SPATIAL VARIATION IN RECRUITMENT, GROWTH, AND FEEDING OF POSTSETTLEMENT KING GEORGE WHITING, SILLAGINODES PUNCTATA, ASSOCIATED WITH SEAGRASS BEDS OF PORT-PHILLIP-BAY, AUSTRALIA

In the spring (October and November) of 1991, postsettlement individua ls of King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata, were collected from seagrass beds around the western coast of Port Phillip Bay using a fin e-mesh beach seine. In October, immediately after most settlement had occurred, recruitment was negatively correlated with distance into the bay. By November, however, there was no correlation with distance fro m Port Phillip Heads. Recruitment was not correlated with seagrass bio mass. Settlement hindcast from daily increments on otoliths indicated three settlement events, but only individuals from the first two settl ement events reached the inner bay by late November. Growth of postset tlement individuals in the inner bay was significantly (20%) higher th an it was nearer to Port Phillip Heads. In October, volume of prey in the diet was negatively correlated with recruitment, whilst in Novembe r prey volume was positively correlated with recruitment. We hypothesi ze that initial recruitment patterns were mainly the result of decreas ing larval supply to the inner bay. Initial patterns were modified ove r time, possibly in response to variation in food supply.