| dc.description.abstract | The size frequencies of cod and haddock eggs, sampled in coastal
and offshore waters of northwestern Norway have been studied. Within
the same species, variations in the mean size of the eggs have been observed,
as well as differences in the mean size between eggs of cod and
haddock. During the years 1951-58 the cod eggs at Skrova in the Lofoten
area decreased in mean size during the spawning season. Following
HEINCKE & EHRENBAUM (1900), the size variations are thought to be
partly related to decreasing egg size in the individual fish during the
spawning season, partly to decreasing size of the fish from the beginning
to the end of the same season.
In 1957 cod eggs and larvae were relatively scarce at Skrova, but
in 1958, - abundant.
Length measurements of cod fry taken in a high sped net at varying
depths near Skrova in June 1957 indicate that the smaller fry as a rule
keep to greater depths.
In April 1957 fish eggs, probably of haddock, were moderately
abundant along the edge off Lofoten and Vesterålen.
In April-May 1958 haddock eggs and larvae were mainly found
east of Shetland and off Vesterålen, some also west of the Halten Bank.
Cusk eggs were distributed within the 400 m contour from Shetland
to the north of Andenes.
Saithe larvae were mainly taken on Tampen, off Stadt, and on the
Halten Bank.
In May 1957 herring larvae were taken in moderate numbers on
the coast banks from Ona to Træna, a few also farther north. In June
larger herring fry were relatively numerous in the same areas, in the
Vestfjord, and on the coast banks farther north. The mean length of
this herring decreased southwards from Vesterålen to Møre.
In April-May 1958 small herring larvae were abundant northeast
of Shetland, off Stadt, and on the Halten Bank. From the end of May to
the second half of June larger herring fry (13-42 mm) were taken in
numbers from off Vesterålen and southwards.
Thc abundance of redfish larvae in coastal and offshore waters of
northern Norway has been studied, and average figures are given for
a series of years. In May-June 1958 redfish larvae were abundant in
the same waters, especially outside the edge from Andenes and northwards.
The western limit of the distribution of the redfish larvae in the
Norwegian Sea coincides with that given by BARANENKOVA et al. (1957).
Length measurements indicate an increase in the mean size of the
redfish larvae from about 9 mm at the beginning of June to near 20 mm
in coastal areas in August. | |
