Scientific Program and Abstracts - Rosenstiel School of Marine and ...

Scientific Program and Abstracts

Sponsors and Contributors 

BMS 

BULLETIN 

OF MARINE 

SCIENCE 

37th Annual Larval Fish Conference Steering Committee 

Su Sponaugle, Chair* 

Robert K Cowen* 

John Lamkin § 

Barbara Muhling* 

Trika Gerard § 

Geoffrey Shideler* 

*University of Miami—RSMAS 

Rafael J Araújo* 

Sean Bignami* 

Jessica Luo* 

Evan D’Alessandro* 

Claire Paris* 

Akihiro Shiroza* 

§ 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 

© Program designed by Rafael J Araújo for the 37th Annual Larval Fish Conference and printed by AllenPress, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas 66044 U.S.A. 

The 37th Annual Larval Fish Conference poster was designed by Akihiro Shiroza. 

Learn about the artist’s work by visiting www.studioelcondor.com/aki.html 

Photographs courtesy of Evan D’Alessandro, Geoffrey Shideler, and Rafael J Araújo. Fish images courtesy of Akihiro Shiroza.

Welcome to Miami! 

We are delighted that you are able to 

join us for the 37th Annual Larval 

Fish Conference! This year, at the time of 

program printing, approximately 40% of 

the 142 attendees are students, 60% are 

professionals. Over 50% of the registrants 

were not members of the section at the 

time of registration. 

We are pleased to see that the conference 

has attracted a wide diversity of 

participants hailing from almost 100 

different institutions and 23 countries: 

Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, 

Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Israel, 

Japan, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Poland, 

Portugal, Saudia Arabia, South Korea, 

Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, 

United States. Welcome to all! 

This conference would not have been 

possible without the volunteer efforts 

of many! I thank the LFC Miami Steering 

Committee (listed on the facing page) and, 

particularly, Geoffrey Shideler and Rafael 

Araújo, for much of the heavy lifting from 

the conference inception! Both win the 

“Most Valuable Volunteer” Award! I also 

thank the students who have volunteered 

their time both before and during the 

conference. To our host institutions, the 

University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of 

Marine & Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) 

and NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science 

Center, many thanks! A very special thank 

you to Rose Mann and RSMAS for banquet 

hosting. Next to RSMAS, the Guy Harvey 

Foundation is our largest co-sponsor of 

the conference. Their financial backing has 

made the conference possible and we are 

truly grateful. Finally, Florida Sea Grant’s 

initial contribution gave us an early boost 

to start promoting the conference. 

I hope you will find the conference venue 

comfortable, the scientific presentations 

interesting, the social gatherings 

enjoyable, and the new friendships forged 

both productive and long-lasting. 

Su Sponaugle, PhD 

Steering Committee Chair, 

37th Annual Larval Fish Conference 

About the Annual Larval 

Fish Conference 

The Early Life History Section (ELHS) is 

an interest-discipline subunit of the 

American Fisheries Society (AFS) with 

an international membership of over 

400 scientists. It is the only organization 

of this kind devoted to interests in the 

early life history of freshwater, estuarine, 

and marine fishes, and related matters. 

Through its newsletter, Stages, the 

AFS’s ELHS encourages and facilitates 

exchange of knowledge and ideas, 

updates members on current research, 

publications, meetings, and other events, 

provides feature articles and reviews, and 

communicates Section and pertinent AFS 

business and concerns. 

The annual Larval Fish Conferences (LFC) 

that serve as the focal point of ELHS 

activities evolved from a series of informal, 

freshwater-oriented symposia that began 

in 1977. The current LFCs, which are hosted 

and sponsored by various organizations 

throughout the world, cover the complete 

spectrum of research (from all habitats 

and geographic locations) related to 

fish early life history. A list of all the LFCs 

can be found on the ELHS web page 

(larvalfishcon.org). The dates, locations, 

host institutions, and publications 

resulting from this and previous meetings 

are all available on the web site.

Conference 

Themes 

T 

he 37th Annual Larval Fish 

Conference will feature eight theme 

sessions focusing on a broad range of 

topics of interest to larval fish scientists 

worldwide. This is the second time this 

annual meeting will convene in Miami 

(the 10th conference was held at the 

University of Miami in 1986). The city’s 

proximity to the tropics offers a timely 

opportunity to examine current research 

into tropical reef fish as model species 

in ecology and management. We also 

want to contribute to the discussion of 

the effects of ocean acidification and 

environmental change on the early 

life history of fishes. In a third session, 

we plan to explore aspects of the 

reproduction and early life history of 

highly migratory species such as tunas, 

sharks, swordfishes, and billfishes; this 

session will have particular relevance 

to the CLIOTOP (Climate Impacts on 

Oceanic Top Predators) program. Our 

knowledge of predator-prey interactions 

in the ocean has continued to expand, 

thus a fourth session will encompass 

research on the state of knowledge on 

the structure of larval fish food webs. A 

fifth session will discuss recent advances 

in methodology applied to all aspects 

of the study of early life history of fishes. 

Session six will include presentations 

focusing on all aspects of the ecology 

of larval fishes. Finally, this year the 

conference will feature two sessions 

devoted to NOAA’s FATE (Fisheries and 

the Environment) program: session 

seven will include FATE presentations 

on larval fish studies and session eight 

will include FATE presentations on other 

topics.

Agenda at a glance 

8 AM 

9 AM 

10 AM 

11 AM 

2 Sunday 3 Monday 4 Tuesday 5 Wednesday 6 Thursday 

Registration 8:00–8:30 

Welcoming Remarks 8:30–8:40 Announcements 8:30–8:40 Announcements 8:30–8:40 Announcements 8:50–9:00 

Plenary: John Dower 8:40–9:15 Plenary: Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz 8:40–9:15 Plenary: Jon Hare 8:40–9:15 

Session 8A 9:00–10:00 Session 6B 9:00–10:00 

Session 1A 9:20–10:00 Session 3B 9:20–10:00 Session 5A 9:20–10:00 Session 6B 9:20–10:00 Session 5A 9:20–10:00 Session 7B 9:20–10:00 

Coffee Break 10:00–10:20 Coffee Break 10:00–10:20 Coffee Break 10:00–10:20 Coffee Break 10:00–10:20 

Session 5A 10:20–12:00 

Session 6B 10:20–11:20 

Session 3B 10:20–11:40 

Session 1A 10:20–12:00 

Session 5A 10:20–12:00 Session 6B 10:20–12:00 ELHS Brainstorming Session 7B 10:20–12:00 

Session 11:00–12:00 

Session 8A 10:20–12:20 

Noon 

Lunch Break 12:00–1:40 Lunch Break 12:00–1:40 Lunch Break 12:00–1:40 

1 PM 

2 PM 

Session 4A 1:40–3:20 Session 6B 1:40–3:20 Session 5A 1:40–3:20 Session 2B 1:40–3:20 Session 6A 1:40–3:20 Session 8B 1:40–3:20 

3 PM 

Coffee Break 3:20–3:50 Coffee Break 3:20–3:50 Coffee Break 3:20–3:50 

4 PM 

Session 4A 3:50–4:50 Session 6B 3:50–5:10 Session 5A 3:50–5:10 Session 2B 3:50–5:10 Session 6A 3:50–4:50 

Session 2B 3:50–5:30 

5 PM 

Welcome and 

Registration 

ELH Business Meeting 5:30–7:00 

6 PM 

5:00–7:00 

Poster Session 5:30–7:30 

Bus Departs Hotel to Banquet 6:30 PM 

(...) Banquet and Award Winner Announcements 

10 PM 

7:00–10:00 PM (bus departure begins at 10:00 PM) 

37TH ANNUAL LARVAL FISH CONFERENCE THEMES SESSION CHAIR 

Reef fish as model species in ecology and management 1 Lee Fuiman 

Ocean acidification/climate change impacts on the early life history stages of fishes 2 Chris Chambers, Sean Bignami 

Reproduction and early life history of highly migratory species 3 Barbara Muhling 

Larval food webs and predator-prey interactions 4 Joel Llopiz 

Advances and novel application of methods for the study of early life history stages of fishes 5 Bob Cowen, Scott Holt, Klaus Huebert 

Ecology of early life history stages of larval fishes 6 Tom Hurst, Jeff Leis, Tony Miskiewicz, Joan Holt 

FATE Science Meeting (Larval fish studies) 7 John Lamkin 

FATE Science Meeting (Other studies) 8 Sam McClatchie, Mandy Karnauskas 

• • The Registration/Information Desk will be located between the Palm Terrace 

and the Asian Gardens and will be open everyday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. 

• • Plenaries and conference sessions indicated with the letter A will convene in 

the Crystal Ballroom. 

• • Conference sessions indicated with the letter B will assemble in the Alexander 

Rooms. 

• • Posters will be on display in the Kentia Rooms. 

• • The banquet, award ceremony and auction will take place on the campus of 

the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric 

Science on Virginia Key (transportation from and to the hotel is provided).

Agenda 

37 th Annual Larval Fish Conference 

Miami’s Freedom Tower, a 

US Historic Landmark, was 

completed in 1925 as the 

headquarters and printing press 

site of The Miami Times. Today, 

the buiding is part of the Wolfson 

Campus of Miami Dade College. 

The structure is an example of 

the Mediterranean Revival style 

and is traditionally regarded as a 

memorial to Cuban immigration 

to the United States. 

Sunday, June 2, 2013 

Palm Terrace/Asian Gardens 

5:00–7:00 PM 

Registration 

Cabana Rooftop Pool 

5:00–7:00 PM 

Welcome Reception 

Monday, June 3, 2013 • Morning 

Palm Terrace/Asian Gardens 

8:00 AM–3:00 PM 

Registration 

Crystal Ballroom 

8:30–8:40 AM 

Su Sponaugle, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric 

Science, 37 th Annual Larval Fish Conference Steering Committee Chair 

WELCOMING REMARKS 

Plenary Talk 

8:40–9:15 AM 

John Dower, University of Victoria, Canada 

Progress and challenges in studying the feeding and growth of 

larval fish under natural field conditions 

Session 1: Reef Fish As Model Species in Ecology And Management 

Chair: Lee A. Fuiman, University of Texas at Austin 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Shulzitski, K., Sponaugle, S., Cowen, R.K. 

REEF FISH LARVAE GROW FASTER IN MESOSCALE EDDIES 

Miami 2013 Larval Fish Conference • 6 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Pattrick, P., Strydom, N.A. 

OCCURRENCE OF LARVAL AND SETTLEMENT STAGE FISHES ON VARYING REEF 

TYPES IN ALGOA BAY, SOUTH AFRICA, WITH NOTES ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF 

LIGHT TRAPS AS A SAMPLING TOOL 

10:00–10:20 AM Coffee Break 

10:20–10:40 AM 

Miller, S.E., Bartlett, L.S., Oxenford, H.A., Vallès, H. 

CONTRASTING PATTERNS IN SETTLEMENT DENSITIES OF CO-OCCURRING REEF 

FISH TAXA: EFFECTS OF PATCH SIZE 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Staaterman, E., Paris, C.B., Kough, A.S., Claro, R., Lindeman, K. 

EFFECTS OF INTER-ANNUAL CLIMATOLOGY ON LARVAL TRANSPORT FROM 

SNAPPER SPAWNING AGGREGATIONS IN CUBA 

11:00–11:20 AM 

Mayorga Adame, C.G., Batchelder, H.P., Strub, T. 

LARVAL FISH CONNECTIVITY IN THE KENYAN-TANZANIAN CORAL REEF REGION: 

RESULTS FROM PARTICLE TRACKING SIMULATIONS 

11:20–11:40 AM 

Holstein, D.M., Paris, C.B., Mumby, P.J. 

CONSISTENCY AND INCONSISTENCY IN MULTISPECIES POPULATION NETWORK 

DYNAMICS OF CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS 

11:40–Noon 

D’Alessandro, E.K., Sponaugle, S. 

EXAMINING THE PROCESS OF SETTLEMENT: COMPARATIVE PREDATION RATES ON 

LARVAL SNAPPERS (LUTJANIDAE) IN OCEANIC, REEF, AND NEARSHORE WATERS

Sunday, June 2, 2013 

Palm Terrace/Asian Garden 

5:00–7:00 PM 

Welcome and Registration 

Monday, June 3, 2013 

Palm Terrace/Asian Garden 

8:00 AM–5:00 PM 

Registration 

Alexander Room 

8:30–8:40 AM 


SLarval Fish Conference Organizing Committee Chair 

WELCOMING REMARKS 

Plenary Talk 

Banquet and Award Winner Announcements 

Please join us Wednesday April 5 (7:00–10:00 PM) on the campus of the 

University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science to 

enjoy an evening of Caribbean-themed food and music on Biscayne Bay. We 

will be announcing the winners of the Sally Leonard Richardson and John H.S. 

Blaxter awards and holding the annual auction to raise funds for the Blaxter 

Award. Buses will be departing from the Mayfair Hotel at 6:30 PM. Return trips 

will begin at 10:00 PM. 

Monday, June 3, 2013 • Morning 


Session 3: Reproduction and Early Life History of Highly Migratory Species 

Chair: Barbara Muhling, University of Miami—RSMAS 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Muhling, B.A., Reglero, P., Ciannelli, L., Alvarez-Berastegui, D., Alemany, F., 

Lamkin, J.T., Roffer, M.A. 

COMPARING ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LARVAL BLUEFIN TUNA 

(THUNNUS THYNNUS) HABITAT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND WESTERN 

MEDITERRANEAN SEA 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Franks, J., Tilley, J., Gibson, D., Comyns, B., Hoffmayer, E. 

AGE ESTIMATES FOR LARVAL ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA (THUNNUS THYNNUS) 

FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO 

Many barrier islands and keys cradle the coastline of south Florida. These 

islands contain sensitive ecosystems—such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, 

and seagrasses—that harbor a unique mosaic of plant and animal species 

such as the Blue Heron and Ibises pictured here feeding at low tide on a 

seagrass bed in Virginia Key. 


10:20–10:40 AM 

Cornic, M., Alvarado Bremer, J.R. Rooker, J.R. 

INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND 

ABUNDANCE OF TUNA LARVAE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Reglero, P., Ciannelli, L., Balbín, R., Alvarez-Berastegui, D., Alemany, F.J. 

INTERANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABILITY INFLUENCES THE ANNUAL AND 

SPATIAL OVERLAP OF TUNA SPECIES DURING THE LARVAL STAGE 

11:00–11:20 AM 

Kitchens, L.L., Rooker, J.R. 

HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF DOLPHINFISH LARVAE (CORYPHAENA SPP.) IN THE 

NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO 

11:20–11:40 AM 

Scholey, V., Margulies, D., Wexler, J., Stein, M. 

STUDIES OF TUNA EARLY LIFE HISTORY CONDUCTED AT THE INTER-AMERICAN 

TROPICAL TUNA COMMISION (IATTC) ACHOTINES LABORATORY, 2012–2013 

11:40–Noon 

D’Alessandro, E.K., Sponaugle, S. 

EXAMINING THE PROCESS OF SETTLEMENT: COMPARATIVE PREDATION RATES ON 

LARVAL SNAPPERS (LUTJANIDAE) IN OCEANIC, REEF, AND NEARSHORE WATERS 

Miami 2013 Larval Fish Conference • 7

Monday, June 3, 2013 • Afternoon 


Session 4: Larval Food Webs and Predator-Prey Interactions 

Chair: Joel Llopiz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 

1:40–2:00 PM 

Llopiz, J.K. 

THE FEEDING OF FISH LARVAE AND THEIR ROLE IN PLANKTONIC FOOD WEBS: 

WHERE HAVE WE BEEN AND WHERE ARE WE GOING? 

2:00–2:20 PM 

Vinagre, C., Dias, M., Roma, J., Silva A. 

ROCKY REEF POOLS AS NURSERY AREAS FOR FISH LARVAE: FOOD WEB NETWORK 

MODELS 

2:20–2:40 PM 

Laiz-Carrion, R., Uriarte, A., Quintanilla, J.M., Cabrero, A., Hernandez De 

Rojas, A., Rodriguez-Fernandez, L., Rodriguez, J.M., Gago, J., Pinheiro, C., Bode, 

A., Garcia, A. 

EARLY LIFE TROPHIC ECOLOGY OF EUROPEAN HAKE MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS BY 

STABLE ISOTOPES ANALYSIS 

2:40–3:00 PM 

Ayala, D.J. 

CANNIBALISM OF LARVAL LESSER SANDEELS (AMMODYTES MARINUS) IN THE 

NORTH SEA 

3:00–3:20 PM 

Hauff, M.J., Sponaugle, S., Walter, K.D., D’Alessandro, E., Cowen, R.K. 

NUTRITIONAL CONDITION OF CORAL REEF FISH LARVAE VARIES WITH DISPERSAL 

HISTORY: A SPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF LARVAL GROWTH AND RNA/DNA RATIOS IN 

THE CONTEXT OF POPULATION CONNECTIVITY 

Monday, June 3, 2013 • Afternoon 


Session 6: Ecology of Early Life History Stages of Larval Fishes 

Chair: Tom P. Hurst, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

1:40–2:00 PM 

Deary, A.L., Hilton, E.J. 

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PHARYNGEAL JAWS IN THE DRUMS (SCIAENIDAE) OF THE 

CHESAPEAKE BAY WITH COMPARISONS TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY 

2:00–2:20 PM 

Miskiewicz, A.G. 

ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL USE OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND PIGMENTATION 

CHARACTERS DURING LARVAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF 

GOBIIDAE 

2:20–2:40 PM 

De Forest, L.G., Duffy-Anderson, J.T., Heintz, R.A., Matarese, A.C., Siddon, E.C., 

Smart, T.I., Spies, I.B. 

ECOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF THE EARLY LIFE STAGES OF ARROWTOOTH 

FLOUNDER (ATHERESTHES STOMIAS) AND KAMCHATKA FLOUNDER (A. 

EVERMANNI) IN THE EASTERN BERING SEA 

2:40–3:00 PM 

Deary, A.L., Pattrick, P., Strydom, N. 

COMPARISON OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND OSSIFICATION OF THE CRANIUM 

IN TWO SPECIES OF SOUTH AFRICAN DRUM (SCIAENIDAE), ARGYROSOMUS 

JAPONICUS AND A. THORPEI 

3:00–3:20 PM 

Perez, K.O., Fuiman, L.A. 

ADULT DIET AND LARVAL DIET INFLUENCE SURVIVOR SKILLS OF RED DRUM 

LARVAE 

3:20–3:50 PM Coffee Break 3:20–3:50 PM Coffee Break 

3:50–4:10 PM 

Greer, A.T., Cowen, R.K., Hare, J.A., Guigand, C.M. 

FINE SCALE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS OF LARVAL FISHES TO PLANKTONIC 

PREDATORS AND PREY: THE IMPACT OF INTERNAL WAVES 

4:10–4:30 PM 

Pitois S.G., Armstrong, M. 

THE GROWTH OF LARVAL ATLANTIC COD AND HADDOCK IN THE IRISH SEA: A 

MODEL WITH TEMPERATURE, PREY SIZE, AND TURBULENCE FORCING 

4:30–4:50 PM 

Shoji, J., Fukuta, A., Schubert, P., Chapman, A., Haukebø, T. 

VARIABILITY IN PREDATION RISK OF JUVENILE FISHES IN SEAGRASS BEDS 

EVALUATED FROM PISCIVOROUS FISH BIOMASS AND PREDATION RATES FROM 

TROPICAL TO SUBARCTIC ZONES 

3:50–4:10 PM 

Morissette, O., Sirois, P., Legault, M., Verreault, G., Lecomte, F. 

RAPID ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTINGENTS IN A RECENTLY REINTRODUCED 

STRIPED BASS POPULATION IN THE ST. LAWRENCE ESTUARY (QUEBEC, CANADA) 

4:10–4:30 PM 

Duffy-Anderson, J.T., Ciannelli, L., Vestfals, C., Sohn, D., Stockhausen, W., 

Ianelli, J., Hoff, G. 

ECOLOGY OF GREENLAND HALIBUT (REINHARDTIUS HIPPOGLOSSOIDES) IN 

CANYON AND SLOPE HABITATS OF THE EASTERN BERING SEA 

4:30–4:50 PM 

Malca, E., Vásquez-Yeomans, L., Morales, S., Carrillo, L., Sosa-Cordero, E. 

Schultz, T., Morris, J. 

DISTRIBUTION OF LARVAL LIONFISH (PTEROIS VOLITANS) IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA 

4:50–5:10 PM 

Alvarez, I., Catalan, I.A., Rodriguez, J.M., Balbin, R., Alvarez, D., Aparicio, A., 

Hidalgo, J.M., Alemany, F. 

MESOSCALE DYNAMICS OF THE SUMMER LARVAL FISH ASSEMBLAGES AROUND 

THE BALEARIC ISLANDS (NW MEDITERRANEAN) 


Poster Session Poster number in [brackets] 

Monday, June 3, 2013 • 5:30–7:30 PM 

Kentia Rooms 

Session 1: Reef Fish as Model Species in Ecology and Management 

[1] Gonçalves, E.J., Faria, A.M. 

EARLY DEVELOPMENT AND LARVAL BEHAVIOR OF TWO CLINGFISH SPECIES (GOBIESOCIDAE) 

[2] Goldstein, E.D., Sponaugle, S. 

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY IN DAMSELFISH EARLY LIFE HISTORY TRAITS AND 

SURVIVAL IN THE FLORIDA KEYS 

[3] Kerber, C.E., Silva, P.K.A., Dos Santos, P.A., Sanches, E.G. 

CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURE OF EARLY LIFE STAGES OF DUSKY GROUPER EPINEPHELUS 

MARGINATUS (LOWE, 1834) IN BRAZIL 

Session 3: Reproduction and Early Life History of Highly Migratory Species 

[4] Elking, B.A., Rulifson, R.A. 

MATERNAL TRANSFER OF STRIPED BASS: DETERMINING A MOTHER’S LIFE HISTORY STRATEGY 

FROM THE OFFSPRING 

Session 4: Larval Food Webs and Predator-Prey Interactions 

[5] Okazaki, Y., Kubota, H., Takasuka, A., Sakaji, H. 

COMPARISON OF FEEDING ECOLOGY BETWEEN TWO CO-OCCURRING CLUPEOID SPECIES 

[6] Garcia, A., Laiz-Carrión, R., Morote, E., Quintanilla, J.M., Uriarte, A., Rodriguez, J.M., Cortés, 

D., Alemany, F. 

FIRST APPROACH OF THE EARLY LIFE RELATIVE TROPHIC LEVEL SPECTRA BY STABLE ISOTOPE 

ANALYSIS OF BLUEFIN (THUNNUS THYNNUS) AND ITS ASSOCIATED TUNA SPECIES OF THE 

BALEARIC SEA 

[7] Uriarte, A., Quintanilla, J.M., Garcia, A., Pinheiro, C., Bode A., Laiz-Carrion, R. 

LIPID CORRECTION FOR STABLE ISOTOPES ANALISIS IN EUROPEAN HAKE MERLUCCIUS 

MERLUCCIUS EARLY JUVENILES 

Session 5: Advances and Novel Application of Methods for the Study of Early Life 

History Stages of Fishes 

[8] Ayala, D.J., Munk, P., Riemann, L. 

MOLECULAR ANALYSES OF SARGASSO SEA FISH LARVAE ENABLE FIRST-TIME LARVAL 

DESCRIPTIONS 

[9] Shiroza, A., Privoznik, S.l. 

KEY TO IDENTIFICATIONS OF COMMON SPECIES OF LARVAL SEA BASSES AND HAMLETS (FAMILY 

SERRANIDAE, SUBFAMILY SERRANINAE) IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC AND THE CARIBBEAN 

[10] Rodríguez-Fernández, L., Leal, A., Lago, M.J., Laiz-Carrión, R., Sánchez, F.J., Piñeiro, C. 

EFFECTS OF PRESERVATION METHOD ON EUROPEAN HAKE MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS LARVAE SIZE 

[11] Catalan, I.A., Dunand, A., Álvarez, I., Alós, J., Nash, R. 

AN EVALUATION OF SAMPLING METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING SETTLEMENT OF TEMPERATE FISH 

ONTO SEAGRASS MEADOWS 

[12] Huebert, K.B., Peck, M.A. 

INCORPORATING MORPHOMETRIC TRAITS INTO PHYSIOLOGICAL MODELS OF MARINE FISH 

LARVAE 

Session 2: Ocean Acidification/Climate Change Impacts on the Early Life History 

Stages of Fishes 

[13] Freeburg, E.W., Rhyne, A., Hannigan, R. 

LABORATORY OCEAN ACIDIFICATION METHODOLOGY USING A HOBBYIST REED TANK CONTROLLER 

Monday, June 3, 2013 • 5:30–7:30 PM 

Kentia Rooms 


[14] Larouche, T., Sirois, P., Legault, L., Dodson, J.J., Lecomte, F. 

LIVING ON THE EDGE: SPAWNING DYNAMIC OF THE NORTHERNMOST POPULATION OF AMERICAN 

SHAD IN AN ALTERED RIVERSCAPE (ST. LAWRENCE RIVER, QUEBEC, CANADA) 

[15] Randall, L., Rooker, J.R. 

OCEAN INFLUENCES ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF FLYINGFISH LARVAE IN THE 

NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO 

[16] Keyes-Pulido, S., Aké-Canul, R., Burad-Méndez, A., Méndez-Campos, H., Varguez- 

Soberanis, D., Ordóñez-López, U. 

FISH LARVAE ASSOCIATED WITH A HYPERSALINE GRADIENT IN A COASTAL LAGOON IN THE 

YUCATÁN PENINSULA, MEXICO 

[17] Morales, S., Vásquez-Yeomans, L., Carrillo, L., Malca, E., Privoznik, S., Lamkin J.T. 

PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF THE LARVAL FISH DISTRIBUTION IN THE LOOP CURRENT IN THE GULF 

OF MEXICO AFTER THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL 

[18] Luzuriaga De Cruz, M. 

SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIATION OF ICHTHYOPLANKTON ABUNDANCE IN FRONT OF ECUADORIAN 

COAST (2000–2010) 

[19] Macedo-Soares, L.c.p., Freire, A.s., Muelbert, J.h. 

BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL EFFECTS IN MESOSCALE ICHTHYOPLANKTON 

COMPOSITION IN THE SW ATLANTIC 

[20] Rodriguez, J.M., Cabrero, A., Alvarez, P., Fletcher, C., Hernandez De Rojas, A., Gago, J., 

Garcia, A., Herreros, M., Laiz-Carrión, R., Vergara-Castaño, A., Piñeiro, C. And Saborido-Rey, F. 

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE LARVAL FISH COMMUNITY OFF THE NW IBERIAN PENINSULA, IN 

THE LATE WINTER 2012 

[21] Torquato, F.O., Muelbert, J.H. 

PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCE ON THE VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ENGRAULIS ANCHOITA 

LARVAE IN AN UPWELLING SYSTEM 

[22] Pattrick, P., Strydom, N.A. 

ECOLOGY OF EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES OF FISHES IN VARIOUS HABITATS IN ALGOA BAY, SOUTH 

AFRICA 

[23] Schmitt, V.B., Muelbert, J.H. 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTING TO SMALL SCALE TRANSPORT AND COMPOSITION 

OF ICHTHYOPLANKTON AT THE MOUTH OF A SUBTROPICAL ESTUARY 

[24] Pawelczyk, A., Fey, D.P., Wozniczka, A. 

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE BALTIC SPRING-SPAWNING HERRING LARVAE, CLUPEA 

HARENGUS MEMBRAS (L.), IN THE ODRA ESTUARY (POLAND) 

[25] Matarese, A.C., Blood, D A., De Forest, L.G., Napp, J.M. 

GULF OF ALASKA INTEGRATED ECOSYSTEM PROGRAM: OBSERVATIONS ON THE LARVAL FISH 

COMMUNITIES IN THE EASTERN AND WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA FROM 2011 FIELD COLLECTIONS 

(Continues next page) 


Poster Session Poster number in [brackets] 

Monday, June 3, 2013 • 5:30–7:30 PM 

Kentia Rooms 

Session 6: Ecology of Early Life History Stages of Larval Fishes (Continued) 

[26] Garsi, L.H., Agostini, S., Durieux, E.D.H., Bisgambiglia, P.A., Pasqualini, V., Ternengo, S., 

Garrido, M., Gerigny, O., Perrin-Santoni, A. 

NEW APPROACH IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA ON THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTRIBUTION 

AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF FISHES’ POST-LARVAE OF CORSICAN COASTS 

[27] Rodríguez-Fernández, L., Quintanilla, J., García, A., Cabanas, J.M., Piñeiro, C. 

SEASONAL GROWTH RATE VARIABILITY OF YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR EUROPEAN HAKE (MERLUCCIUS 

MERLUCCIUS) BASED ON OTOLITH MICRO-STRUCTURE ANALYSIS 

[28] Doering, K.l., Stowell, M.a., Ciannelli, L., Prahl, F.g. 

COMPARISON OF JUVENILE ENGLISH SOLE LIPID CONTENT AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION IN 

COASTAL AND ESTUARINE HABITATS 

[29] Berenshtein, I., Kiflawi, M., Shashar, N., Wieler, U., Agiv, H., Paris, C.b. 

THE USE OF POLARIZED LIGHT FOR ORIENTATION IN CORAL REEF FISH LARVAE 

[30] Yam-Poot, G., Sosa-Cordero, E., Vasquez Yeomans, L., Lamkin, J.T. 

REEF FISH RECRUITMENT IN THE MEXICAN CARIBBEAN, DEVELOPING AN INDEX BASED UPON A 

SIMPLE, LOW COST TRAP 

[31] Faillettaz, R., Irisson, J.O. 

DRIVERS OF TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF LARVAL FISH RECRUITMENT IN VILLEFRANCHE BAY 

(NORTHWESTERN MEDITERRANEAN) OVER A SEVEN-YEAR TIME SERIES (2006–2012) 

[32] Matarese, A.C., De Forest, L.G., Duffy-Anderson, J.T., Smart, T.I., Spies, I.B. 

IDENTIFCATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE EARLY LIFE STAGES OF ARROWTOOTH (ATHERESTHES 

STOMIAS) AND KAMCHATKA FLOUNDER (A. EVERMANNI) IN THE EASTERN BERING SEA 

[33] Baensch, F. 

FROM OCEAN TO CULTURE TO CAMERA: “CAPTURING” THE TRUE BEAUTY IN A MARINE FISH’S 

EARLY LIFE HISTORY 

[34] Snyder, D.E., Bjork, C.L. 

ILLUSTRATIONS OF LARVAL AND JUVENILE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOUNTAIN WHITEFISH 

[35] Snyder, D.E., Bjork, C.L. 

ILLUSTRATIONS OF LARVAL AND JUVENILE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAINS TOPMINNOW 

[36] Clausen, K.C., Ditty, J.G. 

IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAE IN THE FAMILY EXOCOETIDAE (FLYINGFISHES) 

[37] Jimenez-Rosenberg, S.P.A., Sanchez-Velasco, L., Ordoñez-Guillen, F.E. 

FISH LARVAE IN THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE OF THE UPPER GULF OF CALIFORNIA (JUNE 2008, JUNE 

2010) 

[38] Jimenez-Rosenberg, S.P.A., Gonzalez-Navarro, E., Saldierna-Martinez, R.J., Aceves- 

Medina, G. 

ELOPOMORPHA LEPTOCEPHALUS LARVAE FROM THE MEXICAN PACIFIC 

[39] Vasquez-Yeomans, L., Morales, S., Valdez-Moreno, M., Acevedo, D., Martínez, A., Carrillo, 

L., Malca, E. Victor, B. 

FISH LARVAE CHECKLIST (PISCES) FROM NORTH OF THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA 


Agenda 37 th Annual Larval Fish Conference 

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 • Morning 


8:30–8:40 AM 



ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Plenary Talk 

8:40–9:15 AM 

Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

OVERCOMING THE LIMITATIONS OF TRADITIONAL IDENTIFICATION METHODS: 

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES IN FISH EARLY LIFE 

HISTORY STUDIES 

Session 5: Advances and Novel Application of Methods for the Study of 

the Early Life History Stages of Fishes 

Chair: Bob Cowen, University of Miami—RSMAS 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Jina, O., Sung, K. 

MASSIVE FISH EGG SPECIES IDENTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY ON SPAWNING 

ECOLOGY OF FISH USING PYROSEQUENCING 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Favero, J.M., Katsuragawa, M., Zani-Teixeira, M.L., Turner, J.T. 

NEW METHODOLOGY TO IDENTIFY ENGRAULIDAE EGGS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN 

BRAZILIAN BIGHT 


10:20–10:40 AM 

Hernandez, F.J., Carassou, L., Graham, W.M., Powers, S.P. 

EVALUATION OF THE TAXONOMIC SUFFICIENCY APPROACH FOR 

ICHTHYOPLANKTON 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Vasquez-Yeomans, L., Morales, S., Valdez-Moreno, M., Acevedo, D., Martínez, A., 

Carrillo, L., Malca, E. Victor, B. 

IMPROVING THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES OF 

ELOPOMORPH FISHES IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN USING DNA BARCODING 

11:00–11:20 AM 

Konstantinidis, P., Olsson, L., Hilton, E. 

HOMOLOGY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LARVAL FISHES FOR MORPHOLOGICAL 

AND PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES, WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE JAW MUSCULATURE 

OF ACTINOPTERYGIAN FISHES 

11:20–11:40 AM 

Wilcox Freeburg, E.D., Rhyne, A.L., Hannigan, R.E. 

A PICTURE IS WORTH ONE THOUSAND WORDS: IMAGE ANALYSIS TOOLS FOR 

OTOLITH STUDIES 

11:40–Noon 

Cowen, R.K., Guigand, C., Greer, A.T., Luo, J.Y. 

IN SITU ICHTHYOPLANKTON IMAGING SYSTEM (ISIIS): DESIGN, CAPABILITIES, 

AND RESULTS FROM CASE STUDIES 

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 • Morning 



Chair: Jeff Leis, Australian Museum 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Chambers, R.C. 

TIME AND TIMING IN THE ECOLOGY OF MARINE FISH EARLY LIFE-STAGES 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Alós, J., Catalán, I.A., Arlinghaus, R., Palmer, M., Basterretxea, G., Jordi, A., 

Morales-Nin, B. 

TOWARDS THE ROLE OF DISPERSAL OF EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES IN 

EVOLUTIONARY FISHERIES 


10:20–10:40 AM 

Paulsen, M., Clemmesen, C., Hammer, C., Polte, P., Von Dorrien, C., Malzahn, A. 

HABITAT SPECIFIC GROWTH PATTERNS IN LARVAL HERRING (CLUPEA HARENGUS) 

IN THE WESTERN BALTIC SEA 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Makrakis, M.C., Silva, P.S., Assumpção, L., Makrakis, S., Xavier, R., Fogaça, P.L.C. 

SPAWNING OF NEOTROPICAL FISH SPECIES DOWNSTREAM OF IGUAÇU FALLS, 

IGUAÇU RIVER–IGUAÇU NATIONAL PARK 

11:00–11:20 AM 

Boucher, J.M., Chen, C., Sun, Y., Beardsley, R.C. 

MODELING INTERANNUAL VARIABILITY IN LARVAL SURVIVAL OF GEORGES BANK 

HADDOCK, MELANOGRAMMUS AEGLEFINUS, WITH FOCUS ON THE UNUSUAL 2003 

RECRUITMENT EVENT 

11:20–11:40 AM 

Polte, P., Heiler, J., Beyer, S., Moll, D., Kotterba, P. 

HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF EARLY HERRING (CLUPEA 

HARENGUS L.) LIFE STAGES IN A SHALLOW WESTERN BALTIC LAGOON 

11:40–Noon 

Flores-Coto, C., Sanvicente-Añorve, L., Zavala-Hidalgo, J., Funes-Rodríguez, R. 

BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE LARVAL FISH 

ASSEMBLAGES IN THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO 


Tuesday, June 4, 2013 • Afternoon 

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 • Afternoon 




Early Life History Stages of Fishes 

Chair: Scott Holt, University of Texas at Austin 

Session 2: Ocean Acidification/Climate Change Impacts on the Early 

Life History Stages of Fishes 

Chair: Chris Chambers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

1:40–2:00 PM 

Malanski, E., Muelbert, J.H. 

MEASURING SMALL ORGANISMS UNDER MICROSCOPE: THE CASE FOR FISH 

LARVAE 

1:40–2:00 PM 

Sswat, M., Clemmesen, C., Jutfelt, F., Riebesell, U. 

IMPACT OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND WARMING ON LARVAE OF COMMERCIALLY 

IMPORTANT FISH SPECIES 

2:00–2:20 PM 

Vikebø F.B., Rønningen, P., Lien, V.S., Meier, S., Grøsvik, B.E. 

THE USE OF DISPERSANTS TO COMBAT OIL SPILLS MODIFIES THE EXPOSURE RATE 

OF FISH EGGS AND LARVAE TO POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS 

2:00–2:20 PM 

Bignami, S., Enochs, I.C., Manzello, D.P., Sponaugle, S., Cowen, R.K. 

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ALTERS THE OTOLITHS OF A PANTROPICAL FISH SPECIES 

WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR SENSORY FUNCTION 

2:20–2:40 PM 

Stieglitz, J.D., Mager, E.M., Hoenig, R.H., Benetti, D.D., Grosell, M. 

DEVELOPMENT OF AN INNOVATIVE BIOASSAY SYSTEM (PELEC) FOR USE WITH 

PELAGIC MARINE FISH EMBRYOS AND LARVAE 

2:20–2:40 PM 

Clemmesen, C., Frommel, A., Maneja, R. Piatkowski, U. 

