FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 71, NO. 4 



Table 5. — Parameters from weighted exponential regression of In, mean length (live equivalent) on 

 coded date, for Lake Aleknagik beach seine sampling 16 June-5 August, 1962, 1964 through 1972. 



' Natural log of mean length on 31 May. 

 -Instantaneous growth rate in length. 



vegetation and a larger area of mud bottom; 

 therefore it provides a more suitable forage and 

 spawning habitat. These fish were distributed 

 in much the same pattern as sockeye salmon 

 fry. The two species have common food and 

 some common behavioral habits during the 

 summer (Rogers, 1968). Age I and II fish us- 

 ually became pelagic in midsummer, and age 

 and III fish tended to remain inshore by late 

 summer. 



Ninespine Stickleback 



Ninespine stickleback were age to II and 

 perhaps age III. They ranged in length from 10 

 to 76 mm (Figure 7). The time of spawning and 

 appearance of age fish in the catches were 

 similar to those of threespine stickleback, but 



growth was more rapid and ages I and II were 

 not as distinctive from length frequencies. 



The distribution of ninespine stickleback 

 shows an even greater correlation with location 

 of vegetation and mud bottom than that of 

 threespine stickleback. At stations 2S and 4S 

 where vegetation is sparse on the bottom, 

 catches were always very low. Ninespine stickle- 

 back showed the lowest rate of decline in catches 

 among the associated species (Table 7). 



Slimy Sculpin 



Sculpin ranged in age from to perhaps V 

 but were mostly age I from observations at 

 Iliamna Lake of the Kvichak River system 

 (Roger, 1971). They ranged in length from 8 

 to 91 mm (Figure 8). As with the sticklebacks, 



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