Distribution and abundance indices of postlarval and 0-group cod

Abstract

Postlarvae surveys have been carried out in the southwestern part of the Barents Sea and the northeastern part of the Norwegian Sea in June/July since 1971, The aim of the Investigations has been to study characteristic distributions of fish larvae and their relation to the distribution of water masses, and to establish abundance indices, It has been shown that mesoscale features of the larval distribution are very pronounced, and that they are connected to the current features, therefore the survey strategies was changed in 1983, and emphasis was laid on the investigation of cod larvae. Postlarval cod is especially abundant at Tromsøflaket due to the reduced diffusion by the existence of the anti-cyclonic vortex above the bank. It is shown that the cod postlarvae tend to be larger in the western part. The postlarvae and 0-group distribution are discussed and compared, and similar features of the two stages are found, The postlarvae and 0-group indices are discussed and compared, and a correlation coefficient of 0.82 was found.