The Feeding of Herring Larvae in the Clyde,

Abstract

The availability of suitable planktonic food has been cited as one of the principal factors influencing the development and ultimate survival of the larvae of several important stocks of marine fish. Although it is difficult to follow the effect of food supply on natural populations of fish larvae, Shelbourne (1957), by comparing two plankton patches in the North Sea, showed that the intensity of feeding and the physical condition of plaice larvae were related to the abundance of food. An attempt was therefore made to follow up, and develop, this approach for herring larvae in the comparatively enclosed waters of the Clyde Sea Area. Investigations on the feeding of the larvae and their food supply are described. (Author)