Otoliths from larval winter flounder collected in the Niantic River during 1984 were examined to 

 determine if an age-length key could be constructed from daily increments (NUSCo 1985). At least one 

 sample each week from all Niantic River stations was preserved with 95% ethanol and processed to obtain 

 approximately 50 larvae, if possible. All otoliths removed (1 to 4) from a larva were mounted and 

 examined with a compound microscope connected to a video monitor that provided a magnification of 

 approximately 5,000 X. If individual otoliths differed in size, the larger pair was assumed to be the sagitta 

 and used for counting increments. If no size difference was found, the otolith with the most distinct 

 increments was used. 



Winter flounder larvae were reared in the laboratory during 1985 to determine developmental time 

 and to verify daily otolith deposition (NUSCo 1986a). To examine the effect of starvation on growth, 

 larvae in one aquarium were not fed. Known-age larvae were routinely sacrificed to obtain otoliths for 

 aging verification and information on growth rate. Sampling frequency varied, with almost daily collections 

 during early development to approximately biweekly during later development when few larvae remained. 



Post-larval studies 



Abundance and distribution 



The CPUE of juveniles smaller than 15 cm taken in the Niantic River during the spawning season 

 was determined in a manner similar to that for adults. Their abundance at the trawl monitoring program 

 stations was also examined. Numbers of these fish, most of which were age 1 , provided information on 

 the relative strength of year-classes produced in local waters. In addition, during the surveys of 1981 and 

 1982, 6- to 15-cm juveniles were marked with freeze-brands to obtain abundance estimates using the Jolly 

 model. 



The abundance and distribution of young-of-the-year (age 0) winter flounder were first examined 

 during 1976 through 1978. Brief field studies were conducted in summer using various seines and trawls 

 and diver observations in the Niantic River (Table 5). Because of the small effort and difficulties in 

 quantifying diver observations without bias, these studies did not provide useful information and will not 

 be discussed further. 



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