126 



Fishery Bulletin 103(1) 



Bothus ocellatus/robinsi 



B 



Summer 



o 



o 

 o 





°00 



'o. 



*»«. 



•">« 



'■Wo, 



***«, 



2P0 7 



Brevoortia tyrannus 



Fish abundance 

 (larvae/100 m^) 





 • 0.001-1 



£ 1.001-10 

 ft 10.001-100 



100.001-1000 



Figure 14 



Distribution of Bothus ocellatus/robinsi in (A) spring, (B) summer, (C) fall, and ID) winter, and Brevoortia 

 tyrannus (E) in winter, across the shelf and across water masses. Transects for each cruise within a season are 

 offset from one another. The size of the circle for each station varies with fish concentration (larvae/100 m 3 ). 

 The shading for each circle varies with water mass. 



tial patterns in the distribution of larval fish. Further 

 physiochemical characteristics of the environment (e.g., 

 temperature, salinity, water masses) are highly associ- 

 ated with the structure of larval assemblages (Tables 4, 

 6, Fig. 9), again indicating a strong link between physi- 

 cal dynamics and larval distribution. However, patterns 

 in spawning and behaviorally modified vertical distribu- 

 tions also have an influence on larval distributions and 

 thus a simple two-dimensional passive model will not 

 adequately explain the distribution of larval fish on the 

 continental shelf off the coast of Georgia. 



The three regions defined in our study have impor- 

 tant implications for the consideration of MPAs on the 

 southeast United States shelf. The described cross-shelf 



zones (inner-, mid-, or outer-shelf) provide information 

 needed to protect spawning habitat of specific species 

 (e.g., Rhomboplites aurorubens spawns on the outer- 

 shelf; Table 2). Conversely, the species included in an 

 area under consideration for protection can also be 

 derived (e.g., Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary 

 potentially protects species spawning at the interface 

 between the inner- and mid-shelf. Table 2). Further, 

 spawning location information can be derived for sev- 

 eral species protected under the South Atlantic Fish- 

 eries Management Council's coastal migratory pelag- 

 ics management plan (e.g., Rachycentron canadum, 

 Scomberomorus cavalla, Scomberomorus maculatus, 

 or Coryphaena hippurus. Table 2), but individuals of 



