FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 71, NO. 1 



of Clupea harengus harengus which was the only 

 species abundant in the autumn. 



The distribution of the larvae from offshore 

 to the upper estuaries changed seasonally. 

 Catches from the upper estuarine, lower estu- 

 arine, and outer stations (Figure 3) showed that 

 the larvae in the winter and early spring were 



i 1968 



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- 1969 - 70 



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concentrated in the upper estuaries, while the 

 larvae in the summer were more evenly distrib- 

 uted. 



The upper estuaries are probably important 

 as nursery areas for the winter-early spring 

 larvae. Most of this group were captured within 

 the estuaries. From January to May the three 

 upper stations contributed 68 ^r of the catch in 

 1968 and 70% of the catch in 1970. Station 2 

 in the upper Damariscotta estuary produced the 

 highest catches, accounting for 40% of all the 

 larvae taken in 1968 and 65% in 1970. The 

 distribution of the winter-early spring group of 

 larvae was different within the estuaries between 

 years. In 1968 the larvae were more evenly 

 distributed among the upper stations than in 

 1970. 



The seasonal abundance for each kind of larvae 

 taken in the Boothbay region is shown in Figures 

 4 and 5. The more common kinds are discussed 

 below. 



Cottidae 



Cottid larvae were present from January to 

 July and their abundance reached a peak in 

 March. Their distribution was upper estuarine 

 and they were most abundant at station 2 (50% 

 of all cottids in 1968, 74% in 1970). The total 

 abundance of these larvae differed between years 

 (6,222 in 1968 and 4,053 in 1970) because more 

 cottids were taken at the other stations in 1968 

 (Figure 4A). Spawning probably occurred in 

 the upper estuaries, inasmuch as cottids lay 

 demersal eggs which do not drift, and yolk sac 

 larvae were taken at the upper stations. 



All cottid larvae were not identified to species, 

 but Nuzrat Khan, Department of Biology, Uni- 

 versity of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada (personal 

 communication) recognized five species from 

 1,387 specimens of cottids that I sent to him. 

 Of these, 689 were Myoxocephalus scorpius; 456, 

 Myoxocephahis octodecemspinosus ; 183, Myox- 

 ocephalus aenaeus; and 59, Triglops sp. 



Figure 3. — The seasonal abundance of fish larvae in 

 three areas of the Boothbay region; the upper estuary, 

 the lower estuary, and outside the headlands. 



108 



