Growth of Atlantic herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.) in response to climatic long term trends (NAO) and to hydrographical features in the northern North Sea in the period 1990- 1997

• Main Authors: Bühler, Vivian, Clemmesen, Catriona, Svendsen, Einar
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: ICES 1999
• Subjects: herring; sild; fish larvae; fiskelarver; hydrography; hydrografi; sampling; prøvetaking; growth; vekst; VDP::Agriculture and fishery disciplines: 900::Fisheries science: 920::Resource biology: 921; VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450::Oceanography: 452; VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Marine biology: 497; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11250/105941

Herring larvae were sampled during the IHLS in the ICES area IVa from 1990 to 1997. Larval growth was determined based on otolith microstructure analysis from larvae of 7-25mm standard length. The data were correlated to the North Atlantic Osciliation (NAO) and the inflow of Atlantic water (AW) at the same period. The study showed a strong correlation between positive NAO years with a higher inflow of AW and subsequently higher larval growth rates, which could be an indication of favorable growth conditions.