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Seasonal Larval Fish Abundance in Waters off Diablo Canyon, California
Author(s) -
Icanberry J. W.,
Warrick J. W.,
Rice D. W.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1978)107<225:slfaiw>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - canyon , abundance (ecology) , fishery , larva , ichthyoplankton , fish <actinopterygii> , environmental science , biology , oceanography , ecology , geography , geology , cartography
A 15‐month study was conducted to describe the seasonal changes of total larval fish densities, fish egg densities, and species composition in the nearshore marine environment of Diablo Canyon, San Luis Obispo County, California. Samples were collected at an inshore and offshore station located 300 m and 1,500 m southwest of the seaward perimeter of Diablo Cove, respectively. There were no statistical differences in total larval fish densities and total fish egg densities between the inshore and offshore stations. Statistical differences were found in two of the six most abundant taxa, Artedius spp. (greater densities found inshore) and Stenobrachius leucopsarus (greater densities present offshore). The greatest larval fish densities, 163.5/100 m 3 , occurred February 1975, and the period of greatest abundance was January to March 1975. A peak fish egg density of 475/100 m 3 occurred in September 1975, and egg densities averaged 79.8/100 m 3 throughout the study period. A comparison of day and night hauls resulted in no statistically significant differences in densities or lengths of larval Sebastes spp.