Distribution patterns of fish eggs in the U.S. Northeast Continental Shelf Ecosystem, 1977-1987

This atlas presents information on fish eggs and temperature data collected from broadscale ichthyoplankton surveys conducted off the U.S. northeast coast from ]977 to 1987. Distribution and abundance information is provided for 33 taxa in the form of graphs and contoured egg-density maps by month and survey. Comments are included on interannual and interseasonal trends in spawning intensity. Data on 14 additional but less numerous taxa are provided in tabular form. (PDF file contains 316 pages.)

Some reproductive aspects of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacépède) from Cross River, Nigeria

Between May and October 1990, fecundity, egg size and condition factor of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacépède) in the Cross River, Nigeria, were studied. The fecundity (F) of this population varied from 3 046 eggs (total length, L=28.5 cm) to 28 086 eggs (L=64 cm). A mean relative fecundity of 231 eggs/cm or 13 eggs/g of fish was obtained for this population. The fecundity of this population can be estimated with the formula F=2.511 · L 2.30 or F=52.893 · W 0.78 , total length being in cm and weight (W) in g. The mean egg diameter of this population varied from 0.65 mm to 3.54 mm. Condition factor (CF) of the population varied from 0.24 to 1.34 with 0.977 as the mean; 52.8% had CF higher than the mean and 47% had CF above unity. Smaller fish in this population were in better condition than bigger ones. The egg size and condition factor obtained in this study are evidence that the Cross River population of C. nigrodigitatus can provide excellent broodstock.

National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Efforts in the Southeastern United States for 1988

Dataq uantifying the area of habitat affected by Federal programs that regulate development in coastal zones of the southeastern United States are provided for 1988. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) made recommendations on 3,935 proposals requiring Federal permits or licenses to alter wetlands. A survey of 977 of these activities revealed that 359,876 acres of wetlands that support fishery resources under NMFS purview were proposed for some type of alteration or manipulation. Almost 95 percent of this acreage was for impounding andl/or manipulation of water levels in Louisiana marshes. The NMFS did not object to alteration of 173,284 acres and recommended the conservation of 186,592 acres. To offset habitat losses, 1,827 acres of mitigation were recommended by the NMFS or proposed by applicants and/or the Corps of Engineers (COE). From 1981 to 1988 the NMFS has provided in depth analyses on 8,385 projects proposing the alteration of at least 656,377 acres of wetlands. A follow-up survey on the disposition of 339 permits handled by the COE during 1988 revealed that the COE accepted NMFS recommendations on 68 percent. On a permit-by-permit basis, 13 percent of NMFS recommendations were partially accepted, 17 percent were completely rejected, and 2 percent were withdrawn. The permit requests tracked by the NMFS proposed the alteration of 2,674 acres of wetlands. The COE issued permits to alter 847 acres or 32 percent of the amount proposed.