Growth in the Norwegian spring-spawning herring for the year-classes 1950 -1960 and 1973 -1983

Two periods with great differences in year-class abundance and\nrecruitment where chosen for growth studies. In the first period the\nmean year-class strength at 3 years was 6 790 x 10[6] individuals while\nin the second period the average recruitment at age 3 was 436 x 10[6].\nThe growth in each year-class, as observed by the length and weight at\nage, is compared to the year-class strengths in the two periods in\nquestion. Variations in growth is observed and before maturation,\nstrong year-classes has remarkable less growth both in length and\nweight than weak year-classes. The latter period in question is\ntherefore characterized by far better growth in these early years of\nlife than the former. After maturation however, the difference in\ngrowth between the two periods is far less distinct.