Determination of fecundity in American plaice ( Hippoglossoides platessoides) and its variation from 1987 to 1989 on the tail of the Grand Bank

Abstract

The American plaice shows ‘group synchronous’ oocyte development, with fecundity determined at the beginning of vitellogenesis (May). There is neither new recruitment of vitellogenic oocytes during gonad development nor are there important losses by atretic processes. The annual mean percentage of vitellogenic oocytes in alpha atretic stage was 0.29. For the range of sizes analysed (50 to 55 cm), the relative fecundity (fecundity per female weight) was very constant in Division NAFO 3N, with a mean value of 409 eggs per gram of female weight, but there were changes in the somatic index (9%), and subsequently in the length-fecundity relationship.