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Fishery Bulletin 106(3) 
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Figure 8 
Distribution in the eastern Bering Sea of the Alaska skate ( Bathyraja parmifera) at three life stages: (A) neonate, 
(B) immature, and (C) mature. Data are from a summertime (June- July) bottom trawl survey conducted on the eastern 
Bering Sea shelf from 20-200 m by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Dots represent a summation of catch per unit 
of effort (number skates/km 2 ) at each survey station for the eight survey years 2000-07. Life stages are defined as 
the following: neonate < 310 mm total length; immature = 310-920 mm total length; and adult > 920 mm total length. 
(D) Diagram of life-time movement patterns for the Alaska skate in the eastern Bering Sea based on summertime 
survey data. Young skates are distributed along the outer continental shelf edge where nursery sites occurred. The newly 
hatched skates move to the middle and inner shelf where they remain until returning to the outer continental shelf at 
maturity. 
(Pavlov and Pavlov, 1996; Luchin et al., 1999) and the 
nursery experiences relatively stable year-round water 
temperatures from 4.1° to 5. CPC. By comparison, middle 
shelf bottom waters are extremely cold throughout the 
year and may reach <0°C (Luchin et al., 1999; Lauth 
and Acuna, 2007). Annually the upper slope water may 
provide the most stable and relatively warm environ- 
ment for embryo development. 
