encompassed the vertical distribution of sardine eggs and larvae. 

 Wide-ranging joint biological and oceanographic survey cruises 

 were resumed in 194 9 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 quantitative ichthyoplankton sampling on 

 CalCOFI surveys. 



Data resulting from CalCOFI surveys in 1963 have been 

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

 Calif., SIO, 1963, 1964) and zooplankton volumes (Smith, 1971) 

 were presented in standard formats. Distributional maps of 

 larvae of 5 taxa taken on CalCOFI surveys during 1963 are 

 presented in the CalCOFI Atlas series: northern anchovy 

 (Engraulis mordax) , Kramer and Ahlstrom, 1968; jack mackerel 

 (Trachurus symmetricus) and Pacific hake (Merluccius productus) , 

 Ahlstrom, 1969; Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) , Kramer, 1970; 

 rockfish (Sebastes spp.), Ahlstrom et al., 1978. Distribution 

 data for northern anchovy and Pacific sardine larvae from 1951 to 

 1964 were summarized by Ahlstrom (1966). 



A computer data base for eggs and larvae of sardine and 

 anchovy, for larvae of hake, jack mackerel 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 1963 were subjected to an extensive 

 verification and editing process to produce this report. This 

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

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

 1988) 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 1963, CalCOFI survey cruises were conducted at quarterly 

 intervals. A total of 1008 stations included in this data base 

 was occupied on 4 cruises, with an average of 2 52 stations per 

 cruise (range 214-304) . Coverage of the survey station pattern 

 "aried among cruises and the entire survey area was not covered 

 on any single cruise (Figures 1-5, Table 1) . The area off 

 northern California (lines 40-57) was not covered. Central 

 California (lines 60-77) was covered by cruises made in January 

 and April. The area between Pt. Conception, California and Pt. 

 San Juanico, Baja California (lines 80-137) was surveyed on all 

 cruises. Line 140, off Cape San Lazaro, was occupied out to 



