coastal waters is excellent since the strong tidal currents 

 remove most of the fine sediments from the substrate. 



Benthic samples obtained in the field were separated, when 

 possible, into egg and substrate samples. Egg samples were 

 preserved in a buffered 5-10% formalin solution; sediment samples 

 were frozen. All samples were transported to the DMR Fisheries 

 Research Laboratory in Boothbay Harbor for analysis. A total of 

 107 grab samples and about 2 SCUBA samples were collected in the 

 fall of 1986. Of these, 72 of the grab samples and all the SCUBA 

 samples were from the LMB site while 14 grab samples were 

 collected at Libby Island. Egg and sediment samples collected in 



1985 were not analyzed. Sediment samples collected in July 1987 

 were frozen and transported to Boothbay Harbor for analysis. 



Egg mat samples collected in 1986 were subsampled (up to six 

 subsamples per sample) with a small plastic core of known 

 diameter. For mats of variable thickness, subsamples were taken 

 at an egual number of thin and thick locations in the mat; for 

 mats of more uniform thickness, subsamples were taken anywhere in 

 the sample. Eggs in each subsample were counted and mean egg 

 density and abundance (#/cc, #/m^) were estimated for each 

 sample. The number of dead eggs in each subsample was also 

 noted, as were any obvious differences in the stage of egg 

 development. Most of the observations and samples collected in 



1986 and 1987 were from Little Machias Bay (LMB) ; therefore, this 

 egg bed was singled out for special attention in this paper. 



RESULTS 



Information obtained from local fishermen in 1985 resulted 

 in the location of two spawning sites, a fairly large one east of 

 Jim's Head (site A) and a smaller one near Western Head in the 

 entrance to Cutler harbor (Site D) . A continuous mat of eggs was 

 first observed at Jim's Head in 3 m on September 9; these eggs 

 were deposited on a flat bottom which was composed primarily of 

 large shell fragments and gravel. The "edges" of this egg bed 

 were distinct. At the eastern perimeter, the sediment type 

 changed fairly abruptly to a much finer and more uniform sand and 

 shell fragment substrate with large ripples, showing evidence of 

 current action. No eggs were observed on rocks in shallower 

 water nearer the shoreline. A few eggs were seen at Western 

 Head on Sept. 12 in small, barely visible clumps and in small 

 continuous patches in a similar depth and substrate as was 

 observed at Jim's Head. 



Two egg beds were located in eastern Maine coastal waters in 

 1986, one east of the Libby Islands and another near the entrance 

 to Little Machias Bay (Fig. 4) . As in the previous year, the 

 initial information was obtained from fishermen. Herring 

 apparently spawned at Libby Island on the night of Sept. 7-8 and 

 at LMB on the night of Sept. 22-23. A large group of herring 

 were repeatedly observed with depth recorders at the LMB site for 

 about a week prior to spawning; samples of fish collected in a 



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