EFFECTS OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON HERRING AND COD LARVAE—A 

COMPARATIVE APPROACH 

2:40–3:00 PM 

Schornagel, D.B., Gregory, R.S., Snelgrove, P.V.R. 

FINE-SCALE HABITAT USE OF JUVENILE GREENLAND COD (GADUS OGAC) AS 

REVEALED BY ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY 

2:40–3:00 PM 

Chambers, R.C, Candelmo, A.C., Habeck, E.A., Poach, M.E., Wieczorek, D., 

Greenfield, C., Cooper K.R., Phelan, B.A. 

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION EFFECTS IN THE EARLY LIFE-STAGES OF SUMMER 

FLOUNDER, PARALICHTHYS DENTATUS 

3:00–3:20 PM 

Huebert, K.B., Peck, M.A. 

QUIRKS—A FREE TOOL FOR COMPARATIVE MODELING OF MARINE FISH LARVAE 

3:00–3:20 PM 

Candelmo, A.C., Chambers, R.C., Habeck, E.A., Poach, M.E., Wieczorek, D., 

Phelan, B.A., Caldarone, E.M., Greenfield, C., Cooper, K.R. 

THE EFFECTS OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON THE EARLY LIFE-STAGES OF WINTER 

FLOUNDER, PSEUDOPLEURONECTES AMERICANUS 

3:20–3:50 PM Coffee Break 3:20–3:50 PM Coffee Break 

3:50–4:10 PM 

Nanninga, G.B., Zhan, P., Saenz-Agudelo, P., Hoteit, I., Berumen, M.l. 

EMPIRICAL FIELD VALIDATION OF A BIOPHYSICAL DISPERSAL MODEL 

4:10–4:30 PM 

Karakoylu, E., Ulanowicz, R.E, Miller, T.J. 

INFORMATION THEORY AND LARVAL RECRUITMENT IN ATLANTIC MENHADEN 

4:30–4:50 PM 

Glas, M., Tritthart, M., Lechner, A., Keckeis, H., Loisl, F., Humphries, P., 

Habersack, H. 

LARVAL DRIFT EXPERIMENTS ON A SHORELINE IN A LARGE RIVER: VALIDATION OF 

THE PARTICLE TRACING MODEL IN COMBINATION WITH A 3D NUMERICAL MODEL 

4:50–5:10 PM 

Lechner, A.J., Keckeis, H., Glas, M., Tritthart, M., Loisl, F., Humphries, P., 

Habersack, H. 

LARVAL DRIFT EXPERIMENTS ON A SHORELINE IN A LARGE RIVER: LARVAL DRIFT 

IN COMPARISON TO NUMERICAL PASSIVE PARTICLES 

3:50–4:10 PM 

Rhyne, A.l., Wilcox-Freeburg, E., Bourque, B., Cerino, D., Tlusty, M., 

Hannigan, R.E. 

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: DIET OVERPRINT IN LARVAL REEF FISH OCEAN 

ACIDIFICATION STUDIES? 

4:10–4:30 PM 

Arula, T., Gröger, J., Ojaveer, H., Simm, M. 

REGIME SHIFTS IN LARVAL HERRING AND THE RELATED MARINE 

ENVIRONMENTAL TIME-SERIES: CASE STUDY IN THE GULF OF RIGA (BALTIC SEA) 

IN 1957–2010 

4:30–4:50 PM 

Malanski, E., Swalethorp, R., Munk, P., Nielsen, T.G. 

FOOD PREFERENCES IN ATLANTIC COD LARVAE, GADUS MORHUA, IN 

GODTHÅBSFJORD, GREENLANDIC WATERS 

4:50–5:10 PM 

Peck, M.A., Huebert, K.B., Hufnagl, M., Kreus, M., Pätsch, J. 

MODELLING TROPHODYNAMIC CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON 

NORTH SEA FISH POPULATIONS 

5:30–7:00 PM 

American Fisheries Society Early Life History Section Business Meeting 



Wednesday, June 5, 2013 • Morning 


8:30–8:40 AM 



ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Plenary Talk 

8:40–9:15 AM 

Jonathan Hare, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

PURSUING HYPOTHESES AND THE FUTURE OF FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY 


Early Life History Stages of Fishes 

Chair: Klaus Huebert, University of Hamburg 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Donahue, M.J., Karnauskas, M., Toews, C., Paris, C.B. 

GOOD TIMING: HIGHER LARVAL SUCCESS DURING OBSERVED PERIOD OF 

SPAWNING AGGREGATION 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Paris, C.B., Irisson, J., Atema, J., Kingsford, M., Gerlach, G., Guigand, C., 

Foretich, M. 

REEF ODOR: A WAKE-UP CALL FOR NAVIGATION IN SETTLEMENT STAGE REEF FISH 

LARVAE 


10:20–10:40 AM 

Kough, A.S., Paris, C.B., Staaterman, E., Guigand, C. 

DAY AND NIGHT ORIENTATION OF FISH LARVAE IN THE OPEN OCEAN 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Vaz, A.C., Paris, C.B, Kelley, C., Richards, K.J., Holstein, D. 

FIRST ESTIMATION OF LARVAL SUPPLY AND CONNECTIVITY OF RESERVES IN THE 

HAWAIIAN ARCHIPELAGO 

11:00–Noon 

BRAINSTORMING SESSION WITH CHRIS CHAMBERS 

About FATE 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 • Morning 


Session: FATE Science Meeting (Larval Studies) 

Chair: John Lamkin, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Ford, M.D. 

FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM: OVERVIEW AND UPDATE 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Mcclatchie, S., Goericke, R., Weber, E.D., Watson, W., Hill, K., Miller, E., 

Jacobson, L.D. 

A NEW ENSO-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL INDEX FOR PACIFIC SARDINE 

RECRUITMENT 


10:20–10:40 AM 

Leising, A.W., Bograd, S.J. 

DEVELOPMENT OF A CHL-A BASED SPRING BLOOM INDEX FOR THE CCS IEA 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Karnauskas, M., Walter, J.F. III, Paris, C.B. 

USE OF THE CONNECTIVITY MODELING SYSTEM TO ESTIMATE MOVEMENTS OF 

RED SNAPPER (LUTJANUS CAMPECHANUS) RECRUITS IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF 

MEXICO 

11:00–11:20 AM 

Sheremet, V., Brooks, L., Lough, G., O’Brien, L., Legault, C., Manning, J., Chen, Y. 

VALIDATING OCEAN CIRCULATION MODEL USED FOR CALCULATING LARVAL 

FISH TRANSPORT IN CONNECTION WITH FISH RECRUITMENT AND STOCK 

MANAGEMENT 

11:20–11:40 AM 

Peterson, B., Rykaczewski, R. 

THE INFLUENCE OF TEN EL NIÑO EVENTS ON PELAGIC ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE IN 

THE OREGON UPWELLING ZONE 

11:40–Noon 

Hare, J.A., Brooks, E.N., Palmer, M.C., Churchill, J.H. 

A CAUTIONARY TALE: EVALUATING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY-EXPLICIT STOCK 

RECRUIT MODEL FOR WESTERN GULF OF MAINE ATLANTIC COD (GADUS MORHUA) 

isheries And The Environment (FATE) is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program that supports NOAA’s mission 

Fto ensure the sustainable use of United States fishery resources under a changing climate. The focus of FATE is on the development, 

evacuation, and distribution of leading ecological and performance indicators. For more information please visit www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/fate/. 

The FATE program takes a multidisciplinary approach to developing leading ecological indicators. Similar in concept to leading economic 

indicators, leading ecological indicators are indices of ecosystem properties and processes that reflect the condition of the ecosystem 

and the potential for changes in the distribution, growth, or reproductive success of economically or ecologically important species. Stock 

assessment biologists have recognized the role of environmental forcing on annual production, growth, and catchability for many years. 

FATE investigators are therefore developing techniques that allow for the rapid incorporation of environmental forcing into assessments. 

Presentations in the “FATE Science Meeting (Larval Fish Studies)” and “FATE Science Meeting (Other Studies)” sessions will be given by members 

of FATE; however, all symposium attendees are welcome to attend. 


Wednesday, June 5, 2013 • Afternoon 



Chair: Tony Miskiewicz, Wollongong City Council 

1:40–2:00 PM 

Kupchik, M.J., Shaw, R.F. 

EFFECT OF WINTER COLD FRONT PASSAGES ON DENSITIES OF BREVOORTIA 

PATRONUS AND MICROPOGONIAS UNDULATUS LARVAE IN A LOUISIANA TIDAL 

PASS 

2:00–2:20 PM 

Mavruk, S., Avsar, D., Yuksek, A., Ozyurt, C.E., Kiyaga, V.B. 

TEMPERATURE EFFECT ON THE EARLY STAGE SPATIAL PREFERENCES OF 

ANTENNA CODLET (BREGMACEROS ATLANTICUS GOODE AND BEAN, 1886) IN 

NORTHEASTERN MEDITERRANEAN 

2:20–2:40 PM 

Carrillo, L., Vasquez-Yeomans, L., Malca, E., Muhling, B., Smith, R., Johns, L., 

Sosa-Cordero, E., Lamkin, J.T. 

PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES 

OF FISHES IN THE MESOAMERICAN REEF SYSTEM 

2:40–3:00 PM 

Duffy-Anderson, J.T., Smart, T., Mueter, F., Curchitser, E., Petrik, C. 

DYNAMICS OF THE EARLY LIFE STAGES OF WALLEYE POLLOCK OVER THE EASTERN 

BERING SEA SHELF 

3:00–3:20 PM 

Macedo-Soares, L.C.P., Freire, A.S., Muelbert, J.H. 

SPECIES CO-OCCURRENCE AND LATITUDINAL CROSS-SHELF VARIABILITY IN 

LARVAL FISH ASSEMBLAGES IN THE SW ATLANTIC 

3:20–3:50 PM Coffee Break 

Session 6: Ecology of Early Life History Stages of Larval Fishes (cont'd) 

3:50–4:10 PM 

Garsi, L.-H., Thomas, C., Crec’hriou, R., Agostini, S., Lecaillon, G., Ternengo, S., 

Garcia-Charton, J., Murenu, M., Muntoni, M., Lenfant, P. 

SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF FISH POST-LARVAE AROUND FRENCH MEDITERRANEAN 

COASTS: FIRST KNOWLEDGE TO UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONING OF FISH 

BIODIVERSITY 

4:10–4:30 PM 

Ehrler, C.P., Steinbeck, J.R. 

SEASONAL AND ANNUAL VARIABILITY OF LARVAL FISH RECRUITMENT AT THREE 

LOCATIONS ON OAHU 

4:30–4:50 PM 

Havel, L.N., Fuiman, L.A. 

LARVAL RED DRUM (SCIAENOPS OCELLATUS) RESPOND TO DISSOLVED CHEMICALS 

FROM THE ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENT 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 • Afternoon 


Session: FATE Science Meeting (other studies) 

Chair: Sam McClatchie, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 


1:40–2:00 PM 

Stewart, J.S., Hazen, E.L., Bograd, S.J., Byrnes, J.E.K., Foley, D.G., Gilly, W.F., 

Robison, B.H., Field, J.C. 

CLIMATE CHANGE BELOW THE SURFACE: TROPHICALLY MEDIATED RANGE 

EXPANSION OF HUMBOLDT SQUID (DOSIDICUS GIGAS) IN THE CALIFORNIA 

CURRENT SYSTEM 

2:00–2:20 PM 

Whitlock, R., Hazen, E.L., Bograd, S., Foley, D., Bailey, H., Block, B.A. 

USING MOVEMENT MODELS, FORAGING EVENTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA TO 

IDENTIFY BLUEFIN TUNA HOTSPOTS IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT 

2:20–2:40 PM 

Nye, J.A., Lynch, P., Hare, J., Stock, C., Alexander, M., Scott, J., Curti, K., Drew, K. 

POTENTIAL INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON ANADROMOUS RIVER HERRING 

IN THEIR MARINE HABITAT 

2:40–3:00 PM 

Xu, Y., Nieto, K., Mcclatchie, S., Holmes, J., Teo, S.L.H., Bograd, S. 

ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON ALBACORE TUNA (THUNNUS ALALUNGA) 

DISTRIBUTION IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS AND 

RESULTS 

3:00–3:20 PM 

Ford, M.D. 

GELATINOUS ZOOPLANKTON AT THE SHELF SCALE: MOVING TOWARD 

INVESTIGATING IMPACTS ON FISHERY RESOURCES 

3:20–3:50 PM Coffee Break 

Session 2: Ocean Acidification/Climate Change Impacts on the Early 

Life History Stages of Fishes 

Chair: Sean Bignami, University of Miami—RSMAS 

3:50–4:10 PM 

Pitois, S.G. 

IMPACT OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON FISH POPULATIONS, USING THE FISH 

LARVAE DATASET FROM THE CONTINUOUS PLANKTON RECORDER 

4:10–4:30 PM 

Johnson, D.R. 

CLIMATE RELATED LARVAL TRANSPORT ANOMALIES 

4:30–4:50 PM 

Caridad, J.F., Able, K.W. 

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON LARVAL FISH COMPOSITION IN LITTLE EGG INLET, 

NEW JERSEY 

4:50–5:10 PM 

Hurst, T.P., Magel, C.R., Mathis, J.A, Turner, K.A. 

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR OF JUVENILE WALLEYE POLLOCK 

5:10–5:30 PM 

Diaz-Gil, C., Alos, J., Catalan, I.A., Palmer, M., Steckbauer, A., Duarte, C.M. 

COMBINED EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA AND ACIDIFICATION ON ANTIPREDATOR 

RESPONSE OF JUVENILE EUROPEAN SEABASS 



Thursday, June 6, 2013 • Morning 


8:30–8:40 AM 


Science and 37 th Annual Larval Fish Conference Organizing Committee Chair 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Session: FATE Science Meeting (other studies) 

Chair: Mandy Karnauskas, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 


9:00–9:20 AM 

Langseth, B.J., Craig, J.K., Smith, J.W., Schueller, A.M., Shertzer, K.W. 

DOES HYPOXIA INFLUENCE THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CATCHES IN THE 

COMMERCIAL REDUCTION FISHERY FOR GULF MENHADEN? 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Muhling, B.A., Ingram, G.W. JR., Cass-Calay, S.L., Walter, J.F. 

INCORPORATING INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUITABILITY AND 

CATCHABILITY INTO EXISTING ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA ABUNDANCE INDICES 

FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Barcelo, C., Brodeur, R., Daly, E., Ciannelli, L. 

SCALE DEPENDENT DYNAMICS OF THE PELAGIC NEKTON COMMUNITY STRUCTURE 

IN THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CURRENT ECOSYSTEM 


10:20–10:40 AM 

Large, S.I., Fay, G, Friedland, K.D., Link, J.S. 

QUANTIFYING TRENDS AND THRESHOLDS IN RESPONSES OF ECOLOGICAL 

INDICATORS TO THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF FISHING AND ENVIRONMENTAL 

PRESSURE 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Stawitz, C.C., Stachura, M.M., Essington, T.E., Branch, T.A., Haltuch, M.A., 

Hollowed, A.B., Mantua, N.J., Spencer, P.D. 

IMPROVING ECOSYSTEM-BASED STOCK ASSESSMENT AND FORECASTING 

BY USING A HIERARCHICAL APPROACH TO LINK FISH PRODUCTIVITY TO 

ENVIRONMENTAL DRIVERS 

11:00–11:20 AM 

Li, Y., Ji, R., Chen, C., Fratantoni, P., Hare, J.A. 

STRATIFICATION INDICES FOR STOCK AND ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENTS FROM A 

DATA ASSIMILATIVE CIRCULATION MODEL 

11:20–11:40 AM 

Zador, S., Ormseth, O., Renner, H. 

RED FLAGS OR RED HERRINGS? USING ECOSYSTEM INDICATORS TO DETECT 

ANOMALOUS CONDITIONS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA IN 2011 

11:40–Noon 

Murphy, M.D. 

HOW PRECISE AND/OR ACCURATE DO FORECASTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 

NEED TO BE TO BE USEFUL TO STOCK ASSESSMENTS? 

Noon–12:20 PM 

Kaplan, I.C., Siedlecki, S., Bond, N., Hermann, A., Levin, P., Williams, G., 

Newton, J., Peterson, W. 

DEVELOPMENT OF A PREDICTION SYSTEM FOR CALIFORNIA CURRENT OCEAN 

CONDITIONS 

Thursday, June 6, 2013 • Morning 



Chair: Joan Holt, University of Texas at Austin 

9:00–9:20 AM 

Zens, B., Glas, M., Tritthart, M., Lechner, A., Loisl, F., Humphries, P., Keckeis, H., 

Habersack, H. 

MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF FISH LARVAE IN RELATION TO FLOW-VELOCITY AND 

ORIENTATION ALONG THE CURRENT VECTOR IN AN EXPERIMENTAL FLUME 

9:20–9:40 AM 

Leis, J.M., Paris, C.B., Irisson, J.-O.,Yerman, M.N., Siebeck, U.E. 

IN SITU STUDY SHOWS PELAGIC ORIENTATION BY LARVAL REEF FISH IS 

INDEPENDENT OF LOCATION AND YEAR BUT DEPENDS ON TIME OF DAY 

9:40–10:00 AM 

Paris, C.B., Irisson, J.-O., Leis, J.M., Bogucki, D., Piskozub, J., Siebeck, U., 

Guigand, C.M. 

SUN COMPASS ORIENTATION FOR REEF-FISH LARVAE 


10:20–10:40 AM 

Faria A.M., Gonçalves, E.J., Borges, R. 

CRITICAL SWIMMING BEHAVIOR OF SAND-SMELT LARVAE (ATHERINA PRESBYTER, 

CUVIER 1829) — IMPLICATIONS FOR LARVAL DISPERSAL AND COMPARISON 

WITH OTHER TEMPERATE SPECIES 

10:40–11:00 AM 

Hurst, T.P., Cooper, D.W., Duffy-Anderson, J.T., Farley, E.V. 

INSHORE AND OFFSHORE HABITAT USE BY JUVENILE PACIFIC COD IN THE BERING 

SEA 

11:00–11:20 AM 

Neidetcher, S.K., Ciannelli, L. 

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE OF SPAWNING PHENOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY TO LARVAL 

TRANSPORT MODELS FOR TWO IMPORTANT ALASKAN GADIDS 


Plenary talks 

Monday, June 3 — 8:40 AM 


Progress and challenges in studying the feeding 

and growth of larval fish under natural field 

conditions 

DOWER, J.F., PEPIN, P., MONTAGNES, D.J.S. 

In the century since Hjort’s seminal work first linked larval survival to 

recruitment variability, much has been learned about the ecology of the early 

life history stages of fishes. In particular, considerable effort has been devoted 

to studying larval feeding and growth in both the lab and (to a lesser extent) 

under natural field conditions. Despite this, considerable gaps remain in our 

understanding of how, and under what conditions, variability in feeding and 

growth translates into measurable effects on larval survival. For example, we 

are still constrained by our inability to properly quantify the natural variability 

experienced by larval fish in the field. To what extent can larvae buffer against 

variability in prey availability and/or food quality? How big (or how long) a 

change in prey availability and/or food quality is required to elicit a “biologically 

significant” effect on larval growth or survival? Likewise, there remains much 

to learn about food-web and predator-prey interactions that involve larval 

fish. For example, historically the focus has been on energy transfer via the 

classic “diatom–copepod–larval fish” food chain. However, there is growing 

evidence that food chains involving the microbial loop contribute significantly 

to larval fish diets. Might this account, in part, for the dearth of evidence that 

observations of starving larvae under natural field conditions are rare? In an 

attempt to tie these themes together we will review our current understanding 

of these topics and offer some suggestions for the application of emerging field 

and lab techniques to the study of larval fish. 

Dr. John Dower is an Associate Professor in the Department 

of Biology and the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the 

University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. He was 

born and raised in Newfoundland, where his family was involved 

in the cod fishery for nearly 200 years. Dower completed his PhD 

in 1994 focusing on the biophysical linkages that promote high 

productivity around shallow seamounts. It was during this 

research that Dower first became interested in ichthyoplankton, 

after finding high abundances of coastal rockfish larvae above a 

seamount 500 km off the Washington coast. A postdoc position with Bill Leggett 

subsequently introduced him to the broader field of fisheries oceanography. Dower’s 

research focuses on the ways in which physical forcing affects the production of 

zooplankton and links to the feeding, growth, and survival of larval fish. His 

research program is primarily field-based, and involves work on both Canada’s 

east and west coasts. 

Tuesday, June 4 — 8:40 AM 


OVERCOMING THE LIMITATIONS OF TRADITIONAL 

IDENTIFICATION METHODS: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS 

OF MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES IN FISH EARLY LIFE HISTORY 

STUDIES 

LYCZKOWSKI-SHULTZ J., MARANCIK K.E., HERNANDEZ, JR. F.J., BAYHA, 

K.M. 

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC/Mississippi Laboratories, 

3209 Frederic Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567. Email: Joanne.Lyczkowski-Shultz@ 

noaa.gov 

An ever-growing demand for information on the early life stages of fishes 

highlights the frustrating reality that we cannot reliably identify the larvae 

of most marine species. In the western central North Atlantic, for example, 

larval descriptions are available for only 40% of the region's over 2,000 known 

species (globally, the percentage is much lower, approximately 10%). Even 

these estimates are deceiving because for many large families the larvae of 

relatively few species have been described making it difficult to determine the 

diagnostic characters that will reliably distinguish the described larvae from the 

undescribed ones. Eggs and the smallest, preflexion larvae are often unknown or 

the least described, yet they potentially provide valuable fisheries-independent 

information critical for management (e.g. spawning stock biomass). Within 

the past several decades, however, advances in molecular genetic techniques 

have given us a viable alternative approach to identifying fish eggs and larvae. 

Ideally genetically identified specimens can be used to formally describe the 

morphology of developmental stages. Then these descriptions can be used 

thereafter to identify larvae in field collections. However, when distinguishing 

morphological characters are not available, less expensive genetic analyses 

are being developed that can be implemented as a routine component of the 

identification process. Here we review the applications of molecular techniques 

in early life history studies, and present examples of how data gained from 

genetically identified eggs and larvae have led to the fuller utilization of early 

life history stages in fisheries assessment, management and ecology. 

Dr. Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz has been a Research Fishery 

Biologist at the NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC Laboratory in 

Pascagoula, MS, since 1993 where she heads up the SEAMAP 

Plankton Team. Prior to joining the NMFS she worked at the 

Univ. of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory 

in Ocean Springs, MS, and Oregon State University, School of 

Oceanography, Corvallis, OR. She received her Master’s degree 

from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in 1971 and her PhD from the 

University of Maine, Ira C. Darling Center at Walpole, ME in 1980. Her interest 

in the early life history of fishes began while diving in the Damariscotta River, 

Maine, in winter months to observe and collect the eggs and larvae of sculpins. 

Among the accomplishments she values most over her career are the young scientists 

she has mentored and the productive collaborations she has had with fellow 

researchers in both the Fisheries Service and academia. 

Wednesday, June 5 — 8:40 AM 


PURSUING HYPOTHESES AND THE FUTURE OF FISHERIES 

OCEANOGRAPHY 

HARE, J.A. 

NOAA Narragansett Laboratory, 28 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882. 

Email: jon.hare@noaa.gov 

Fisheries oceanography is largely an applied discipline with a major goal of 

improving fisheries management and marine conservation. Hjort’s critical 

period hypothesis, and its decedents, remain a dominant theme and focuses 

on early life stage survival as mediated by prey availability and feeding. A 

second hypothesis focuses on the sequential transfer of energy from primary 

productivity to fishery productivity. Four relatively recent hypotheses challenge 

these traditional bottom-up hypotheses: predation of early life stages, maternal 

condition, over-winter mortality, and shifting migration pathways. Support for 

these hypotheses from the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf will be reviewed 

and their implications to fisheries management and marine conservation 

will be described. It is important that these recent hypotheses continue to be 

pursued and tested. The results must then be integrated into current and future 

assessments and management decisions. 

Dr. Jonathan Hare is the director of the NOAA Narragansett 

Laboratory and oversees the operational oceanography programs 

for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. He is also involved 

in regional and international ocean observing activities. Jon 

received a BA in Biology from Wesleyan University and a 

PhD in Oceanography from SUNY Stony Brook. He received 

a National Research Council Research Associate in 1994 to work at the NOAA 

Beaufort Laboratory and was hired by NOAA in 1997. His research has focused 

on fisheries oceanography: understanding the interactions between the ocean 

environment and fisheries populations with an aim of contributing to assessments 

and management. Recently, Jon has started to examine the effect of climate change 

on fish population dynamics. This work involves coupling the output of IPCC-class 

climate models with fish population models to simulate the effects of climate change 

on population dynamics. 


Miscellany 

About the Larval Fish Conference Awards Presented by the 

American Fisheries Society Early Life History Section 

The Sally Leonard Richardson Award is presented every year to the best student oral paper delivered at the Larval Fish 

Conference. Winners have been selected since 1986. This year, 28 presenters are competing for this award. 

The John H.S. Blaxter Award is given annually to the best student poster presented at the Larval Fish Conference. 

Winners have been selected since 2004. Twelve posters are competing for this award. 

About the Student Award Raffle and Auction 

Funds to support the Sally Leonard Richardson Award will 

be raised through the traditional raffle. Donate items and 

purchase raffle tickets to show your support! 

Following tradition, the Blaxter Award Committee will 

hold an auction during the 2013 Larval Fish Conference 

Banquet on Wednesday night to raise funds to continue to 

support this award. Bid early and often! 

About the Brainstorming Session with 

Chris Chambers 

O 

pen discussion about how to make the Early Life 

History Section and the Larval Fish Conference 

even better. We want to keep this community vibrant 

and growing. Please bring and voice your thoughts 

on organization and conference structure, meeting 

venues, themes, mentoring, social media, and other 

new ideas. 

About the Early Life History Business Meeting 

The Business Meeting of the Early Life History Section of 

the American Fisheries Society is an informal gathering to 

inform interested people about current and future activities in 

the section. The meeting is open to everyone, but only full AFS 

members are eligible to vote. The elected officers (Secretary 

and Treasurer) will report on the current membership numbers 

and demographics. You will be informed about the financial 

status of the section and the Richardson and Blaxter award 

funds. Appointed officers (Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, 

Historian, Nomination and Ballot Committee Chair, Time and 

Place Committee Chair, Awards Committee Chairs) will report on 

their activities since our most recent meeting in Bergen. This is 

an opportunity to approach section officers with questions and 

suggestions. Please get involved… New ideas and dedicated new 

people are always needed! 

Are you interested in hosting a future 

conference? 

An important component of the Business 

Meeting will be the discussion about future 

meeting locations. Quebec City, Canada, is hosting 

a joint meeting with AFS August 17–21, 2014. 

Pascal Sirois, Dominique Robert, John Dower, Marc 

Mingelbier, Patrick Oullet, and Martin Castonguay 

are in charge of organizing next year’s conference. 

As for future meetings, we have received offers 

from places around the globe. Come and join 

the discussions about offers for our Larval Fish 

Conferences in 2015 and 2016!

Abstracts 

in alphabetical order by presenter’s name (in bold) 

Oral presentation 

Poster presentation 

Presentation type: Oral 

Session: Ecology of early life history stages of fishes 

Sally Leonard Richardson Award Candidate 



TOWARDS THE ROLE OF DISPERSAL OF EARLY LIFE HISTORY 

STAGES IN EVOLUTIONARY FISHERIES 

ALÓS, J., CATALÁN, I.A., ARLINGHAUS, R., PALMER, M., BASTERRETXEA, 

G., JORDI, A., MORALES-NIN, B. 

IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA 

(CSIC-UIB), C/ Miquel Marqués 21, 07190, Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain. 

Telephone: + 00 34 971 61 08 29, Fax: + 00 34 971 61 17 61, Email: pep.alos@ 

uib.es 

The pelagic nature of early life-stages is the only mechanism of gene flow and 

dispersal for many sedentary coastal fish. Contrary to the common wisdom, 

recent development in genetics and transport models show that many marine 

fish populations are not as open as expected even at scales of a few kilometres. 

Therefore, the degree of dispersal of such pelagic early life history stages, and 

the population’s underlying gene flow, should play a role in understanding and 

anticipating the evolutionary responses to trait-selective fishing. Capitalising 

on this idea, we analyzed the influence of population’s connectivity on the 

evolutionary responses of coastal fish species by exploring the spatial dynamics 

of early life-stages exposed to the oceanographic dynamics in an important 

marine coastal Mediterranean species highly targeted by recreational fisheries 

(Serranus scriba). We based our larval fish dispersal estimations on highresolution 

hydrodynamic model simulations (sbPOM) of the circulation along 

the southern coast of Mallorca island (Mediterranean) and mean Lagrangian 

trajectories of virtual particles (eggs and larvae) released from 25 different 

coastal sub-populations. The dispersal of early life history stages estimated 

from the oceanographic particle motion model identified relatively isolated 

sub-populations therefore presenting limited gene flow. Based on individual 

life-history traits estimated from the various sub-populations, we provide 

compelling evidence that such limited gene flow can induce evolutionary 

responses to fishing at surprisingly small geographical scales. We propose that 

the dispersal of early life-history stages can play a major role in the evolutionary 

trajectory of most harvested marine populations. 



Session: Ocean acidification/climate change impacts on the early life 

history stages of fishes 

Tuesday, June 4 — 4:10 PM 


REGIME SHIFTS IN LARVAL HERRING AND THE RELATED 

MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL TIME-SERIES: CASE STUDY IN 

THE GULF OF RIGA (BALTIC SEA) IN 1957–2010 

ARULA, T., GRÖGER, J., OJAVEER, H., SIMM, M. 

Estonian Marine Institute, Univ. of Tartu, Lootsi 2A, Pärnu 80012, Estonia. Email: 

timo.arula@ut.ee 

Detection and analysis of regime shifts was conducted in the Gulf of Riga 

(Baltic Sea) by applying the iterative shiftogram method to selected single and 

multivariate factors focused on the early life-history stages of the local herring 

population. Altogether nineteen variables were used, both in univariate 

and multivariate levels during the 1957–2010, describing abiotic and biotic 

components of the environment. In addition, phenology of the herring larvae 

and Eurytemora affinis was included. All investigated univariate time-series of 

the early life history stages of herring as well the studied multivariate scores 

by the major three complexes (abiotic, biotic and phenology components) 

exhibited changes over time with variable types and timings. However, the 

multivariate shiftogram pooling nineteen variables identified two distinct 

states in the ecosystem. The first state occurred during 1957–1985, followed 

by a smooth transition period, lasting 1986–1991 and entered into a new 

phase since 1992 onwards. Major implications of regime shift on herring 

larvae and recruitment were increased and more variable abundance dynamics 

after regime shift. The studied environment was mainly regulated by abiotic 

conditions related to the temperature, while phenological aspect and biotic 

components had substantially minor role. 


Session: Larval food webs and predator-prey interactions 


Monday, June 3 — 2:40 PM 


CANNIBALISM OF LARVAL LESSER SANDEELS (AMMODYTES 

MARINUS) IN THE NORTH SEA 

AYALA, D.J. 

Denmark's National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of 

Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Jaegersborg Allé 1, 2920 

Charlottenlund, Denmark. Email: danieljadk@yahoo.dk 

Predation upon larval fishes by other fish species, and in the special case of 

cannibalism, is an important component of overall mortality, yet is still a factor 

whose scale and scope are not well understood. Cannibalism of larval lesser 

sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) by juveniles and adults was investigated in the 

North Sea. Stomach-content analysis confirmed larval A. marinus as a dietary 

component of all investigated older year-classes. Analyses concurrently indicate 

a highly variable contribution of larval A. marinus in the overall diet. This is the 

first study reporting a direct trophic linkage between early life history stages, 

and adults, of this commercial and ecological key species, and simultaneously 

heightens the need for further investigations into density-dependent mortality 

of larvae among this species. 

Presentation type: Poster 

Session: Advances and novel application of methods for the study of 

early life history stages of fishes 

John H.S. Blaxter Award Candidate 

MOLECULAR ANALYSES OF SARGASSO SEA FISH LARVAE 

ENABLE FIRST-TIME LARVAL DESCRIPTIONS 

AYALA, D.J., MUNK, P., RIEMANN, L. 

Denmark's National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of 

Denmark, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Jaegersborg Allé 1, 2920 

Charlottenlund, Denmark. Email: danieljadk@yahoo.dk 

Molecular analyses of Sargasso Sea fish larvae have led to several new and ongoing 

down-stream discoveries. Several first-time larval descriptions have been 

enabled by linking DNA barcodes of investigated unknown and undescribed 

larval specimens, to juvenile and adult identifiers. We here show first-ever 

larval developmental series for the lanternfish Lampanyctus photonotus, and 

the first confirmed larval descriptions of the barbeled Dragonfish Chirostomias 

pliopterus. Genetic sequence analysis of several specimens of the roundnose 

lanternfish Centrobranchus nigroocellatus indicated high genetic similarity 

among Sargasso Sea specimens, which showed clear divergence from specimens 

from other oceanic regions. Molecular analysis gives larval fish researchers 

several new tools to expand the depth and breadth of larval development 

understanding. 



FROM OCEAN TO CULTURE TO CAMERA: “CAPTURING” THE 

TRUE BEAUTY IN A MARINE FISH’S EARLY LIFE HISTORY 

BAENSCH, F. 

Reef Culture Technologies, 4079 Koko Dr., Honolulu HI 96816. Email: rct@hawaii. 

rr.com 

The diverse, natural beauty of developing marine fish larvae is rarely presented 

since most conventional larval descriptions rely on dead specimens. Collecting 

wild eggs in the ocean can provide a diversity of species for laboratory rearing to 

document the development of live and healthy larvae. The Early Life History 

Project utilizes wild egg collection and larval rearing techniques to study the 

reproductive patterns, culture requirements and larval ontogeny of Hawaiian 

marine fish. The project provides the opportunity to document the development 

of living marine fish larvae; to present their true pigmentation and size; and 

to show their natural beauty. This poster presents photographs of selected 

stages for some of the families that have been cultured to date. These include 

Acanthuridae, Blenniidae, Callionymidae, Carangidae, Chaetodontidae, 

Diodontidae, Fistularidae, Kyphosidae, Lutjanidae, Malacanthidae, Molidae, 

Ostraciidae, Pleuronectidae, Pomacanthidae, Pomacentridae, Priacanthidae, 

Scaridae, Scorpaenidae, Serranidae. 



Session: FATE Science Meeting (Other Studies) 

Thursday, June 6 — 9:40 AM 


SCALE DEPENDENT DYNAMICS OF THE PELAGIC NEKTON 

COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 

CURRENT ECOSYSTEM 

BARCELO, C., BRODEUR, R., DALY, E., CIANNELLI, L. 

104 CEOAS Admin. Bldg., College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, 

Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330. Email: cbarcelo@coas.oregonstate. 

edu 

Understanding the relative influence of different spatial and temporal scale 

determinants on the pelagic nekton community composition will likely 

increase the accuracy and precision of future ecosystem based management 

tools in the California Current. Towards this goal, we characterized the pelagic 

forage fish and predator community composition sampled in the Northern 

California Current (from ~ 44 - 48°N) between 1998 and 2011 at multiple 

spatial and temporal scales using local, regional and basin scale environmental 

covariates. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination was 

used to assess the dimensionality of the multi-species abundance data and to 

quantify the variability in community composition at distinct scales of data 

aggregation. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to characterize 

the spatial and temporal differences in assemblage structure as a function of 

distinct environmental variables. Using individual hauls as sample units, the 

most important environmental variables structuring the community of pelagic 

fish included wind stress, upwelling, and discharge volume from the Columbia 

River. At the individual cruise scale, regional and basin scale variables such 

as NPGO, PDO and the summer upwelling index are important correlates 

describing variability in community composition. Additionally, we present 

maps of the spatial extents of distinct pelagic nekton communities as well as 

the distributions of individual forage fish and predator species sampled during 

the 14-year survey period. We conclude by summarizing some of our recent and 

ongoing contributions to NOAA's California Current Integrated Ecosystem 

Assessment, including indicators used for assessing NCC pelagic ecosystem 

health. 




THE USE OF POLARIZED LIGHT FOR ORIENTATION IN CORAL 

REEF FISH LARVAE 

BERENSHTEIN, I., KIFLAWI, M., SHASHAR, N., WIELER, U., AGIV, H., 

PARIS, C.B. 

Interuniveristy Institute & Ben Gurion University, Zehurit st. 2/17 Eilat, Israel. 

Email: igalbe@post.bgu.ac.il 

Recent studies of the larvae of coral-reef fishes reveal that these tiny vertebrates 

possess remarkable swimming capabilities, as well as the ability to orient 

to olfactory, auditory, and visual cues. While navigation according to reefgenerated 

chemicals and sounds can significantly affect dispersal, the affect is 

limited to the vicinity of the reef. Effective long-distance navigation requires at 

least one other capacity – the ability to maintain a bearing using, for example, 

a sun compass. Directional information in the sun's position can take the 

form of a brightness gradient and/or the pattern of light polarization. We 

examined the response to both cues using commercially-reared larvae of the 

clown-fish Premnas biaculeatus. Initial optomotor trials indicated that these 

larvae are sensitive to linearly polarized light (39 of 48 larvae showed a positive 

response). Directional swimming was then tested using a Drifting In-situ 

Chamber (DISC), which allowed us to examine the larvae’s response to natural 

variation in light conditions and manipulated levels of light polarization. 

Under natural light conditions, 25 of 28 larvae showed significant directional 

swimming (Rayleigh’s test p< 0.05), but to no particular direction. Swimming 

directionality was positively and strongly affected by the sky clarity (absence 

of clouds and haze). Moreover, larvae swimming under fully polarized light 

exhibited a distinct behavior of tracking the polarization axis, as it rotated along 

with the DISC. This behavior was not observed under partially-polarized light. 

