152 



William F. Hettler, Jr. 



spawning schools moving south for the winter were approaching the vicinity of 

 the inlet. At Ocracoke larvae increased from about 17 mm in early December to 

 27 mm by early January. During the remainder of winter, 25-28 mm Atlantic 

 menhaden were caught at both inlets until the end of the season at Ocracoke 

 when the size of larvae decreased to as small as 10 mm. These small menhaden 

 in April probably resulted from spawning south of Ocracoke Inlet by northerly- 

 moving adults. Small Atlantic menhaden were not collected at Oregon Inlet or at 

 Beaufort Inlet in April. 



Fig. 5. Mean standard length of six selected species offish larvae at Oregon Inlet 

 (solid line) and Ocracoke Inlet (dashed line), North Carolina, during the 1994-95 

 larval fish immigration period. Error bars equal ± 1 standard error. 



P. lethostxgma 



P. dentai 



01OCT OINOV OIDEC 01JAN 01FEB 01MAR OIAPR OlMAY 



01OCT 01NCV OIDEC 01JAN 01FEB OlMAR OIAPR OlMAY 



M. xindulafrus 



L. rhomboides 







i- 1 v^^^r-il 



, j "'V 



F 



' Y Y 



OlOCT OINOV OIDEC 01 JAN 01FEB 01 MAR OIAPR OlMAY 



01OCT OINOV OIDEC OIJAN 01FEB 01MAR OIAPR OlMAY 



B. tyrartrvus 



L. xanthurus 



OlOCT OINOV OIDEC OIJAN 01FEB 01MAR OIAPR OlMAY 



OlOCT OINOV OIDEC OIJAN 01FEB 01MAR OIAPR OlMAY 



Atlantic croaker increased >50% in length at both inlets between late 

 October and late December. Spawning of Atlantic croaker near Cape Hatteras 

 begins at least by early September, peaks in October, and is reduced by late 

 December with perhaps another peak in the spring (Morse 1980). Near Beaufort 

 Inlet, in Onslow Bay, Atlantic croaker were reported to spawn between mid Sep- 



