Conrath and Conners: Aspects of the reproductive biology of Enteroctopus dofleini in the Gulf of Alaska 
259 
species in Alaska waters, and additional data may aid 
in reduction of the variability of estimates of reproduc- 
tive parameters. 
Fecundity 
Fecundity in the Gulf of Alaska was found to be greater 
than previously reported for this species, although re- 
sults of this study did have some overlap with values 
reported from studies in Canada and Japan. The fe- 
cundity of this species in Japanese waters has been 
estimated to be from 30,000 to 100,000 eggs per fe- 
male (Kanamaru, 1964; Mottet, 1975; Sato, 1996). 
Gabe (1975) estimated a female in captivity in British 
Columbia had a realized fecundity of 35,000 eggs. We 
found higher mean fecundity values of 106,800 eggs per 
female in the Gulf of Alaska and these values had a 
significant positive relationship with the overall weight 
of the female. The values of fecundity from our study 
and the Japanese studies were estimates of potential 
fecundity and did not account for any losses that may 
have occurred because of either atresia or eggs not re- 
leased by a female. Realized or actual fecundity will 
be smaller than these values, although, for a semelpa- 
rous species, the difference may not be significant. The 
high fecundity of the North Pacific giant octopus, in 
combination with its short life span and relatively fast 
growth rate (High, 1976), indicates a potentially high 
rate of population productivity. However, commercial 
harvest should be managed conservatively because of 
a lack of knowledge about a variety of popula- 
tion parameters for this species in Alaska wa- 
ters, including recruitment rates, abundance, 
movement, and natural mortality. 
Conclusions 
This study improves our understanding of the 
reproductive biology of the North Pacific giant 
octopus in the Gulf of Alaska. The weight at 
maturity of about 14 kg for both males and 
females is larger than values reported for this 
species within other regions of the North Pacif- 
ic Ocean. The seasonality of reproduction also 
appears to be somewhat different in the Gulf 
of Alaska as well, where reproductive events 
occur a few months later than they do in Jap- 
anese waters. We also found higher fecundity 
for this species in this region. These data will 
aid in the management of this species complex 
and will be particularly important in guiding 
management decisions if fisheries for octopus- 
es develop within the Gulf of Alaska. 
Acknowledgments 
For valuable assistance rendered in field operations, 
we thank the following individuals from the Alaska 
Department of Fish and Game: P. Tschersich, P. Con- 
verse, and C. Worton. In addition, we wish to recognize 
the captain and crew of the FV Mythos, D. Kubiak, D. 
Dumm, and A. Barnett. We also thank researchers at 
the Kodiak Laboratory, including P. Cummiskey, and 
J. E. Munk, for assistance in construction of gear and 
diving operations. Lastly, we thank the Pacific cod 
pot fishermen who donated octopuses to this project. 
This project was funded by the North Pacific Research 
Board, project no. 906. 
Literature cited 
Conners, M. E., K. Aydin, and C. L. Conrath. 
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Cortez, T., B. G. Castro, and A. Guerra. 
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