824 



Fishery Bulletin 98(4) 



58 



57 



56 



55 



54 



1985 & 1986 

 1 987 4 1988 



Bering 

 Sea 



165 



162 



159 



156 



153 



Figure 1 



Map of the NMFS exploratory sampling locations for age-0 pollock in the western Gulf 

 of Alaska, August-October, 198.5-88. The straight lines delineate the three regions used 

 to gi'oup the data geogi-aphically. The star (*), near the head of the arrow pointing to 

 Shelikof Strait, marks the major pollock spawning area. 



1996bl. Consequently, the shelf area west of Shelikof Strait 

 has received the most attention recently regarding pol- 

 lock nurseries in the western GOA (Brodeur et al., 199.5; 

 Wilson etal., 1996). 



Not all obsei*ved distributions of age-0 pollock, how- 

 ever, are consistent with the FOCI recruit-pathway par- 

 adigm. In 1980-82, some incidental collections of age-0 

 pollock were made during bottom trawls for shrimp in 

 bays throughout the western GOA. High age-0 densities 

 were found northeast of the main spawning area and 

 led Smith et al. (1984) to conclude that important spawn- 

 ing areas probably exist farther upstream. Small concen- 

 trations of pollock eggs, larvae (Kendall and Picquelle, 

 1990; Dunn et al."*), and spawning adults have been found 

 throughout the western GOA (Hirschberger and Smith, 

 1983; Hollowed et al.-; Williamson''; Karp''; Wilson et al. ' ). 



■• Dunn, J. R., A. W. Kendall Jr., R. J. Wolotira Jr, J. H. Bowerman 

 Jr., D. B. Dey, A. C. Materese, and J. E. Munk. 1980. Seasonal 

 composition and food web relationships of marine organisms in 

 the noarshore zone — including components of the ichthyoplank- 

 ton, meroplankton, and holoplankton. Final Report OCSEAP 

 RU.551. Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Centei', Natl. Mar. 

 Fish. Serv., NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd. E., Seattle, WA 98112, 

 393 p. 



'' Williamson, N. J. 1989. Acoustic-midwater trawl surveys for 

 walleye pollock in the Gulf of Alaska in 1989. In Condition of 

 groundfish resources of the Gulf of Alaska ni 1989 (T. K. Wil- 

 derbuer.ed.), p. 281-311. U.S. I)ep. C'ommer, Alaska Fisheries 

 Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. 



^ Karp, W A. 1990. Results of echo integration midwater-lrawl 

 surveys for walleye pollock in the Gulf of Alaska in 1990. /;; 

 Stock assessment and fishery evaluation report for the 1991 

 Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisliery. Appendix 3. 42 p. Prepared 

 by the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Plan Team, North Pacific 

 Fishery Management Council, P.O. Box 103136, Anchorage, AK 

 99510. 



This does not, however, preclude the possibility that dis- 

 persal of young from Shelikof Strait is more variable than 

 previously thotight. 



In response to conclusions drawn by Smith et al. ( 1984), 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducted 

 more spatially extensive surveys designed to map age-0 

 abundance and size (Spring and Bailey'*). These sui-veys 

 occurred during 198.5-88. The data were included in a 

 compilation of information by Bailey and Spring (1992) 

 primarily to show that year-class strength was set by the 

 age-0 stage. Like Smith et al. (1984), however, Bailey and 

 Spring also found that many juveniles were present in the 

 Kodiak region during some years. 



This study presents a re-examination of the 1985-88 

 survey data. In this study, however, the effects of year 

 and region were evaluated statistically and length was 

 included due to its relevance to recruitment. Among juve- 

 nile fish, size often has a positive effect on survival 

 (Sogard, 1997; Hurst and Conover, 1998; Schultz et al., 

 19981. Emphasis was placed on annual variability within 

 each of three regions owing to interest in developing 

 a recruitment predictor. Emphasis was also placed on 

 within-year regional variability because of the possibility 



" Wilson C, M. Guttormsen, and S. K. dc Blois. 1996. Echo 

 integration-trawl sui"vey results for pollock in the Gulf of 

 Alaska during 1996. In Stock assessment and fishery evalua- 

 tion report for the groundfish resources of the C^iulf of Alaska, 

 p. 417-443. Prepared by the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Plan 

 Team, North Pacific F"isherv Management Council, P.O. Box 

 1 03 1 36, Anchorage, AK 995 10. 



'" Spring, S., and K. Bailey. 1991. Distribution and aliundance 

 of juvenile pollock from historical shrimp trawl surveys in the 

 western (iulf of Alaska. U.S. Dep. Commer, NOAA Proc. Rep. 

 AFSC 91-18,66 p. 