We view these findings as clear indication for the potential use of sun-related 

cues by orienting coral reef fish larvae. 







OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ALTERS THE OTOLITHS OF A 

PANTROPICAL FISH SPECIES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR 

SENSORY FUNCTION 

BIGNAMI, S., ENOCHS, I.C., MANZELLO, D.P., SPONAUGLE, S., COWEN, 

R.K. 

Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sci., Division of Marine Biology and 

Fisheries, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149. Email: sbignami@rsmas. 

miami.edu 

Ocean acidification affects a wide diversity of marine organisms and is 

of particular concern for vulnerable larval stages critical to population 

replenishment and connectivity. While it is well known that ocean acidification 

will negatively affect a range of calcareous taxa, the study of fishes is more 

limited in both depth of understanding and diversity of study species. We 

utilized new three-dimensional microcomputed tomography to conduct in 

situ analysis of the impact of ocean acidification on otolith (ear stone) size 

and density of larval cobia (Rachycentron canadum), a large, economically 

important, pan-tropical fish species that shares many life history traits with a 

diversity of high-value, tropical pelagic fishes. We show that 2100 μatm pCO 2 

ocean acidification significantly increases not only otolith size (up to 50% 

greater volume and 58% greater mass) but also otolith density (6% higher), 

with 800 μatm pCO 2 

producing significantly greater mass (14%) and a similar 

but non-significant trend for otolith size. By using a modeling approach, we 

demonstrate that these changes could affect auditory sensitivity including 

a ~50% increase in hearing range at 2100 μatm pCO 2 

, which may alter the 

perception of auditory information by larval cobia in a high-CO 2 

ocean. Our 

results indicate that ocean acidification has a graded effect on cobia otoliths, 

with the potential to substantially influence the dispersal, survival, and 

recruitment of a pelagic fish species. These results have important implications 

for population maintenance/replenishment, connectivity, and conservation 

efforts for other valuable fish stocks that are already being deleteriously 

impacted by overfishing. 






MODELING INTERANNUAL VARIABILITY IN 

LARVAL SURVIVAL OF GEORGES BANK HADDOCK, 

MELANOGRAMMUS AEGLEFINUS, WITH FOCUS ON THE 

UNUSUAL 2003 RECRUITMENT EVENT 

BOUCHER, J.M., CHEN, C., SUN, Y., BEARDSLEY, R.C. 

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and 

Technology, 706 Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02744. Email: 

jboucher1@umassd.edu 


Recruitment of the Georges Bank haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) stock 

in 2003 vastly exceeded any year on record since assessments began. While 

the causes of this event have been investigated, no definitive explanations have 

been put forward. Utilizing an individual-based model coupling the Finite- 

Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) physical circulation fields with 

the FVCOM-based I-State Configuration Model (FISCM), we attempted to 

determine if a model of haddock early life history is capable of resolving the 

dynamics that produced the large recruitment event. Two primary sources of 

mortality, starvation and advection from the nursery area, are compared for 

haddock spawned on the Northeast Peak of Georges Bank annually from 1995 

through 2009. Above average retention of passive individuals occurred in 2003 

with comparable rates for 2000 and 2002, which did not have recruitment events 

of similar magnitude. The potential for larval transport from Browns Bank to 

Georges Bank was simulated as an extension to the advection hypothesis, with 

highly variable transport from Browns Bank suggesting a supplemental source 

of larvae in some years. Larvae exhibited the lowest growth rates in 2003, 

associated with higher temperatures and shear dispersion on Georges Bank 

producing a poor model foraging environment. Results from our simulations 

indicate that high retention rates on Georges Bank combined with additional 

supply from Browns Bank are necessary for increased recruitment success, but 

did not provide a sufficient explanation for recruitment in 2003 when low 

growth rates were considered. 






THE EFFECTS OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON THE EARLY LIFE- 

STAGES OF WINTER FLOUNDER, PSEUDOPLEURONECTES 

AMERICANUS 

CANDELMO, A.C., CHAMBERS, R.C., HABECK, E.A., POACH, M.E., 

WIECZOREK, D., PHELAN, B.A., CALDARONE, E.M., GREENFIELD, C., 

COOPER, K.R. 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, 74 Magruder Road, 

Highlands, NJ 07732. Email: Allison.Candelmo@noaa.gov 

Limited evidence to date supports the expectations that effects of elevated 

levels of CO 2 

in finfish will differ across species, will be subtle, and will 

interact with other stressors. CO 2 

and temperature effects were tested on the 

embryos and larvae of an ecologically important marine fish, winter flounder 

(Pseudopleuronectes americanus). Initial results show that increased CO 2 

had 

little effect on the survival of winter flounder embryos with subtle signs of 

reduced survival with increased CO 2 

and warmer waters. The mean lengths 

of larvae were longer at higher CO 2 

levels, with this trend more pronounced 

in larvae of older ages that experience warmer water. Mean protein mass was 

also greater in more advanced larvae exposed to higher CO 2 

levels. Preliminary 

results indicate mortality at earlier ages of smaller, less developed individuals 

in higher CO 2 

environments, which may account for the larger 

mean length and mass calculated for survivors. In addition, 

the ratio of RNA/DNA was lower in young larvae (1-week 

old) exposed to elevated CO 2 

levels and 

especially at colder temperatures. Finally, 

winter flounder larvae exposed to 

high CO 2 

levels showed increased 

cranial-facial, ocular, and muscular 

abnormalities, and an increased 

occurrence of hepatic lesions. Overall, 

winter flounder embryos may be relatively 

tolerant to high levels of CO 2 

due to their 

residence in relatively variable benthic inshore 

habitats. Winter flounder larvae, however, may 

be more vulnerable than embryos to high CO 2 

levels, as expressed 

by decreased condition, increased abnormalities and lesions, and lower 

survivorship to metamorphosis. 





Wednesday, June 5 — 4:30 PM 


CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON LARVAL FISH COMPOSITION 

IN LITTLE EGG INLET, NEW JERSEY 

CARIDAD, J.F., ABLE, K.W. 

Rutgers University Marine Field Station, 800 C/O 132 Great Bay Blvd., Tuckerton, 

NJ 08087. Email: jamie.csr@gmail.com 

There is increasing evidence for the effects of climate change on ecosystems; 

however it is more difficult to assess these impacts in marine systems. Studies 

have shown that shallow temperate estuaries can be greatly affected by increasing 

temperatures. Utilizing data collected from long term water temperature 

monitoring (1976–present) and weekly ichthyoplankton sampling programs 

(1989–2010, > 350,000 individuals) at Little Egg Inlet, NJ, there is evidence 

that rising temperatures may have influenced the ingress of larval fish into the 

estuary. There have been significant changes in community structure when 

comparing pre-2000 and post-2000 species compositions, especially in the fall 

and winter months. Biodiversity has also increased over the sampling period 

and the organisms that are contributing the most to the overall variation in 

community structure have been identified. Understanding these impacts is 

imperative when assessing management strategies because increased mortality 

due to climate change can dramatically reduce the already low survival rate fish 

experience during their larval stage. Because of the importance of estuaries to 

the early life history of important commercial and recreational fishes and their 

prey, the impacts of climate change can greatly affect not only the ecology of the 

estuary, but also its societal and economic importance. 





PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE EARLY 

LIFE HISTORY STAGES OF FISHES IN THE MESOAMERICAN 

REEF SYSTEM 

CARRILLO, L., VASQUEZ-YEOMANS, L., MALCA, E., MUHLING, B., SMITH, 

R., JOHNS, L., SOSA-CORDERO, E., LAMKIN, J.T. 

EL COLEGIO DE LA FRONTERA SUR, Av. Centenario km 5.5, Col. Pacto Obrero, 

Chetumal, Quintana Roo. Email: lcarrillo@ecosur.mx 

The Mesoamerican reef system (MRS), in the western Caribbean, represents 

the second largest coral reef barrier in the world. There have been several 

collaborative efforts in key environmental issues, including the spatial 

distribution of the early life history (ELH) stages of fishes in the MRS. There is 

a clear agreement that the physical oceanographic processes in different scales in 

this region are one of the key factors to understand the distribution and 

ultimate fate of the ELH stages of fishes. This work is an 

attempt to provide a broad review 

of the knowledge of physical 

oceanographic processes 

linked to the ELH stages of 

fishes distribution in the MRS, 

illustrated by observational 

physical 

oceanographic 

information from three oceanographic 

campaigns in the MRS and coastal data collection. Data 

collected during the campaigns included hydrographic (CTD 

casts), currents from shipboard ADCP and satellite tracked ARGOS 

drifters, while the coastal current observations were analyzed from Acoustic 

Doppler profilers. A regionalization of the MRS according to dynamics aspects

such as circulation, water masses, mesoscale features and bathymetric aspects 

is suggested and also compared to preliminary results of the ELH of fishes 

distribution. The interaction of the oceanic currents with the coast such as 

the Yucatan Current played the more relevant important role in the northern 

region of the MRS, meanwhile the southern part of the MRS, weaker and 

variable currents determined a potential retention zone. 




AN EVALUATION OF SAMPLING METHODOLOGY FOR 

ASSESSING SETTLEMENT OF TEMPERATE FISH ONTO 

SEAGRASS MEADOWS 

CATALAN, I.A., DUNAND, A., ÁLVAREZ, I., ALÓS, J., NASH, R. 

Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, C/Miquel Marqués 21, CP 07190, 

Esporles, Balearic Islands, Spain. Email: ignacio@imedea.uib-csic.es 

Demersal fish species generally shift from a pelagic to a benthic life style 

through a rapid settlement process. Understanding and measuring settlement 

is important for fisheries management and biodiversity conservation, but 

sampling fish at the time of settlement is challenging due to the spatial 

concretion, pulsed and rapid nature of the process. Although the combination 

of several sampling methods was highlighted as the best sampling strategy 

in coral reefs, its effectiveness in temperate areas is still unknown. Here we 

compare the effectiveness of six different sampling methods in terms of species 

composition, catch properties and size-spectra of pre-settlers and recent settlers 

in order to determine the best combination of techniques to utilize over the 

Posidonia oceanica, an endemic seagrass of the Mediterranean Sea of key 

importance for coastal fisheries. We considered three types of pelagic nets, two 

types of light-traps to sample pre-settled stages, and a low-impact experimental 

fine-mesh beam trawl for recent settlers. Our results show significantly different 

size-spectra for each method, within a continuous range of sizes from 2 mm 

to 200 mm. The optimal strategy for sampling key littoral fish species during 

the settlement period is to utilize a combination of the Ecocean (CARE) light 

trap combined with a small-scale experimental beam trawl. The results of this 

study provide quantitative evidence for the selection of sampling protocols 

designed for assessing the settlement process in temperate coastal areas, and can 

be useful for the identification of essential fish habitats and the design of marine 

protected areas. 





MESOSCALE DYNAMICS OF THE SUMMER LARVAL FISH 

ASSEMBLAGES AROUND THE BALEARIC ISLANDS (NW 

MEDITERRANEAN) 

ALVAREZ, I., CATALAN, I.A., RODRIGUEZ, J.M., BALBIN, R., ALVAREZ, D., 

APARICIO, A., HIDALGO, J.M., ALEMANY, F. 

IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marqués 21, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Esporles 

07012. Email: ignacio@imedea.uib-csic.es 

We analyzed two consecutive summer ichthyoplankton cruises (2004, 2005) 

around the Balearic Archipelago (NW Mediterranean, Spain). In both years, 

two contrasting hydrographic situations were observed, which characterize 

the summer dynamics of this area. In 2004 the oceanographic structure was 

characterized by the presence of Western Intermediate Water (WIW) in the 

Ibiza channel, making the meridional position of the (salinity driven) density 

front that separates the new from the resident Atlantic Waters (AW) reach the 

southern part of Menorca Island. In 2005, the other typical situation in the area 

was observed, the absence of the WIW in the channel allowed the new AW 

progress through the Ibiza and Mallorca channels and causing higher levels of 

mixed water. A common set of 143 stations for both years was analyzed, and 

the larval fish assemblage (Hellinger transformation) was used as a multivariate 

response variable within a Redundancy Analysis Model. Eight physical and 

biological variables were used as potential explanatory variables. A subset of 

5 explanatory variables were significantly related to the response taxonomic 

structure in both years, with depth, dynamic height and geostrophic velocity 

dominating the first two RDA axes in both years. While the depth contribution 

was more related to adult spawning areas (oceanic vs coastal species), we show 

how mesopelagic species and some epipelagic ones including tuna distributions 

are widely determined by dynamic height distribution, which relates to eddy 

dynamics and water masses in the area. 





TIME AND TIMING IN THE ECOLOGY OF MARINE FISH EARLY 

LIFE-STAGES 

CHAMBERS, R.C. 

NOAA Fisheries NEFSC, 74 Magruder Rd, Highlands, New Jersey 07732. Email: 

chris.chambers@noaa.gov 

The importance of time and timing in marine fish ecology and recruitment 

has long been appreciated. Timing is fundamental to Hjort’s critical period 

hypothesis of marine fish recruitment, and to the subsequent derivative matchmismatch 

and stable-oceans hypotheses, the growth-mortality hypothesis 

and the predation hypothesis. In all, time is either an explicit or implicit 

part of the purported recruitment mechanism. Here the role of timing in 

ecology is considered especially as it pertains to marine fish early life-stages. 

First, the portrayal of time in ecological relevant units or increments linked 

to the key environmental drivers is likely to simplify the characterization of 

the underlying processes. The notion of physiological time is an example of 

such a simplification. The quantification of physiological time is presented, 

as are the ways that environmental factors map astronomical to physiological 

time. Second, using the thermal environment as an example of this mapping, 

the types of models that have been proposed to relate biological responses 

to temperature are summarized. Third, the key features of these models are 

described including biological zero, thermal summation, and curvature, as are 

the ways that these features affect ecological prediction. Fourth, examples are 

given of the early life-stage responses to a range of time-mapping environments 

(i.e., phenotypic plasticity), and the relative importance of these environments 

is discussed. Lastly, time compression and attenuation can occur in seasonal 

environments and an example is given of the special case of physiological time 

thresholds in winter. 






OCEAN ACIDIFICATION EFFECTS IN THE EARLY LIFE-STAGES 

OF SUMMER FLOUNDER, PARALICHTHYS DENTATUS 

CHAMBERS, R.C, CANDELMO, A.C., HABECK, E.A., POACH, M.E., 

WIECZOREK, D., GREENFIELD, C., COOPER K.R., PHELAN, B.A. 

NOAA Fisheries NEFSC, 74 Magruder Rd, Highlands, New Jersey 07732. Email: 

chris.chambers@noaa.gov 

Early life stage (ELS) responses of summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) were 

evaluated for responses to ocean acidification (OA). Survival of embryos was 

reduced by 50% below survival at local ambient conditions when maintained 

at the intermediate conditions (7.4 pH, 1860 ppm pCO 2 

), and by 75% below 

local ambient survival when maintained at the most acidic conditions tested 

(7.1 pH, 4,715 ppm pCO 2 

). Reduced embryo survival was consistent among 


three females used as sources of embryos. Sizes and shapes of larvae were altered 

by elevated CO 2 

levels. Larvae were longer at hatching (but with less energy 

reserves) to midway through the larval period. Larvae from the most acidic 

conditions initiated metamorphosis earlier and at smaller sizes than those from 

more moderate and ambient conditions. Tissue damage and altered cranialfacial 

(CF) features were evident in older larvae (> 14-d posthatching) from 

both elevated CO 2 

levels. Effects in CF features changed with larval ages: CF 

elements of larvae from ambient CO 2 

environments were comparable or smaller 

than those from elevated CO 2 

environments at 7 and 14-d posthatching but 

larger at older ages. The degree of impairment in the ELS of summer flounder 

due to elevated CO 2 

levels suggests that this species will be challenged by OA 

in the near future. Further experimental comparative studies on marine fish are 

encouraged in order to identify the species, life-stages, ecologies, and responses 

that are most sensitive to increased levels of CO 2 

and acidity in near-future 

ocean waters. 




IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAE IN THE FAMILY EXOCOETIDAE 

(FLYINGFISHES) 

CLAUSEN, K.C., DITTY, J.G. 

Texas A&M University at Galveston, NOAA/NMFS, 4700 Avenue U Bldg. 302, 

Galveston, TX 77551. Email: kclausen2011@gmail.com 

Flyingfish are an important resource worldwide, both as a fishery and as a food 

source for large pelagic fishes. It is important to be able to accurately identify 

larval flyingfish in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) due to their association as a prey 

species to fishes such as billfish and tuna. Increasing our knowledge of flyingfish 

may help inform management decisions pertaining to both flyingfish and large 

pelagic fisheries. There are ten species of flyingfish in the GoM, and of these 

species only five are identifiable at the larval stage using the current literature. 

Similarities in pigmentation, body shape, fin length, fin ray counts, and fin 

placement make these species particularly challenging to visually identify. 

This study combines the use of genetic identification and morphological 

measurements to determine distinctive characteristics which will facilitate 

identification of larval flyingfish. 






EFFECTS OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON HERRING AND COD 

LARVAE—A COMPARATIVE APPROACH 

CLEMMESEN, C., FROMMEL, A., MANEJA, R. PIATKOWSKI, U. 

Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Duesternbrooker Weg 20, 

24105 Kiel, Germany. Email: cclemmesen@geomar.de 

Studies on the impact of CO 2 

on the development of two commercially 

important fish species herring (Clupea harengus) and cod (Gadus morhua) 

under laboratory conditions (Kiel, Germany), in field settings (Baltic Sea, 

Bornholm Basin) and from a large, land-based mesocosm experiment at 

the marine facilities of the University of Bergen in Espegrend, Norway, 

were performed. With these data the effects of ocean acidification on fish 

populations adapted to very different abiotic conditions could be analyzed 

and the sensitivity of different larval developmental stages was evaluated. 

Methods used to determine growth and performance were morphometrics, 

biochemical indicators (RNA/DNA ratio, lipid analyses), histology, and 

otolith microstructure and microchemistry as well as behaviour. Severe tissue 

damages were observed in both herring and cod larvae. Reduction in growth 

rate and biochemical condition and metabolism were observed in herring, 

whereas the picture was not as clear in cod larvae. Otolith calcification was 

significantly affected by increasing seawater CO 2 

concentration. However the 

direct effects were different between the species with cod showing an increase 

in otolith size and herring a decrease. The observed changes in the otoliths were 

not reflected in a change in swimming behavior. Results from the two species 

will be presented and reasons for differences and similarities in reaction pattern 

will be discussed. 


Session: Reproduction and early life history of highly migratory species 




INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS ON THE 

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF TUNA LARVAE IN THE 

GULF OF MEXICO 

CORNIC, M., ALVARADO BREMER, J.R., ROOKER, J.R. 

Texas A&M University at Galveston, P.O. Box 1675, Galveston TX, 77553. Email: 

cornicm@tamug.edu 

Summer ichtyoplankton surveys were conducted in the northern Gulf 

of Mexico (GoM), and catch data were used to characterize patterns of 

distribution and abundance of tuna larvae (Thunnus spp.) within this region. 

Overall, 12,674 larvae in the genus Thunnus were collected from 2007 to 2010. 

Mean density and percent frequency of occurrence of Thunnus larvae was 0.98 

larvae 1000 m −3 and 78.5%, respectively. Temporal variability in catch numbers 

of Thunnus larvae were observed with the lowest density present in June (0.51 

larvae 1000 m −3 ) and in 2010 (0.42 larvae 1000 m −3 ), the summer following the 

Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To determine the species composition of Thunnus 

larvae in our collections, 2,975 larvae were genetically identified using high 

resolution melting analysis. Four different species were observed: blackfin tuna 

Thunnus atlanticus (87%), yellowfin tuna T. albacares (10%), bluefin tuna T. 

thynnus (3%), and bigeye tuna T. obsesus (

water volumes sufficient for accurate quantification of meso-zooplankton 

in situ. The images enable the clear identification of meso-zooplankters (e.g. 

ichthyoplankton, jellies, chaetognaths, euphausiids and even copepods), often 

to family or genus, with identification of small, transparent jellies often to 

species. Here we present case studies from four environments: Monterey Bay, 

Southern California, Georges Bank and Stellwagen Bank, to demonstrate 

the ability of this system to resolve the fine-scale distribution and orientation 

of zooplankton. The continuous ISIIS image can be used to to resolve finescale 

details in multiple trophic levels for a better understanding of plankton 

dynamics in the ocean. 





SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF FISH POST-LARVAE AROUND 

FRENCH MEDITERRANEAN COASTS: FIRST KNOWLEDGE TO 

UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONING OF FISH BIODIVERSITY 

GARSI, L.-H., THOMAS, C., CREC’HRIOU, R., AGOSTINI, S., LECAILLON, 

G., TERNENGO, S., GARCIA-CHARTON, J., MURENU, M., MUNTONI, M., 

LENFANT, P 

CEFREM UMR 5110 CNRS-UPVD, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, 

France. Email: crecrom@univ-perp.fr 

According to the most recent assessments of the Census of Marine Life (Coll 

and al., 2010), the decrease of marine biodiversity is particularly drastic in the 

Mediterranean Sea. The causes of biodiversity loss are multiple and mainly due 

to human activities. Habitat degradation, overexploitation, climate change, 

invasive species and pollution are recognized as the most important. The urgent 

need to stop the biodiversity decrease is addressed in the EU communication 

(COM 2006). With respect to the maritime status quo and the regulatory 

context, the European LIFE+ project “SUBLIMO” started one year ago and 

for a total of 3 years. The project proposes a new approach to analyze the marine 

biodiversity. It will seek to identify and estimate the abundance of coastal postlarval 

fish species which return to colonize coastal habitats and contribute to 

renew the local population. Seven sites along French Mediterranean coasts 

(including Corsica Island) are monitored with an innovative trap called CARE 

light trap patented by Ecocean French Company. Differences in richness and 

abundance are well marked reflecting the complexity of environmental and 

hydrographic conditions. Light traps sampled 62 taxa which represented 25 

families in only 4 months of survey. CPUE values were quite different across 

localities (0.6 to 41 individuals/CARE/night) and was extremely low in 

Agde, the coolest place. Sites located in Lion’s Gulf harboured higher species 

richness (34 taxa), with decreasing values in Agde or Bastia (18 taxa), Port- 

Cros National Park (17 taxa), Port-Vendres (15 taxa) and Bonifacio Marine 

Park (10 taxa). 


Session: Reef fish as model species in ecology and management 



EXAMINING THE PROCESS OF SETTLEMENT: COMPARATIVE 

PREDATION RATES ON LARVAL SNAPPERS (LUTJANIDAE) IN 

OCEANIC, REEF, AND NEARSHORE WATERS 

D’ALESSANDRO, E.K., Sponaugle, S. 

University of Miami, RSMAS, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami FL, 33149. 

Email: edalessa@rsmas.miami.edu 

The life cycle of most reef fishes involves pelagic larvae entering the nearshore 

environment to settle to benthic substrates. Settlement is considered to be 

highly risky as larvae encounter high rates of predation mortality associated 

with shallow nearshore habitats. This potential bottleneck may be particularly 

significant for many tropical snapper (Lutjanidae) species which bypass the reef 

to settle to very nearshore seagrass areas. To test the hypothesis that predationrelated 

mortality increases as naïve late-stage fish larvae leave the offshore 

oceanic environment and enter the nearshore to settle, relative nocturnal 

predation rates on tethered late-stage snapper larvae were measured in oceanic, 

coral reef, and nearshore surface waters of the lower Florida Keys, USA. Both 

relative predation rate and probability of predation in oceanic areas seaward 

of the reef was significantly greater than over reef or nearshore seagrass/ 

hardbottom habitats. This surprising result may be due to differences in the 

density or spatial distribution of potential predators between deep offshore 

(near flotsam at the surface) and shallow nearshore environments (demersal). 

These findings suggest that successful late-stage snapper larvae should avoid 

surface waters in deep oceanic areas and move upward in the water column 

as they pass over the reef and other shallow nearshore environments prior to 

settlement. 






DEVELOPMENT OF THE PHARYNGEAL JAWS IN THE 

DRUMS (SCIAENIDAE) OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WITH 

COMPARISONS TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY 

DEARY, A.L., HILTON, E.J. 

Attn: VIMS Fisheries, PO Box 1346, Route 1208 Greate Rd., Gloucester Point, VA 

23062. Email: aldeary@vims.edu 

The goal of ecomorphology is to identify the aspects of morphology that 

influence an organism’s ecological role, although little information is available 

for the early development of many functional complexes in most fishes. It is 

difficult to identify the morphological features that influence the ecological 

position of early life history stage fishes. To evaluate the development of the 

pharyngeal jaws in early life history stage sciaenids, pharyngeal jaw elements 

from cleared and double stained specimens were prepared, dissected, and 

measured. Gill raker shape and the area of the upper and lower toothplates 

were recorded in nine of the 14 sciaenid species that use nursery habitats in 

the Chesapeake Bay. Sciaenids were grouped based on their primary habitat 

as adults (benthic vs. pelagic). Stomach contents were identified to the 

lowest possible taxonomic level and prey was grouped by primary habitat 

(i.e. benthic crustacean, etc.) and relative hardness (e.g., fishes relatively soft, 

molluscs relatively hard). It is expected that unlike the oral jaw elements, which 

are matched for prey capture and primary foraging habitat, pharyngeal jaw 

elements will be matched to the degree of prey hardness since these structures 

are used to process prey. Species that prey on relatively harder-bodied organisms 

(Aplodinotus grunniens, Micropogonias undulatus, L. xanthurus, Menticirrhus 

spp.) are expected to have greater pharyngeal toothplate areas than species that 

prey on relatively softer-bodied organisms (B. chrysoura, Cynoscion nebulosus, 

C. regalis, Sciaenops ocellatus, Larimus fasciatus). 






COMPARISON OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND OSSIFICATION 

OF THE CRANIUM IN TWO SPECIES OF SOUTH AFRICAN 

DRUM (SCIAENIDAE), ARGYROSOMUS JAPONICUS AND A. 

THORPEI 

DEARY, A.L., PATTRICK, P., STRYDOM, N. 

Attn: VIMS Fisheries, PO Box 1346, Route 1208 Greate Rd, Gloucester Point, VA 

23062. Email: aldeary@vims.edu

South Pointe Park, a 22-acre natural area at the southernmost 

tip of South Beach, offers breathtaking views of Downtown 

and PortMiami. The park was recently renovated to restore 

native vegetation and is characterized by presenting a 

serpentine splanade and pylons with changing LED lights 

built on a walkway of Florida limestone. 

Argyrsomus is a genus within the family Sciaenidae that is not well resolved due 

to taxonomic confusion arising from a lack of distinguishing characters in the 

adults. Two sympatric species of Argyrosomus, Argyrosomus japonicus and A. 

thorpei, are found along the South African coast and are important recreational 

and commercial fishery resources. The goal of this project is to provide 

developmental and diet data that is currently lacking for A. japonicus and A. 

thorpei, providing some understanding into the comparative ecomorphology 

of these two species in the early life history stages. Specimens were captured 

through an intensive two year long, monthly sampling program that included 

shore-based larval seine tows and boat-based plankton tows within Algoa 

Bay, South Africa. Samples were sorted and identified in the lab. Stomachs 

were removed; gut contents were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic 

level, and pooled into broad taxonomic groupings. Thirty nine specimens 

were cleared and double stained (cartilage blue and calcified structures red) 

to describe the development of the cranial structures and overall pattern of 

ossification. Twenty four specimens of A. japonicus (1.9-5.7 mm Total Length; 

TL) and twelve specimens of A. thorpei (1.9-5.05 mm TL) were examined. 

Stomach contents were examined from nine specimens of A. japonicus and six 

specimens of A. thorpei. Very little ossification was observed in the pre-flexion 

larvae for both species. Cartilage and bone development were more defined in 

A. japonicus relative to A. thorpei. Six A. japonicus specimens also had food 

items in their stomachs, suggesting active foraging. 





ECOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF THE EARLY LIFE STAGES OF 

ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER (ATHERESTHES STOMIAS) AND 

KAMCHATKA FLOUNDER (A. EVERMANNI) IN THE EASTERN 

BERING SEA 

DE FOREST, L.G., DUFFY-ANDERSON, J.T., HEINTZ, R.A., MATARESE, 

A.C., SIDDON, E.C., SMART, T.I., SPIES, I.B. 

NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 

98115. Email: Lisa.DeForest@noaa.gov 

Arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias: ATF) are large, predatory flatfish 

found in the Gulf of Alaska and eastern Bering Sea (EBS). Early life history 

studies of ATF in the EBS have been difficult due to the presence of the closely 

related species Kamchatka flounder (A. evermanni: KF). As adults, ATF can 

be separated from KF by morphological and meristic characters; however, 

in larval and early juvenile stages these two species have been identified only 

as Atheresthes spp. The purpose of this project was to identify larval and 

early juvenile ATF and KF from the EBS and understand their distribution, 

abundance, and relative condition as indicated by energy density and % bodily 

lipid. We developed a genetic technique based on mtDNA cytochrome oxidase 

subunit I (COI) and subsequently successfully identified Atheresthes spp. larvae 

and early juveniles from EBS cruises (2006–2010). We examined genetically 

identified specimens, assessed unique pigmentation and morphological 

characters, and were able to identify small (25 mm SL) have 

slightly different distributions; KF occurs closer to shelf edges and in deeper 

water. Data on % lipid content of larvae and juveniles indicate that larval KF 

have higher % lipid content than ATF. Results provided in this study are the 

first comprehensive ecological data on ATF and KF in the EBS. 







COMBINED EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA AND ACIDIFICATION 

ON ANTIPREDATOR RESPONSE OF JUVENILE EUROPEAN 

SEABASS 

DIAZ-GIL, C., ALOS, J., CATALAN, I. A., PALMER, M., STECKBAUER, A., 

DUARTE, C.M. 

LIMIA, Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), C/ 

Miquel Marques 21, 07190 Esporles, Islas Baleares, Spain. Email: cdiaz@imedea. 

uib-csic.es 

The increase in CO 2 

in the atmosphere during the last century has led to an 

increase of water temperature and acidification. In the Mediterranean, hypoxic 

events and ocean acidification are increasing, but the effect of the interaction 

between these factors on to coastal fish physiology and behavior are seldom 

explored. In this work we evaluated experimentally the behavioral response of 

juvenile European Sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax to hypoxia and acidification 

within predicted levels and in a factorial design, where the individual fish was 

taken as a random factor. Individual response of juvenile sea bass to the presence 

of a predator (Scorpaena porcus) was evaluated in small aquaria, equipped with 

an artificial seagrass shelter. The activity, distance and boldness/risk behavior 

(entering the area close to the predator) was evaluated vs a control treatment 

following the position of the juvenile during the whole experiment each second 

through spatial landmark-based analysis. Preliminary results show that there 

is a significant effect of both treatments and their combination on fish antipredator 

response. 





COMPARISON OF JUVENILE ENGLISH SOLE LIPID CONTENT 

AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION IN COASTAL AND 

ESTUARINE HABITATS 

DOERING, K.L., STOWELL, M.A., CIANNELLI, L., PRAHL, F.G. 

University of Miami, 15646 85th Way North, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. 

Email: k.doering@umiami.edu 

English sole (Parophrys vetulus) larvae metamorphose and settle as juveniles in 

both nearshore coastal and estuarine habitats. Though these habitats are close 

in space, biogeochemical attributes of coastal and estuarine locations can vary 

widely, and thus differentially affect juvenile flatfish growth and survival. We 

used gas chromatography (GC) to examine triacylglycerol to sterol (TAG:ST) 

ratio and fatty acid signatures of newly settled English sole, and gravimetrically 

measured total extractable lipid content (TEL). These metrics were used as 

proxies for body condition, and were compared across individuals collected 

during June and July of 2012 from a coastal and nearby estuarine location 

off the central Oregon coast. English sole settling in the nearshore coastal 

habitat had higher body condition based on TAG:ST ratio than those in the 

estuarine habitat. Additionally, TAG:ST ratio and TEL decreased from June to 

July at both sites. This seasonal trend was previously observed with thin-layer 

chromatography (TLC) analyses during the summer of 2011, and may reflect 

decreases in habitat quality with time, perhaps due to lower dissolved oxygen 

content or to different food type and availability. Alternatively, this trend could 

be an artifact of differences in body size or developmental stage with time. GC 

analyses revealed varying fatty acid composition among sample sets, which may 

also reflect differences in diet. Continued research incorporating individuals 

of more comparable sizes, larger sample sizes, absolute quantification of lipid 

classes, and controlled experiments may further improve understanding of how 

juvenile English sole lipids vary with respect to habitat and seasonal timing. 






GOOD TIMING: HIGHER LARVAL SUCCESS DURING 

OBSERVED PERIOD OF SPAWNING AGGREGATION 

DONAHUE, M.J., KARNAUSKAS, M., TOEWS, C., PARIS, C.B. 

Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, PO Box 1346, Kaneohe, 

HI 96744. Email: donahuem@hawaii.edu 

Spawning aggregations are a common phenomenon among many commerciallyimportant 

reef fish populations. For some species these aggregations are highly 

predictable in space and time, increasing their vulnerability to targeted fishing 

efforts, but also suggesting that there are fitness advantages to spawning at these 

particular times and locations. In this study, we carry out a larval transport 

simulation model for a lane snapper (Lutjanus synagris) spawning location 

off Punta Hicacos-Cayo Mono, Cuba, and test whether larvae released at the 

observed aggregation site and observed time are more likely to successfully 

recruit than larvae released at adjacent spatial and temporal locations. We 

track virtual larvae from release to settlement, incorporating changes in 

larval behavior through ontogeny, using a multi-scale biophysical model, 

the Connectivity Modeling System. We found that larvae released during 

the observed spawning period had a lower probability of recruitment failure 

than those released outside the observed spawning period; however, releases 

from various adjacent spatial locations had a much smaller effect on estimated 

differences in recruitment success. We pose a simple optimization model to 

understand the relationship between number of days in the spawning period 

and the expected recruitment success in a temporally variable environment. 





ECOLOGY OF GREENLAND HALIBUT (REINHARDTIUS 

HIPPOGLOSSOIDES) IN CANYON AND SLOPE HABITATS OF 

THE EASTERN BERING SEA 

DUFFY-ANDERSON, J.T., CIANNELLI, L., VESTFALS, C., SOHN, D., 

STOCKHAUSEN, W., IANELLI, J., HOFF, G. 


98115 USA. Email: Janet.Duffy-Anderson@noaa.gov 

We examined differences in canyon and slope habitat utilization, and 

spawning to nursery area connectivity for Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius 

hippoglossoides), a deep-sea spawning flatfish, in the eastern Bering Sea using 

diverse and complimentary approaches. First distribution and abundance of 

adults, larvae and juveniles were seasonally assessed using field surveys and 

historical data from the NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Second, 

a coupled hydrodynamic and individual-based model was used to evaluate 

where and when eggs and larvae crossed from off-slope spawning locations to 

the continental shelf, and to determine critical settlement and nursery habitat 

for offspring. Finally, statistical models were used to evaluate the impact of 

climate variability on transport and settlement success. Results indicate that, 

during non-spawning periods, Greenland halibut adults tend to be more 

abundant along the continental slope, though during the spawning season no 

differences in habitat use were found. Oceanographic modeling results indicate 

that connectivity of Greenland halibut larvae between the slope and the shelf 

primarily occurs via undersea canyons (Pribilof, Zhemchug) to the north of 

the Alaska Peninsula, and that connectivity may be dependent on availability 

of nursery habitat over the continental shelf. Results indicate that climate 

variability has significant impacts on the distribution, abundance, connectivity 

and habitat use of this commercially-important deep-sea flatfish. 





DYNAMICS OF THE EARLY LIFE STAGES OF WALLEYE 

POLLOCK OVER THE EASTERN BERING SEA SHELF 

DUFFY-ANDERSON, J.T., SMART, T., MUETER, F., CURCHITSER, E., 

PETRIK, C. 

NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA 

98115. Email: Janet.Duffy-Anderson@noaa.gov 

We undertook a multi-year study to examine seasonal linkages between spring 

spawning areas, early summer distribution patterns, and late summer/early fall 

occurrences of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in the eastern Bering 

Sea. Analyses indicated that spatial distributions of walleye pollock early life 

stages are influenced by broad-scale (temperature, spawning stock biomass, 

wind) and fine-scale (zooplankton biomass) variables, though temperature 

explained more of the variation in abundance of walleye pollock early life 

stages than any other covariate. We show that timing of spawning of walleye 

pollock appears to be delayed by as much as a month when thermal conditions 

over the eastern Bering Sea shelf are colder-than-average. We demonstrate 

spatial shifts in the distribution of early life stages to the east under warmerthan-average 

conditions, which appear to be related to predominant wind 

patterns over the continental shelf. Finally, we develop a biophysical model 

(ROMS-TRACMASS) to examine how variable atmospheric forcing, and 

the ocean’s response to this forcing, affects the distribution of walleye pollock 

ichthyoplankton. Implementation of the model will allow us to examine 

historical dispersal pathways of walleye pollock eggs and larvae and to forecast 

how these might change in the future under changing climate and ocean 

conditions. 






SEASONAL AND ANNUAL VARIABILITY OF LARVAL FISH 

RECRUITMENT AT THREE LOCATIONS ON OAHU. 

EHRLER, C.P., STEINBECK, J.R. 

Tenera Environmental, 141 Suburban Road, Suite A2, San Luis Obispo, CA 

93401. Email: cehrler@tenera.com 

Larval fish samples were collected from April 2006 through April 2012 at the 

shoreline intakes of three power plants on Oahu, covering a range of habitats 

including the open coast on the west side of the island at Kahe Point, and 

inside Honolulu Harbor and Pearl Harbor. Collection were conducted at least 

monthly using a 0.6 m2 diameter 335 micron mesh net. Samples were collected 

at each location about every 6 hours over a 24-hour period during each survey. 

