Influence of larval prey availability on year class strength in Faroe Plateau cod (Gadus morhua)

Abstract Recruitment to the Faroe Plateau cod ( Gadus morhua ) stock (62°N, 6.8°W) is highly variable between years, and availability of suitable prey during early life stages may determine year class strength. Here we first investigate interannual variability in recruitment (1983–2017) based on survey data from assessments. Positive relationships spawning biomass larval abundance juvenile at 1 were detected. However, relationship was not statistically significant, indicating survival larval/early stages. We then investigated if food could explain using an 8-year long time series gut content. Feeding stage, present pre-bloom, relatively stable years. large feeding stage When mean length high, juveniles clearly had less their guts. This contradiction suggested be due intense grazing pressure zooplankton high abundances. years with coincided when phytoplankton spring bloom intense, suggesting that production determines growth this dependent characteristics.