identification of tychoplankton and meroplankton would indicate which 

 benthic habitats are most susceptible to entrainment impact. 



The effects of zooplankton on the natural variability of ichthyo- 

 plankton have not been adequately addressed by the zooplankton program. 

 The zooplankton availibility as a food source for larval fish might 

 influence larval survival. Recent field studies at Mt. Hope Bay, Rhode 

 Island (Brayton Point) demonstrated that anchovy and winter flounder 

 larval abundances were related to copepod nauplii and rotifer densities, 

 respectively (MRI 1981) . Anchovy larval growth and survival were directly 

 related to the density of copepod nauplii (Houde 1977, 1978). Food 

 availability has been related to winter flounder stocking density and 

 survival rate (Laurence 1977). Rotifers and copepod nauplii are too 

 small to be sampled by the presently used 0.333-mm-mesh net. A pumped 

 microzooplankton sampling technique (0. 044-mm-mesh net) would sample 

 rotifers and copepod nauplii, as well as, adult copepods and meroplankton 

 presently captured with the present 0.333-mm-mesh net. Concurrent 

 sampling with both techniques would determine if microzooplankton sampling 

 yields comparable estimates of larger copepodites and adult copepods 

 and meroplankton. If comparable, the present zooplankton sampling 

 (0.333-mm-mesh) could be replaced with microzooplankton sampling, except 

 that the larger less abundant tychoplankton would be processed from 

 0.333-mm-mesh ichthyoplankton samples. 



Predatory zooplankton can influence both zooplankton and larval 

 fish abundance. At Millstone, the lionsmane jellyfish ( Cyanea ) , siphono- 

 phores (of the genus Sarsia ) , and ctenophores ( Mnemiopsis leidyi ) are 

 possible zooplankton and larval fish predators. Seasonally these organisms 

 are very abundant in the Millstone area and studies have indicated that 



17 



