Fish larvae and recruitment to fish stocks (38150)

Processes related to fish reproduction and the recruitment to fish stocks are key elements in stock dynamics. Both annual variability and long term changes in recruitment have great influence on the fishery. Hence, further insight into these processes is important for ecosystem understanding and management of fish stocks.

A wide range of projects related to the early life of fish are carried out at DTU Aqua. These investigate eggs and larvae through laboratory experiments and studies in the field, focusing on the ecological and oceanographic context of the early life.

The present project is set up to accumulate and cross-analyze information from these projects and prepare new research initiatives, ensuring a consistent effort towards improved understanding of larval ecology and recruitment processes.

The project follows a hypothesis-oriented, comparative approach identifying key processes in larval biology and analyzing linkages between fish reproductive strategies and major oceanographic patterns, specifically frontal zones. Comparisons cover both coastal and oceanic areas and include all latitude zones: temperate, tropical and arctic. Major traits of apparent universal importance have been identified and these findings guide further research into bio-physical linkages and structuring of fish larval communities in relation to oceanographic features. Subsequently the findings are used in model-based evaluations of recruitment variability and the potential influence of climatic changes.

A range of internal and external partners are part of the project.

The project is coordinated by DTU Aqua.

Research area: Oceanography