Contribution to the Biology of Herring ( Clupea harengus L.) in Newfoundland Waters

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Author: Olsen, Steinar
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1961
• Subjects: General Medicine; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f61-002; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f61-002

A study of the herring of the south and west coasts of Newfoundland in 1957 and 1958 revealed no great fluctuations in relative year-class strength and indicated a fairly high survival rate from the age of recruitment to the fishery.The rate of growth was higher than that found by Tibbo (1956) in 1942–44, and no significant difference in growth rate was demonstrated between the south coast and the region of Bay of, Islands and Port au Port Bay.The study indicated an unusual spread in spawning time with probably peaks in spring, autumn and winter, while prior to about 1950 the Newfoundland herring were apparently all spring spawners. It is suggested that this has caused changes in the traditional pattern of distribution, which have been unfavourable for the herring fishery, and it may also have resulted in an actual decrease in population size.