Climatic Influence Linking Copepod Production with Strong Year-Classes in Sablefish, <i>Anoplopoma fimbria</i>

Abstract

Stomach contents from first-feeding larval sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) comprised mainly calanoid copepods. Along the west coast of Vancouver Island, these copepods were the dominant zooplankton at the depth that sablefish larvae developed. We propose that strong year-classes in sablefish populations occur when there is exceptional production of copepods. The periods of exceptional copepod production appear to be correlated with climate and ocean conditions.