A total of over 212,000 individuals from at least 130 taxa were identified in the 

1,921 samples. The abundance of each taxon was variable between locations 

and between years, with some taxa only being represented by a single larvae 

during the study. The percentage of the common taxa collected during all six 

years at each location ranged from 24% to 43%. The most abundant taxa by 

location included damselfishes, gobies, infantfishes, Hawaiian triplefin, and 

blennies near Kahe Point, damselfish, anchovies, gobies, and infantfishes in 

Honolulu Harbor, and anchovies, jacks, and gobies in Pearl Harbor. Figures 

will be presented showing the seasonal and annual variation of the most 

abundant taxa. 



MATERNAL TRANSFER OF STRIPED BASS: DETERMINING A 

MOTHER’S LIFE HISTORY STRATEGY FROM THE OFFSPRING 

ELKING, B.A., RULIFSON, R.A. 

East Carolina University, 1813 Bradford Dr Apt 194, Greenville NC, 27858. Email: 

elkingb11@students.ecu.edu 

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) have two life history strategies: anadromy 

and residency. Anadromy is when a species lives in saltwater as an adult and 

spawns in freshwater, while residents stay in freshwater throughout life. It is 

possible to determine whether or not an individual is anadromous or resident 

by examining trace elements in the otoliths (ear bones), specifically Strontium, 

which is directly related to water salinity. We take this knowledge a step 

farther to determine that, by looking at larval otolith strontium levels, the life 

history of the mother can be determined. The life history strategy (resident or 

anadromous) of the mother can be seen in the core of these progeny’s otoliths 

and the primordium of adult fish based upon the Strontium levels. Since the 

progeny’s otolith signatures can be traced back to the mother’s life history 

strategy, we can then determine the relative production and survival of progeny 

from anadromy versus residency. 




DRIVERS OF TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF LARVAL FISH 

RECRUITMENT IN VILLEFRANCHE BAY (NORTHWESTERN 

MEDITERRANEAN) OVER A SEVEN-YEAR TIME SERIES 

(2006–2012) 

FAILLETTAZ, R., IRISSON, J.O. 

UPMC Univ. Paris 6 - UMR 7093, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, 

Observatoire Océanologique, F-06234 Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. Email: 

faillettaz@obs-vlfr.fr 

Understanding the dynamics of larval fish recruitment has been of major 

interest in the past century, but temporal patterns are still difficult to predict. 

Few studies have tackled larval recruitment in the Mediterranean Sea, all of 

them short term. We extracted a seven-year time series (2006–2012) of weekly 

plankton samples and environmental data from the work of the SO-RADE 

at point B station in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, which spans 50 

years. Zooplankton data came from daily Régent net samples analyzed using 

computer assisted identification (ZooScan). While this sampling effort did 

not specifically target fish larvae, fish larvae were caught in 185 of the 365 

samples (42.6%), although no taxonomic resolution was available. The time 

series showed strong seasonality, with higher abundances during late spring 

and early summer (highest captures in June: 8.8±10.7 individuals 100 m−3). 

After the first main peak, larval fish abundance tended to decrease through 

the summer until a second peak in late summer, which may suggest two main 

spawning periods. Maximum recruitment corresponded to day 23rd after new 

moon. Some years differed from the general pattern; 2010 and 2012 were 

characterized by an early first abundance peak, which correlated with higher 

abundances in zooplankton taxa. These results match with seasonal patterns 

of recruitment observed in other parts of the Mediterranean Sea and provide a 

first look into drivers of temporal variability in larval fish recruitment at weekly 

to semi-decadal time scales over a long time series. 





CRITICAL SWIMMING BEHAVIOR OF SAND-SMELT LARVAE 

(ATHERINA PRESBYTER, CUVIER 1829) — IMPLICATIONS 

FOR LARVAL DISPERSAL AND COMPARISON WITH OTHER 

TEMPERATE SPECIES 

FARIA A.M., GONÇALVES, E.J., BORGES, R. 

Eco-Ethology Research Unit, ISPA – Instituto Universitário, R. Jardim do Tabaco 

34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal. Email: afaria@ispa.pt 

Sand-smelt, Atherina presbyter, is one of the two species representing the family 

Atherinidae in west Europe. It is an inshore marine fish, occasionally entering 

coastal lagoons and estuaries. Studies of genetic differentiation of A. presbyter in 

the North-eastern Atlantic reveal a pattern of isolation-by-distance, suggesting 

limited larval exchange among populations. The extent of gene flow may be 

affected by distinct biological, physical and ecological characteristics of a 

species. Additionally, it has become increasingly evident that larval fish behavior 

must be considered when investigating dispersal and connectivity. The current 

study represents the first assessment of swimming abilities of larvae belonging 

to the atheriniform order. The ontogeny of critical swimming speed (Ucrit) was 

investigated for wild-caught sand-smelt larvae, and speeds ranged from 3.5 to 

18.7 cm s-1, over the size range of 5.5 to 21 mm TL. These critical speeds are 

well within the speeds reported for temperate and warm temperate perciform 

species for which the ontogeny of critical speed is known. The observed behavior 

together with the available field data and early life history traits indicate that 

larvae might be able to explore the nearshore habitats and actively remain close 

to shore. The integration of larval behavior with biophysical models of larval 

dispersal is of great interest and in great need as this integration provides much 

insight into the realities of dispersal and retention. This is critically important 

to our understanding of population connectivity and to management decisions, 

including the design of Marine Protected Areas networks. 








NEW METHODOLOGY TO IDENTIFY ENGRAULIDAE EGGS OF 

THE SOUTHEASTERN BRAZILIAN BIGHT 

FAVERO, J.M., Katsuragawa, M., Zani-Teixeira, M.L., Turner, J.T. 

University of São Paulo. Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo - SP, Brazil. 

Email: janamdf@usp.br 

In the Southeastern Brazilian Bight, four groups of Engraulidae eggs occur in 

ichthyoplankon samples, but only Engraulis anchoita eggs are well identified. 

Eggs have been previously identified manually by measurements of the major 

and minor axes and by combinations of the two axes in the form of volume and 

eccentricity of the ellipsoid. To facilitate the identification of these four groups 

of eggs, a new method was developed using ImageJ — an image processing 

program, to measure and count eggs and R software for other analyses. 

Measurements of major and minor axes, perimeter, circularity, aspect ratio and 

roundness were obtained automatically through photographs of eggs. Volume 

and eccentricity were calculated. One Way MANOVA: Wilk’s Lambda 

showed that the four groups identified manually are significantly different and 

that they are distinguished by all measurements used (Wilk’s Lambda = 0.04, 

p

in selected collections. Presumed daily increments were counted if completely 

formed along the longest axis, and measurements of daily growth increments 

were made along this axis. The first visible growth increment (mean radius from 

primordium = 10.66 µm) was observed outside a diffuse core region (diameter 

= 21.32 µm) and presumably formed three days post-hatch, corresponding 

closely 

with reported onset of exogenous feeding. Final agreement 

between readers on increment counts was 92% which resulted 

in 12 otoliths being eliminated from data analysis. Increment 

counts for sagittae were adjusted to absolute age by adding 

three to total counts. Analyses indicated that 128 bluefin 

tuna larvae (2.6 - 8.2 mm BL) ranged in age from 5 - 15 

days, post-fertilization. Otolith radius-daily increment 

and age-length relationships were best represented by 

linear models as: y = 0.1562x + 2.2305, r2 = 0.90 and y = 

0.4411x + 0.8774, r2 = 0.80, respectively. Estimated mean 

daily growth rate was 0.44 mm/d. Back-tracked (hindcast) passive transport of 

aged larvae from collection locations and dates to presumed spawning locations 

associated with ocean circulation features (eddies and Loop Current boundary 

shear) is examined. 






REEF ODOR: A WAKE-UP CALL FOR NAVIGATION IN 

SETTLEMENT STAGE REEF FISH LARVAE 

PARIS, C.B., IRISSON, J., ATEMA, J., KINGSFORD, M., GERLACH, G., 

GUIGAND, C., FORETICH, M. 

Rosenstiel of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, 

Miami, FL 33149. Email: cparis@rsmas.miami.edu 

We monitored the movement of pelagic reef fish larvae using an open-ocean 

tracking device, the Drifting In Situ Chamber (DISC), which does not require 

human presence. We sequentially deployed the DISC in both oceanic waters 

and in reef-born odor plumes propagating offshore with the turbulent ebb flow 

and observed unprecedented behavior in a total of 82 larvae in the two water 

masses. We provide the first in-situ evidence that pelagic reef fish larvae respond 

to reef odor by changing their swimming speed and direction. In addition, the 

effect of the ambient odor signal varied among taxa indicating that olfactory 

cues may act as stimuli to other senses or behaviors rather than providing direct 

navigational information. We concluded that reef fish larvae smell the presence 

of coral reefs from several kilometers offshore and that odor is relevant to a map 

sense. The central role of olfactory signals in marine population connectivity 

raises concerns about the effects of pollution and acidification of oceans which 

can alter both the chemical cues and the olfactory capabilities of larval fish. 





AGE ESTIMATES FOR LARVAL ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA 

(THUNNUS THYNNUS) FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO 

FRANKS, J., TILLEY, J., GIBSON, D., COMYNS, B., HOFFMAYER, E. 

USM- Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 East 

Beach Dr., Ocean Springs, MS 39564. Email: jim.franks@usm.edu 

The microstructure of sagittal otoliths removed from 140 larval Atlantic bluefin 

tuna (Thunnus thynnus) collected by surface neuston tows (333 µm mesh) from 

the Gulf of Mexico during the month of May between 2000 and 2010 was 

examined independently by two experienced readers using light microscopy at 

1000x with oil immersion. Larval samples represented each 0.5 mm size class 




LABORATORY OCEAN ACIDIFICATION METHODOLOGY 

USING A HOBBYIST REED TANK CONTROLLER 

FREEBURG, E.W., RHYNE, A., HANNIGAN, R. 

University of Massachusetts Boston, School for the Environment, 100 Morrissey 

Blvd, Boston, MA 02125. Email: Edfreeburg@gmail.com 

Oceans are acidifying as CO 2 

drawdown occurs. Recently, the process of ocean 

acidification has been the topic of much study. Laboratory experiments are 

paramount in our understanding of the impacts of OA on biota. Entry into this 

field of study is slow due to the high cost of experimental infrastructure. A pH 

control system was designed in an effort to construct an apparatus capable of 

OA experimentation in the laboratory at minimal cost. Using a hobbyist reef 

tank controller, Digital Aquatics Reef Keeper Elite, and external electronics, 

pH of aquaria can be held within ±0.01 pH units, regardless of setpoint. We 

also developed software to include data logging, effectively increasing log 

capacity indefinitely. By incorporating periodic pH electrode calibrations, 

system uptime is on the order of several months without interruption. The 

system, and its performance, is thoroughly described. 



FIRST APPROACH OF THE EARLY LIFE RELATIVE TROPHIC 

LEVEL SPECTRA BY STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF BLUEFIN 

(THUNNUS THYNNUS) AND ITS ASSOCIATED TUNA SPECIES 

OF THE BALEARIC SEA 

GARCIA, A., LAIZ-CARRIÓN, R., MOROTE, E., QUINTANILLA, J.M., 

URIARTE, A., RODRIGUEZ, J.M., CORTÉS, D., ALEMANY, F. 

Instituto Español de Oceanografia, Centro Oceanografico de Málaga, Puerto 

Pesquero de Fuengirola, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain. Email: agarcia@ 

ma.ieo.es 

The Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) undertakes a reproductive 

migration towards the Mediterranean following the inflow of the Atlantic 

surface jet current. Among its privileged spawning sites is the Balearic 

archipelago where a branch of the Atlantic waters encounters the saltier 

Mediterranean water masses. The bluefin spawning habitat is likewise the 

spawning habitat of other Mediterranean tuna species. This study is aimed 

at analyzing the stable isotopic signatures of bluefin in respect to other two 

competing species belonging to the group of small tunnies, Auxis rochei and 


Euthynnus alleteratus. The results seem to indicate that their early life trophic 

signatures show significant differences implying a partitioning of planktonic 

resources and differences in the energetic sources. Moreover, the stable isotope 

of nitrogen decreases significantly with the ln of larval dry weight in all three 

species. It is hypothesized that this decrease may be linked to trophic shifts 

along ontogenic development. 



SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE LARVAL FISH COMMUNITY 

OFF THE NW IBERIAN PENINSULA, IN THE LATE WINTER 

2012 

RODRIGUEZ, J.M., CABRERO, A., ALVAREZ, P., FLETCHER, C., HERNANDEZ 

DE ROJAS, A., GAGO, J., GARCIA, A., HERREROS, M., LAIZ-CARRIÓN, R., 

VERGARA-CASTAÑO, A., PIÑEIRO, C. AND SABORIDO-REY, F. 

Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico da Gijón 33212. Gijón, 

Spain. Email: j.m.rodriguez@gi.ieo.es 

This study analyzes the composition, abundance and the horizontal and vertical 

structure of the larval fish community (LFC) in a hydrographically dynamic 

region, under a typical winter situation. The surface layer (0-200 m) was 

completely mixed, with temperatures and salinities around 12.5 ºC and 35.7, 

respectively. Geostrophic currents were weak, although the upwelling index 

was unusually high for this time of the year. The most remarkable mesoscale 

hydrographic features found during the study were three relatively weak 

eddies, two cyclonic and an anticyclonic, and also a weak thermohaline front, 

located at the northeastern border of the study area. The 337 depths stratified 

samples yielded 9090 larvae belonging to 67 taxa in 26 families. The LFC 

was dominated by Micromesistius poutassou, Scomber scombrus and Merluccius 

merluccius. Larval abundances increased from south to north. There were no 

differences in larval fish abundance and LFC structure between day and night. 

The distribution of fish larvae was vertically stratified, both day and night, and 

there was no evidence of diel vertical migration. The LFC was horizontally 

structured into a coastal and an offshore assemblage but no depth stratified 

assemblages were found. Multivariate analysis also revealed that depth, SST, 

SSS and latitude were the most important factors involved in larval fish species 

distribution. In the absence of physical stratification of the water column, we 

hypothesize that larval behavior is the most important factor in maintaining 

the vertical distribution and structure of the LFC. This study was funded by the 

Spanish research grant CRAMER-CTM2010-21856-CO3-02. 



NEW APPROACH IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA ON THE 

UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION 

DYNAMICS OF FISHES’ POST-LARVAE OF CORSICAN COASTS 

GARSI, L.H., AGOSTINI, S., DURIEUX, E.D.H., BISGAMBIGLIA, P.A., 

PASQUALINI, V., TERNENGO, S., GARRIDO, M., GERIGNY, O., PERRIN- 

SANTONI, A. 

University of Corsica Pascal Paoli, UMS 3514 Stella Mare, Lieu-Dit U Casone 

20620 BIGUGLIA. Email: garsi@univ-corse.fr 

Main objective of the study is to inventory the fishes’ post-larval diversity, a 

biological compartment not well known in the Mediterranean. The Postlarvae 

Capture and Culture (PCC) innovative technique (Lecaillon & Lourié, 

2007) is used in order to collect, identify and quantify post-larvae coastal 

fishes on 3 marine sites of the Corsican coasts showing different morphology, 

currents and level of human impact and protection: Bastia (43 545 inhabitants 

(INSEE 2009), future Natura 2000 area on Northeast façade), Saint-Florent 

(1 636 inhabitants (INSEE 2009), fishing cantonment, Northwest façade), 

Bonifacio (2 919 inhabitants (INSEE 2009), Natural Reserve, South façade). 

This research aims (i) evaluate the fish post-larvae response to their planktonic 

biological resources (phytoplankton and zooplankton) and alterations of 

natural aquatic environment (currents) (ii) analyze their spatial structure 

(connectivity between habitat and stock identification) with a methodology 

using natural markers (otoliths) and genetic. These questions are discussed by 

the use of two methods types of field research and data analysis: an analysis 

of the composition and distribution of fish post-larvae populations and their 

spatial and temporal variations as well as their relationships with environmental 

factors; and the methods and models replacing fish post-larva in its community 

and ecosystem as a whole. This new approach is intended to be extended to 

all Europeans partners of North-western Mediterranean Sea (France, Spain, 

Italy) with the aim of improving knowledge on fish post-larval phase, dispersal 

process, colonization and recruitment. These biological parameters can then be 

fed a biophysical model of post-larval dispersion at large scale. 






LARVAL DRIFT EXPERIMENTS ON A SHORELINE IN A LARGE 

RIVER: VALIDATION OF THE PARTICLE TRACING MODEL IN 

COMBINATION WITH A 3D NUMERICAL MODEL 

GLAS, M., TRITTHART, M., LECHNER, A., KECKEIS, H., LOISL, F., 

HUMPHRIES, P., HABERSACK, H. 

Inst. of Water Man., Hydrol. a. Hydraulic Eng., University of Natural Resources 

and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 107, Vienna, A-1190, Austria. Email: martin.glas@ 

boku.ac.at 

Within the framework of an interdisciplinary research project, drift experiments 

with marked fish larvae (nase, Chondrostoma nasus) and passive floats were 

performed alongside a near natural gravel shore of the Austrian River Danube, 

aiming at the investigation of the mode of larval dispersal (active-passive). An 

integral part of this study was the validation of a numerical particle tracing 

model which, in combination with a 3D hydrodynamic model of the river, 

shall describe the passive mode of transport. Therefore around 50,000 passive 

floats were released on two different sites (inshore, offshore) in the field. 

Longitudinal and lateral patterns of (passive) dispersal were measured with 

stationary drift nets on four consecutive sites downstream, up to five hours after 

release. Furthermore, the dispersal of virtual particles from the same release 

points was computed with the particle tracing model. By comparing spatiotemporal 

and quantitative aspects of observed and simulated dispersal patterns, 

we found that the numerical particle tracing method was a valid representation 

for the passive component of larval drift. In the future, active components of 

larval dispersal shall be integrated in the particle tracing model and thereby 

enhance its predictive capacity. 




SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY IN DAMSELFISH 

EARLY LIFE HISTORY TRAITS AND SURVIVAL IN THE 

FLORIDA KEYS 

GOLDSTEIN, E.D., SPONAUGLE, S. 

RSMAS, University of Miami, RSMAS/MBF, University of Miami, 4600 

Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149. Email: egoldstein@rsmas.miami.edu 

For reef fish with complex life cycles, successful settlement, recruitment to 

the reef, and maturation requires survival through multiple of life stages 

and environments. During the pelagic stage, larvae encounter variable 

oceanographic conditions that can affect traits and mortality. Subsequently, 

fish undergo an ontogenetic shift and settle to reef habitats that entail new 

challenges to survival. Particular early life history traits (ELHTs: daily growth, 


pelagic larval duration, and size at settlement) may confer a survival advantage 

that can vary based on environmental conditions and habitat, creating local 

patterns in traits and selection. We examined spatial and temporal variability 

in Stegastes partitus (bicolor damselfish) ELHTs and trait-mediated selective 

mortality in the upper and lower Florida Keys during the summer months of 

2008. Fish cohorts were sampled repeatedly through time starting from latestage 

larvae on the night of settlement, until three weeks post-settlement on the 

reef to quantify shifts in mean population traits using otolith microstructure 

analysis. Our results reveal significant temporal variation in growth, pelagic 

larval duration, and size at settlement. Preferential survival of fish with fast larval 

growth and large settlement size was both temporally and spatially consistent. 

However, preliminary analyses suggest that spatial variability in ELHTs and the 

magnitude of selection may differ between study cohorts, indicating that both 

temporal and spatial processes influence selective mortality. This study provides 

insight into the effects of regional patterns of selection on post-settlement 

fitness of individuals and connectivity between local fish populations. 



EARLY DEVELOPMENT AND LARVAL BEHAVIOR OF TWO 

CLINGFISH SPECIES (GOBIESOCIDAE) 

GONÇALVES, E.J., FARIA, A.M. 

ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Eco-Ethology Research Unit, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 

34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal. Email: emanuel@ispa.pt 

The recent taxonomic clarification of clingfish species Lepadogaster lepadogaster 

and L. purpurea led us to reassess the few descriptions on the early development 

of eggs and larvae and study the behavior of the early stages. A comparison 

of morphological, ecological and behavioral early life history traits was 

performed. Embryonic development lasted 21 days in L. purpurea at 14.2°C, 

and 16 days in L. lepadogaster at 16.5°C, being the former a winter spawner 

and the later a spring spawner. Newly hatched larvae measured 5.2 mm, had 

the mouth and anus opened, pigmented eyes and almost no yolk. The change 

to a benthic mode of life was gradual, with larvae increasingly spending more 

time close to the bottom until definitely settling. Larval development lasted 33 

days in L. purpurea and 18 days in L. lepadogaster. The ontogeny of swimming 

was also measured and L. lepadogaster larvae swam better than L. purpurea 

larvae, but this difference might be related to differences in water temperature. 

Swimming speeds increased with ontogeny (size) despite high variability at 

any ontogenetic state and started to decrease at settlement (10 to 11 mm total 

length). This is concurrent with the development of a ventral sucking disk that 

allows individuals to attach to the bottom and counteract strong currents being 

probably an adaptation to the cryptobenthic mode of life of these fish with 

relevant implications for their nearshore retention. 






FINE SCALE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS OF LARVAL FISHES 

TO PLANKTONIC PREDATORS AND PREY: THE IMPACT OF 

INTERNAL WAVES 

GREER, A.T., COWEN, R.K., HARE, J.A., GUIGAND, C.M. 

University of Miami – RSMAS, Marine Biology and Fisheries, 4600 Rickenbacker 

Cswy, Miami, FL 33149. Email: agreer@rsmas.miami.edu 

Tidally driven internal wave packets are predictable features in the summer 

near Stellwagen Bank, Massachusetts, USA that have the potential to influence 

patchiness of larval fishes, prey, and gelatinous predators. We used the In Situ 

Icthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) to synoptically sample larval fishes, 

copepods, and predators (ctenophores, hydromedusae, chaetognaths, and 

polychaetes) using both full water column profiles and fixed depth transects 

(10 m) to quantify vertical and horizontal components of their distributions 

during stratified and internal wave conditions. Larval fishes, consisting 

mostly of Urophycis spp. and Merluccius bilinearis, were concentrated near 

the surface and displayed ontogenetic vertical migration. Copepods formed 

a near surface thin layer during the stratified period of sampling that was 

absent when internal waves were propagating. Ctenophores, on the other 

hand, were more concentrated at greater depths, but displayed strong taxondependent 

vertical distributions with lobate ctenophores common near surface 

and tentaculate ctenophores at depth. Polychaetes and chaetognaths were 

relatively rare compared to gelatinous organisms. The surface waters, therefore, 

may represent a zone where larval fishes can experience much higher than 

average concentrations of prey, especially during stratified conditions, while 

experiencing lower predation pressure than they would at depth. Internal waves 

may counteract stratified conditions by 1) breaking up patches or thin layers of 

copepods and 2) bringing gelatinous zooplankton towards the surface where 

they can exert heavier predation pressure on larval fishes. Imaging technology 

has the potential to greatly improve sampling efficiency and elucidate dynamic 

trophic relationships involving larval fishes. 


Session: FATE Science Meeting (larval fish studies) 



A CAUTIONARY TALE: EVALUATING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY- 

EXPLICIT STOCK RECRUIT MODEL FOR WESTERN GULF OF 

MAINE ATLANTIC COD (GADUS MORHUA) 

HARE, J.A., BROOKS, E.N., PALMER, M.C., CHURCHILL, J.H. 



A previous study documented a correlation between Atlantic cod (Gadus 

morhua) recruitment in the Gulf of Maine and an annual index of the north 

component of May winds. This correlation was supported by modeling studies 

that indicated unusually strong recruitment of Gulf of Maine cod may result 

from high retention of spring-spawned larvae in years when winds were 

predominately downwelling favorable (out of the south). We re-evaluated this 

relationship using updated recruitment estimates from a more recent stock 

assessment and found that the correlation between recruitment and wind 

decreased from -0.67 to -0.26. This finding is more than just another case of an 

environmental relationship breaking down when additional data are included. 

The original relationship was largely driven by two recruitment estimates, one 

of which (2005 year class) was highly uncertain because it was near the terminal 

year of the assessment. With additional data, the updated assessment estimated 

lower recruitment for the 2005 year class, which consequently produced a 

lower correlation. These results suggest more caution in the development of 

environmentally-explicit stock recruitment relationships, in particular, when 

basing relationships and hypotheses on the output from terminal years of stock 

assessment models. More broadly, this studies highlight a number of sources 

of uncertainty that should be considered when analyses are performed on the 

output of stock assessment models. 





STRATIFICATION INDICES FOR STOCK AND ECOSYSTEM 

ASSESSMENTS FROM A DATA ASSIMILATIVE CIRCULATION 

MODEL 

LI, Y., JI, R., CHEN, C., FRATANTONI, P., HARE, J.A. 




Understanding the spatio-temporal pattern of stratification is critical in linking 

physical environment and fisheries. Data from in-situ ocean observations can 

be used to develop stratification indices, but are understandably sparse and 

usually not uniform in time or space. In this study, we use a data-assimilative 

three-dimensional circulation model (FVCOM) to provide high-resolution 

estimates of stratification for the Northeast U.S. shelf ecosystem from 1978 

to 2010. A number of criteria have been used to quantify the degree of 

stratification, including surface-to-bottom and surface-to-50m Brunt–Väisälä 

frequency and Simpson Potential Energy. The data-assimilative model shows 

high performance across different criteria, and successfully captures a large 

amount of variability in the temperature, salinity and stratification fields 

observed in the NEFSC surveys (37304 casts). The 33-year products have 

been analyzed to derive climatological and interannual stratification indices. 

Phenological parameters were calculated to examine the timing and intensity 

of stratification at critical periods such as the onset, peak and decline of 

stratification. The density stratification has been decomposed into its thermal 

and haline components to identify underlying processes (e.g. the contribution 

of buoyancy versus heat flux); and EOF analyses have been conducted to explore 

the key spatio-temporal patterns and their possible links to external forcing. 

Our results support the needs for the NEFSC Ecosystem Assessment Program 

to determine whether the current Ecological Production Units (EPUs) can 

adequately resolve the spatio-temporal scales of variability. 





NUTRITIONAL CONDITION OF CORAL REEF FISH LARVAE 

VARIES WITH DISPERSAL HISTORY: A SPATIAL ASSESSMENT 

OF LARVAL GROWTH AND RNA/DNA RATIOS IN THE 

CONTEXT OF POPULATION CONNECTIVITY 

HAUFF, M.J., SPONAUGLE, S., WALTER, K.D., D’ALESSANDRO, E., 

COWEN, R.K. 

University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1084 Shennecossett 

Road Groton, CT, USA 06340. Email: mhauff@rsmas.miami.edu 

Because of the strong influence of carryover effects between life stages, larvae 

exhibiting different levels of condition in the plankton often differ in their 

post-settlement mortality. Thus, in order to better understand the relative 

potential for local retention and long-distance dispersal to contribute to 

reef fish population maintenance, it is necessary to examine the relationship 

between larval condition and dispersal trajectory. Over three cruises in the 

summers of 2007 and 2008, ichthyoplankton and environmental measurements 

(MOCNESS and CTD) were collected on cross-shelf transects along the 

Florida Keys (FK) reef tract, and in the Loop Current upstream of the FK. 

MOCNESS tows at each station yielded larvae from a broad range of reef fish 

taxa and, for a subset of larvae identifiable to species (bluehead wrasse, pearly 

razorfish, bluelip parrotfish, and great barracuda), RNA/DNA ratios and 

otolith-derived growth rates were obtained. These indices were used to evaluate 

the condition of individual larvae collected across distinct water masses and, 

for three of the four taxa investigated, larvae collected closer to shore exhibited 

distinctly higher condition as compared to larvae collected offshore. These 

among-region differences could not be explained by enhanced feeding due to 

increased environmental prey availability, as the preferred prey items of the 

larvae were less abundant at nearshore sampling stations where mean condition 

was highest. Instead, an examination of the distributions of individual larval 

condition levels with age indicated that observed nearshore-offshore differences 

in condition likely resulted from dissimilar levels of selective mortality between 

the two regions. 






LARVAL RED DRUM (SCIAENOPS OCELLATUS) RESPOND 

TO DISSOLVED CHEMICALS FROM THE ESTUARINE 

ENVIRONMENT 

HAVEL, L.N., FUIMAN, L.A. 

The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, 750 Channel View Dr., Port 

Aransas, Texas 78373. Email: l.havel@utexas.edu 

Planktonic larvae require both developed swimming capabilities and 

functional sensory systems to locate benthic habitats. Marine fishes commonly 

use chemical cues for navigation, however the olfactory function for fish larvae 

that reside in estuaries has received little research attention. To examine the role 

of water chemistry as an orientation cue for red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) to 

locate or remain in settlement habitat, we quantified their behavioral responses 

in the presence of distinct natural chemical cues. In laboratory trials, we made 

paired comparisons of pre-settlement larvae exposed to sterilized sea water (as a 

control) and one of six treatments (sterilized sea water, sea water collected from 

a channel at ebb tide, sea water collected at flood tide, sea water collected from 

seagrass habitat, tannic acid dissolved in sterilized seawater, or lignin dissolved 

in sterilized seawater). Results showed that larvae exposed to seawater collected 

from the seagrass habitat swam faster than those from the other treatments. 

Additionally, larvae in the water from seagrass habitat swam higher in the water 

column than those in the flood tide water. These differences in behavior among 

the various water samples demonstrate that red drum larvae can distinguish 

different water masses and suggest an active response to chemical stimuli, which 

could aid in orientation and movement to, or retention in suitable settlement 

sites. 





USING MOVEMENT MODELS, FORAGING EVENTS, AND 

ENVIRONMENTAL DATA TO IDENTIFY BLUEFIN TUNA 

HOTSPOTS IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT 

WHITLOCK, R., HAZEN, E.L., BOGRAD, S., FOLEY, D., BAILEY, H., BLOCK, 

B.A. 

UC Santa Cruz CIMEC / NOAA SWFSC ERD, 1352 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, 

CA, 93950. Email: elliott.hazen@noaa.gov 

Bluefin tuna are among the world’s most valuable commercial fishes. All 

three bluefin tuna species (Atlantic—Thunnus thynnus, Southern—Thunnus 

maccoyi, and Pacific—Thunnus orientalis) have been overfished and two species 

(Atlantic and Southern bluefin) have been proposed for the Convention on 

International Trade in Endangered Species. Understanding how environmental 

features influence the movement and distribution of bluefin will aid evaluations 

of alternative management strategies in the light of systematic environmental 

change. Advanced archival tags can measure the energetic intake of bluefin 

using the heat increment of feeding (HIF) providing an opportunity to 

integrate movement data, oceanography and resource availability as discerned 

from the archival tag HIF data. Here we present our HIF calibration results 

and generalized additive mixed model output. We can use these tools to predict 

catch risk indices for pacific bluefin to inform spatially explicit management 

goals (e.g. potential time-area closures). 







EVALUATION OF THE TAXONOMIC SUFFICIENCY APPROACH 

FOR ICHTHYOPLANKTON 

HERNANDEZ, F.J., CARASSOU, L., GRAHAM, W.M., POWERS, S.P. 

University of Southern Mississippi, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 

39564. Email: frank.hernandez@usm.edu 

Ichthyoplankton identification is a time consuming task, and often larvae cannot 

be identified to species due to a lack of adequate early life history descriptions. 

As a result, ichthyoplankton assemblage data are often analyzed at the family 

level, which results in a loss of taxonomic resolution, or at mixed taxonomic 

levels (e.g., family, genus and species combined), which can lead to difficulties 

in interpretation of results when a single species is included in multiple 

taxonomic groupings. The taxonomic sufficiency (TS) approach has been used 

extensively in other disciplines (e.g., benthic marine macrofauna) to address 

similar analytical constraints, but to date this method has not been rigorously 

examined for ichthyoplankton studies. In this study, an ichthyoplankton data 

set collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico was proportioned into three 

data subsets with varying levels of taxonomic resolution: 1) species level 

only; 2) species, genus and family levels; and 3) combined taxonomic levels. 

Comparisons were made for assemblage metrics (larval density, richness and 

diversity) calculated for each taxonomic subset, as well as multivariate analyses 

of temporal variations characterizing ichthyoplankton assemblages. Genus and 

species level similarity matrices were highly correlated, which suggests analyses 

at the genus level could serve as a good proxy for species when examining 

assemblage diversity. Multivariate results for seasonal patterns were similar 

among family, genus and species level analyses. The common approach of 

analyzing ichthyoplankton assemblages at mixed taxonomic levels, however, is 

not as statistically rigorous as single taxonomic level analyses. 



I.M. Pei’s iconic Miami Tower, a 47-story landmark 

building in the heart of Downtown Miami, was 

completed in 1987 and is considered a wonder of 

modern architecture. The tower houses the only elevated 

metro station inside a skyscraper in the world. On most 

nights, the three-tier structure is lit in multiple color 

schemes to commemorate events, holidays, and seasons. 




CONSISTENCY AND INCONSISTENCY IN MULTISPECIES 

POPULATION NETWORK DYNAMICS OF CORAL REEF 

ECOSYSTEMS 

HOLSTEIN, D.M., PARIS, C.B., MUMBY, P.J. 

University of Miami, RSMAS, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149. 

Email: dholstein@rsmas.miami.edu 

Different marine species and their larvae have characteristics that can expand 

or contract their potential dispersal, which can add complexity to the 

management of species assemblages. Here we use a multi-scale biophysical 

modeling framework for the analysis of network connectivity for five Caribbean 

coral reef-associated species in order to gauge similarities and dissimilarities 

among species as well as among Caribbean regions. This study resolves 

local dispersal and retention to assess regional exchanges, and reveals that 

management of coral and fish populations has dissimilar requirements in many 

regions, with some notable exceptions. Populations of Porites astreoides corals 

appear fragmented, suggesting that loss of adult colonies in any region may 

significantly impact regional recruitment success and connectivity. At the other 

end of the spectrum, populations of bluehead wrasse Thalassoma bifasciatum 

are highly connected and removal of adults in any single region would not 

imply future recruitment failure in that region. We suggest the use of a diversity 

of exogenous recruitment index as a proxy of recolonization potential, which 

is related to the stability of regional connectivity networks. We demonstrate 

that resolving multispecies larval transport dynamics helps identify regions of 


oth network stability for multi-generational connectivity (e.g. stable larval 

sources and corridors) pertinent to regional-level management, and network 

inconsistencies (e.g. differential regional betweenness centrality suggesting that 

the network roles of regions may be species-specific) which are pertinent to the 

success of local management. 






QUIRKS—A FREE TOOL FOR COMPARATIVE MODELING OF 

MARINE FISH LARVAE 

HUEBERT, K.B., PECK, M.A. 

University of Hamburg, Olbersweg 24, 22767 Hamburg, Germany. Email: klaus. 

huebert@uni-hamburg.de 

We developed Quirks to simulate and compare the foraging behavior and 

growth physiology of marine fish larvae in a wide range of environments. Quirks 

is an individual-based model similar to physiological models tuned to larvae of 

one particular species. However, Quirks is generic in that many different types 

of larvae can be parameterized by a short list of numbers representing important 

biological traits. Further, all foraging and growth processes, including the 

effects of key environmental factors (e.g., temperature, photoperiod, and prey 

concentration), are represented by generic mechanistic rules. Due to the one 

unified set of rules, Quirks estimates of larval growth rate and prey requirement 

are easy to compare across different species and environmental conditions. So 

far we have parameterized young exogenously feeding larvae of Atlantic herring, 

Atlantic cod, European anchovy, and European sprat. Quirks growth rate and 

prey requirement estimates were strongly (overall R² = 56%) and significantly 

(p < 0.001) correlated to empirical estimates from 26 laboratory and field 

studies. Further parameterizations are planned and Quirks source code is freely 

available. 




INCORPORATING MORPHOMETRIC TRAITS INTO 

PHYSIOLOGICAL MODELS OF MARINE FISH LARVAE 

HUEBERT, K.B., PECK, M.A. 

University of Hamburg, Olbersbeg 24, 22767 Hamburg, Germany. Email: klaus. 

huebert@uni-hamburg.de 

Modeling how key environmental attributes affect the foraging and growth of 

marine fishes as they develop from eggs and yolksac larvae to feeding larvae and 

juveniles generally requires species-specific parameterization of physiological 

and behavioral processes. This approach has been successful for several wellstudied 

fish species, but essential laboratory measurements for a much wider 

range of species are lacking. Links between the form and function of fish 

larvae may allow us to estimate missing parameters from readily available 

morphological traits. For example, the visual detection of prey is related 

to eye size, the capture and ingestion of prey are related to mouth gape size, 

and the digestion of prey is related to gut length and shape. A vast amount of 

morphological information is contained in the form of illustrations in larval 

fish identification manuals. We measured and analyzed morphometrics from 

illustrations of 64 species. Much of the morphological variability (73%, based 

on principal component analysis) could be represented on a spectrum from thin 

larvae (with small heads, eyes, and jaws) at one extreme to thick larvae (with 

large heads, eyes, and jaws) at the other. The next step is to incorporate these 

kinds of patterns into simple modeling tools for estimating growth and survival 

of less-studied species. At this meeting, we hope to motivate a collaborative 

effort to compile morphological and physiological parameters across a wider 

spectrum of marine fish early life stages for this purpose. 

Miami 2013 Larval Fish Conference • 35 






MODELLING TROPHODYNAMIC CONSEQUENCES OF 

CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON NORTH SEA FISH POPULATIONS 

PECK, M.A., HUEBERT, K.B., HUFNAGL, M., KREUS, M., PÄTSCH, J. 

