in the river (Fig. 13) was a result of Stage 1 and 2 larval densities. In the river, densities of Stage 3 larvae 

 were similar in 1983 and 1985, but both were lower than in 1984. The higher abundance of Stage 2 and 

 the lower abundance of Stage 3 larvae in 1985 compared to 1984 indicated higher mortality during Stage 

 2 to Stage 3 development in 1985. The Gompertz function was not fitted to Stage 1 larvae in the bay 

 because they were rarely collected there. Stage 2 abundance in the bay for 1984 and 1985 was much lower 

 than in the river; this was expected because it is during this developmental stage that the larvae are tidally 

 flushed from the river (NUSCo 1985). The low abundance of Stage 2 in the river compared to the bay 

 in 1983 may be due to undersampling of early Stage 2 larvae in river because of net extrusion. The large 

 decrease in abundance from Stage 3 to Stage 4 in the river and bay during all years was not completely 

 attributed to mortality, but probably represented an undersampling of the older larvae. At Stage 4 of 

 development, the left eye has migrated to or past the mid-line, the larvae become more demersal, and not 

 as susceptible to capture with a plankton net. The undersampling of Stage 4 larvae should have remained 

 constant from year to year; therefore, their decreasing frequency in the river and bay since 1983 probably 

 represented a decrease in abundance. 



Table 22. Larval winter flounder abundances and 95% asymptotic confidence 



intervals as estimated by the a parameter fi-oni the cumulative Gompertz 

 function. 



71 



