In 1933, on t±ie 27th July, Taning observed a very large quantity of larvae off the south-east coast 

 of Iceland. In 1950, he discovered larvae less than 10 mm. in length in August along the entire 

 south coast: Cape Reykjanes, Selvogsbank, Ingolfschjovdi and Mjoa Fjord (east Cape Chodn): at 

 6 stations he made catches at depths above 55 to 164 m. 



TABLE 1. DISTRIBUTION OF HERRING LARVAE LESS THAN 10 MM. IN LENGTH 

 IN ICELAND REGION. 



The largest number of larvae --3,976 specimens-- was caught at station 591(64 13'N, 

 14 48'W), above a depth of 87 m, in the middle layers. In 1939, Taning found early stages of 

 herring larvae in two places: 63°33'N, 20°55'W (21st July) and 64°25'N, 25°03'W (29th July). 



On the basis of the data presented, one can consider that spawning of the summer-spawning 

 herring takes place along the entire south and south-west coast of Iceland. Very considerable 

 spawning was discovered off Cape Stoksnes, in the region of Portland (Cape Dircholei), near Cape 

 Reykjanes and off CajDe Snaefellsnes. In the first region herring larvae were discovered in 1933, 

 in the second in 1903 and 1927, off Reykjanes in 1904, 1927 and 1933 and near Cape Snaefellsnes 

 in 1924, 1925 and 1927 (see Figure 2). The largest quantity of small larvae was found above depths 

 of 74 to 110 m. At station 4583 (65°56'N, 13°40'W), larvae were caught above 175 m. Taning 

 supposes that these larvae had been carried down from shallower depths. 



On the basis of catches of early larval stages and an analysis of gonad maturity stages, one 

 can assume that spawning of the summer race begins at the end of June and beginning of July and 

 lasts to the end of August. The periods in which early stages of the larvae were found correspwnd 

 completely with the periods in which mature individuals are found. In the waters to the north of 

 Iceland, larvae of the early stages are not found. Hence, one may consider that the basic spawning 

 grounds are distributed in the southern regions. 







According to Taning's observations, the summer -spawning herring deposits its eggs at a 



temperature of 7° to 9.5° in a salinity of about 35. 



1/ From the number measured. 



170 