University of Hamburg, Olbersweg 24, 22767 Hamburg, Germany. Email: myron. 

peck@uni-hamburg.de 

Changes in marine plankton communities driven by global climate change 

can affect the coupling between lower and upper trophic levels. We examined 

the implications of changing phytoplankton productivity and zooplankton 

size spectra for, marine fish populations in the North Sea using a coupled 

model approach. A 3-D ecosystem model (ECOHAM4) provided estimates 

of seasonal changes in phytoplankton productivity and temperature that were 

used to model prey fields for early life stages of marine fishes. Modelled prey 

fields were corroborated with field sampling and compared to physiological 

requirements for the successful foraging, growth, and survival of Atlantic 

herring (Clupea harengus) and European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) 

larvae. Our study highlights how differences in fish early life history strategies 

(e.g. spawning times, larval stage durations, preferred prey sizes, metabolic 

requirements) will influence the direct (temperature and water currents) and 

indirect (prey productivity and composition) effects of climate change. It will 

be critical to take such complex interactions into account, in order to gain a 

cause-and-effect understanding of how climate-driven warming may affect the 

productivity of key fish species and trophodynamic coupling in marine systems. 





INSHORE AND OFFSHORE HABITAT USE BY JUVENILE 

PACIFIC COD IN THE BERING SEA 

HURST, T.P., COOPER, D.W., DUFFY-ANDERSON, J.T., FARLEY, E.V. 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA-NMFS, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 

Newport, OR 97365 USA. Email: thomas.hurst@noaa.gov 

Shallow, subtidal waters and coastal embayments are the primary nursery 

habitats of juvenile Pacific cod through much of their range. However, the 

Bering Sea offers relatively little of this habitat and age-0 fish are known to 

inhabit surface and sub-surface waters over the broad continental shelf. In this 

study we examined the habitat use of age-0 cod in a focal area along the central 

Alaska Peninsula and compare the results to those from synoptic sampling of 

the Bering Sea shelf. Age-0 cod were more abundant along the open coastline 

than they were in the coastal embayments of Port Moller and Herendeen Bay. 

Fish were most abundant at depths of 10-25m and were absent from shallower 

waters along the wave-swept shoreline. On the shelf, cod were captured in 

demersal sampling at depths less than 40 m. Pelagic age-0 cod were captured 

over the middle and outer shelf in surface and sub-surface trawls. While capture 

efficiencies may differ among trawl types, CPUE of age-0 cod in nearshore 

waters was > 40x that observed on the shelf, demonstrating the importance of 

coastal nursery habitats in this population. Despite lower densities, the large 

area of shelf habitat appeared to support a significant fraction of the cumulative 

cohort. The spatial relationship and similar size distributions of fish in inshore 

and offshore concentrations suggests that habitat use in the Bering Sea occurs 

along a gradient from coastal to pelagic, unlike the distinct habitat use patterns 

of population segments of Norwegian Atlantic cod.






OCEAN ACIDIFICATION EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR OF 

JUVENILE WALLEYE POLLOCK 

HURST, T.P., MAGEL, C.R., MATHIS, J.A, TURNER, K.A. 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA-NMFS, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 

Newport, OR 97365 USA. Email: thomas.hurst@noaa.gov 

High latitude ecosystems are predicted to be most immediately impacted by 

ongoing ocean acidification but the range of responses by commercial fishery 

species has yet to be fully explored. Previous work has shown that the growth 

rate potential of early life stages of walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) 

appear generally resilient to the direct effects of elevated CO 2 

. However, 

elevated CO 2 

has been shown to disrupt sensory and behavioral responses in 

some tropical reef fish species, without disrupting growth energetics. In this 

study we examined the behavioral responsiveness of juvenile walleye pollock, 

58-97 mm, to prey scent cues under ocean acidification conditions. After 4-9 

weeks of CO 2 

acclimation, fish were tested individually (n=20/treatment) in 

a flume at their acclimation CO 2 

. Prey scent cues of varying magnitudes were 

introduced to the upstream end of the flume at 30-min intervals, with increased 

activity levels indicating a positive recognition of the cue. Baseline activity levels 

were not significantly different among CO 2 

treatments. Fish reared at high 

CO 2 

(> 800µatm) were less likely to respond to injections of prey scent cues 

than fish reared at ambient CO 2 

levels (~400 µatm), but responsiveness was not 

consistent among fish or across treatments. Future experiments are planned to 

examine other behavioral responses of walleye pollock and Pacific cod (Gadus 

macrocephalus) to ocean acidification. Such sensory and behavioral responses 

will be a significant determinant of how acidification affects the functioning of 

marine ecosystems. 






MASSIVE FISH EGG SPECIES IDENTIFICATION FOR 

THE STUDY ON SPAWNING ECOLOGY OF FISH USING 

PYROSEQUENCING 

Jina, O., Sung, K. 


Marine Ecosystem Research Division, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & 

Technology, and Department of Marine Biology, KIOST campus on University 

of Science and Technology, 787 Haeanro, Ansan, 426-744, Republic of Korea. 

Email: skim@kiost.ac 

The species identification of fish egg is fundamental and crucial to study 

on spawning ecology of fish. When fish eggs are identified into the species 

level, spawning ground and season of fish can be accurately estimated by the 

occurrence information of fish eggs. Conventional sequencing method such as 

Sanger method has been widely used to identify single specimen as the species 

level. However, this method takes much time and costs to analyze massive 

single specimens. Pyrosequencing, one of the next generation sequencing, is 

a high-throughput and sample specific method. It can analyze massive mixed 

specimens at a same time. To study on spawning ecology of fish, mixed fish 

eggs collected from three different seas were sequenced using GS FLX-454 

(Roche). 16SrDNA of mtDNA was analyzed as a molecular marker for species 

identification. The sequences obtained from pyrosequencing were confirmed 

by comparing with the single specimen’s sequences by Sanger method. 

Species compositions by the pyrosequencing were similar to those by Sanger 

method, but the proportion of species was different each other. Each sample 

was tested repeatedly for validation of the reproducibility of pyrosequencing 

method. By plotting the rarefaction curve, the number of specimens and the 

effective number of sequences were estimated. We propose that this method 

should provide the occurrence information of massive fish eggs and estimate 

the spawning season and ground of fish. Also further study on other gene like 

COI for more high resolution of identification and accumulating the reference 

sequences for unknown species’ identification will be needed. 



FISH LARVAE IN THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE OF THE UPPER 

GULF OF CALIFORNIA (JUNE 2008, JUNE 2010) 

JIMENEZ-ROSENBERG, S.P.A., SANCHEZ-VELASCO, L., ORDOÑEZ- 

GUILLEN, F.E. 

Instituto Politecnico Nacional - Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas 

SNI/EDI/COFAA/PIFI, La Paz, BCS, México, CP 23096. Email: adelheid1969@ 

yahoo.com 

The Upper Gulf of California is an important Biosphere Reserve which, despite 

of its extreme environmental conditions, houses high fish species richness. 

Two intensive prospections of fish larvae were made during June 2008 and 

June 2010 as part of multidisciplinary project PANGAS-III. From 54 and 75 

zooplankton sampling stations, respectively, a total of 47,939 fish larvae were 

collected. Fish larvae of 141 taxa were identified, 42 families were represented 

being Engraulidae (3 taxa) and Clupeidae (6 taxa) the most abundant (46% 

and 29% of total larval abundance), while families Serranidae (16 taxa), 

Scianidae (13 taxa) and Gobiidae (11 taxa) were the most diverse. Larvae of 

Opisthonema libertate (Clupeidae), Anchoa spp (Engraulidae), Serranus sp 1 

(Serranidae), Sciaenidae type 1, Gobulus crescentalis (Gobiidae) and Etropus 

crossotus (Paralichtyidae) were dominant in both years. The number of taxa 

registered confirms the high fish species richness, compared to adjacent marine 

regions were fish larvae of about 50 taxa have been registered during summer. 



ELOPOMORPHA LEPTOCEPHALUS LARVAE FROM THE 

MEXICAN PACIFIC 

JIMENEZ-ROSENBERG, S.P.A., GONZALEZ-NAVARRO, E., SALDIERNA- 

MARTINEZ, R. J., ACEVES-MEDINA, G. 

Instituto Politécnico Nacional - Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas 

SNI/EDI/COFAA/PIFI, La Paz, BCS, México, CP 23096. Email: adelheid1969@ 

yahoo.com 

Larval identification is particularly hard for most fish groups such as the 

Elopomorpha leptocephalus larvae, mainly because the lack of taxonomic 

description of the early life stage of fishes, problems related with the adults 

taxonomy as well as the fact that not all larval stages has been collected until 

now. Leptocephalus larvae have a translucent and compressed long slim body, 

“V” or “W” shaped myomeres, small head and rudiments on the non-paired 

fins. This work characterizes lepthocephalus larvae of 21 species according to 

their morphologic and meristic characters as well as their pigment patterns. 

For 15 of this species engyodontic larval stage is described for the first time. 

Specimens are deposited in the scientific collection of fish eggs and larvae of the 

Mexican Pacific at CICIMAR-IPN. 







CLIMATE RELATED LARVAL TRANSPORT ANOMALIES 

JOHNSON, D.R. 

Gulf Coast Research Lab, U. Southern Miss., 104 Kendrick Dr, Slidell, LA 70461. 

Email: donald.r.johnson@usm.edu 

This study examines the relationship between possible climate-induced 

circulation anomalies and loss of larvae from outer shelf reef populations. In the 

northwestern Gulf of Mexico, energetic spin-off eddies from the Loop Current 

commonly interact with the continental shelf, exchanging water between the 

shelf and the basin; eggs and larvae from reef fish populations along the outer 

shelf can be easily swept into the deep basin where mortality is expected to be 

high. In a related study on red snapper larval dispersion using HYCOM model 

currents, it was noted that one year (2010) had significantly less loss (~40%) to 

the deep basin. Examination of eddy energy along the upper continental slope 

from HYCOM model currents between 2003 and 2011 showed that 2010 was 

an anomalous year with low eddy energy during the spawning season. Further 

examination of climate indices for the equatorial Atlantic indicated that 2010 

was an anomalous year. Although cause and effect are not clear, and extremely 

difficult to prove, it is suggestive that anomalous swings in climate induced 

circulation patterns can have a major impact on populations. 



Thursday, June 6 — 12:00 PM 


DEVELOPMENT OF A PREDICTION SYSTEM FOR CALIFORNIA 

CURRENT OCEAN CONDITIONS 

KAPLAN, I.C., SIEDLECKI, S., BOND, N., HERMANN, A., LEVIN, P., 

WILLIAMS, G., NEWTON, J., PETERSON, W. 

NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd E., Seattle, WA, 

98112 USA. Email: Isaac.Kaplan@noaa.gov 

Funded by the NOAA FATE (Fisheries And The Environment) program, our 

project provides short-term (six to nine month) forecasts of regional ocean 

conditions that are testable and relevant to annual management decisions on 

the US West Coast. Forecasts include temperature, chlorophyll, oxygen, and 

zooplankton. In the context of the California Current Integrated Ecosystem 

Assessment, these are key attributes of ecosystem health (community 

composition and energetic/material flows) and the pelagic habitat available to 

sardines, anchovies, and other fish stocks. To determine potential predictability 

of the system, we have performed re-forecasts of ocean conditions for a test year 

(2009), forcing ROMS (the Regional Ocean Modeling System) with outputs 

from NOAA’s global-CFS (Climate Forecast System). We have likewise 

examined 30-year series of global re-forecasts from NOAA’s Climate Forecast 

System Reanalysis and Reforecast (CFSRR), to assess relevant aspects of forecast 

skill. We have used these linked global and regional re-forecasts to measure 

model skill at predicting sardine distributions, which are known to respond 

to variables such as temperature and chlorophyll. We present true forecasts 

of ocean conditions for 2013, which are available through the NANOOS 

public website (www.NANOOS.org), as part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean 

Observing System (IOOS). Ongoing research will improve these forecasts of 

ocean conditions, and will test the skill of the ROMS and CFS models against 

other data sets involving pelagic fish distributions. 





USE OF THE CONNECTIVITY MODELING SYSTEM TO 

ESTIMATE MOVEMENTS OF RED SNAPPER (LUTJANUS 

CAMPECHANUS) RECRUITS IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF 

MEXICO 

KARNAUSKAS, M., WALTER, J.F. III, PARIS, C.B. 

NOAA - NMFS - Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, 

Miami, FL 33149. Email: mandy.karnauskas@noaa.gov 

The 2013 red snapper stock assessment will use a two-area Stock Synthesis 

model to estimate reference points for an overall northern Gulf of Mexico 

stock. When parameterized for multiple areas, Stock Synthesis can account 

for movement of both recruits and adults between regions. The purpose of this 

research is to obtain estimates of the extent to which recruits move between 

the two areas, on an annual basis, which will inform the stock assessment 

model. We use the Connectivity Modeling System (CMS), an individualbased 

model which estimates the movement of eggs and larvae (particles) in a 

3-D velocity field, and has the capacity to simulate complex behaviors such as 

those displayed by fish larvae. The CMS is used to simulate the release of red 

snapper eggs and track their larval vertical migration and transport during the 

spawning season for years 2003 – 2012. Model results suggest there is little 

mixing between the East and West. In the West, 98% of released particles are 

retained in the region, while 2% are exported to the East. In the East, 80% 

of particles released are locally retained, while 20% are exported to the West. 

Estimates of relative recruitment success from the CMS are in good agreement 

with the recruitment deviations from the red snapper stock assessment model 

runs, implying that annual variability in oceanographic currents can account 

for much of the unexplained variation in recruitment levels. 





MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF FISH LARVAE IN RELATION TO 

FLOW-VELOCITY AND ORIENTATION ALONG THE CURRENT 

VECTOR IN AN EXPERIMENTAL FLUME 

Zens, B., Glas, M., Tritthart, M., Lechner, A., Loisl, F., 

Humphries, P., KECKEIS, H., Habersack, H. 

Department of Limnology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, Vienna, 

A-1090, Austria. Email: hubert.keckeis@univie.ac.at 

To better understand dispersal of fish larvae in large rivers, movement patterns 

of different developmental stages of the larvae of nase carp (Chondrostoma 

nasus), a characteristic fluvial cyprinid species in many European rivers, were 

studied in an experimental racetrack flume. To resemble conditions of the nasecarp`s 

natural habitat, our experimental mesocosms included typical features 

of river-bed morphology and a velocity gradient between outside and inside 

bends. Experiments were carried out at three different velocities (representing 

sub-, near- and supercritical flow conditions with respect to nase carp swimming 

abilities). Based on video recordings, the travel paths of larvae were analyzed 

from their position, their swimming speed and orientation in the water column. 

Information on flow velocity in different vertical layers was obtained from a 

fine-scaled 3D numerical model. Focusing on fish movement in relation to flow 

velocity and the orientation of the fish against the current vector enables the 

differentiation between active, active-passive and passive modes of downstream 

dispersal (drift). Rates of downstream movement differed significantly between 

flow scenarios and developmental stages. In contrast to upstream movement 

rates, downstream movement rates increased with increasing speed of the 

flume, and earlier stages had higher downstream movement rates compared to 


later developmental stages. Orientation towards the current revealed an activepassive 

mode of downstream movement irrespective of the speed of the flume. 

These results provide basic information to model the dispersal of individual fish 

larvae in the River Danube. 



CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURE OF EARLY LIFE STAGES OF 

DUSKY GROUPER EPINEPHELUS MARGINATUS (LOWE, 1834) 

IN BRAZIL 

KERBER, C.E., SILVA, P.K.A., DOS SANTOS, P.A., SANCHES, E.G. 

Redemar Alevinos, Rua Luis Ameixeiro 194, Ilhabela - SP 11630-000, Brazil. 

Email: claudiakerber@ibl.com.br 

The Dusky Grouper, inhabits rocky bottoms and occurs on both sides of the 

Atlantic Ocean. It’s listed in the IUCN Red List as endangered teleost. In 

Brazil, a private company has succeeded in producing fingerlings since 2010. 

However, in the 2012-2013 spawning season (October to March), although 

natural spawning was frequent, the larviculture attempt using the same protocol 

from previous years failed entirely. A successful culture was considered when 

larvae survived 20 days after hatching and beyond. Larvae were examined daily 

and then fixed and sent to a diagnostic veterinary lab. The water parameters 

were recorded daily and it’s remarkable that between October 2012 and 

March 2013, when 15 attempts failed, water temperature showed an average of 

26,32±1,2°C reaching 29,5°C. For the same period on two previous years the 

larvae culture resulted in more than 5.000 fingerlings. At that time the average 

water temperature remained 24,53 ±1,9°C (2010-2011) and 23,10±0,67°C 

(2011-2012). The larvae with 8 D.A.H. sank toward the bottom of the tanks 

and a massive mortality occurred during the following 7 days coinciding with 

the onset of spines. Most successful rearing trails in Europe were achieved 

in temperature ranging from 22°C to 23°C. Larval samples showed crystal 

formations mainly into the urinary bladder reaching 80% of the population in 

some cultures. It was not possible to attribute the cause of the massive mortality 

to the temperature of the water only. More studies are needed in order to 

establish the ideal temperature for the E. marginatus larvae to develop. 




FISH LARVAE ASSOCIATED WITH A HYPERSALINE GRADIENT 

IN A COASTAL LAGOON IN THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA, MEXICO 

KEYES-PULIDO, S., AKÉ-CANUL, R., BURAD-MÉNDEZ, A., MÉNDEZ- 

CAMPOS, H., VARGUEZ-SOBERANIS, D., ORDÓÑEZ-LÓPEZ, U. 

Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán & CINVESTAV-IPN, Calle 29, No.173, entre 16 

y 18, Col. San Miguel, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. Email: shastakeyes@hotmail.com 

The present study analyzes the variation of the community descriptors 

associated with the salinity gradient in the lagoon Rio Lagartos, located in the 

north of the Yucatán Peninsula. We carried out night superficial trawls (new 

moon) of 5 min with a conical web (35 cm of diameter and mesh of 300 µ), 

a flujometer was placed to estimate the quantity of water filtered in 12 sites 

along the lagoon during the north season (November/1997–January/1998). 

Simultaneously we registered hydrological patterns with a field multisensor YSI 

85/50FT (±0.1). The results of this analysis evidenced three different zones 

(internal or hiperhaline, medium or mesohaline and external or marine). We 

captured a total of 999 organisms representing 15 families, 17 genera and 21 

species of fish. Menidia colei was the dominant species representing 67% of the 

collected material, other important species were: Anchoa mitchilli, A. hepsetus 

and Harengula jaguana. The major abundance and diversity registered was in 

the marine zone of the lagoon which showed major hydrological dynamics 

and exchange of ictioplanktonic marine fauna with the estuarine fauna. The 

species were mainly associated with the gradients of salinity, temperature 

and planktonic productivity. M. Colei and A. Mitchilli were found along the 

different zones in the lagoon, so they were able to colonize zones with a high 

value of salinity. On the other hand, distribution of the other icthyoplanktonic 

species found in the lagoon was due to salinity tolerance. 






HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF DOLPHINFISH LARVAE 

(CORYPHAENA SPP.) IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO 

KITCHENS, L.L., ROOKER, J.R. 

Texas A&M University, 200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX 77553. Email: 

l.podsim@tamu.edu 

Dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) and pompano dolphinfish (C. equiselis) 

are pelagic species of considerable economic value to commercial and 

recreational fisheries worldwide; however, knowledge of their ecology and 

habitat use during early life is limited. In order to assess the distribution and 

abundance of dolphinfish larvae and identify conditions that characterize 

productive nursery areas, summer surveys were conducted in surface waters of 

the northern Gulf of Mexico (26–28 °N 86–93 °W) over a four-year period 

(2007–2010). Dolphinfish larvae were relatively common in our surveys 

(frequency of occurrence 59%), and genetic analyses revealed that 87% of the 

1,145 dolphinfish larvae collected during this study were C. hippurus. Factors 

influencing presence/absence and density of dolphinfish larvae were assessed 

using binomial and quasi-Poisson generalized additive models. Results showed 

that presence and density of C. hippurus larvae increased near fronts and eddies, 

and that salinity and temperature were the most influential physicochemical 

parameters in the models. Additionally, our models indicated that the 

distribution of C. hippurus larvae was significantly correlated with that of C. 

equiselis, suggesting that these species utilize similar early life habitat. Results of 

this study provide strong evidence that the Gulf represents important spawning 

and nursery habitat of dolphinfishes and that the distribution and abundance 

of C. hippurus larvae is linked to mesoscale features and physicochemical 

conditions in this region. 







DAY AND NIGHT ORIENTATION OF FISH LARVAE IN THE 

OPEN OCEAN 

KOUGH, A.S., PARIS, C.B., STAATERMAN, E., GUIGAND, C. 

Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 4600 Rickenbacker 

Causeway, Miami, FL 33133. Email: akough@rsmas.miami.edu 

Late stages of reef-fish larvae swim quickly and directionally, presumably to find 

settlement habitat and survive this pelagic phase. Although early work suggests 

that larval settlement takes place at night, nocturnal swimming behavior has 

never been observed in the pelagic environment to verify this hypothesis. 

We used a novel in situ observational method, the Drifting In Situ Chamber 

(DISC), designed to quantify the movement of fish larvae in the open ocean 

without an observer. The DISC is a clear acrylic Lagrangian frame equipped 

with a behavioral arena, a camera, a magnetometer and analog compass, and 

an environmental sensing system (light and temperature). For this study we 

developed a “night vision” system provided by a ring of true infra-red LEDs 


illuminating the arena. Directionality and orientation of gray snapper, Lujanus 

griseus, larvae were observed throughout the day and at night under varying 

light and tidal phase conditions, at 3 m under the sea surface, offshore of the 

Florida Keys Reef Tract (>60m depth) during August 13-19, 2012. Larvae were 

collected in light traps, tested in the DISC within 24 hours of capture, then 

released at sea. A total of 58 trials were conducted, 11 trials occurred during 

daytime, 16 during dusk, and 31 at night. This study reveals for the first time 

distinct nocturnal and diurnal swimming behaviors (i.e., speed, precision of 

directionality, and orientation) for larvae in the open ocean, and supports the 

hypothesis that fish larvae move actively from the open ocean during the night. 






EFFECT OF WINTER COLD FRONT PASSAGES ON DENSITIES 

OF BREVOORTIA PATRONUS AND MICROPOGONIAS 

UNDULATUS LARVAE IN A LOUISIANA TIDAL PASS 

KUPCHIK, M.J., SHAW, R.F. 

Louisiana State University, Energy Coast & Environment Bldg., Office #2257, 

Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Email: mkupch1@tigers.lsu.edu 

Temporal heterogeneity in estuarine recruitment of offshore-spawned larvae 

arising from the passage of atmospheric cold fronts in Louisiana’s predominantly 

north/south-oriented estuaries represents a potential driver for estuarine 

recruitment of ichthyoplankton. Tidal pass densities of larval B. patronus and 

M. undulatus collected in Bayou Tartellan, Louisiana, were calculated for the 

winter periods of highest cold front occurrence, September through April 

2006-07 and August through April 2007-08. Surface and near-bottom samples 

were collected every four hours during flood and ebb tides over 72 hr periods, 

twice monthly. A Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was used to investigate 

the effect of net water transport resulting from atmospheric and meteorological 

forcing on larval densities in the tidal pass, allowing for the non-linear response 

expected by the temporal heterogeneity. Results indicate that ichthyoplankton 

estuarine densities had a strong correlation to these winter frontal events, with 

high densities associated with coastal setup during the pre-frontal phase and 

up until passage of the fronts. An example of how these atmospheric fronts can 

override the normal diurnal, micro-tidal regime was quantified by estuarine 

recruitment of larvae during the pre-frontal phase southerly wind fields on ebb 

tides, and estuarine export of larvae during the post-frontal phase northerly 

wind fields on flood tides. 





EARLY LIFE TROPHIC ECOLOGY OF EUROPEAN HAKE 

MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS BY STABLE ISOTOPES ANALYSIS 

LAIZ-CARRION, R., URIARTE, A., QUINTANILLA, J.M., CABRERO, A., 

HERNANDEZ DE ROJAS, A., RODRIGUEZ-FERNANDEZ, L., RODRIGUEZ, 

J.M., GAGO, J., PINHEIRO, C., BODE, A., GARCIA, A. 

Spanish Institute of Oceanography. Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, 29640. 

Fuengirola, Málaga. Spain. Email: raul.laiz@ma.ieo.es 

The early life trophic food web dynamics of European hake (Merluccius 

merluccius) from northwestern Iberian shelf off Galicia (Spain) were analyzed 

using natural abundance of nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes (δ15N and 

δ13C, respectively). Hake larvae were collected during spring and summer of 

2012. Vertical plankton tows were carried out and samples were fractionated 

into the micro- (55-100 microns) and meso- (>200 microns) zooplankton 

size fractions. Hake larvae contained higher δ15N than the zooplankton 

fractions during both seasons. The distinct oceanographic 

conditions of each survey influenced nutrient uptake from 

the pelagic food web according to the differences observed in nitrogen isotopic 

signatures. Low values and high variability of δ15N in both plankton and hake 

larvae were found during spring coinciding with unusually strong upwelling. 

Inversely, high δ15N and low %N content in zooplankton in summer suggest 

strong nitrogen limitation for primary producers during this season. However, 

hake larvae sampled in summer had higher %N and %C content together with 

higher Fulton condition factors than those sampled in spring. Higher δ13C 

values in hake larvae in summer than in spring suggest differences in the origin 

of food supplies. Both the nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes Vs size or weight 

relationships suggest an ontogenetic shift in hake larvae diet. The higher average 

trophic level observed in the summer hake larvae in relation to the variability 

of early life pelagic food web is discussed. This study was funded by Spanish 

CRAMER- CTM2010-21856-CO3-02 and Xunta-Galicia ECOPREGA- 

10MMA602021PR research projects. A.U. is supported by PhD grant IEO- 

FPI-2011/03-MICINN. 



LIPID CORRECTION FOR STABLE ISOTOPES ANALISIS 

IN EUROPEAN HAKE MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS EARLY 

JUVENILES 

URIARTE, A., QUINTANILLA, J.M., GARCIA, A., PINHEIRO, C., BODE A., 

LAIZ-CARRION, R. 

Spanish Institute of Oceanography. Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, 29640. 

Fuengirola, Málaga. Spain. Email: raul.laiz@ma.ieo.es 

The aim of the present study is to analyze the effect of lipid extraction on 

carbon stable isotope signature (δ 13 C) determining lipid correction equation 

to accurately predict δ 13 C from atomic C:N rations for European hake early 

juveniles. Analyses of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes naturally occurring in 

animal tissues and their putative preys are proven to be a useful tool for trophic 

ecology research. Variability of the lipid content can alter δ 13 C values, and thus 

mislead the interpretation of dietary or habitat shifts. To assess differences in 

δ 13 C arising from differences in lipid content, the δ 13 C values can be corrected a 

priori by extracting lipids from samples, or a posteriori, through mathematical 

corrections. When lipid extraction is not possible, mathematical lipid 

correction models is an alternative of lipid extraction by relating lipid content, 

C:N ratios and δ 13 C with lipid removal. These relationships have been analyzed 

for European hake early juvenile proposing a normalization equation for this 

species. A subset of samples before and after lipid extraction, were analyzed 

in order to obtain the species specific normalization equation based on bulk 

C:N as a reliable alternative to chemical extraction corrections, that will 

improve estimates of dietary sources using stable isotopes. This lipid correction 

constitutes a functional contribution in trophic ecology studies of early life 

stages of hake, where lipid extraction is not possible due to a low amount of 


somatic mass of larvae. This study was funded by CRAMER-MICINN- 

CTM2010-21856-CO3-02 and ECOPREGA-10MMA602021PR. A.U. is 

supported by PhD grant IEO FPI 2011/03-MICINN 





DOES HYPOXIA INFLUENCE THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF 

CATCHES IN THE COMMERCIAL REDUCTION FISHERY FOR 

GULF MENHADEN? 

LANGSETH, B.J., CRAIG, J.K., SMITH, J.W., SCHUELLER, A.M., SHERTZER, 

K.W. 

NOAA, 101 Pivers Island Rd., Beaufort, NC, 28557. Email: brian.langseth@noaa. 

gov 

The northwestern Gulf of Mexico currently experiences one of the largest 

seasonal hypoxic events in the western hemisphere. Hypoxia, defined as 

oxygen concentrations

Active behavior might dramatically impact the outcome of larval dispersal 

models, as shown in various marine studies. Accordingly, larval travel paths 

can be considered to base on a combination of hydrodynamic forces and innate 

reactions towards environmental cues in order to enhance successful settlement 

in nurseries and physio-morphological attributes of the individual, which more 

or less enable their realization. The main regulating factor of larval dispersal in 

large rivers is the flow and its concomitant flow-velocities. The unidirectional 

fast currents facilitate rapid movements from spawning sites to suitable inshore 

nurseries, but may as well impinge on larval fish by washing them offshore into 

swift turbulent flows enhancing drift duration, drift distance and mortality. 

Being able to drop out of fast currents should be an important ability of 

drifting fish larvae and is assumed to encapsulate orientation and swimming 

performance. By comparing drift patterns of two different larval stages with 

different swimming capabilities and of virtual passive particles we assessed 

the active component of larval dispersal and discussed its possible criteria (i.e. 

morphology, orientation towards hydraulic gradients). These criteria serve as a 

basis to develop a dispersal model for riverine fish larvae. 





IN SITU STUDY SHOWS PELAGIC ORIENTATION BY LARVAL 

REEF FISH IS INDEPENDENT OF LOCATION AND YEAR BUT 

DEPENDS ON TIME OF DAY 

LEIS, J.M., PARIS, C.B., IRISSON, J.-O.,YERMAN, M.N., SIEBECK, U.E. 

Ichthyology, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia, and 

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 

Australia. Email: jeff.leis@austmus.gov.au 

Traditionally, larvae have been studied in the lab or from the deck of a ship 

using towed nets. But, traditional approaches miss much of what larvae 

actually do in the ocean, so in situ studies are required, especially to investigate 

behavior. An example of what in situ methods can reveal is the orientation of 

300+ settlement-stage larvae of a damselfish (Chromis atripectoralis) measured 

by divers in open water 100-1000 m off east and west sides of Lizard Island, 

Great Barrier Reef over 10 years. Orientation was remarkably consistent: 

94% of larvae swam directionally and all 10 data sets had a southerly median 

orientation. Overall median bearings off east and west sides of Lizard Island 

were 161 and 170 degrees, respectively. This may be a response to the prevailing 

S-SE current in the area. Individual larvae had no clear diurnal pattern in 

precision of directionality. However, among-individual orientation precision 

was lowest (and non significant) between 12:00 and 13:00, and the median 

bearing changed from SE during most of the day to SSW in late afternoon. 

This location-independent but diurnally-dependent orientation implies the 

use of celestial cues for orientation. A Drifting In Situ Chamber (DISC) to 

measure orientation of larval C. atripectoralis returned similar results, except 

that orientation precision of individual trajectories was somewhat greater for 

larvae observed by divers. Subsequent manipulation coroborated the use of 

celestial cues. 


Session: FATE Science Meeting (Larval Fish Studies) 

Wednesday, June 5, — 10:20 AM 


DEVELOPMENT OF A CHL-A BASED SPRING BLOOM INDEX 

FOR THE CCS IEA 

LEISING, A.W., BOGRAD, S.J. 

NOAA-SWFSC, 1352 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove, CA 93950. Email: andrew. 

leising@noaa.gov 

Many species of small pelagic fish, the larvae of those fish, and the larvae of 

larger managed fish species, are critically dependent upon the timing of the 

spring bloom for survival and thus successful recruitment. However, the 

newly developed California Current System Integrated Ecosystem Assessment 

(CCSIEA) currently does not include a phytoplankton- or chlorophyll-based 

index of the spring bloom, although this report makes a specific call for the 

development of such an index. Here, we further develop a satellite-derived, 

chlorophyll-a-based index of the spring bloom, patterned on the index 

described by Henson and Thomas (2007; JGR 112). The index was calculated 

for representative regions of the CCS, and compared with purely upwellingderived 

indices of the physical spring transition. The results of this analysis 

will be discussed, along with the feasibility of including this index in future 

iterations of the CCSIEA. 





THE FEEDING OF FISH LARVAE AND THEIR ROLE IN 

PLANKTONIC FOOD WEBS: WHERE HAVE WE BEEN AND 

WHERE ARE WE GOING? 

LLOPIZ, J.K. 

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd. MS#33, Woods 

Hole, MA 02543. Email: jllopiz@whoi.edu 

Over the past century, researchers have come to acknowledge the critical role 

that larval fish investigations play in our broader efforts to understand how 

adult populations grow, fluctuate, and respond to a variety of stressors. Central 

to our research on the early life history of fishes are the diets and feeding success 

of fish larvae in their natural environment—for larvae that feed successfully 

not only avoid starvation, but may also minimize their time spent vulnerable to 

larger predators and be optimally capable of evading attacks. From a synthesis 

of a multitude of published studies on the feeding dynamics of field-collected, 

planktonic fish larvae, several taxonomic and regional patterns have emerged 

that highlight large-scale differences in feeding success, prey type importance, 

and prey selectivity. Additionally, a field investigation of larval feeding in the 

Straits of Florida has yielded some unique findings, which only come to light 

when examining the feeding of all co-occurring fish larvae rather than one or a 

few select taxa. Looking ahead, I will speculate on the directions that feedingrelated 

research on fish larvae could take in the future, hopefully stimulating 

discussion about the utility of these directions, while highlighting potential 

alternatives. With this discussion, and those stimulated by other presentations 

in this session, we may be able to chart a path on how larval fish trophodynamic 

research can expand with new technologies and interests, and complement 

other subdisciplines in plankton ecology and fisheries oceanography. 



SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIATION OF ICHTHYOPLANKTON 

ABUNDANCE IN FRONT OF ECUADORIAN COAST (2000– 

2010) 

LUZURIAGA DE CRUZ, M. 

Instituto Nacional de Pesca, Letamendi 102 y la Ria, Guayaquil, Ecuador. Email: 

mluzuriagav@gmail.com 

This paper emphasizes the diversity and spatial distribution of eggs and larvae 

of small pelagic fishes collected in 16 oceanographic campaigns and four 

fixed stations located ten miles offshore of Ecuador. Zooplankton samples 

were collected between 2000 and 2010. Variations in density and species 

composition of fish eggs and larvae were associated with planktonic availability, 

the position of Equatorial Front and coastal processes related to oceanographic 

Events. Areas of ichthyoplankton richness have been found, in: a) coastal waters 

of the Gulf of Guayaquil, mainly eggs and larvae of small pelagic Cetengraulis 

mysticetus (chuhueco), Opisthonema spp. (pinchagua), Engraulis ringens 


(anchoveta), Anchoa spp., and of demersal fishes 

as Chloroscombrus orqueta (hojita), Trachurus 

symmetricus (jurel); b) in oceanic waters located 

at the southwest of the 2° 30'S and 81° 30'W, 

characterized by Diogenichthys laternatus (pez 

linterna) and eggs and fish larvae of Vinciguerria 

lucetia (pez luminoso), and c) area since San 

Lorenzo Cape to Pasado Cape, characterized 

by engraulids, eggs and fish larvae of demersal 

fishes; and d) in front of the coast Punta Galera 

and Muisne with fish larvae of Bregmaceros 

bathymaster and V. lucetia, serranids and 

scianids. In Oceanographic cruises, the highest 

diversity was obtained in the Gulf of Guayaquil 

and between Cabuyal and Punta Galera – 

(Zone D - October 2006). In coastal waters, 

between San Lorenzo Cape and Cabuyal (Zone 

C), the greater abundance and diversity, favored 

for the mixing water from the ocean and the 

estuary Chone River. 

Everything one imagines about South 

Beach forcefully collides on Ocean Drive : 

Miami’s quarter-mile of trendy beaches, 

Art Deco, neon, nightlife, and excess. 






SPECIES CO-OCCURRENCE AND LATITUDINAL CROSS-SHELF 

VARIABILITY IN LARVAL FISH ASSEMBLAGES IN THE SW 

ATLANTIC 

MACEDO-SOARES, L.C.P., FREIRE, A.S., MUELBERT, J.H. 

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 

88040-900. Email: luiscpms@yahoo.com.br 

Latitudinal gradients in species diversity and community composition in the 

marine environment are well known. In such context, null models have been 

used to test if observed patters are less frequent than expected by chance. This 

study applies null models to test whether observed distribution patterns in 

larval fish assemblages in the Southwest Atlantic are random. Vertical plankton 

tows were collected between 21º27’ and 34º51’S at 89 stations deployed at 14 

cross-shelf transects, during December-2010 and January-2011, from depth 

of chlorophyll maxima up to the surface in deep stations, and from 10m 

from the bottom to surface in shallow waters. A conical-cylindrical plankton 

net (200μm/0.5m diameter) equipped with a flowmeter was used. Indicator 

species analysis and Bray-Curtis similarity index clustered with UPGMA were 

used to identify the presence of larval assemblages. Species co-occurrence was 

achieved with Checkerboard score (C-score) index applied to larval presence/ 

absence matrix. Random patterns were tested with null model fixed-rows/ 

equiprobable-columns. Results showed three coastal-neritic assemblages 

(CNA) with latitudinal gradient: Southeast Shelf (SES), Southern Brazilian 

Bight (SBB) and Southern Subtropical Shelf (SSS). Transitional (TA) and 

Oceanic (OA) assemblages only presented cross-shelf variability. C-score and 

null models showed randomly distribution only in TA, indicating species cooccurrence 

in the remaining assemblages. These findings suggest that larval 

fish assemblage structure varies in space, and that deterministic processes are 

involved in species co-occurrence. Further studies should be carried out to 

evaluate if the observed patterns in larval assemblages vary over time. 




BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL EFFECTS IN 

MESOSCALE ICHTHYOPLANKTON COMPOSITION IN THE SW 

ATLANTIC 

MACEDO-SOARES, L.C.P., FREIRE, A.S., MUELBERT, J.H. 

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 

88040-900. Email: luiscpms@yahoo.com.br 

Ichthyoplankton is an essential component in pelagic ecosystems, and biological 

and environmental interactions play an important role in determining its 

distribution. We aim to investigate biological and physical-chemical sources 

of variation in the mesoscale ichthyoplankton composition in the Southwest 

Atlantic. Vertical plankton tows were collected between 21º27’ and 34º51’S 

at 89 stations deployed at 14 cross-shelf transects, from December-2010 to 

January-2011, from depth of chlorophyll maxima up to the surface in deep 

stations, and from 10m from the bottom to surface in shallow waters with a 

conical-cylindrical plankton net (200μm/0.5m diameter). Physical-chemical 

parameters were registered with a CTD/rossette. Redundancy Analysis was 

applied in fish larvae abundance constrained by physical-chemical (latitude, 

coast distance, depth, temperature, salinity, oxygen and nutrients) and 

biological (chlorophyll concentration and abundance of 9 zooplankton taxa) 

features. Biological matrix considered potential predators/competitors and 

preys. Variation in species composition was decomposed in physical-chemical, 

biological, shared effects and unexplained causes of variation through Variation 

Partitioning. In extreme south, ichthyoplankton were positively correlated with 

high silicate, brachyuran zoea and Larvacea abundance, low temperature and 

N/P ratio. In tropical/coastal areas, chlorophyll, N/P, and abundance of nauplii, 

Copepoda and Chaetognatha had positive influence in ichthyoplankton. 

Oceanic species were associated with Tropical Water. Physical-chemical 

variables accounted for 18% of variation in species composition, whereas 

biological ones accounted for 8%. Shared effects answered for 2% of variation, 

and 72% remained unexplained. These findings reveal that biological and 

physical-chemical influence on mesoscale ichthyoplankton is small compared 

to other sources of variation, including some with stochastic origin. 








MEASURING SMALL ORGANISMS UNDER MICROSCOPE: THE 

CASE FOR FISH LARVAE 

MALANSKI, E., MUELBERT, J.H. 

National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section of Ocean Ecology and 

Climate, DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Kavalergården 6, 2920 

Charlottenlund, Denmark Kingdom. Email: evma@aqua.dtu.dk 

Size is one of the basic data obtained from larval fish, and it is applied to 

biological and ecological investigations. By logistics and sampling constraints, 

this parameter is usually not obtained when fish is alive, but methodological 

procedures are applied that include the use of preservative and measurement 

techniques. Studies have shown that larval length can be affected by the 

preservative technique used, causing shrinkage in fish larvae structures. 

The correction factor to obtain the size of larvae at life is species-specific. 

However, investigations on measurement techniques were not verified. The 

aim of this study is to investigate the steps to obtain larval fish size, including 

measurements by image and traditional techniques in different body-shape 

larvae, and analysis of preservative in larvae of one fish species. The results show 

that there is no difference in measurements between image and traditional 

techniques, suggesting both produce the same average result. Although image 

technique indicates gaining in one decimal unit in precision against traditional 

technique, it’s observed a difference in horizontal and vertical pixel size, 

causing measurements 6% greater than in the vertical pixel axis. Shrinkage in 

Brevoortia pectinata larvae was observed using either formaldehyde or alcohol, 

with significant shrinkage until 30 days of preservation in formaldehyde, and 

15 days in alcohol. Observing the correction factor, in alcohol (1.1415xSL) the 

shrinkage was higher than in formaldehyde (1.0799xSL). The capacity of use 

new hardware in ichthyoplankton investigations seems attractive and useful, 

but a detailed methodological procedures should be carefully followed. 






FOOD PREFERENCES IN ATLANTIC COD LARVAE, GADUS 

MORHUA, IN GODTHÅBSFJORD, GREENLANDIC WATERS 

MALANSKI, E., SWALETHORP, R., MUNK, P., NIELSEN, T.G. 

National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section of Ocean Ecology and 

Climate, DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Kavalergården 6, 2920 

Charlottenlund, Denmark . Email: evma@aqua.dtu.dk 

Climatic changes affect the distribution pattern of marine organisms, and 

thereby impacts have major importance in countries where the economy 

depends on marine resources. Greenland is such an example, and global 

warming has been effecting drastically its environment. Linkages between 

environmental factors, biology and inter relationships between species in 

Greenlandic waters is therefore essential, to support scientists and governors for 

a sustainable resources management. Godthåbsfjord, south western Greenland, 

is home to the largest inshore spawning stock of Atlantic cod in Greenland. 

In 2010 one high-resolution investigation was carried out there, focusing on 

larval ecology in relation to hydrographic and biological characteristics of the 

fjord. The aim of the present study is to investigate early life of cod in relation to 

the plankton community along the fjord. Fish larvae were identified, measured, 

aged and their stomach contents analyzed. The larvae analyzed ranged from 

4 to 24 mm, corresponding to 3 to 40 days of age. Stomachs contained 30 

different zooplankton taxa. There was observed a succession in the prey field 

of cod larvae: in smaller larvae (15 mm) the cladoceran Podon sp was the most representative. 

In intermediate larvae (5-15 mm), these two preys dominated the prey taxa 

identified, illustrating an ontogenetic succession in the preferred prey. The 

present study documents the important coupling between the survival 

success of cod larvae and the large calanoid copepods, but also highlights the 

importance of cladocerans for a successful recruitment of Greenlandic cod. 





SPAWNING OF NEOTROPICAL FISH SPECIES DOWNSTREAM 

OF IGUAÇU FALLS, IGUAÇU RIVER–IGUAÇU NATIONAL PARK 

MAKRAKIS, M.C., SILVA, P.S., ASSUMPÇÃO, L., MAKRAKIS, S., XAVIER, R., 

FOGAÇA, P.L.C. 

Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná-Unioeste, Rua da Facildade, 645. 

Jardim Santa Maria. Toledo-Paraná, Brazil 85903-000. Email: mmakrakis@terra. 

com.br 

This study evaluated spatial and temporal spawning patterns of Neotropical 

fish species in Iguaçu River from downstream Iguaçu Falls to the mouth with 

the Paraná River, Iguaçu National Park. Fish were collected monthly from 

October/2010 to September/2012 for evaluation of reproductive activity 

with several fishing gears (gillnets and longlines) and from October to March 

(2010-2011 and2011-2012) to evaluate the occurrence of spawning using a 

plankton net. Fish caught were dissected to determine gender and stages of 

gonadal development, performing the macroscopic inspection of the gonads: 

a total of 80 species was analyzed and among them 17 long distance migratory 

fish species. A temporal pattern of reproduction was observed, with a greater 

number of fish in reproduction and high abundance of eggs between October 

and March, nearest sites to the Iguaçu Falls. The abundance of fish larvae was 

low, and 9 taxa were identified, especially Bryconamericus spp. The study area 

has been used for spawning of Neotropical fish species, including long distance 

migratory species, especially downstream of Iguaçu Falls. The low capture of 

fish larvae is probably due to the high volume of water in these locations as 

well as of great turbulence, especially close to the Iguaçu Falls. Larvae of long 

distance migratory species were not collected, with a predominance of nonmigratory 

species. However, the high abundance of eggs coupled with the 

occurrence of migratory species in reproduction, especially downstream of the 

falls, suggests that these species spawn in this stretch still preserved. 





DISTRIBUTION OF LARVAL LIONFISH (PTEROIS VOLITANS) IN 

THE CARIBBEAN SEA 

MALCA, E., VÁSQUEZ-YEOMANS, L., MORALES, S., CARRILLO, L., SOSA- 

CORDERO, SCHULTZ, E.T., MORRIS, J. 

CIMAS, University of Miami, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami FL 33149. Email: 

Estrella.Malca@noaa.gov 

The invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans) are native to the Indo-Pacific Oceans 

but are now commonly found in the Caribbean and temperate Western Atlantic 

waters at depths ranging from

during the cruise were positive for lionfish larvae, and were collected as far 

east as Haiti, and in the Mesoamerican Reef to Cozumel, Mexico. Despite the 

differences in sampling effort for the area, the MOCNESS net collected the 

highest number of lionfish larvae. The highest larval abundances were found in 

the western Caribbean and larval densities averaged 2.421 ± 3.128 larvae/1000 

m 3 , 2.871 ± 1.887 larvae/1000 m 3 for MOCNESS and Neuston-505µm 

respectively. Larvae collected measured between 1.5 to 14.0 mm total length. 

Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA (COI) confirmed 69 (78%) specimens 

with three different haplotypes distributed throughout the cruise track. Our 

results provide the first quantitative information on lionfish larval distribution 

and catch rates and can serve as a baseline for assessing the prevalence of lionfish 

larvae in the future. 



GULF OF ALASKA INTEGRATED ECOSYSTEM PROGRAM: 

OBSERVATIONS ON THE LARVAL FISH COMMUNITIES IN 

THE EASTERN AND WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA FROM 2011 

FIELD COLLECTIONS 

MATARESE, A.C., BLOOD, D.A., DE FOREST, L.G., NAPP, J. M. 


98115. Email: Ann.Matarese@noaa.gov 

The Gulf of Alaska Integrated Ecosystem Program (GOA-IERP) is a four 

year (2011–2014) multi-disciplinary study examining interactions between 

physical and biological oceanography to understand how the environment 

influences the survival of early life history stages (egg to young-of-the-year) 

and recruitment of five commercially and ecologically important groundfishes: 

walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), 

arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) 

and Pacific Ocean perch (Sebastes alutus). The program has two primary field 

seasons (2011 and 2013) to conduct biological and oceanographic surveys 

in the eastern and western GOA. Based on a long-term, 20-year historical 

series, ichthyoplankton communities are well known in the western region, 

but the eastern region of the Gulf of Alaska is relatively unknown. We present 

a summary of larval fish data collected during the 2011 field season from 

the eastern and western GOA in spring and summer. Preliminary results 

comparing spring larval fish distributions to modeled circulation indicate that 

eddies may play a role in transport onto the shelf. Presently, Pacific Ocean perch 

are indistinguishable from other species of rockfish larvae. As a result, larval 

rockfishes are identified only to genus level (Sebastes spp.), but ancillary genetic 

studies are helping resolve this problem. Our results provide new information 

on larval fish communities in the eastern Gulf of Alaska, a region that has not 

been well sampled for either oceanography or biology, and highlight both 

similarities and differences between the eastern and western ichthyoplankton 

communities. 



IDENTIFCATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE EARLY LIFE 

STAGES OF ARROWTOOTH (ATHERESTHES STOMIAS) AND 

KAMCHATKA FLOUNDER (A. EVERMANNI) IN THE EASTERN 

BERING SEA 

MATARESE, A.C., DE FOREST, L.G., DUFFY-ANDERSON, J.T., SMART, T.I., 

SPIES, I.B. 


98115. Email: Ann.Matarese@noaa.gov 

In the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias: ATF) 

are an important component of the groundfish community. Their abundance 

recently increased, causing concern among fisheries scientists due to their heavy 

predation on walleye pollock in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). One hypothesis 

for their increase is that it is related to factors influencing growth and survival 

of early life stages. Larvae from the GOA have been well-studied and early life 

stages have been published. These stages of ATF, however, have been difficult 

to study in the EBS because early life stages of its congener, Kamchatka 

flounder (A. evermanni: KF), are morphologically similar. We collected larval 

and early juvenile Atheresthes spp. from the EBS (2006–2010) to examine and 

identify traits to be used as species-specific characters. We successfully used a 

genetic technique, at sea and in the lab, to identify larvae as either ATF or KF. 

We then examined the genetically identified specimens for pigmentation and 

morphological differences. Currently, we can visually distinguish these species 

in the preflexion (6–10 mm SL) and early juvenile stages (>23 mm SL). KF 

have more pigment that develops earlier than ATF. Using morphological traits 

derived from specimens, we have been able to re-identify many specimens in 

historical collections to species level. This allows us to present species-specific 

information on historical distribution and abundance of larval and early 

juvenile ATF and KF in the EBS. To identify complete developmental series for 

both species, we need additional postflexion specimens. 





TEMPERATURE EFFECT ON THE EARLY STAGE SPATIAL 

PREFERENCES OF ANTENNA CODLET (BREGMACEROS 

ATLANTICUS GOODE AND BEAN, 1886) IN NORTHEASTERN 

MEDITERRANEAN 

MAVRUK, S., AVSAR, D., YUKSEK, A., OZYURT, C.E., KIYAGA, V.B. 

Cukurova University, Fisheries Faculty 01330 Balcali-Adana, Turkey. Email: 

smavruk@cu.edu.tr 

Eastern Mediterranean is a unique region in terms of the hostile character for 

alien marine organisms. Approximately, a quarter of the ichthyofauna consists 

of established alien species. Among them, Bregmaceros atlanticus is also a 

recently invaded species that has restricted information about zoogeography 

and ecology in the Eastern Mediterranean. Thus, the early stage ecology of 

Bregmaceros atlanticus has been considered, in this study. An ichthyoplankton 

survey with monthly intervals was conducted at 28 sampling stations between 

November 2009 and October 2010 in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. Studying area 

was surrounded by a rectangle that had the coordinates of 36.47E–35.23N, 

36.24E–35.67N, 36.96E–35.99N, 36.69E–36.91N. A Bongo Net with 

300µm mesh size was used to operate oblique tows. Temperature, pH, 

Dissolved Oxygen and Salinity data have been collected by using a CTD at 

each station. The abundance data were fitted with a Negative Binomial GAM 

with spatial and temporal variables and standardized environmental parameters 

by using monthly averages and standard deviations. A non-linear temporal 

structure with two clear abundance pick (October and April) was detected. 

The station depth and vertical distance from inner coast of bay interactively 

affected the abundance in a linear way. The standardized temperature values 

that indicated temperature deviation from monthly average significantly 

interact with temporal variable. The larval stages of codlet were determined 

to prefer approximately average temperature value in autumn. However larval 

abundance intensified around the negative temperature anomalies in spring. 

Additionally, positive temperature anomalies caused a significant decrease in 

larval abundance. 







LARVAL FISH CONNECTIVITY IN THE KENYAN-TANZANIAN 

CORAL REEF REGION: RESULTS FROM PARTICLE TRACKING 

SIMULATIONS 

MAYORGA ADAME, C.G., BATCHELDER, H.P., STRUB, T. 

Oregon State University, 918 NW Fremont Ave, Corvallis, OR. Email: cmayorga@ 

coas.oregonstate.edu 

For most coral reef fish species the larval stage represents the only opportunity 

for dispersal. The connectivity achieved by the pelagic phase allows them to 

potentially maintain populations based on both local (self-seeding) and 

recruitment from elsewhere. Suitable adult habitat for recruitment of coral 

reef fish larvae is highly patchy, and very sparse, with variable but often larger 

distances between suitable habitats. Some reefs are very isolated with few, if 

any, neighboring reefs, while other reefs may have multiple reefs nearby. Coral 

reef larvae experience high mortality risk, due to predation and advective 

loss if they are unable to locate suitable recruitment habitat within their 

settlement competency period. Settlement success is generally determined 

by the interaction of ocean circulation, hydrographic conditions and the 

behavior of fish larvae. Spatial management efforts directed at conservation of 

biodiversity and productivity of coral reef systems, such as the establishment 

of marine protected areas (MPAs), should consider connectivity patterns of 

larvae. Connections among MPAs and with unprotected reefs will enhance 

system resilience and recovery from disturbances to individual reefs. We 

used an individual-based particle tracking model (IBM) coupled to an ocean 

circulation model (providing velocity and temperature fields) to examine 

connections among coral reefs in the Kenyan-Tanzanian reef region of East 

Africa. Connectivity matrices, derived from IBM particle tracking of coral reef 

fish larvae, describe potential recruitment pathways among the individual reefs 

in this region, and will provide guidance for the implementation of a network 

of MPAs. 





A NEW ENSO-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL INDEX FOR PACIFIC 

SARDINE RECRUITMENT 

MCCLATCHIE, S., GOERICKE, R., WEBER, E.D., WATSON, W., HILL, K., 

MILLER, E., JACOBSON, L.D. 

SWFSC, NOAA Fisheries, 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037-1509, U.S.A. 

Email: sam.mcclatchie@noaa.gov 

There are multiple environmental variables that affect sardine recruitment 

and surplus production, and environmental forcing is clearly not univariate. 

Based on work with small pelagics off California, important environmental 

variables include temperature, abundance of prey, abundance of predators, 

the abundance of bloom organisms (e.g. salps or gelatinous predators), wind 

stress curl, offshore transports, mesoscale variability of fronts and eddies, and 

phenology of both physical and biological environmental variables. Important 

processes include production, predation, and advection, all of which affect 

growth and mortality of larvae and recruits. In addition to environmental 

variables, density-dependent effects may be important when sardine are more 

abundant. The dominant process forcing large-scale changes on inter-annual 

time scales in the California Current System is ENSO. We propose creating 

a set of standardized time series variables that are affected by regional ENSO 

conditions, and then combining these variables using EOF analysis to create a 

quantitative metric of ENSO conditions in the California Current System. Key 

variables with the highest temporal resolution, and longest time series indexing 

regional ENSO conditions that ultimately affect sardine recruitment, are sea 

level height, surface temperature and salinity anomalies. The EOFs would 

index the “state” or “condition” of the regional expression of ENSO. Such an 

index would directly link to the mechanisms driving recruitment of sardine, 

whereas temperature alone does not. We report on progress toward this new 

environmental index for sardine recruitment. 






CONTRASTING PATTERNS IN SETTLEMENT DENSITIES OF 

CO-OCCURRING REEF FISH TAXA: EFFECTS OF PATCH SIZE 

MILLER, S.E., BARTLETT, L.S., OXENFORD, H.A., VALLES, H. 

University of the West Indies, C/O Cape Eleuthera Island School, Twinex, 1811 

N.W. 52 Street, Hanger #42 C, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 USA. Email: 

skylarmiller@islandschool.org 

Over small spatial scales, coral reefs are a mosaic of patches of potential 

settlement substrate for incoming larval reef fishes, with patches varying 

in composition and size. Most studies have examined the effects of patch 

composition on the settlement of reef fishes, whereas few have examined 

how variation in the size of patches of similar composition influences spatial 

variability in the density of recently settled fishes (recruits). Theory predicts 

that most settlement behaviors should lead to positive relationships between 

patch size and recruit abundance, but to negative relationships between patch 

size and recruit density. To investigate the latter, we performed underwater 

field experiments during the highest settlement period of three lunar months in 

Barbados. Using standardized units of coral rubble settlement substrate (surface 

area: 0.23 m 2 ), we examined the effect of patch size (6-unit clusters versus single 

units) on the settlement of the bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus) and the 

ecologically and commercially important Sparisoma parrotfish. As expected, 

recruit abundance was consistently highest in the 6-unit treatments for both 

taxa. However, the relationship between patch size and recruit density differed 

between taxa; bicolor damselfish exhibited the expected negative relationship 

between patch size and density, whereas parrotfishes exhibited the opposite 

pattern. These results indicate marked differences in settlement strategies 

between these two co-occurring taxa, leading to contrasting patterns in smallscale 

spatial variability in recruit density. Given the importance of early postsettlement 

density-dependent mortality in the population dynamics of reef 

fishes, our study might help predict species-specific impacts of reef habitat 

fragmentation. 






INFORMATION THEORY AND LARVAL RECRUITMENT IN 

ATLANTIC MENHADEN 

KARAKOYLU, E., ULANOWICZ, R.E, MILLER, T.J. 

Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, 146 Williams Street, Solomons, MD 20688. 

Email: miller@cbl.umces.edu 

We conducted multiple runs of an Individual-based Coupled Biological 

Physical Model to quantify patterns of transfer of menhaden larvae from 

discrete spawning locations in the Mid-Atlantic Bight to estuaries along 

the east coast of the United States. Larvae followed trajectories drawn from 

realistic flow solutions spanning multiple months and years to include 

seasonal and inter-annual physical variability. We used Information Theory 

to analyze the observed source-sink dynamics and we quantified the numbers 


of individuals reaching nurseries, the efficiency of transfer, and the reliability 

of transfer. Results show that transfers are affected by density-independent, 

time-dependent physical processes. The annual fraction of larvae reaching 

nurseries varied twofold (0.18 – 0.37%) among simulated years. Overall two 

main trends are evident: recruitment occurred predominantly occurring in 

either Long Island Sound (0.074-0.15% of larvae produced) or further south, 

in Delaware and Chesapeake Bays and Albemarle Sound (0.07-0.17% of larvae 

produced). Higher transfer efficiencies were seen between estuaries and the 

closest spawning locations, with Long Island Sound and its closest larval source 

ranking highest. In contrast, transfer reliabilities were much more variable, 

and the pathways resulting in the highest number of recruits do not seem to 

be necessarily the most resilient. We discuss the ecological and evolutionary 

implications of these findings. 





ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL USE OF MORPHOLOGICAL 

AND PIGMENTATION CHARACTERS DURING LARVAL 

DEVELOPMENT FOR PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF 

GOBIIDAE 

MISKIEWICZ, A.G. 

Wollongong City Council, Locked Bag 8821, Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia. 

Email: tmiskiewicz@wollongong.nsw.gov.au 

The Gobiidei are a very diverse group of fish comprising nine families with 

about 270 genera and 2,210 species. There have been a variety of studies 

undertaken using morphological, osteological and molecular characters of 

adults to investigate phylogenetic relationships within the group. Larval 

developmental series collected from southern Australian waters of seven genera 

of Gobiidae (210 genera, 1,950 spp) Arenigobius, Afurcagobius, Favonigobius, 

Gobiopterus, Paedogobius, Psuedogobius and Redigobius and two genera of 

Eleotridae (35 genera 155 sp) Hypseleotris and Philypnodon were assessed. 

For the larval development series of these nine genera, ontogenetic changes 

in body shape and pigmentation patterns and the size at development of fins, 

notochord flexion and transition to juveniles for each genus were documented. 

There was considerable variation in these larval characters between the two 

families and between genera. The larval development characters were assessed 

to determine similarities and differences between genera and then compared 

with the proposed lineages for these genera based on adult characters. 



PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF THE LARVAL FISH DISTRIBUTION 

IN THE LOOP CURRENT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AFTER THE 

DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL 

MORALES, S., VÁSQUEZ-YEOMANS, L., CARRILLO, L., MALCA, E., 

PRIVOZNIK, S., LAMKIN J.T. 

CIMAS, University of Miami, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami FL 33149. Email: 

estrella.malca@noaa.gov 

The Loop Current (LC) is the major oceanographic feature in the eastern of the 

Gulf of Mexico, and its highly dynamic regime drives the transport and retention 

of fish larvae. During the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, an interdisciplinary 

survey across the LC and into the northeast Gulf of Mexico was conducted in 

the summer of 2010 (30 June – 18 July) aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. 

Multiple plankton collecting gears were used at 75 stations (MOCNESS, 

Neuston, and Bongo with 505 µm mesh) to examine larval fish distribution. 

Ichthyoplankton samples were sorted and identified to the finest possible 

taxonomic level. Here, we present preliminary results for 14,072 larval fishes 

corresponding to 103 families and 233 species. Myctophidae, Scombridae, and 

Carangidae were the most abundant families with relative abundance of 17.4%, 

16.3% and 13.0%, respectively. Scombrids and carangids were two groups 

most likely to be impacted by the oil spill due the larvae were found in the 

upper layers of the water column. Scombrids occurred in 99% of the study area 

comprised of nine species of which, the genus Thunnus was the most abundant 

(Thunnus atlanticus and Thunnus spp.), followed by Euthynnus alletteratus and 

Auxis rochei. Overall, we found similar results to previous surveys in this region; 

however, we found a higher diversity. The strategic location of the LC deserves 

further efforts to understand its role in larval connectivity. 






RAPID ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTINGENTS IN A RECENTLY 

REINTRODUCED STRIPED BASS POPULATION IN THE ST. 

LAWRENCE ESTUARY (QUEBEC, CANADA) 

MORISSETTE, O., SIROIS, P., LEGAULT, M., VERREAULT, G., LECOMTE, F. 

Research Chair on Exploited Aquatic Species, Universite du Quebec a 

Chicoutimi, 555, Boul. de l'Université, Chicoutimi, Quebec, G7H 2B1. Email: 

olivier.morissette@uqac.ca 

The existence of partial migrations is commonly reported for diadromous 

fish species. Migratory differential life-history pathways can establish stable 

structure within populations (e.g. migratory contingents). Contingents have 

been identified in numerous striped bass population along the North-American 

East Coast using various methods. Otolith chemistry proved an effective tool 

for assessing migratory behavior of fish, especially during early life. The main 

objective of this study is to determine if migratory contingents exist during early 

life in the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) re-introduced striped bass population 

using otolith chemistry. Juvenile (aged 0+ and 1+) striped bass have been 

captured in 2011 an 2012 in the SLE. Chemical compositions on whole-life 

transects of 118 sagittal otoliths have been quantified. Migratory movements of 

striped bass were investigated using multivariate analysis of 4 elements (Sr, Ba, 

Mn and Mg) with a split-moving window method. Three migratory contingents, 

exhibiting distinct juvenile habitat utilization, have been identified: freshwater 

residence, oligohaline and mesohaline migrant. Chemical signatures of the 

natal origin of captured fish are relatively homogenous even between distinct 

contingents, providing insights of the reproductive dynamics of the population. 

This study shows the rapid (< 10 years since first stocking of striped bass in 

SLE) establishment of migratory contingents structure during early life in the 

striped bass population of the SLE. Results shed light on the migratory strategy 

of striped bass and raise questions on the capacity for the species to colonize 

rapidly new rivers through the expression of partial migration. 





INCORPORATING INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL 

SUITABILITY AND CATCHABILITY INTO EXISTING ATLANTIC 

BLUEFIN TUNA ABUNDANCE INDICES FROM THE GULF OF 

MEXICO 

MUHLING, B.A., Ingram, G.W. Jr., Cass-Calay, S.L., Walter, J.F. 

University of Miami, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL, 33149. Email: Barbara. 

Muhling@noaa.gov 

Catch rates of bluefin tuna caught on longlines in the US Gulf of Mexico are 

formulated into an index of abundance, which is one of several inputs to the 

western Atlantic stock assessment. This project aimed to add environmental 

and fishing gear effects into the index, and to investigate if these additions 

could tune the index more closely to spawning stock biomass estimates. Catches

of bluefin tuna reported in logbooks were found to be strongly seasonal, and 

temperature-dependent. However, the interannual behavior of the index was 

not well correlated to environmental conditions, particularly in the early part 

of the time series (before 1993). Analyses of gear configurations and fishing 

regulations through time suggested that several factors had contributed to 

the observed trend in the index, including the introduction of the observer 

program in 1992. A predictive habitat model was constructed from fisheries 

observer data, and used to show potential effects of on-board observers on 

reporting in logbooks. Implications for the trend and behavior of the logbook 

index are discussed. 


Session: Reproduction and early life history of highly migratory 

species 



COMPARING ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF 

LARVAL BLUEFIN TUNA (THUNNUS THYNNUS) HABITAT IN 

THE GULF OF MEXICO AND WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA 

MUHLING, B.A., Reglero, P., Ciannelli, L., Alvarez-Berastegui, 

D., Alemany, F., Lamkin, J.T., Roffer, M.A. 

University of Miami, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL, 33149. Email: Barbara. 

Muhling@noaa.gov 

Atlantic bluefin tuna undertake long migrations to reach warm, low 

productivity spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean 

Sea. Peak spawning occurs during spring in the Gulf of Mexico, 

and summer in the Mediterranean. Environmental 

conditions within spawning 

areas appear unfavorable for 

adult feeding and physiology, 

and so have been presumed 

to benefit larval survival, 

through enhanced feeding 

conditions, larval retention 

or growth rates. In this 

study, a comparison of the environmental 

characteristics of both spawning sites was completed 

using standardized environmental data and modeling 

methods. Artificial neural network predictive models of 

larval occurrence were constructed using historical larval collections, and 

environmental variables from both in situ and remotely sensed sources. Results 

showed that larvae on both spawning grounds were most likely to be found 

in warm (23-28°C), low chlorophyll waters with moderate current velocities, 

and favorable regional retention conditions. In the Gulf of Mexico, larvae 

were located in offshore waters outside of the Loop Current and warm eddies, 

while in the western Mediterranean, larval occurrences were associated with 

the confluence of inflowing Atlantic waters and saltier resident surface waters. 

Results suggested common themes within preferred spawning grounds on both 

sides of the Atlantic Ocean. However, the ecological processes governing larval 

survival and eventual recruitment are yet to be fully understood. 





HOW PRECISE AND/OR ACCURATE DO FORECASTS OF 

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS NEED TO BE TO BE USEFUL TO 

STOCK ASSESSMENTS? 

MURPHY, M.D. 

University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, 140 7th Avenue South, 

St Petersburg, FL 33701. Email: mmurphy10@mail.usf.edu 

Forecasts of fish populations are usually made assuming some level of future 

recruitment that is associated mainly with the spawning capacity of the 

stock. Though environmental effects on recruit survival are known for many 

marine fishes, the uncertainty in predicting the environment into the future 

may impede using these relations to improve fish stock forecasting. In this 

project, we investigate whether forecasts of fish populations —as generated 

from a typical single-species stock assessment model—are improved when 

future recruitment is linked to a forecasted environmental feature. The analyses 

presented will roughly mimic North Atlantic swordfish population dynamics 

with recruitment success coinciding with low or negative values of the winter 

North Atlantic Oscillation. 






EMPIRICAL FIELD VALIDATION OF A BIOPHYSICAL 

DISPERSAL MODEL 


NANNINGA, G.B., ZHAN, P., SAENZ-AGUDELO, P., HOTEIT, I., BERUMEN, 

M.L. 

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 4700 KAUST, Thuwal 23955- 

6900, Saudi Arabia. Email: gerrit.nanninga@kaust.edu.sa 

Marine metapopulation dynamics are often regulated through local 

replenishment of sedentary adult populations via 

pelagic larvae from local and/or external 

sources. Larval dispersal in the sea is 

governed by a plethora of stochastic 

physical and biological processes 

and patterns of connectivity 

vary spatially, temporally, 

and taxonomically. Coupled 

biophysical numerical models 

have emerged as the principal 

means to simulate and forecast 

patterns of larval transport in 

complex marine systems. In this 

study, we use the Connectivity Modeling System framework to simulate 

patterns of larval dispersal in an anemonefish (Amphiprion bicintus) at a reef 

scale of 10s km. Current velocities are derived from a three-dimensional 

baroclinic MITgcm with a spatial resolution of 500m. Hydrodynamics are 

driven by real-time atmospheric forcing and open boundary conditions, 

providing heat and momentum flux. Initial behavioural inputs are based 

on estimates from observations in ongoing studies of A. bicinctus. While 

biophysical models are clearly the most powerful tools to make hypothesisdriven 

predictions on variable scales, countless sources of uncertainties could 

affect the accuracy of their projections. Despite the universal call for field 

validations of model predictions, there remains a pressing need for modeling 

studies to incorporate an efficient ground-truth strategy. Here, we use genetic 

parentage assignments to trace the transport of recruits in the system described 

above and we integrate this empirical data with real-time model predictions. 

This dyadic approach allows us to validate initial model performance and, more 

importantly, to fine-tune uncertain input parameters by fitting the model to the 

observed assignment data. 






APPLYING KNOWLEDGE OF SPAWNING PHENOLOGY AND 

GEOGRAPHY TO LARVAL TRANSPORT MODELS FOR TWO 

IMPORTANT ALASKAN GADIDS 

NEIDETCHER S.K., CIANNELLI L. 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. 

Email: sandi.neidetcher@noaa.gov 

Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) is an important species, both economically 

and ecologically, in the southeastern Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, yet little is 

known regarding spawning patterns for this species. Furthermore, because Pacific 

cod eggs are demersal and few larvae are captured by ichthyoplankton research 

cruises, little is known about dispersal patterns and early stage distribution. To 

address these knowledge gaps, gross anatomical maturity data were collected by 

fishery observers with the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), Fisheries 

Monitoring and Analysis Division (FMA) and used to assess the location and 

timing of spawning. Knowledge of the geography and phenology of spawning 

fish can greatly benefit our understanding of interactions between a species and 

environmental conditions; to assess spawning migrations; to identify early life 

stage distribution and dispersal to nurseries where young fish develop; and may 

provide a general understanding of population structure. This presentation will 

include a description of maturity assessment methods, the analysis of temporal 

and spatial spawning patterns, and will include a discussion of current efforts 

in modeling dispersal patterns for Pacific cod. Preliminary analysis of walleye 

pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) observer-assessed maturity data will be 

described briefly along with potential future larval dispersal modeling efforts 

for this species. 





POTENTIAL INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON 

ANADROMOUS RIVER HERRING IN THEIR MARINE HABITAT 

NYE, J.A., LYNCH, P., HARE, J., STOCK, C., ALEXANDER, M., SCOTT, J., 

CURTI, K., DREW, K. 

107 Dana Hall, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook 

University, Stony Brook, NY 11794. Email: janet.nye@stonybrook.edu 

The term “river herring” collectively refers to alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and 

blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), two anadromous fishes distributed along the 

east coast of North America. Historically, river herring spawning migrations 

supported important fisheries, and their runs continue to be of cultural 

significance to many coastal communities; however, substantial declines in 

spawning run size have prompted a petition to consider river herring for listing 

under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ESA review process requires an 

evaluation of the population responses to multiple stressors, including climate 

change. For anadromous species that utilize a range of habitats throughout 

their life cycle, the response to a changing global climate is inherently 

complex, and likely varies regionally. River herring occupy marine habitat for 

the majority of their lives, and we project changes in marine distribution and 

abundance under future climate scenarios by coupling species habitat models 

with projected temperature regimes from global climate models. We project 

northward shifts in distributions, and declines in preferred habitat along the 

US East Coast. We demonstrate that current abundance may play an important 

role governing the significance of climate effects on future abundance; however, 

there is uncertainty surrounding current population size. Thus, establishing 

effective conservation efforts in the near term would likely improve population 

resiliency, and provide lasting benefits to river herring populations. 






HOMOLOGY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LARVAL FISHES 

FOR MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES, 

WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE JAW MUSCULATURE OF 

ACTINOPTERYGIAN FISHES 

KONSTANTINIDIS, P., OLSSON, L., HILTON, E. 

Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 9457 Glass Road, Hayes, VA 23072. Email: 

peterk@vims.edu 

Anatomical characters in early life history stages of fishes are often the sole 

source for identifying homologous structures, and for that reason are of great 

importance for phylogenetic and evolutionary studies. In taxa for which early 

life stages of species are rare or unknown, the identification of homologous 

structures is based solely on the adult condition, and are identified via 

connectivity, the composition, and the similarity of structures. This approach 

often fails to resolve the question about homology and thus can obscure the 

phylogentic/evolutionary signal. The study of a complex structure from its 

first appearance in ontogeny until it is fully formed often provides the most 

conclusive data for the identification of homologous structures. To achieve this 

goal it is important to obtain closely staged ontogenetic series of species, which 

is a difficult task for many taxa. The skeletal and muscular components of the jaw 

apparatus in actinopterygian fishes offers such a complex anatomical structure 

for which homologies have yet to be adequately addressed. We obtained 

ontogenetic series of white sturgeon and paddlefish from aquaculture, and 

longnose gar and Amia from the wild for an ongoing study of the evolution of 

the jaw apparatus of teleostean fishes. Our study combines traditional methods, 

such as clearing and staining and histology, and innovative state of the art 

methods techniques, such as computer tomography, 3D-modelling, and wholemount 

antibodystaining. We will present examples from the development of 

the musculoskeletal systems of the jaws demonstrating the value of ontogeny 

for phylogenetic studies. 



COMPARISON OF FEEDING ECOLOGY BETWEEN TWO CO- 

OCCURRING CLUPEOID SPECIES 

OKAZAKI, Y., KUBOTA, H., TAKASUKA, A., SAKAJI, H. 

Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute, 3-27-5 Shinhama, Shiogama, 

Miyagi, 985-0001, Japan. Email: okazakiy@affrc.go.jp 

We investigated prey items and diet overlap of larvae and juveniles of two 

clupeoid species, sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) and anchovy (Engraulis 

japonicus), collected from the same location. Four data sets of late larvae and 

juveniles were obtained by a commercial trawl in Tosa Bay, south western 

coast of Japan, during February to April in 2009 and 2010. Three data sets of 

juveniles were collected by a surface trawl in the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition 

region in June 2010. Gut contents and prey organisms were identified to the 

lowest taxonomic level as possible, and their body length and width were 

measured. In Tosa Bay, larvae and juveniles of sardine and anchovy fed on adult 

and copepodite stages of copepods such as Paracalanus spp., Corycaeus spp. 

and Oncaea spp. and appendicularians. In the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition 

region, juveniles of sardine and anchovy fed on adult and copepodite stages of 

copepods such as Paracalanus spp., Corycaeus spp. and Oncaea spp and krill 

furcilia. In summary, no marked difference was found in the preferred prey 

items between sardine and anchovy during the early life stages even using the 

co-occurring fish specimens. Thus, the trophodynamics such as change in the 

zooplankton community structure may not directly lead to species alternations 

between these two clupeoid species. 






SUN COMPASS ORIENTATION FOR REEF-FISH LARVAE 

PARIS, C.B., IRISSON, J.-O., LEIS, J.M., BOGUCKI, D., PISKOZUB, J., 

SIEBECK, U., GUIGAND, C.M. 

