4 5 6 7 8 



TOTAL EGG PRODUCTION INDEX xlO 



10 



Figure 32. The relationship between the a parameter (y) as an index of the annual abundance of winter flounder 

 larvae entrained and the annual total egg production index (x) in the Niantic River from 1977 through 

 1985 with the fitted linear regression of: y = 1164.7 + 191.8 (x); r^ = 0.56. 



water temperature affecting growth and development. 

 Survival 



Thermal tolerance studies on larval winter flounder were conducted to estimate the effect of increased 

 temperatures on larvae during entrainment (NUSCo 1975). Larvae were grouped as pre-metamorphosed 

 (less than 5.0 mm) and metamorphosing (5.0 mm and larger). Larvae were exposed to a AT of 13 °C 

 using an acclimation temperature of 8 °C. Mortality increased with exposure time for pre-metamorphosed 

 larvae from 29% at 1 h, 48% at 2 h, 53% at 3 h, to 89% at 6 h. No mortality occurred for metamorphosing 

 larvae with exposures up to 9 h. Because most larvae entrained were 5.0 mm and larger (Fig. 31) and 



113 



