PREDATION BY SPRAT AND HERRING ON PELAGIC FISH EGGS IN A PLAICE SPAWNING AREA IN THE IRISH SEA

Predation on planktonic fish eggs was examined by stomach content anal ysis of sprat and herring sampled in a plaice spawning area to the eas t of the Isle of Man in March 1993. Plankton samples were taken to exa mine prey selection. The clupeids showed a selection for the later dev elopmental stages of plaice eggs. Plaice eggs had a refuge in size fro m predation by sprat <80 mm total length which selected smaller non-pl aice eggs. However, herring and sprat >80 mm total length showed a str ong selection for plaice eggs, presumably due to their large size. (C) 1997 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.