University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, 4600 

Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149-1098, USA. Email: cparis@rsmas. 

miami.edu 

Reef-fish larvae swim directionally, implying the existence of a compass to keep 

a consistent bearing. We manipulated the view of the Sun of larvae Chromis 

atripectoralis placed in a behavioral arena deployed at sea, the Drifting In 

Situ Chamber. We also used a radiative transfer model to simulate the visible 

underwater light patterns experienced by the larva under direct sunlight (control 

treatment) and when their view of the Sun was blocked (umbrella treatment), 

both under clear skies and light wind conditions. While most larvae were 

directional in both treatments, precision in directionality decreased with Sun 

elevation in the natural treatment only, indicating that larvae used primarily the 

Sun’s disk position to keep directionality. Without the view of the Sun, larvae 

exhibited a distinct behavior, holding a true course to the SSW, 42 degrees 

away from the wind. The model results are consistent with the observations 

suggesting that orientation behavior involves the visual detection of surface 

waves’ direction. Without the direct view of the Sun, larvae are still capable of 

orienting, guided by visible cues at the sea surface, involving sensitivity to light 

intensity or to polarization. This study provides the first evidence of in situ sun 

compass by a reef fish larva, primarily mediated by the direct view of the Sun. 

Larval fish ability for large-scale navigation challenges established expectations 

for dispersion and population connectivity. 






OCCURRENCE OF LARVAL AND SETTLEMENT STAGE FISHES 

ON VARYING REEF TYPES IN ALGOA BAY, SOUTH AFRICA, 

WITH NOTES ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LIGHT TRAPS AS A 

SAMPLING TOOL 

PATTRICK, P., STRYDOM, N.A. 

PO Box 77000, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan 

University, Port Elizabeth 6000 South Africa. Email: paula.pattrick@gmail.com 

Light traps and a plankton ring net were used concurrently to investigate 

the larval and settlement stage fish assemblages associated with common 

reef habitat types in the warm temperate waters of Algoa Bay, South Africa. 

Sampling coincided with peak fish breeding and was conducted within a 

proposed marine protected area on twelve nights over a two year period 

from June 2010 to February 2012. A total of 4084 larvae and settlement 

stage fishes belonging to 31 teleost families and 84 species were captured in 

the study area. Three times as many families and five times as many taxa were 

captured by the plankton net compared to the light traps. However, 6 taxa 

were caught exclusively by the light traps. Fishes were abundant during the 

summer months (plankton net average mean 93 larvae/100 m 3 ) coinciding 

with peak spawning in the region. Unique patterns of abundance and species 

composition associated with the various reef and reef associated habitats were 

found with greatest species richness observed within the proposed MPA area. 

Results indicate that the light trap samples complemented those taken by the 

plankton net, however the larvae of many reef fish species common in the area 

were absent from catches in both methods. 




ECOLOGY OF EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES OF FISHES IN 

VARIOUS HABITATS IN ALGOA BAY, SOUTH AFRICA 

PATTRICK, P., STRYDOM, N.A. 

PO Box 77000, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan 

University, Port Elizabeth 6000 South Africa. Email: paula.pattrick@gmail.com 

Within the typically rough coastal environment observed off the South African 

coast, a mosaic of shallow, coastal habitats, important for the development of 

marine fishes has been recognized. The importance of these alternative habitats 

for larval stages of coastal fishes has long been overlooked with the majority of 

research focused within estuaries. A multiple gear approach was used to assess 

the composition, abundance, seasonality and distribution of larval and early 

juvenile fish assemblages in the nearshore, surfzone and inlets of two estuaries 

within Algoa Bay, on the temperate south east coast of South Africa. Different 

larval fish communities are associated with different habitat types with 

Cynoglossidae dominating nearshore catches, Sparidae dominating catches 

within the surf habitats and Gobiidae dominating the estuary inlets. Several 

important commercial and recreational fish species, and other coastal species 

important from a biodiversity perspective, complete the pelagic phase of early 

development within the shallow (



DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE BALTIC SPRING- 

SPAWNING HERRING LARVAE, CLUPEA HARENGUS 

MEMBRAS (L.), IN THE ODRA ESTUARY (POLAND) 

PAWELCZYK, A., FEY, D.P., WOZNICZKA, A. 

National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Research Station, pl. Slowianski 11, 

72-600 Swinoujscie, Poland. Email: apawelczyk@mir.gdynia.pl 

The River Odra Estuary (Pomeranian Bay, Szczecin Lagoon and the strait 

connecting these two areas) is a coastal area characterized by high dynamics of 

changes in the biotope, where the hydrological regime is shaped by freshwater 

flow of Odra river. Despite the high variability of the environment, Pomeranian 

Bay is one of the main spawning sites of spring-spawning herring in the southern 

Baltic Sea. The goal of this work was to study the occurrence of herring larvae 

in the mouth of Oder (Szczecin Lagoon and the strait connecting Lagoon 

with Pomeranian Bay) in comparison to their abundance in the Pomeranian 

Bay basin. Two sets of data were analyzed: 1994-1998 and 2007-2012. In 

both periods the herring larvae samples were collected between April and July 

at ca.15 stations located in the same area. The mean density varied from 18 

to 557 ind./100 m 3 in the Pomeranian Bay and from 0 to 420 ind./100 m 3 

in the Odra mouth. The presence of herring larvae in the Odra mouth were 

positively correlated with increased salinity, which was due to the inflows of 

marine waters into the estuary. At the same time, absence of yolk-sack stages 

indicates that presence of herring larvae in the Odra mouth was related to 

nearby spawning sites in Pomeranian Bay rather than to local spawning places 

in the Odra mouth. 





ADULT DIET AND LARVAL DIET INFLUENCE SURVIVOR 

SKILLS OF RED DRUM LARVAE 

PEREZ, K.O., FUIMAN, L.A. 

University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, 750 Channel View Drive, 

Port Aransas, TX 78373-5015 USA. Email: kestrel.perez@austin.utexas.edu 

Essential fatty acids, those that must come from either the larval or maternal 

diet, are required for normal growth and development. Correlations have been 

reported between concentrations of two egg fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid 

(DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA), and larval escape performance, with the 

suggestion that some effects may be irreversible. We produced batches of eggs 

that varied in ARA and DHA by manipulating adult diet and then measured 

larval escape swimming ability, routine swimming speed, growth, and survival. 

To evaluate whether deficiencies in maternally-derived fatty acids could be 

compensated or fatty acid surpluses could be generated by the larval diet, larvae 

were fed four different diets that varied in fatty acid content. Of the five traits 

that were related to egg fatty acid content, latency and routine swimming speed 

were significantly lower than predicted by egg content when larvae were fed 

an enriched larval diet, indicating that for some performance traits the larval 

diet can compensate for poor egg quality. Significant changes in response 

distance when larvae were fed highly enriched diets, however, suggest potential 

generation of a fatty acid surplus that had a detrimental effect on performance. 

The other two larval traits did not differ significantly among the different diets, 

indicating that those effects of egg quality may be irreversible and caused by 

variations in adult diet. These causes of variation in larval performance suggest 

that adult diet dynamics are important for our understanding of mechanisms 

behind larval survivorship and recruitment. 





THE INFLUENCE OF TEN EL NIÑO EVENTS ON PELAGIC 

ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE IN THE OREGON UPWELLING ZONE 

PETERSON, B., RYKACZEWSKI, R. 

NOAA-Fisheries, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, Oregon 97365. Email: 

bill.peterson@noaa.gov 

We have examined relationships between El Niño events and variability in SST, 

hydrography, and the abundance and species composition of copepods, krill 

eggs, larvae and adults, and ichthyoplankton in waters of the northern California 

Current. We have sufficient hydrographic, copepod and ichthyo-plankton data 

to compare the impact of ten past El Niño events on lower trophic levels (1968- 

69, 1972-73, 1976-77, 1982-83, 1991-92, 1997-98, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2006- 

07 and 2009-10). The time of year when El Niño signals arrive in the NCC 

and the duration of the event shapes the ecological consequences of oceanic 

anomalies thus the variability in the timing and duration are important factors 

in understanding the differences between individual El Niño events. Five 

strong events (max ONI ≥ 1.5) have occurred in equatorial waters since the 

early 1970s most of which were initiated in spring, and lasted ~ 12 months. 

Three of these events have coincided with positive phases of the PDO (1982- 

83, 1991-92, 1997-98) while two occurred during negative phases of the PDO 

(1972-73 and 2009-10). The ecological impacts of El Niños are moderated 

by conditions associated with negative PDO; and conversely, impacts are 

exacerbated during positive PDO conditions. Ordinations of copepod species 

abundance will be used to demonstrate relationships between El Niño events 

and unique community types. Indicator species analysis will identify those 

species which are typical of strong vs. weak El Niño events. Two of the best 

indicators are presence of subtropical copepod species and late-stage zoea of 

Emerita analoga. 




EFFECTS OF PRESERVATION METHOD ON EUROPEAN HAKE 

MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS LARVAE SIZE 

RODRÍGUEZ-FERNÁNDEZ, L., LEAL, A., LAGO, M.J., LAIZ-CARRIÓN, R., 

SÁNCHEZ, F.J., PIÑEIRO, C. 

Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo Apartado 

1552, Cabo Estai-Canido, 36200 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain. Email: carmen. 

pineiro@vi.ieo.es 

The objective of this study was to determine how preservation method affects 

the standard length (SL) of European hake larvae. Four fixative mediums were 

employed: i) freezing in sea water at −20ºC (SW-20); ii) RNA-later at −80ºC 

(RL-80); iii) 4% formalin borax-buffered (F4); and iv) freezing with liquid 

nitrogen (NL). Hake larvae SL were initially measured and individually fixed 

in one of the four fixatives. In order to evaluate the effect of the preserved time 

in each conservative, the SL of each larva were obtained for a second time after 

three different preservation periods (15, 44 and 91 days). To assess the effect of 

the initial size on the final shrinkage, two larvae groups of 15 and 24 days after 

hatch were analyzed, with size ranges of 3.5–5.0 and 4.2–7.3 mm respectively. 

Most shrinkage occurred within the first period of preservation in all four 

fixatives, with no effect of the preserved time on the percentage shrinkage for 

any preservative (Two-Way Anova, F(6, 344)=0.641, p>0.05). Likewise, 

no differences in the shrinkage has been observed between both groups of 

larval size, covariated by initial SL (Ancova, F(1, 353)=2.323, p>0.05). 

However, initial SL affect the % shrinkage depending of the fixative used (Two- 

Way Anova, F(3, 343)=6.603, p

SW-20 (8.9±0.5) and F4 (6.8±0.5). Four correlation equations are suggested 

to convert an initial SL in a final contracted hake larvae size for each fixative. 

Financed by CRAMER-MICINN and ECOPREGA–Xunta de Galicia. 



SEASONAL GROWTH RATE VARIABILITY OF YOUNG-OF-THE- 

YEAR EUROPEAN HAKE (MERLUCCIUS MERLUCCIUS) BASED 

ON OTOLITH MICRO-STRUCTURE ANALYSIS 

RODRÍGUEZ-FERNÁNDEZ, L., QUINTANILLA, J., GARCÍA, A., CABANAS, 

J.M., PIÑEIRO, C. 

Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo Apartado 

1552, Cabo Estai-Canido, 36200 Vigo, Pontevedra, España. Email: carmen. 

pineiro@vi.ieo.es 

Daily growth of Atlantic juvenile hake (Merluccius merluccius) from northwest 

Spanish Iberian coasts was estimated by counting daily increments of the 

transversal sections of otoliths. The microstructural analysis of otoliths enabled 

to estimate seasonal variability of growth rates. Juveniles were sampled in one 

of the most important recruitment areas of the species of NW Atlantic Iberia 

in surveys that were carried out during spring and summer of 2012. A total of 

130 otoliths (sagittae) of individuals ranging from 5 and 25 cm total length 

were analyzed. The results indicated that juvenile growth show growth pulses 

of varying intensity throughout the year. The evolution of daily increments 

widths indicate higher growth in spring than in winter, where average mean of 

increment widths varied from 8 µm in spring to 6 µm in summer. This study 

was made possible by the financial support of projects CRAMER-MICINN 

and ECOPREGA–Xunta de Galicia. 






IMPACT OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON FISH POPULATIONS, 

USING THE FISH LARVAE DATASET FROM THE CONTINUOUS 

PLANKTON RECORDER 

PITOIS, S.G. 

Cefas, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft NR330HT, Suffolk, UK. Email: sophie.pitois@ 

gmail.com 

The Continuous Plankton Recorder dataset on fish larvae has an extensive 

spatio-temporal coverage that allows the responses of fish populations to past 

changes in climate variability, including abrupt changes such as regime shifts, 

to be investigated. This newly available dataset offers a unique opportunity 

to investigate long-term changes over decadal scales in the abundance and 

distribution of fish larvae in relation to physical and biological factors. Here, we 

applied a principal component analysis using 7 biotic and abiotic parameters is 

applied to investigate the impact of environmental changes in the North Sea 

on 5 selected taxa of fish larvae during the period 1960 to 2004. The analysis 

revealed that the larvae of clupeids, sandeels, dab and gadoids seemed to be 

affected mainly by changes in the plankton ecosystem, while the larvae of 

migratory species such as Atlantic mackerel responded more to hydrographic 

changes. Climate variability seems more likely to influence fish populations 

through bottom-up control via a cascading effect from changes in the North 

Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) impacting on the hydro dynamic features of the 

North Sea, in turn impacting on the plankton available as prey for fish larvae. 

The responses and adaptability of fish larvae to changing environmental 

conditions, particularly to changes in prey availability, are complex and speciesspecific. 

This complexity is enhanced with fishing effects interacting with 

climate effects and this study supports furthering our under - standing of such 

interactions before attempting to predict how fish populations respond to 

climate variability. 

Spain’s Antoni Gaudí sensuous, sophisticated 

architecture is evoked by Miami’s Mayfair Hotel. Built in 

the 1980s, the building’s round walls, copper façade, and 

many bas reliefs are superb representations of Coconut 

Grove’s artsy, funky vibe and eclectic lifesyle. 





THE GROWTH OF LARVAL ATLANTIC COD AND HADDOCK IN 

THE IRISH SEA: A MODEL WITH TEMPERATURE, PREY SIZE, 

AND TURBULENCE FORCING 

PITOIS S.G., ARMSTRONG, M. 

Cefas, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT, U.K. Email: sophie.pitois@ 

cefas.co.uk 

Cod and haddock are commercially important whitefish species in the Irish 

Sea. As with many North Atlantic cod stocks, Irish Sea cod has undergone 

a continuous decline in spawning-stock biomass. In contrast, haddock 

has continued to experience relatively strong year classes at intervals, thus 

causing conflicting management requirements for the two stocks. Growth 

and survival through the early life-stages being of critical importance to 

successful recruitment in marine fishes, we need to understand better how 

cod and haddock larvae interact with their prey environments. We applied a 

physiological individual-based model for the foraging and growth of cod and 

haddock larvae using data from the Irish Sea, collected during the spawning 

season in 2006. The model was used to examine the different productivities of 

the cod and haddock stocks under the conditions encountered in the Irish Sea. 

Both larvae showed similar responses to changes in environmental conditions 

and survival was found to be better on the western side of the Irish Sea, 

covering the spawning ground for haddock and about half of that for cod. Prey 

availability was found to be the limiting factor of larval growth, but exploration 

of stock assessment data suggests that others factors have a role to play to ensure 

successful recruitment. We suggest that the increasing population of clupeids 

may have added predatory pressure on the eggs and larvae of gadoids in the 

Irish Sea, thus fitting the same pattern reported elsewhere, of forage fish being a 

significant factor impacting on recruitment success of demersal species. 






HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF EARLY 

HERRING (CLUPEA HARENGUS L.) LIFE STAGES IN A SHALLOW 

WESTERN BALTIC LAGOON 

POLTE, P., HEILER, J., BEYER, S., MOLL, D., KOTTERBA, P. 

Thuenen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Alter Hafen Sued 2, D-18069 Rostock, 

Germany. Email: patrick.polte@ti.bund.de 

Larval herring of Atlantic sub-populations hatched in shallow inshore lagoons 

of the Baltic Sea develop in a quite different suite of coastal habitats than their 

shelf bank spawned counterparts in the neighboring North Sea. Hypothesizing 

that herring larvae that hatched in the upper littoral zone of shallow brackish 

lagoons leave this fluctuating environment during further development, we 

sampled pelagic and littoral sites in a major spawning ground of Western Baltic 

spring spawning herring for eggs and larvae. Additionally we sampled the open 

water areas of the bay to investigate the vertical distribution of larvae. This was 

based on the assumption that in the shallow waters of the lagoon larvae are 

homogenously distributed in the water column since the area is characterized 

by a well-mixed water body without any observed stratification. Results 

reveal that spawning is concentrated in littoral spawning beds above the 2m 

isobath. Despite escalating temperatures in the littoral zone considerably high 

larval abundances were found which, however, were subjected to site-specific 

topography. Unexpectedly larvae in the pelagic zone showed distinct depth 

distributions at daytime which varied between stations. Furthermore the 

results indicate size specific differences in the vertical distribution of larvae of 

5-9 mm and 10-15 mm respectively. These findings potentially have important 

implications for the development of distribution models and further analyses 

of environmental variables structuring larval survival in the coastal Baltic Sea. 




KEY TO IDENTIFICATIONS OF COMMON SPECIES OF 

LARVAL SEA BASSES AND HAMLETS (FAMILY SERRANIDAE, 

SUBFAMILY SERRANINAE) IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC AND 

THE CARIBBEAN 

SHIROZA, A., PRIVOZNIK, S.L. 

NOAA/RSMAS, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149. Email: sarah. 

privoznik@noaa.gov 

Species of the subfamily Serraninae, such as sea basses and hamlets, are abundant 

in ichthyoplankton samples from the US Virgin Islands and Leeward Islands, 

as well as South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. These larval stages are poorly 

described, however, as only five of the 35 species recorded in this area are fully 

described. Further, identification of these larvae to species through meristics is 

difficult, due to substantial overlap in meristic characters among species, and 

lack of fin development in pre-flexion larvae. This project investigated potential 

species-specific pigment patterns in the larval stages of Serraninae that may 

be useful for visual identification. These patterns were then verified through 

genetic barcoding. Out of 380 larval serranines, 119 specimens were successfully 

sequenced, and eight species and two unidentifiable species were identified. 

Hierarchical clustering revealed groupings of species at three flexion stages by 

their pigment patterns, and Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates was 

used to determine discriminating pigment location(s) for the species by their 

flexion stage. These results demonstrated that pigment locations are useful for 

larval identification in three species and a two-species group within Serraninae, 

and allowed for the development of an identification key for each flexion stage. 

The success of this study suggests that pigment patterns exist within species or 

species groups that can be used to identify larvae to species, and similar keys can 

be developed to advance visual identification techniques. 




OCEAN INFLUENCES ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND 

ABUNDANCE OF FLYINGFISH LARVAE IN THE NORTHERN 

GULF OF MEXICO 

RANDALL, L., ROOKER, J.R. 

Texas A&M University, 200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX 77553. Email: 

lrandall22@neo.tamu.edu 

Flyingfish occupy a crucial link in pelagic food webs, and understanding their 

distribution and abundance can lead to an improved understanding of their 

population dynamics. Here, we report on summer ichthyoplankton cruises 

conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) during 2009-2011. 

Samples were collected using neuston nets towed through the upper meter of 

the water column in the outer shelf and slope waters of the NGoM. Over the 

three year sampling period, a total of 12,478 flyingfish larvae were collected. 

Interannual variation was detected with densities of flyingfish larvae higher 

in 2009 and 2010 (14.7 and 9.7 larvae 1000 m 2 , respectively) than 2011 (2.6 

larvae 1000 m 2 ). Flyingfish larvae were present in each year and month along 

our sampling transect, and percent frequency of occurrence ranged from 

56% in July 2011 to 100% in June 2010, suggesting that flyingfish represent 

a common and important component of the ichthyoplankton assemblage in 

the NGoM. Multivariate procedures were used to investigate the link between 

relative abundance of flyingfish larvae and oceanographic conditions in the 

NGoM, and models indicate that larval abundance increased in waters with 

lower temperatures and negative sea surface height, which corresponds to 

frontal boundaries and cyclonic features in the NGoM. 





INTERANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABILITY INFLUENCES 

THE ANNUAL AND SPATIAL OVERLAP OF TUNA SPECIES 

DURING THE LARVAL STAGE 

REGLERO, P., CIANNELLI, L., BALBÍN, R., ALVAREZ-BERASTEGUI, D., 

ALEMANY, F.J. 

Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears, Moll 

de Ponent s/n, 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Email: patricia.reglero@ba.ieo.es 

The distribution of recently-hatched larvae suggests spatially segregated 

spawning habitats of three tuna species at the local scale in the Balearic Sea 

(NW Mediterranean). Whereas bluefin tuna shows environmental preferences 

for spawning, bullet tuna and albacore are driven mainly by geography, 

therefore less variable over time. As they develop, larval tuna can quickly 

become piscivorous. Previous analysis have indicated that predation rates 

during the larval stages has the potential to impact recruitment dynamics. 

In spite of the different attributes of their habitats, the three species of larval 

tuna can spatially overlap around the Balearic region. Thus it is important to 

understand the mechanisms that lead to increased spatial overlap among the 

three species and between young and older stages of the same species, in order 

to understand the mechanisms of recruitment dynamics. We develop an annual 

and spatial overlap metric and analyze how environmental heterogeneity 

influence tuna species coexistence over a 5 years period. Our results show that 

the species overlap is constrained in the warmer years and enhanced in the 

colder years. The results obtained for small and big larvae of the same species 

indicate habitat shifts during the larval ontogeny. Inter-annual differences in 

the mesoscale activity explain differences in the spatial pattern of coexistence 

of the larvae across years. A spatial hotspot for significant overlaps is related 

to summer consistent frontal structures. We confirm spawning strategies and 

environmental variability explain the overlap of tuna species over the larval 

ontogeny and identify key mechanisms that control recruitment. 







YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: DIET OVERPRINT IN LARVAL REEF 

FISH OCEAN ACIDIFICATION STUDIES? 

RHYNE, A.L., WILCOX-FREEBURG, E., BOURQUE, B., CERINO, D., TLUSTY, 

M., HANNIGAN, R.E. 

Roger Williams University / New England Aquarium, Department of Biology/ 

Marine Biology, One Old Ferry Road, Bristol, RI 02809. Email: arhyne@rwu.edu 

Interest in the effects of ocean acidification reef fish is accelerating. Several 

larval studies have been completed on reef fish, but they have had mixed results. 

While there is standard methodology for measuring the physical parameters 

such as calcium saturation state, the methodology for the husbandry of the 

animals including larval rearing tanks, flow regimes, and diet, is far from 

standardized. Prior studies have found clownfish (which were reared on rotifers 

and Artemia) to be sensitive to the effects of increased acidity. In an attempt to 

mimic a natural diet, we reared three clownfish species on calanoid copepods. 

Our results suggest that when fed this copepod diet, the clownfish were not 

as affected by increasing acidification treatments, a result that is contradictive 

to the existing literature. This results implies that a more natural larval diet, 

containing natural levels of n-3HUFAs, results in more robust larvae which 

are less sensitive to the pH stressor of Ocean Acidification studies. We suggest 

that diet significantly influences an animal’s ability to mediate environmental 

stressors, and is a factor that needs to be accounted for in future ocean 

acidification trials. 




ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTING TO 

SMALL SCALE TRANSPORT AND COMPOSITION OF 

ICHTHYOPLANKTON AT THE MOUTH OF A SUBTROPICAL 

ESTUARY 

SCHMITT, V.B., MUELBERT, J.H. 

Universidade Federal de Rio Grande. Email: schmitt.vb@gmail.com 

Environmental conditions affect community structure and dynamics of fish 

larvae migration between estuaries and adjacent coast. It is assumed that 

transport and composition of ichthyoplankton assemblages are influenced 

by the highly variable circulation in the Patos Lagoon Estuary. Thus, spatial 

composition and transport of fish larvae were investigated during 24h in three 

stations located perpendicular to the mouth of the estuary. At the sample period, 

the estuarine circulation varied from salt-wedge, to vertically homogeneous and 

laterally stratified. The composition of fish larvae along the transect indicated 

a pattern laterally differentiated. The east and center stations were linked and 

showed largest salinity and intensity of the currents compared to the west 

station. At east predominated the flood system and fish larvae were mainly 

transported into the estuary. Whereas at west, the ebb system dominated and 

fish larvae were mostly expelled to ocean. Vertical patterns in the composition 

of ichthyoplankton assemblages were also observed. Surface stations were 

related and showed largest salinity and current intensity. At the bottom, the 

assemblages abundance was low as well as the current intensity. Variations 

in the circulation system and salinity had a significant influence on patterns 

of composition and transport of ichthyoplankton and consistent positive 

correlations between this variables were obtained. These results improve the 

understanding of the dynamics of ichthyoplankton in the interface between 

the estuary and the adjacent coast, and reinforces the importance of small-scale 

measurements to enhance the knowledge on the patterns of composition and 

transport of larval fish in estuarine regions. 





STUDIES OF TUNA EARLY LIFE HISTORY CONDUCTED AT 

THE INTER-AMERICAN TROPICAL TUNA COMMISION (IATTC) 

ACHOTINES LABORATORY, 2012–2013 

SCHOLEY, V., MARGULIES, D., WEXLER, J., STEIN, M. 

Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, Achotines Laboratory, Las Tablas, Los 

Santos, Republic of Panama. Email: vscholey@iattc.org 

The IATTC conducts a variety of research on the reproductive biology and early 

life history of tuna at the Achotines Laboratory, Republic of Panama. Yellowfin 

tuna broodstock have been spawning since 1996 with the resulting eggs, larvae 

and juveniles serving as research subjects. A collaborative study funded by 

the Pelagic Fisheries Research Program and conducted with scientists of the 

Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Macquarie University and the University 

of Gothenburg, is investigating the potential effects of ocean acidification on 

yellowfin early life stages. Preliminary results suggest potential impacts of 

increased acidification. In 2011, a 5-year joint project began at the Achotines 

Laboratory and in Japan involving comparative studies of Pacific bluefin and 

yellowfin tuna. The joint study is conducted by the IATTC’s Early Life History 

Group, Kinki University and the Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de 

Panama. The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency 

and the Japan Science and Technology Agency. Comparative investigations of 

both species for growth potential, responses to delayed feeding and starvation 

in larvae, embryonic development, larval development and genetic monitoring 

are ongoing. During 2012, a 3-year study funded by California Sea Grant 

was initiated by the IATTC and the Hubbs Sea World Research Institute to 

investigate the development of sustainable tuna aquaculture in the U.S.A. The 

project includes feasibility studies of air shipment of yellowfin eggs and larvae 

from Panama to San Diego, and rearing studies of yellowfin larvae in Panama 

and San Diego. 







FINE-SCALE HABITAT USE OF JUVENILE GREENLAND COD 

(GADUS OGAC) AS REVEALED BY ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY 

SCHORNAGEL, D.B., GREGORY, R.S., SNELGROVE, P.V.R. 

Ocean Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 0 Marine Drive 

Logy Bay, NL, Canada, A1C 5S7. Email: dustins@mun.ca 

The availability of suitable habitat can increase the survivorship of juvenile fish 

by providing enhanced foraging opportunities and refuge from predation. Our 

study utilizes the latest technology in acoustic telemetry in association with 

detailed seabed habitat mapping to examine the activity and habitat usage 

patterns of age-1 Greenland cod (Gadus ogac) in Newman Sound, a coastal fjord 

in Newfoundland, Canada. Acoustic transmitters were surgically implanted 

into 82 juvenile cod and provided fine-scale positions (




Alexander 

Room 

VALIDATING OCEAN CIRCULATION MODEL USED FOR 

CALCULATING LARVAL FISH TRANSPORT IN CONNECTION 

WITH FISH RECRUITMENT AND STOCK MANAGEMENT 

SHEREMET, V., BROOKS, L., LOUGH, G., O’BRIEN, L., LEGAULT, C., 

MANNING, J., CHEN, Y. 

NOAA Woods Hole Laboratory, 166 Water St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. Email: 

vsheremet@whoi.edu 

A goal of this FATE project is to develop indices characterizing oceanographic 

conditions on Georges Bank that influence the recruitment and that can be 

used for fisheries management. Application of numerical models in fisheries 

oceanography provides a more realistic approach to investigation of larval 

transport in 3D flow fields. FVCOM GOM3 30 year hindcast simulation was 

analyzed against available long term observations of temperature from lobster 

traps, currents from drifters and moored platforms. A satisfactory agreement 

was found in relatively shallow areas, such as Georges Bank. In deeper areas 

with stronger density stratification the model shows warmer temperatures 

and weaker currents. The model is a useful tool for analyzing various 

physical effects such as winds on larval fish transport. Two approaches to 

calculating the larval transport were developed: particle tracking 

and probability distribution advection. For three species: 

cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder, the evolution 

of larvae probability distribution was calculated 

following the hypothetical annual spawning 

events. Variability of the retention and year-1 

recruitment on Georges Bank for the modeled 

years was analyzed against the observed egg, 

larval, and young of year densities available 

from surveys. 





VARIABILITY IN PREDATION RISK OF JUVENILE FISHES IN 

SEAGRASS BEDS EVALUATED FROM PISCIVOROUS FISH 

BIOMASS AND PREDATION RATES FROM TROPICAL TO 

SUBARCTIC ZONES 

SHOJI, J., FUKUTA, A., SCHUBERT, P., CHAPMAN, A., HAUKEBØ, T. 

Takehara Marine Science Station, Hiroshima University, 5-8-1 Takehara, 

Hiroshima 725-0024, Japan. Email: jshoji@hiroshima-u.ac.jp 

Seagrass beds are known to be highly productive ecosystems which support 

high species diversity. Fish production accounts for a large amount of the 

provisioning services although quantitative data of fish community and 

production in natural ecosystem are very limited. Investigations on spatial 

and temporal variability in fish community structure and trophic flow are 

indispensable for sustainable use of the biological resources of coastal ecosystems 

in the future. Biological and physical surveys were conducted in seagrass beds 

at 25 sites covering tropical to sub-arctic zones. Fish were sampled with a large 

seine net (2-mm mesh) and water temperature, salinity, seagrass shoot density 

and leaf length were measured at each sampling location. Invertebrates were 

collected with a plankton net (0.1-mm mesh). Sampled fishes were processed 

for analysis of stomach contents and stable isotopes. Number of fish species per 

surveyed area (100 m 2 ) was highest at southernmost sites while fish biomass 

(g per 100 m 2 ) was highest at intermediate latitudes (35–40˚N). Comparison 

within seagrass beds dominated by a single species, Zostera marina, showed 

that piscivorous fish biomass and predation rate (number of fish found in 

stomachs of predators per 100 m 2 ) were highest at the intermediate latitudes. 





REEF FISH LARVAE GROW FASTER IN MESOSCALE EDDIES 

SHULZITSKI, K., SPONAUGLE, S., COWEN, R.K. 

RSMAS - University of Miami, 1844 SW 23rd Street Miami, FL 33145. Email: 

kshulzitski@rsmas.miami.edu 

Mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous across the world’s oceans and their propagation 

along western boundary currents is often accompanied by upwelling and 

increased primary productivity. Enhanced productivity suggests that eddies 

may serve as important larval habitat, yet there is a paucity of empirical 

data on the abundance and growth rates of fish larvae associated with these 

eddies. Ichthyoplankton samples and physical data were collected during three 

cruises in the Straits of Florida where mesoscale eddies constitute a dynamic 

component of the oceanographic environment. We found that abundances of 

reef fish larvae were higher in mesoscale eddies for two of the three cruises, 

though this pattern was variable at the species level. For five common reef 

fishes, Xyrichtys novacula, Cryptotomus roseus, Thalassoma bifasciatum, 

Stegastes partitus, and Sphyraena barracuda larval abundances were largely 

unaffected by mesoscale eddies. However, otolith analysis revealed that four 

of the five species had consistently faster growth inside of eddies. Increased 

larval growth has been linked to higher survivorship in the larval and juvenile 

stages, thus, independent of patterns of abundance, these faster growing fish 

inside eddies likely contribute significantly to population replenishment in this 

dynamic system. Our results are consistent with the concept that the increased 

productivity associated with mesoscale eddies translates into favorable habitat 

for the larval stages of reef fishes. 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF LARVAL AND JUVENILE DEVELOPMENT 

OF THE MOUNTAIN WHITEFISH 

SNYDER, D.E., BJORK, C.L. 

Larval Fish Laboratory, Colorado State University, Department of Fish, Wildlife, 

and Conservation Biology, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1474. 

Email: darrel.snyder@colostate.edu 

The mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni (Salmonidae, subfamily 

Coregoninae) is native to much of western Canada and the United States on 

both sides of the Continental Divide. In Colorado, it is native to the Yampa, 

White, and Green River drainages and has been introduced to upper reaches 

of the Colorado River and Cache la Poudre River drainages. In Wyoming, it 

is found in all basins west of the Powder River, North Platte River, and Great 

Divide basins. It is a non-guarding, open-substrate lithophil, broadcasting 

its eggs over coarse gravel or cobble substrates. Demersal, non-adhesive, 3-4 

mm eggs are spawned in fall, incubate at low temperatures for a few months 

in the substrate, and hatch in late winter or early spring at 12-14 mm TL 

(total length). Embryos of the mountain whitefish have been moderately 

well described and illustrated, but prior to the report on which this poster is 

based, their larvae and early juveniles had not. Here we better document the 

early morphological development of mountain whitefish with several detailed, 

three-view illustrations from a recently hatched 12.6 mm TL protolarva to a 

43.5 mm TL young-of-the-year juvenile. Although identification of mountain 

whitefish larvae has not been a problem in Colorado and Wyoming, where it is 

currently the only representative of the whitefish subfamily, these illustrations 

should be helpful elsewhere in its range where that is not the case. 




ILLUSTRATIONS OF LARVAL AND JUVENILE DEVELOPMENT 

OF THE PLAINS TOPMINNOW 

SNYDER, D.E., BJORK, C.L. 

Larval Fish Laboratory, Colorado State University, Department of Fish, Wildlife 

and Conservation Biology, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523- 

1474. Email: darrel.snyder@colostate.edu 

The native range of the plains topminnow Fundulus sciadicus (Fundulidae) 

consists mostly of two disjunct regions in the Missouri River Basin–one 

confined to south-central Missouri and a much larger region covering much 

of Nebraska and extending into neighboring states including southeastern 

Wyoming and northeastern Colorado. It is a non-guarding, open-substrate 

phytophil, typically broadcasting its eggs over aquatic vegetation, including 

filamentous algae. Spawning occurs from mid-spring to mid-summer at 18-25 

°C. Eggs average 1.8 mm (range 1.6-2.2 mm) in diameter, have thin chorionic 

filaments for attachment to vegetation, and hatch in 8-14 days at 21-23 °C. 

Embryonic development has been noted as similar to that of diamond killifish 

Adinia xenica, but, except for a few descriptive notes, the larvae and early 

juveniles had not been previously described or illustrated. We document 

morphological development of young plains topminnow with four detailed, 

three-view illustrations from a recently hatched, 6.2 mm TL (total length) 

flexion mesolarva to a recently transformed, fully scaled, 19.1 mm TL juvenile. 

Early larvae are distinguished from the northern plains killifish F. kansae, 

the only other fundulid found in Colorado and Wyoming, by much denser 

body pigmentation and essentially round rather than moderately oval eyes. 

Metalarvae and juveniles are distinguished from northern plains killifish by a 

more posterior dorsal fin (origin well behind anal fin origin), fewer dorsal fin 

rays, and usually fewer anal fin rays; juvenile plains topminnow also have fewer 

scales and do not develop vertical stripes on the lateral body. 






IMPACT OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND WARMING ON 

LARVAE OF COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT FISH SPECIES 

SSWAT, M., CLEMMESEN, C., JUTFELT, F., RIEBESELL, U. 

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 

24105 Kiel, Germany. Email: msswat@geomar.de 

Effects of increasing carbon dioxide and temperature on commercially 

important fish larvae are a major concern for future fisheries. Ocean acidification 

and warming can directly affect fish larvae on a physiological level (ossification, 

organ development and growth in general) or, possibly even more important, 

indirectly due to changes in food quantity and quality. A large-scale mesocosm 

experiment on ocean acidification using the Kiel Off-Shore Mesocosms for 

Future Ocean Simulations (KOSMOS) is currently on-going in the Gullmar 

Fjord at the west coast of Sweden. As part of this five-months-long study, we 

investigate the development of fish larvae under conditions where both the 

larvae themselves and the plankton community they feed on are exposed to 

present-day and projected year 2100 CO 2 

levels. In parallel, we perform lab 

experiments on the combined effects of ocean acidification and warming on 

larvae of cod and herring. Our experiments include adult cod, pre-incubated in 

CO 2 

-enriched water, where spawning will be induced. We will monitor the egg 

development as well as growth, condition and mortality of the larvae. Based on 

“DNA-fingerprinting” using microsatellites we aim to track back each tested 

larvae to their individual parents. We will show preliminary results from this 

study, including larval growth and mortality, and will discuss theses results in 

the context of ocean change impacts on commercially important fish species. 





IMPROVING ECOSYSTEM-BASED STOCK ASSESSMENT AND 

FORECASTING BY USING A HIERARCHICAL APPROACH TO 

LINK FISH PRODUCTIVITY TO ENVIRONMENTAL DRIVERS 

STAWITZ, C.C., STACHURA, M.M., ESSINGTON, T.E., BRANCH, T.A., 

HALTUCH, M.A., HOLLOWED, A.B., MANTUA, N.J., SPENCER, P.D. 

