encompassed the vertical distribution of sardine eggs and larvae. 

 Wide-ranging joint biological and oceanographic survey cruises 

 were resumed in 1949 with sardine as the focus; however, an 

 increasing interest in other biological components resulted in 

 the deepening of standard tows to 140 m in 1951. This marked the 

 beginning of truly guantitative ichthyoplankton sampling on 

 CalCOFI surveys. 



Data resulting from CalCOFI surveys in 1969 have been 

 published in a number of forms. Hydrographic data (Univ. of 

 Calif., SIO, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980) and zooplankton volumes 

 (Smith, 1974) were presented in standard formats. Distri- 

 butional maps of larvae of 2 taxa taken on CalCOFI surveys during 

 1969 are presented in the CalCOFI atlas series: rockfish 

 (Sebastes spp.), Ahlstrom et al . , 1978; and northern anchovy 

 (Engraulis mordax) , Hewitt, 1980. 



A computer data base for eggs and larvae of sardine and 

 anchovy, for larvae of Pacific hake (Merluccius productus) , jack 

 mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus) and Pacific mackerel (Scomber 

 japonicus), and for eggs of Pacific saury [Cololabis saira) was 

 established in 1969. The development of a data base for other 

 fish larvae is a complex undertaking because competency of 

 identification has evolved steadily over the past 38 years. We 

 began the task of producing a CalCOFI ichthyoplankton data base 

 and associated data report series in 1983. All available 

 original records for 1969 were subjected to an extensive 

 verification and editing process to produce this report. This 

 and previous (Ambrose et al., 1987a, b,c; 1988a, b; Sandknop et 

 al., 1987a, b; 1988a, b,c; Stevens et al . , 1987a, b,c; 1988; Sumida 

 et al., 1987a, b; 1988a, b) and subsequent reports make the 

 CalCOFI ichthyoplankton and station data available to all 

 investigators and serve as guides to the computer data base. The 

 data base will be modified when additional errors are discovered 

 and when composite taxa from the earlier years are reidentif ied. 

 These reports are the fundamental reference documents against 

 which subsequent changes in the data base can be compared. 



SAMPLING AREA AND PATTERN 



In 1969, CalCOFI survey cruises were conducted at monthly 

 intervals, except for March and November. A total of 1724 

 stations included in this data base was occupied on 10 cruises, 

 with an average of 172 stations per cruise (range 93-315) . 

 Coverage of the survey station pattern varied among cruises and 

 the entire survey area was not covered on any single cruise 

 (Figures 1-13, Table 1). The area off northern California (lines 

 40-57) was covered on only one cruise (February) . Coverage off 

 central California (lines 60-77) was more consistent with all 

 major lines occupied in January, February, May, July, August, 

 October, and December. The area between Pt. Conception, 

 California, and Pt. San Juanico, Baja California (lines 80-137) 

 was occupied on cruises in February, April, July, October and 

 December; southerly coverage of this region stopped at Sebastian 



