were collected in this survey, belonging to 11 orders, 44 families and 65 genera. Among them, the fish species in the inner and outer waters of the OWF were 58 species and 38 species respectively, and the common fish species were 22 species.The δ13Cand δ15N values of fish from the OWF ranged from -23.81‰ to -15.36‰ and 9.51‰ to 16.08‰, with an average value of (-17.61±1.66)‰ and (12.87±1.31)‰, respectively.The δ13Cand δ15N values of fish from outer waters of the OWF ranged from -21.95‰ to -15.29‰ and 10.63‰ to 15.12‰, with an average value of (-17.65±1.54)‰ and (12.60±1.07)‰, respectively. The δ13C difference of fish in the OWF is higher than outer waters, indicating that the food sources of the fish in the OWF are more diverse. The trophic levels of fish from the OWF and the outer waters of the OWF were (2.27-4.10 ) and (2.50-3.82), respectively. The fish were dominated by carnivorous fish at medium and low trophic levels. The average trophic level of fish in the OWF is 2.9% higher than outer waters. The eight trophic ecological position indicators (NR, CR, TA, CD, SEA, SEAc, MNND and SDNND) are all higher than outer waters, indicating that the fish in the waters of OWF have a larger trophic level range and a more central trophic ecological position, with greater diversity and breadth in resource utilization, and a higher stability in the trophic structure of fish. However, the stability of the trophic structure of the fish community in the waters of OWF may be weaker than that outer waters. This study initially established the trophic structure of the main fish species in both the inner and outer waters of the Yangjiang offshore wind farm. It provides basic data for understanding the impact of OWF on the trophic structure of fish, and also can offer theoretical basis for the protection and sustainable management of the marine fishery resources in the waters of the Yangjiang.

Key words: carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, fish, trophic structure, offshore wind farm（OWF）