University of Washington, SAFS, Box 355020, Seattle, WA 98195-5020. Email: 

cstawitz@uw.edu 

Oceanographic conditions can significantly affect productivity in fish stocks, so 

incorporating these effects into stock assessment models may improve estimates 

and forecasts. Recruitment and somatic growth are the primary processes that 

govern fish production dynamics. Thus, by identifying shared recruitment 

and growth dynamics patterns across stocks, we can identify groups which 

respond similarly to environmental drivers. Here we assessed synchrony in 

recruitment and growth dynamics in stocks from the Northeast Pacific 

Ocean ecosystems and related these dynamics to life history traits 

and environmental time series. We applied hierarchical 

Bayesian meta-analysis techniques to a l l o w 

for group-level parameter estimation 

and increase the statistical power of 

the analysis. For recruitment, we find 

mixed degrees of synchrony across 

the three main ecosystems, with highest 

synchrony in the Gulf of Alaska. Recruitment dynamics 

in this ecosystem were related to regional sea surface height 

variability. For growth, we evaluated two alternative models: one 

in which unique growth trajectories are assigned to each cohort, and 

another in which environmental processes affect growth of all age classes. 

We find that differences in cohort initial mean size impact size-at-age in later 

years, but annual effects influence growth across cohorts. In summary, a key 

challenge in this process was defining groups a priori that have synchronous 

production dynamics, highlighting our limited understanding of the processes 

and time/space scales at which recruitment and growth are governed. 







EFFECTS OF INTER-ANNUAL CLIMATOLOGY ON LARVAL 

TRANSPORT FROM SNAPPER SPAWNING AGGREGATIONS IN 

CUBA 

STAATERMAN, E., PARIS, C.B., KOUGH, A.S., CLARO, R., LINDEMAN, K. 

RSMAS, Applied Marine Physics & Marine Biology and Fisheries, University of 

Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida 33149-1098, USA. Email: 

estaaterman@rsmas.miami.edu 

With progressively faster climate change, shifts in distributional ranges have 

been reported for many species. The success of organisms at coping with 

novel seasonal conditions depends on the mechanisms that determine their 

schedules. Snapper migrate to form spawning aggregations with conspecifics 

at predictable locations and times as observed in many other coral reef 

related species. While spawning is thought to be associated with particular 

oceanographic features, dispersal kernels (i.e., the probability of dispersal) from 

these ‘hotspots’ of breeding activity are not well understood. They may vary 

spatially and temporally, possibly differing between spawning events, seasons, 

and years. An earlier biophysical modeling study, which incorporated currents 

from a single year (1984) and sequential runs centered on peak spawning 


months and lunar phases, suggested that considerable levels of self-recruitment 

structured the Cuban snapper populations. Here we repeat this study over 

a decade to investigate the effects of the inter-annual variability on dispersal 

kernels and transport pathways. In addition, in an effort to assess the impact 

of extreme climatic events on the persistence of local snapper populations (i.e., 

their replacement over space) in Cuba, we quantify the spatial variability of 

dispersal kernels for simulated spawning and settlement events during the 

passage of hurricanes. This analysis reveals major pathways of larval transport 

from spawning aggregations, and demonstrates the effect of extreme events on 

their variance and on levels of local and regional connectivity, a component 

needed in the design of marine reserve networks. 





CLIMATE CHANGE BELOW THE SURFACE: TROPHICALLY 

MEDIATED RANGE EXPANSION OF HUMBOLDT SQUID 

(DOSIDICUS GIGAS) IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT SYSTEM 

STEWART, J.S., HAZEN, E.L., BOGRAD, S.J., BYRNES, J.E.K., FOLEY, D.G., 

GILLY, W.F., ROBISON, B.H., FIELD, J.C. 

Stanford University, 120 Oceanview Blvd, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950. Email: 

jules32@gmail.com 

Since the late 1990s, Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas) have been increasingly 

abundant throughout the California Current System. There is concern that 

when highly abundant, Humboldt squid have the potential to greatly impact 

coastal ecosystems and fisheries, as they forage on important commercial 

species including Pacific hake, Pacific sardine, market squid, rockfish, and 

salmon (as well as their staple diet of myctophid fishes and other lower trophic 

level species). As such, there is interest in developing both absolute and relative 

abundance indices and understanding the environmental drivers that may be 

facilitating their presence in the region. Humboldt squid are highly migratory 

and tolerate hypoxic conditions in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) while 

their mesopelagic prey, competitors, and predators may be disadvantaged. 

Consequently, ongoing and likely future consequences of climate change 

below the surface (i.e. OMZ shoaling) may have opened a new ecological 

niche for Humboldt squid through new foraging opportunities, and could 

be an important driver of their ongoing range expansion. We used a unique, 

fifteen-year dataset of in situ observations of predator-prey and environmental 

interactions in Monterey Bay, California and took several modeling approaches 

to explore the mechanisms behind the Humboldt squid range expansion. Our 

results suggest that Humboldt squid are indirectly affected by OMZ expansion 

through effects on the mesopelagic community. 







DEVELOPMENT OF AN INNOVATIVE BIOASSAY SYSTEM 

(PELEC) FOR USE WITH PELAGIC MARINE FISH EMBRYOS 

AND LARVAE 

STIEGLITZ, J.D., MAGER, E.M., HOENIG, R.H., BENETTI, D.D., GROSELL, M. 

University of Miami – RSMAS, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149. 

Email: jstieglitz@rsmas.miami.edu 

A novel 96-hr acute toxicity bioassay system has been developed allowing 

for toxicity testing embryo and larval stages of pelagic marine fish. Accurate 

determination of toxicity to embryo and larval stages of such species requires 

the use of scientifically acceptable bioassay protocols and systems. Due to key 

differences in the sensitivity and developmental process of pelagic marine fish 

embryos, traditional 96-hr bioassays yielded inconsistent test performance 

results, often with low control survival causing numerous test failures. 

Development of a novel exposure system, the pelagic embryo-larval exposure 

chamber (PELEC), was necessary to conduct consistently successful bioassays 

on embryo/larval life stages of pelagic marine fish. By utilizing upwelling 

hydrodynamics in replicated recirculating chambers, it was possible to 

significantly improve control survival in pelagic marine fish embryo bioassays. 

Results indicate that control performance of mahi-mahi (Coryphaena 

hippurus) embryos in the PELEC system (89.8% ± 2.12), measured as percent 

survival after 96-hrs, consistently outperformed agitated static exposure (76.8% 

± 4.49) and traditional static exposure (67.5% ± 4.79) systems. Use of this 

bioassay system allows for controlled and accurate testing of fish embryos and 

larvae from challenging pelagic species such as mahi-mahi and yellowfin tuna 

(Thunnus albacares). 



PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCE ON THE VERTICAL 

DISTRIBUTION OF ENGRAULIS ANCHOITA LARVAE IN AN 

UPWELLING SYSTEM 

TORQUATO, F.O., MUELBERT, J.H. 

FURG, INSTITUTO DE OCEANOGRAFIA, LEI, CX. POSTAL 474, CARREIROS, 96200- 

970 - Rio Grande, RS – Brasil. Email: felipe_o_torquato@hotmail.com 

This study seeks to understand the influence of environmental forcing on 

vertical distribution of Engraulis anchoita larvae in an upwelling frontal 

system off Cape Santa Marta Grande (28°S). Data were collected at 15 stations 

distributed along three transects perpendicular to the coast during winter 2005 

and summer 2007. Larvae were collected during darkness and daytime with a 

0.75 m² opening MultiNet equipped with two 200μm and three 330μm meshnets. 

Ash-free dry copepod (Prey) biomass and abundance of chaetognaths 

(Predator) were measured from a 10% aliquot. Water column stratification and 

water mass type were determined based on temperature and salinity from CTD 

data. Diel variability in depth distribution was represented by displacement of 

the mean center of mass (ZCM). Larval abundance was analyzed with respect 

to the environmental variables using a Poisson GLM. During winter, the 

highest abundance of larvae was mainly in the upper 30m. Small larvae were 

present in all water masses, particularly in cold and low salinity water from 

Plata Plume Water and Sub-Tropical Shelf Water (STSW). The ZCM showed 

that small larvae were concentrated in upper layers during day, and migrated to 

deeper layers at dark. Temperature, salinity and depth had explanatory power 

and negatively influenced abundance. Prey had explanatory power and was 

positively correlated. During summer, most larvae were in the upper 30m in 

STSW and Tropical Waters. Prey, predator and temperature were positively 

correlated with larval abundance while salinity had a negative influence. 

These results showed that vertical distribution of anchovy is controlled by 

environment factors. 






IMPROVING THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE EARLY LIFE 

HISTORY STAGES OF ELOPOMORPH FISHES IN THE 

WESTERN CARIBBEAN USING DNA BARCODING 

VASQUEZ-YEOMANS, L., Morales, S., Valdez-Moreno, M., 

Acevedo, D., Martínez, A., Carrillo, L., Malca, E. Victor, B. 

El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Av. Centenario Km 5.5, Chetumal Quintana Roo, 

México, 77014 


The identification of early stages of fishes is a difficult task, especially in tropical 

areas where species diversity is high and the requisite effort particularly 

daunting. The group Elopomorpha is no exception; since 1989 there has 

been an increased effort to systematically identify leptocephalus larvae in 

the western North Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless, progress has been slow and 

relatively few species have been described. Recently however, genetic tools 

have helped to resolve some of the complexities inherent in identifying larvae 

in this particularly species-rich group of fishes. Here, we present the results 

obtained using DNA barcoding to identify leptocephali from the region. The 

material analyzed was obtained mainly from oceanographic cruises along the 

Mesoamerican Reef (NOAA Gordon-Gunter 2006-2007). All our material 

was identified morphologically to the lowest feasible taxonomic level and 

subsequently analyzed with the DNA barcoding identification engine. A total 

of 496 specimens were sequenced including 407 larvae, 15 eggs, and 74 adults. 

Overall, 60% of larval and egg sequences matched with a >97% similarity to 

reference sequences in the BOLD database, frequently allowing identification 

to the species level. Three orders were identified: Anguilliformes, represented 

by 6 families including 23 genera, i.e. Congridae, Chlopsidae, Moringuidae, 

Muraenidae, Nettastomatidae and Ophichthidae; Elopiformes comprising 

Elopidae and Megalopidae with 2 genera; and Albuliformes with Albulidae and 

the single genus Albula. We present new records for the region and unknown 

stages for some species of Elopomorpha. At present, the ECOSUR Collection 

for early stages of Elopomopha is the most complete in the Caribbean. 



FISH LARVAE CHECKLIST (PISCES) FROM NORTH OF THE 

YUCATÁN PENINSULA 

VASQUEZ-YEOMANS, L., Morales, S., Valdez-Moreno, M., 

Acevedo, D., Martínez, A., Carrillo, L., Malca, E. Victor, B. 

ECOSUR Chetumal Q. Roo. Mexico, Ave. Centenario Km.5.5 Col. Pacto obrero. 

C.P. 77014 Chetumal Quintana Roo, Mexico. Email: luluvaye@yahoo.com.mx 

A taxonomic checklist for fish larvae occurring at Dzilam (May 1992–April 

1993), Celestún ( July 1994–June 1995), La Carbonera ( July 1995–June 

1996), Chuburná ( July 1995–June 1996), Río Lagartos (November 1996– 

October 1997), Chelem ( July 1999–June 2000) and Yalahau ( June 2001– 

May 2002) lagoons located in the north of the Yucatán Peninsula is presented. 

Sampling was carried out for five min. using a zooplankton net for fish larvae. 

This work aims to provide the current state of the taxonomic composition and 

general distribution for 45,471 fish larvae. From those, two classes, 17 orders, 

45 families, 86 genera and 127 species were caught, including 10 new records, 

where 24 have been found only in the Gulf of Mexico, four in the Caribbean 

Sea, and 90 are common to both regions. This study updates and increases the 

number of species in stages fish larvae reported by previous workers. It was 

found that early reef larval stages were more abundant towards the East of the 

Yucatán Peninsula and less to the West. The high number of shared species 

(127) suggests that the north region of the Yucatán Peninsula is a transition 

zone for fish larval and juvenile between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean 

Sea. 



REEF FISH RECRUITMENT IN THE MEXICAN CARIBBEAN, 

DEVELOPING AN INDEX BASED UPON A SIMPLE, LOW COST 

TRAP 

YAM-POOT, G., SOSA-CORDERO, E., VASQUEZ YEOMANS, L., LAMKIN, J.T. 

Lourdes Vasquez-Yeomans, Ave. Centenario km. 5.5 Col. Pacto Obrero Chetumal 

Quintana Roo. C.P. 77014 México. Email: luluvaye@yahoo.com.mx 

Recruitment is a major process driving abundance changes in fish populations. 

In reef fish, recruitment can be viewed as a combination of three steps: i) 

influx of pelagic postlarvae to coastal areas mediated by physical processes; 

ii) settlement of postlarvae in selected benthic habitats; iii) post-settlement 

survival of juvenile stage to adult. It is of commercial and ecological interest 

to monitor reef fish recruitment and its variation in space and time, along 

the Caribbean. This study developed a recruitment index for reef fish using a 

simple, inexpensive trap deployed in two reef areas of the Mexican Caribbean: 

Punta Allen and Xcalak. Each sampling station consisted of multiple sets of 

traps in the reef lagoon adjacent to patch reefs, at a mean depth of 2 m, and 

was checked daily for larval fish recruitment for 2-3 days during the new moon 

of May-August and October 2004. In total, 952 postlarvae were caught, and 

49 species were identified, pertaining to 37 genera of 25 families. The most 

abundant fish was the labrid Doratonotus megalepis, with 202 postlarvae 

specimens (21.2% of the total catch). Six species of the commercially valuable 

snapper (Lutjanidae) were collected; with the Schoolmaster Lutjanus apodus 

being the most abundant with 80 postlarvae (8.4% of the total catch). Length 

ranged greatly (4.6 to 107.3 mm total length). The potential of this trap as an 

inexpensive sampling gear for monitoring the influx of postlarval reef fish at a 

regional level is discussed, and guidelines for sampling design are also given. 






FIRST ESTIMATION OF LARVAL SUPPLY AND CONNECTIVITY 

OF RESERVES IN THE HAWAIIAN ARCHIPELAGO 

VAZ, A.C., PARIS, C.B, KELLEY, C., RICHARDS, K.J., HOLSTEIN, D. 

RSMAS, 4600 Rickenbacker CSWY, Miami, FL, 33149. Email: avaz@rsmas.miami. 

edu 

This study investigates larval dispersal among reserves in the Hawaiian 

Archipelago, focusing on bottomfish species (Pristipomoides filamentosus, 

Etelis carbunculus and Etelis coruscans) by simulating larval dispersal using an 

Individual-based model (IBM) and flow fields from hydrodynamics models. A 

range of biological traits were implemented in the IBM their effect on larval 

dispersal, and in shaping the demographics of bottomfish populations, and 

this information was linked to local fisheries management issues. We addressed 

two key questions regarding the location of the reserves in the Hawaiian 

Islands: i) are the reserves efficient in supporting populations through larval 

retention and connectivity and thus what are the relative contribution of local 

retention and export to other protected sites, ii) are the reserves potentially 

effective at replenishing fisheries resources through larval dispersal? Larval 

transport results indicated that the species considered presented shared 

connectivity patterns. Specifically, connectivity was limited between the 

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) and the Main 

Hawaiian Islands (MHI), indicating the need of distinct management measures 

to maintain fisheries stocks along the archipelago. Most of the viable larvae 

spawned inside MHI reserves were exported to fishing sites. Therefore, these 

areas are potentially achieving their role to replenish fisheries populations by 

larval export. However, the reserve network presented limited demographic 


connectivity suggesting that many reserves are relying on larval subsidy from 

fishing sites to sustain their populations. The designation of more reserves 

could improve the efficiency of the reserve network. 






THE USE OF DISPERSANTS TO COMBAT OIL SPILLS 

MODIFIES THE EXPOSURE RATE OF FISH EGGS AND LARVAE 

TO POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS 

VIKEBØ F.B., RØNNINGEN, P., LIEN, V.S., MEIER, S., GRØSVIK, B.E. 

Institute of Marine Research, Box 1870 Nordnes, N-5817, Bergen, Norway. Email: 

frovik@imr.no 

Forcing an oil drift and fates model (Oscar) and an individual-based model 

(IBM) for Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) eggs and larvae with 

circulation, hydrography and turbulence from the ocean model ROMS, 

enables us to integrate the individual exposure of eggs and larvae to oil from 

various oil spill scenarios at daily time steps. We can thus evaluate the effect of 

time and location of oil spill and spawning grounds on the degree of exposure. 

By distinguishing between the egg and larval stage, and including numerical 

algorithms for their vertical distribution, we are able to quantify the importance 

of individual dynamical vertical positioning of eggs and the vertical behavior of 

larvae for exposure to simulated oil concentrations. However, the fates model 

also includes the possibility of introducing dispersants to combat the oil spill. 

Here, we quantify how this modifies the exposure of egg and larval stages to 

total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which explains most of the toxicity in 

weathered oil. 





ROCKY REEF POOLS AS NURSERY AREAS FOR FISH LARVAE: 

FOOD WEB NETWORK MODELS 

VINAGRE, C., Dias, M., Roma, J., Silva A. 

Centro de Oceanografia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo 

Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal. Email: cmvinagre@fc.ul.pt 

Rocky reef tidal pools of southern Europe act as nursery areas for larval and 

0-group juvenile marine organisms. Among these organisms are commercially 

important fish species like the white seabream Diplodus sargus and other 

abundant coastal species like the sand smelt Atherina boyeri and the grey 

mullet Liza ramada. Occasionally, species like the European sardine, Sardina 

pilchardus, the Zebra seabream, Diplodus cervinus, the Baillon’s wrasse 

Symphodus bailloni and the Lesser weever Echiichthys vipera also occur in 

tidal pools. Larval forms of D. sargus, A. boyeri and L. ramada reach very high 

densities in spring. In summer, most of these larvae reach the juvenile stage, yet 

continue to occupy this habitat. Gut contents of fish larvae and juveniles were 

analyzed. The food webs of 6 tidal pools, in 4 rocky beaches, were compiled 

and food web models were built. Their network structure and properties were 

investigated. Fish larvae rely heavily on larval forms of other organisms that 

also concentrate in tidal pools, especially those of shrimp. In turn fish larvae 

constitute an abundant food resource for juvenile fish and shrimp. 





A PICTURE IS WORTH ONE THOUSAND WORDS: IMAGE 

ANALYSIS TOOLS FOR OTOLITH STUDIES 

WILCOX FREEBURG, E.D. , RHYNE, A.L., HANNIGAN, R.E. 

University of Massachusetts Boston, School for the Environment, 100 Morrissey 

Blvd., Boston, MA 02155. Email: eric.freeburg001@umb.edu 

The fish inner ear bones, or otoliths, have been the subject for much study. 

A concise toolset for comparable metrics has been developed for otolith 

morphology and surface roughness. Morphology tools have been used 

to assess growth changes, but often require programming knowledge to 

replicate. Using a MATLAB script written specifically for this sample type, 

sample morphology characteristics and ellipsoid approximation are generated. 

Roughness characteristics have never been calculated for these sample types. 

Using local normalization procedures, SEM imagery can be used to calculate 

roughness indices based on grayscale values. Using these two toolsets, advanced 

microstructural analysis can be carried out on sub-mm scale objects, such as 

larval fish otoliths for use in applied studies. 





ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON ALBACORE TUNA 

(THUNNUS ALALUNGA) DISTRIBUTION IN THE NORTHEAST 

PACIFIC: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS AND RESULTS 

XU, Y., NIETO, K., MCCLATCHIE, S., HOLMES, J., TEO, S.L.H., BOGRAD, S. 

NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Resources Division, 

8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037-1509. Email: steve.teo@noaa.gov 

The north Pacific albacore surface fishery is the most important highly 

migratory species fishery on the west coast of the US and Canada. However, 

relatively little is known about the environmental influences on albacore 

distribution in the northeast Pacific (NEP). This study aims to improve our 

understanding of the environmental influences on albacore distribution in the 

NEP and develop environmental time-series that reflect albacore availability to 

NEP fisheries. For our preliminary analysis, we assembled a database of catch 

and effort data from logbooks of surface fishery vessels targeting albacore from 

1998 to 2011. Weekly fields of SST, SSH anomalies, frontal gradients, and chl-a 

concentrations were used as environmental predictors. We also examine the 

influence of the North Pacific Current (NPC) bifurcation latitude on albacore 

distribution. Statistical models were used to relate environmental predictors to 

normalized albacore catch rate. The model domain covered the NEP and was 

divided into two sub-regions to study coastal and open ocean spatial fields. We 

divided the data into training and testing datasets. Preliminary results show 

that the open ocean and coastal ocean oceanographic conditions affected 

albacore distribution differently. SST frontal gradients and NPC bifurcation 

latitude shifts appear to influence albacore distribution. Predicted albacore 

CPUEs showed good agreement with observed CPUEs for both training and 

testing datasets. If these relationships are found to be robust, then these types of 

analyses could be integrated into population dynamic models to help improve 

fisheries management in the face of environmental changes. 






RED FLAGS OR RED HERRINGS? USING ECOSYSTEM 

INDICATORS TO DETECT ANOMALOUS CONDITIONS IN THE 

GULF OF ALASKA IN 2011 

ZADOR, S., ORMSETH, O., RENNER, H. 

NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Building 4, 

Seattle, WA 98115. Email: stephani.zador@noaa.gov 

NOAA compiles and synthesizes information about the Alaska marine 

ecosystem annually into an ecosystem considerations report primarily for the 

North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, but also the scientific community 

and the public. The goal of this report is to provide stronger links between 

ecosystem research and fishery management and to spur new understanding 

of the connections between ecosystem components by bringing together many 

diverse research efforts into one document. There are more than one hundred 

time series of physical and biological indicators that are tracked and updated, 

many annually. The status and trends of these indicators are monitored for 

early signals of ecosystem change that may have management implications. 

Here we present the status of ecosystem indicators that cumulatively suggest 

that anomalous conditions occurred in the Gulf of Alaska during 2011. 

The first indications were noted in upper trophic organisms (seabirds and 

Pacific halibut) that experienced reproductive failures and potential nutrient 

deficiencies, respectively. Abundance indices of plankton and forage fish; 

halibut stomach contents; and ocean surface currents also indicate anomalous 

conditions occurred during 2011. We compare multiple lines of evidence 

that suggest that changes in bottom-up forcing factors negatively influenced 

productivity at the lower trophic level that in turn negatively influenced upper 

trophic organisms. We conclude that: (1) synthesis of indicators’ status across 

multiple trophic levels can reveal broad-scale changes in the environment that 

may have important biological and management implications, and (2) upper 

trophic organisms in particular serve as integrative indicators that provide near 

real-time cues of environmental state. 

The sun sets on Everglades National Park, South Florida’s largest subtropical 

wilderness. The park was among the first national parks estalished to protect 

fragile ecosystems. The park has been declared an International Biosphere 

Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and a World Heritage Site. 

Among its many delicate ecosystems, the Everglades contain cypress and 

mangrove forests, Florida pinelands, tropical hardwood hammocks, freshwater 

sloughs, and marl prairies. The marine portion of the park contains Florida 

Bay, home to an incredible diversity of marine and estuarine species, many of 

which support a robust sport fishing industry. 


Author Index 

Able, K.W., 22 

Acevedo, D., 56, 57 

Aceves-Medina, G., 36 

Agiv, H., 21 

Agostini, S., 25, 31 

Aké-Canul, R., 38 

Alemany, F.J., 23, 30, 47, 52 

Alexander, M., 48 

Alós, J., 19, 23, 26 

Alvarado Bremer, J.R., 24 

Alvarez-Berastegui, D., 47, 52 

Alvarez, D., 23 

Álvarez, I., 23 

Alvarez, P., 31 

Aparicio, A., 23 

Arlinghaus, R., 19 

Armstrong, M., 51 

Arula, T., 20 

Assumpção, L., 43 

Atema, J., 30 

Avsar, D., 44 

Ayala, D.J., 20 

Baensch, F., 20 

Bailey, H., 33 

Balbín, R., 23, 52 

Barcelo, C., 21 

Bartlett, L.S., 45 

Basterretxea, G., 19 

Batchelder, H.P., 45 

Beardsley, R.C., 21 

Benetti, D.D., 56 

Berenshtein, I., 21 

Berumen, M.L., 47 

Beyer, S., 52 

Bignami, S., 21 

Bisgambiglia, P.A., 31 

Bjork, C.L., 54, 55 

Block, B.A., 33 

Blood, D.A., 44 

Bode A., 39 

Bograd, S.J., 33, 41, 56, 58 

Bogucki, D., 49 

Bond, N., 37 

Borges, R., 28 

Boucher, J.M., 21 

Bourque, B., 53 

Branch, T.A., 55 

Brodeur, R., 21 

Brooks, E.N., 32 

Brooks, L., 54 

Burad-Méndez, A., 38 

Byrnes, J.E.K., 56 

Cabanas, J.M., 51 

Cabrero, A., 31, 39 

Caldarone, E.M., 22 

Candelmo, A.C., 22, 23 

Carassou, L., 34 

Caridad, J.F., 22 

Carrillo, L., 22, 43, 46, 56, 57 

Cass-Calay, S.L., 46 

Catalán, I.A., 19, 23, 26 

Cerino, D., 53 

Chambers, R.C., 22, 23 

Chapman, A., 54 

Chen, C., 21, 32 

Chen, Y., 54 

Churchill, J.H., 32 

Ciannelli, L., 21, 27, 47, 48, 52 

Claro, R., 55 

Clausen, K.C., 24 

Clemmesen, C., 24, 49, 55 

Comyns, B., 30 

Cooper, D.W., 35 

Cooper, K.R., 22, 23 

Cornic, M., 24 

Cortés, D., 30 

Cowen, R.K., 21, 24, 32, 33, 54 

Craig, J.K., 40 

Crec’hriou, R., 25 

Curchitser, E., 27 

Curti, K., 48 

D’Alessandro, E.K., 25, 33 

Daly, E., 21 

De Forest, L.G., 26, 44 

Deary, A.L., 25 

Dias, M., 58 

Diaz-Gil, C., 26 

Ditty, J.G., 24 

Dodson, J.J., 40 

Doering, K.l., 27 

Donahue, M.J., 27 

Dos Santos, P.A., 38 

Dower, J., 17 

Drew, K., 48 

Duarte, C.M., 26 

Duffy-Anderson, J.T., 26, 27, 35, 44 

Dunand, A., 23 

Durieux, E.D.H., 31 

Ehrler, C.P., 28 

Elking, B.A., 28 

Enochs, I.C., 21 

Essington, T.E., 55 

Faillettaz, R., 28 

Faria, A.M., 28, 32 

Farley, E.V., 35 

Favero, J.M., 29 

Fay, G., 40 

Fey, D.P., 50 

Field, J.C., 56 

Fletcher, C., 31 

Flores-Coto, C., 29 

Fogaça, P.L.C., 43 

Foley, D.G., 33, 56 

Ford, M.D., 29 

Foretich, M., 30 

Franks, J., 30 

Fratantoni, P., 23 

Freeburg, E.W., 30 

Freire, A.S., 42 

Friedland, K.D., 40 

Frommel, A., 24 

Fuiman, L.A., 33, 50 

Fukuta, A., 54 

Funes-Rodríguez, R., 29 

Gago, J., 31, 39 

Garcia-Charton, J., 25 

García, A., 30, 31, 39, 51 

Garrido, M., 31 

Garsi, L.H., 25, 31 

Gerigny, O., 31 

Gerlach, G., 30 

Gibson, D., 30 

Gilly, W.F., 56 

Glas, M., 31, 37, 40 

Goericke, R., 45 

Goldstein, E.D., 31 

Gonçalves, E.J., 28, 32 

Gonzalez-Navarro, E., 36 

Graham, W.M., 34 

Greenfield, C., 22, 23 

Greer, A.T., 24, 32 

Gregory, R.S., 53 

Gröger, J., 20 

Grosell, M., 56 

Grøsvik, B.E., 58 

Guigand, C.M., 24, 30, 32, 38, 49 

Habeck, E.A., 22, 23 

Habersack, H., 31, 37, 40 

Haltuch, M.A., 55 

Hammer, C., 49 

Hannigan, R.E., 30, 53, 58 

Hare, J.A., 17, 32, 48 

Hauff, M.J., 33 

Haukebø, T., 54 

Havel, L.N., 33 

Hazen, E.L., 33, 56 

Heiler, J., 52 

Heintz, R.A., 26 

Hermann, A., 37 

Hernandez De Rojas, A., 31, 39 

Hernandez, F.J., 34 

Herreros, M., 31 

Hidalgo, J.M., 23 

Hill, K., 45 

Hilton, E.J., 25, 48 

Hoenig, R.H., 56 

Hoff, G., 27 

Hoffmayer, E., 30 

Hollowed, A.B., 55 

Holmes, J., 58 

Holstein, D.M., 34, 57 

Hoteit, I., 47 

Huebert, K.B., 35 

Hufnagl, M., 35 

Humphries, P., 31, 37, 40 

Hurst, T.P., 35, 36 

Ianelli, J., 27 

Ingram, G.W. Jr., 46 

Irisson, J.O., 28, 30, 41, 49 

Jacobson, L.D., 45 

Ji, R., 32 

Jimenez-Rosenberg, S.P.A., 36 

Jina, O., 36 

Johns, L., 22 

Johnson, D.R., 37 

Jordi, A., 19 

Jutfelt, F., 55 

Kaplan, I.C., 37 

Karakoylu, E., 45 

Karnauskas, M., 27, 37 

Katsuragawa, M., 29 

Keckeis, H., 31, 37, 40 

Kelley, C., 57 

Kerber, C.E., 38 

Keyes-Pulido, S., 38 

Kiflawi, M., 21 

Kingsford, M., 30 

Kitchens, L.L., 38 

Kiyaga, V.B., 44 

Konstantinidis, P., 48 

Kotterba, P., 52 

Kough, A.S., 38, 55 

Kreus, M., 35 

Kubota, H., 48 

Kupchik, M.J., 39 

Lago, M.J., 50 

Laiz-Carrión, R., 30, 31, 39, 50 

Lamkin, J.T., 22, 46, 47, 57 

Langseth, B.J., 40 

Large, S.I., 40 

Larouche, T., 40 

Leal, A., 50 

Lecaillon, G., 25 

Lechner, A.J., 31, 37, 40 

Lecomte, F., 40, 46 

Legault, C., 54 

Legault, L., 40 

Legault, M., 46 

Leis, J.M., 41, 49 

Leising, A.W., 41 

Lenfant, P., 25 

Levin, P., 37 

Li, Y., 32 

Lien, V.S., 58 

Lindeman, K., 55 

Link, J.S., 40 

Llopiz, J.K., 41 

Loisl, F., 31, 37, 40 

Lough, G., 54 

Luo, J.Y., 24 

Luzuriaga De Cruz, M., 41 

Lyczkowski-Shultz, J., 17 

Lynch, P., 48 

Macedo-Soares, L.C.P., 42 

Magel, C.R., 36 

Mager, E.M., 56 

Makrakis, M.C., 43 

Makrakis, S., 43 

Malanski, E., 43 

Malca, E., 22, 43, 46, 56, 57 

Malzahn, A., 49 

Maneja, R., 24 

Manning, J., 54 

Mantua, N.J., 55

Manzello, D.P., 21 

Margulies, D., 53 

Martínez, A., 56, 57 

Matarese, A.C., 26, 44 

Mathis, J.A., 36 

Mavruk, S., 44 

Mayorga Adame, C.G., 45 

Mcclatchie, S., 45, 58 

Meier, S., 58 

Méndez-Campos, H., 38 

Miller, E., 45 

Miller, S.E., 45 

Miller, T.J., 45 

Miskiewicz, A.G., 46 

Moll, D., 52 

Morales-Nin, B., 19 

Morales, S., 43, 46, 56, 57 

Morissette, O., 46 

Morote, E., 30 

Morris, J., 43 

Muelbert, J.H., 42, 43, 53, 56 

Mueter, F., 27 

Muhling, B.A. 22, 46, 47 

Mumby, P.J., 34 

Munk, P., 20, 43 

Muntoni, M., 25 

Murenu, M., 25 

Murphy, M.D., 47 

Nanninga, G.B., 47 

Napp, J.M., 44 

Nash, R., 23 

Neidetcher, S.K., 48 

Newton, J., 37 

Nielsen, T.G., 43 

Nieto, K., 58 

Nye, J.A., 48 

O’Brien, L., 54 

Ojaveer, H., 20 

Okazaki, Y., 48 

Olsson, L., 48 

Ordóñez-López, U., 38 

Ordoñez-Guillen, F.E., 36 

Ormseth, O., 59 

Oxenford, H.A., 45 

Ozyurt, C.E., 44 

Palmer, M.C., 19, 26, 32 

Paris, C.B., 21, 27, 30, 34, 37, 38, 41, 

49, 55, 57 

Pasqualini, V., 31 

Pätsch, J., 35 

Pattrick, P., 25, 49 

Paulsen, M., 49 

Pawelczyk, A., 50 

Peck, M.A., 35 

Perez, K.O., 50 

Perrin-Santoni, A., 31 

Peterson, B., 50 

Peterson, W., 37 

Petrik, C., 27 

Phelan, B.A., 22, 23 

Piatkowski, U., 24 

Piñeiro, C., 31, 50, 51 

Pinheiro, C., 39 

Piskozub, J., 49 

Pitois, S.G., 51 

Poach, M.E., 22, 23 

Polte, P., 49, 52 

Powers, S.P., 34 

Prahl, F.G., 27 

Privoznik, S.L., 46, 52 

Quintanilla, J.M., 30, 39, 51 

Randall, L., 52 

Reglero, P., 47, 52 

Renner, H., 59 

Rhyne, A.L., 30, 53, 58 

Richards, K.J., 57 

Riebesell, U., 55 

Riemann, L., 20 

Robison, B.H., 56 

Rodríguez-Fernández, L., 39, 50, 51 

Rodriguez, J.M., 23, 30, 31, 39 

Roffer, M.A., 47 

Roma, J., 58 

Rønningen, P., 58 

Rooker, J.R., 24, 38, 52 

Rulifson, R.A., 28 

Rykaczewski, R., 50 

Saborido-Rey, F., 31 

Saenz-Agudelo, P., 47 

Sakaji, H., 48 

Saldierna-Martinez, R.J., 36 

Sanches, E.G., 38 

Sanchez-Velasco, L., 36 

Sánchez, F.J., 50 

Sanvicente-Añorve, L., 29 

Schmitt, V.B., 53 

Scholey, V., 53 

Schornagel, D.B., 53 

Schubert, P., 54 

Schueller, A.M., 40 

Schultz, E.T., 43 

Scott, J., 48 

Shashar, N., 21 

Shaw, R.F., 39 

Sheremet, V., 54 

Shertzer, K.W., 40 

Shiroza, A., 52 

Shoji, J., 54 

Shulzitski, K., 54 

Siddon, E.C., 26 

Siebeck, U.E., 41, 49 

Siedlecki, S., 37 

Silva, A., 58 

Silva, P.K.A., 38 

Silva, P.S., 43 

Simm, M., 20 

Sirois, P., 40, 46 

Smart, T.I., 26, 27, 44 

Smith, J.W., 40 

Smith, R., 22 

Snelgrove, P.V.R., 53 

Snyder, D.E., 54, 55 

Sohn, D., 27 

Sosa-Cordero, E., 22, 43, 57 

Spencer, P.D., 55 

Spies, I.B., 26, 44 

Sponaugle, S., 21, 25, 31, 33, 54 

Sswat, M., 55 

Staaterman, E., 38, 55 

Stachura, M.M., 55 

Stawitz, C.C., 55 

Steckbauer, A., 26 

Stein, M., 53 

Steinbeck, J.R., 28 

Stewart, J.S., 56 

Stieglitz, J.D., 56 

Stock, C., 48 

Stockhausen, W., 27 

Stowell, M.A., 27 

Strub, T., 45 

Strydom, N.A., 25, 49 

Sun, Y., 21 

Sung, K., 36 

Swalethorp, R., 43 

Takasuka, A., 48 

Teo, S.L.H., 58 

Ternengo, S., 25, 31 

Thomas, C., 25 

Tilley, J., 30 

Tlusty, M., 53 

Toews, C., 27 

Torquato, F.O., 56 

Tritthart, M., 31, 37, 40 

Turner, J.T., 29 

Turner, K.A., 36 

Ulanowicz, R.E., 45 

Uriarte, A., 30, 39 

Valdez-Moreno, M., 56, 57 

Valles, H., 45 

Varguez-Soberanis, D., 38 

Vásquez-Yeomans, L., 22, 43, 46, 56, 

57 

Vaz, A.C., 57 

Vergara-Castaño, A., 31 

Verreault, G., 46 

Vestfals, C., 27 

Victor, B., 56, 57 

Vikebø Frode B., 58 

Vinagre, C., 58 

Von Dorrien, C., 49 

Walter, J.F. III, 37, 46 

Walter, K.D., 33 

Watson, W., 45 

Weber, E.D., 45 

Wexler, J., 53 

Whitlock, R., 33 

Wieczorek, D., 22, 23 

Wieler, U., 21 

Wilcox Freeburg, E.D., 53, 58 

Williams, G., 37 

Wozniczka, A., 50 

Xavier, R., 43 

Xu, Y., 58 

Yam-Poot, G., 57 

Yerman, M.N., 41 

Yuksek, A., 44 

Zador, S., 59 

Zani-Teixeira, M.L., 29 

Zavala-Hidalgo, J., 29 

Zens, B., 37 

Zhan, P., 47

Notes

Notes

Thank you 

• • • • • • • • 

We will meet again at the 

38 th Annual Larval Fish Conference 

Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 

17–21 August, 2014 

For information contact Pascal Sirois 

Email: pascal_sirois@uqac.ca

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