Fecundity and egg size of spring spawning Barents Sea capelin

Abstract

Fecundity of Barents Sea capelin was studied in 1971 and 1972. No differences were found between these two years. The regression line log F = 3.4871 x log L - 0.2049 was fitted to the whole material. This is in good accordance with studies on Barents Sea capelin carried out by others and shows much lower fecundity than capelin from New Foundland waters. Diameters, measured on artifically fertilized eggs, ranged between 1.10 and 1.23 mm, mean 1.165 mm, and diameters of eggs from spawning beds measured between 1.10 and 1.20, mm mean 1.184 mm. Canadian and Icelandic measurements show smaller and similar sizes respectively.