Flatfish

Abstract: Van der Veer, H. W., Berghahn, R., Miller, J. M., and Rijnsdorp, A. D. 2000. Recruitment in flatfish, with special emphasis on North Atlantic species: Progress made by the Flatfish Symposia. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 57: 202–215. In summarizing the main results on recruitment that emerged from the series of Flatfish Symposia, two aspects were distinguished: mean level and interannual variability. Recruitment to a stock appears to be related to the quantity of juvenile nursery habitats, suggesting that either larval supply or the carrying capacity of the nurseries is the limiting factor. However, available information on growth of 0-group flatfish suggests that the carrying capacity of nursery areas is never reached. Variability in year-class strength is generated during the pelagic egg and larval stage, probably by variations in the hydrodynamic circulation and in the mortality rates of eggs and larvae. Density-dependent processes seem to occur only during the juvenile stages, particularly in respect of growth. However, no impact on recruitment variability has been found. Density-dependent mortality during the phase shortly after settlement dampens the interannual recruitment variability. There is no evidence of densitydependent effects in the adult phase at present, but these may have been important at lower levels of exploitation. The importance of the factors determining recruitment vary not only among species, but also over the species’ range. It is suggested that damping processes can only occur in the demersal stage, implying that variability in year-class strength can only decrease in fish species with a demersal stage. If true, ultimate variability in recruitment in fish species will be related to the relative duration of the pelagic and demersal stages. 2000 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

Abstract: Series Foreword. Preface. Acknowledgements. List of Contributors. 1. Introduction (Robin N. Gibson). 1.1 The fascination of flatfishes. 1.2 A brief history of flatfish research and its contribution to fish biology and fisheries science. 1.3 Scope and contents of the book. 1.4 Nomenclature. Acknowledgements. References. 2. Systematic diversity of the Pleuronectiformes (Thomas A. Munroe). 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 Systematic profile of the Pleuronectiformes. 2.3 Intrarelationships of the Pleuronectiformes. 2.4 Brief synopses of the suborders and families. 2.5 Diversity of the Pleuronectiformes. 2.6 Patterns of species diversity among pleuronectiform families. 2.7 Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References. 3. Distributions and biogeography (Thomas A. Munroe). 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 Geographic distribution of pleuronectiform lineages. 3.3 Global patterns of species richness for the Pleuronectiformes. 3.4 Species richness in specific environments. 3.5 Historical biogeography. 4. Ecology of reproduction (A.D. Rijnsdorp and P.R. Witthames). 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Spawning. 4.3 Gonad development. 4.4 Age and size at first maturation. 4.5 Energetics. 4.6 Contaminants and reproduction. 5. The planktonic stages of flatfishes: physical and biological interactions in transport processes (Kevin. M. Bailey, Hideaki Nakata and Henk W. van der Veer). 5.1 Introduction: the problem. 5.2 Flatfish eggs and larvae in the plankton: variations in form and function, time and space. 5.3 Physical mechanisms of transport and retention. 5.4 Adaptations to transport conditions: geographical and species comparisons. 5.5 Transport and population biology. 6. Recruitment (Henk W. van der Veer and William C. Leggett). 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 Range of distribution. 6.3 Average recruitment levels. 6.4 Recruitment variability. 7. Age and growth (Richard D.M. Nash and Audrey J. Geffen). 7.1 Introduction. 7.2 Age estimation. 7.3 Growth of larvae. 7.4 Growth during metamorphosis. 7.5 Growth on nursery grounds. 7.6 Growth of adults. 7.7 Longevity. 8. Ecology of the juvenile and adult stages of flatfishes: distribution and dynamics of habitat associations (Kenneth.W. Able, Melisssa Neuman and Hakan Wennhage). 8.1 Introduction. 8.2 Definitions. 8.3 Distribution and ontogeny. 8.4 Future emphasis. 9. The trophic ecology of flatfishes (Jason S. Link, Michael J. Fogarty and Richard W. Langton). 9.1 Introduction. 9.2 Major flatfish feeding groups. 9.3 Flatfish predators. 9.4 Flatfish competitors. 9.5 Flatfish trophic dynamics: a case study of Georges Bank. 9.6 Summary and conclusions. 10. Behaviour of flatfishes (Robin N. Gibson). 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Locomotion and related behaviour. 10.3 Colour change. 10.4 Reproduction. 10.5 Feeding. 10.6 Predation and reactions to predators. 10.7 Movements, migrations and rhythms. 10.8 Behaviour in relation to fishing, aquaculture and stock enhancement. 11. Atlantic flatfish fisheries (Richard Millner, StephenJ. Walsh and Juan M. Diaz de Astarloa). 11.1 Introduction. 11.2 Main species and nature of the fisheries. 11.3 History of exploitation. 11.4 Economic importance. 11.5 Management. 12. Pacific flatfish fisheries (Thomas Wilderbuer, Bruce Leaman,, Chang Ik Zhang, Jeff Fargo and Larry Paul). 12.1 Introduction. 12.2 Main species and nature of the fisheries. 12.3 History of exploitation. 12.4 Economic importance. 12.5 Management. 13. Tropical flatfish fisheries (Thomas A. Munroe). 13.1 Introduction. 13.2 Main species and nature of the fisheries. 13.3 History of exploitation. 13.4 Economic importance. 13.5 Management and conservation. 14. Assessment and management of flatfish stocks (Jake Rice, Steven X. Cadrin and William G. Clarke). 14.1 Concepts and terms. 14.2 Population dynamics, assessment and management. 14.3 Assessment and management summary. 14.4 Conclusions. 15. Aquaculture and stock enhancement (B.R. Howell and Y. Yamashita). 15.1 Introduction. 15.2 Hatchery production of larvae and juveniles. 15.3 Intensive farming. 15.4 Stock enhancement. 15.5 Conclusions. Appendix 1. Appendix 2. Index of scientific and common names. Subject index.