Synopsis
The influence of light and prey abundance on the vertical distribution of herring larvae was evaluated by three investigations made under calm weather conditions in the North Sea off the Scottish coast. The investigations took place at different time after hatching and the vertical distributions of three size groups of larvae (mean sizes 8,15 and 19 mm) were related to time of day and the vertical distribution of copepods. No migratory behaviour of copepods was observed but their vertical distribution differed between investigations. In the investigation on intermediate sized larvae, copepod density peaked at the pycnocline (40 m). Larvae concentrated at this depth at noon. At dawn and dusk larvae migrated towards the surface and the vertical distributions fluctuated semidielly. In the two other investigations, copepods were homogeneously distributed in the water column and after migration towards the surface at dawn larvae stayed in the upper water column during the day. The observations suggest that the daytime vertical distribution of larvae in calm weather is mainly determined by feeding conditions: the larvae move to depths were light is sufficient for feeding, and refinement within that zone is made according to a compromise between optimal light conditions for feeding and optimal prey densities.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Batty, R.S. 1987. Effect of light intensity on activity and foodsearching of larval herring Clupea harengus: a laboratory study. Mar. Biol. 94: 323–327.
Bjørke, H., P. Fossum ' R. Sætre. 1986. Distribution, drift and condition of herring larvae off western Norway in 1985. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Council Meeting 1986/H: 39. 15 pp.
Blaxter, J.H.S. 1968. Visual thresholds and spectral sensitivity of herring larvae. J. exp. Biol. 48: 39–53.
Blaxter, J.H.S. & K.F. Ehrlich. 1974. Changes in the behaviour during starvation of herring and plaice larvae. pp. 575–588. In: J.H.S. Blaxter (ed.) The Early Life History of Fish, Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Boehlert, G.W., D.M. Gadomski & B.C. Mundy. 1985. Vertical distribution of ichthyoplankton off the Oregon coast in spring and summer months. U.S. Fish. Bull. 83: 611–621.
Brewer, G.D. & G.S. Kleppel. 1986. Diel vertical distribution of fish larvae and their prey in nearshore waters of southern California. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 27: 217–226.
Cohen, R.E. & R.G. Lough. 1983. Prey field of larval herring Clupea harengus on a continental shelf spawning area. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 10: 211–222.
Fortier, L. & W.C. Leggett. 1982. Fickian transport and the dispersal of fish larvae in estuaries. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 39: 1150–1163.
Fortier, L. & W.C. Leggett. 1983. Vertical migrations and transport of larval fish in a partially mixed estuary. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 40: 1543–1555.
Fossum, P. & A. Johannessen. 1979. Field and laboratory studies of herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.). International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Council meeting 1979/H: 28. 17 pp.
Graham, J.J. 1972. Retention of larval herring within the Sheepscot estuary of Maine. U.S. Fish. Bull. 70: 299–305.
Grainger, R.J.R. 1980. The distribution and abundance of early herring (Clupea harengus L.) larvae in Galway Bay in relation to oceanographic conditions. Proc. R. Ir. Acad. 80B: 47–60.
Heath, M.R., E.W. Henderson & D.L. Baird. 1988. The vertical distribution of herring larvae in relation to mixing and illumination. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. (in press).
Henderson, P.A. 1987. The vertical and transverse distribution of larval herring in the River Blackwater estuary, Essex. J. Fish Biol. 31: 281–290.
Iles, T.D. & M. Sinclair. 1982. Atlantic herring: stock discreteness and abundance. Science 215: 627–633.
Johansen, A.C. 1925 On The diurnal vertical movements of young of some fishes in Danish waters. Meddr. Komm. havunders., Serie Fiskeri 8 (2): 1–27.
Kiørboe, T., P. Munk, K. Richardson, V. Christensen & H. Paulsen. 1988. Plankton dynamics and larval herring growth, drift and survival in a frontal area. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 44: 205–219.
Lloyd, M. 1967. Mean crowding. J. Anim. Ecol. 36: 1–30.
Lough, R.G. & R.E. Cohen. 1982. Vertical distribution of recently-hatched herring larvae and associated zoo-plankton on Jeffreys Ledge and Georges Bank, October 1974. NOAA, NMFS, NEFC, Woods Hole Lab. Ref. No. 82–10. 46 pp.
Methot, R.D. 1986. Frame trawl for sampling pelagic juvenile fish. CalCOFI Rep. 27: 267–278.
Munk, P., V. Christensen & H. Paulsen. 1986. Studies of a larval herring (Clupea harengus L.) patch in the Buchan area. II. Growth, mortality and drift of larvae. Dana 6: 11–24.
Munk, P. & T. Kiørboe. 1985. Feeding behaviour and swimming activity of larval herring (Clupea harengus) in relation to density of copepod nauplii. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 24: 15–21.
Munk, P., T. Kiørboe & K. Richardson. 1987. The winter ecology of North Sea herring larvae — a preliminary study. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Council meeting 1987/L: 14. 7 pp.
Richardson, K., M.R. Heath & N.J. Pihl. 1986. Studies of a larval herring (Clupea harengus L.) patch in the Buchan area. I. The distribution of larvae in relation to hydrographic features. Dana 6: 1–10.
Seliverstov, A.S. 1974. Vertical migrations of larvae of Atlanto-Scandian herring (Clupea harengus L.). pp. 253–261. In: J.H.S. Blaxter, (ed.) The Early Life History of Fish, Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Sjöblom, V. & R. Parmanne. 1978. The vertical distribution of Baltic herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.) in the Gulf of Finland. Finnish Fish. Res. 2: 5–18.
Smith, W.G., J.D. Sibunka & A. Wells. 1978. Diel movements of larval yellowtail flounder Limanda fenuginea, determined from discrete depth sampling. U.S. Fish. Bull. 76: 167–178.
Wallace, W. 1924. First report on young herring in the Southern North Sea and English Channel. Part 1. Distribution and growth of larval and post-larval stages. Fishery Invest. Lond., Ser. II 7 (4): 3–73.
Wood, J.R. 1971. Some observations on the vertical distribution of herring larvae. Rapp. P.-v. Réun. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer. 160: 60–64.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Munk, P., Kiørboe, T. & Christensen, V. Vertical migrations of herring, Clupea harengus, larvae in relation to light and prey distribution. Environ Biol Fish 26, 87–96 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001025
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001025