Vol. 53 - Alaska Resources Library and Information Services

from all stations were pooled for various dates.
The data presented
here describe initial hatchout periods of larvae primarily for areas
where water depth exceeds 90 m.
The results of the analysis of hatchout for C. bairdi are listed in
Table 4.2, which shows the number of stations involved in the analysis
and the mean value and range of larval densities encountered. The analysis
is not shown beyond the time of maximum mean larval densities. Sampling
continued well beyond these dates in 1978 and 1981, and no further
significant increases in abundance were observed.
Thus, the "peak" of
hatchout as determined by larval density estimates had occurred. Figure
4.4 presents the data from Table 4.2 as plots of relative density of
larvae over a 40-day period in each of three years. A value of 1.0
represents the maximum mean density observed in a particular year. Data
for 1980 were infrequent during the period of predicted peak hatchout
(early May) but also show extremely low larval densities (< 6/100m²,
n=7) for the period 18-20 April.
For the three years shown in Figure 4.4, the greatest increase in
mean larval abundance occurred between late April and early May and was
quite abrupt, implying a relatively synchronous hatch of larvae throughout
the adult populations underlying these stations. In 1978 and 1979,
these stations covered a large part of the outer shelf, so hatchout from
a considerable portion of the outer shelf adult population of these species
was sampled.
The fact that a discernible time-averaged contribution
to the larval population did not occur after the peak densities of
early May had been attained suggests an appreciable decline in hatching
activity.
This is corroborated by the fact that nearly all egg-bearing
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