Whalebone Bay is located on the Northern point of Bermuda. It is part of the Ferry Point Park. Its extremely close proximity to the BIOS makes it ideal for research. The shallow bay offers a large diversity of marine life and contains a large population of baitfish, mostly silverside fish (Atheriniformes) and likely the Reef Silverside (Hypoatherina harringtonensis). The aim of this research was to discover the reasoning for the massive schooling behavior of these fish in such a small area.

Information of Silverside fish

Reef Silverside (Hypoatherina harringtonensis) (Source: Fishbase.org)

Silverside fish are small baitfish that are located through out the Atlantic. In Bermuda, Reef Silverside fish school around shallow reefs and will feed on zooplankton (1). Within their schools, other planktivorous baitfish will join in (2). More information on that within the observations.

Information on Whalebone Bay

"The stratigraphic section seen in Whalebone Bay represents approximately 200,000 years of deposition. Several Pleistocene formations can be identified along the east side of the bay. Sea level fluctuations are recorded in the rock record and show a range of sea levels from much lower than present day to as much as fifteen meters above present day sea level."