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 1952 have been 

 published in a number of forms. Hydrographic data (Reid et al . , 

 1965), zooplankton volumes (Staff, SPFI, 1953; Thrailkill, 1956; 

 Smith, 1971) and ichthyoplankton data for selected species 

 (Ahlstrom, 1954) were presented in standard formats. The latter 

 lists counts for eggs and larvae of sardine and for larvae of 

 northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) , jack mackerel (Trachurus 

 symmetricus) , Pacific mackerel (Scomber japonicus) , Pacific hake 

 (Merluccius productus) , and rockfishes (Sebastes spp.). Also, 

 length freguencies are listed for sardine, anchovy, and jack 

 mackerel larvae. Distribution maps of larvae of 5 of these 

 taxa taken on CalCOFI surveys during 1952 are presented in the 

 CalCOFI Atlas series (Kramer and Ahlstrom, 1968; Ahlstrom, 1969; 

 Kramer, 1970; Ahlstrom et al., 1978). 



A computer data base for eggs and larvae of sardine and 

 anchovy and for larvae of hake, and the two mackerels 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 1952 were subjected to an extensive 

 verification and editing process to produce this report. This, 

 and previous (Ambrose et al., 1987) and subseguent 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 subseguent changes in the data base can be compared. 



SAMPLING AREA AND PATTERN 



In 1952, CalCOFI survey cruises were conducted at monthly 

 intervals, except during December. A total of 1491 stations 

 included in this data base was occupied on 11 cruises, with an 

 average of 135 stations per cruise (range of 88 - 227) . Coverage 

 of the survey station pattern varied among cruises and the entire 

 guarter-million sguare mile survey area was not covered on any 

 single cruise (Figures 1-12; Table 1). The area off northern 

 California (lines 40-57) was sampled only in June and July. 

 Coverage off central California (lines 60-77) was more consistent 

 with stations occupied monthly, from April to November. While 

 the area surveyed during 1952 was less extensive than in 1951, 

 the coverage between Pt. Conception, California and Pt. San 



