Age-specific mortality and transport of larval walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma in the western Gulf of Alaska

Abstract

A field study was conducted in May 1988 to estimate mortality rates of individual cohorts of larval wallleye pollock in Shelikof Strait. Four significant mortality estimates, ranging from 0.041 to 0.076 d-1, came from among the youngest cohorts. The low larval mortality rates in 1988 coincided with very calm ocean conditions. Larval drift rates were coherent with the movement of a satellite-tracked drift buoy and averaged 3.1-3.9 cm s -1. -from Authors