Nearshore Distribution of Hawaiian Marine Fish Larvae: Effects of Water Quality, Turbidity and Currents

Abstract

Inshore marine fish larvae were unevenly distributed around Maui , Kauai and Oahu, Hawaii. Density, species number and diversity were higher at shallow stations than at deeper ones. Species composition of inshore larvae were different from that of inshore adults. Large numbers of larvae of mesopelagic and offshore pelagic species were found in waters less than 10 m deep. The abundance of inshore larvae from demersal eggs was inversely correlated with abundance of mesopelagic larvae. Surface zooplankton abundance was higher at the deeper stations. Effects of shoreline development were significant but obscured by the effects of turbidity and water currents. A 26-fold increase in density of surface larvae occurred at the upstream edge of a small islet off Maui, demonstrating the magnitude and location of the effect of island contact on the abundance of larvae. Smaller increases appeared downstream.