Title: NORTHERN ANCHOVY AND PACIFIC SARDINE SPAWNING OFF SOUTHERN OF THE NEARSHORE COASTAL REGION CALIFORNIA DURING 1978-80: PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE IMPORTANCE
Abstract: Estimates of egg and larval abundance of northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) and larval abundance of Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax caeruleus) from monthly Ichthyoplankton Coastal and Harbor Studies (ICHS) cruises during 1978-80 within the nearshore Southern California Bight (to the 43-m isobath) were contrasted with comparable estimates from CalCOA region 7. The ICHS region encompassed 3.8 percent of the area in region 7. Raw survey data, uncorrected for potential sampler biases, indicated that about 3 percent of northern anchovy larvae occurred within the nearshore zone relative to the entire region 7. This number may be equivalent to about 2 percent of the larvae spawned by the central subpopulation. The abundance of Pacific sardine larvae in the coastal region increased from 1978-79 to 1979-80. Sardine larvae occurred most frequently during the summer and fall and were captured most often in Santa Monica Bay. CalCOFI data on Pacific sardine were too infrequent for comparison with ICHS data. The ichthyoplankton data sets are discussed in relation to the nursery function of nearshore versus offshore waters and the need for additional criteria for assessing recruitment potential from the two regions.
Publication Year: 1982
Publication Date: 1982-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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