Sampling Fish Eggs and Larvae

This chapter discusses the gear and methods for making field collections of planktonic fish eggs and larvae. It also introduces treatment and analysis of ichthyoplankton samples once they are collected. The chapter begins by discussing the purposes of fish egg and larvae sampling within the context of time and space scales, the type of study being conducted and the uses of the study. It then presents a discussion that describes the uses of the different instruments used to collect and sample fish eggs and larvae. This chapter also discusses the different procedures for sample collection, preservation and data analysis, as well as the reporting of sampling results (distribution and abundance, vertical distribution, spawning biomass determination, mortality estimation, and assemblage analysis).