Aurelia labiata medusae (Scyphozoa) in Roscoe Bay avoid tidal dispersion by vertical migration

Aurelia labiata reside year around in Roscoe Bay on the west coast of Canada in spite of tides that exchange as much as 10% to 30% of the bay's water twice daily. Large numbers of medusae drift eastward over a gravel bar and out of the bay on ebb tides, only to return on flood tides. Drogues released into the tidal stream at the middle of an ebb tide drifted about 700 m out of the bay and into an adjacent large body of water. With the aid of a viewing box and lift net it was observed that after drifting out of the bay on an ebb tide, medusae remained within 300 m of the bay because they swam into still or counter current water below the turbulent ebb stream. When the tide turned to flood, medusae rose into the still water, became embedded in the nonturbulent flood stream, and drifted back into the bay. Vertical migration appears to enable the dense population of medusae to stay in a single location. This enhances reproductive success by keeping males and females in close proximity and increases survival by keeping the population in a favourable location.