Transport and development of eggs and larvae of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, in relation to spawning time and location in coastal Newfoundland

We provide evidence that variation in location and timing of spawning of At lantic cod, Gadus morhua, has a major impact on occurrence, distribution, a nd development of eggs and larvae in a large embayment on the south coast o f Newfoundland. Atlantic cod egg densities, measured with a series of ichth yoplankton surveys in Placentia Bay during the spawning and postspawning se asons of 1997 and 1998, were highest during the early spring of both years and decreased through the spring and summer. Egg development stages and lar val size suggest that eggs and larvae were released from spawning locations within the bay and developed as they were transported in cyclonic flow fro m the southeast and around the bay towards the southwest, where late-stage eggs and larvae were found to be most abundant. Although egg densities were generally lower in 1998, late-season egg production during the summer of 1 998 was elevated in relation to 1997, providing a possible explanation for the observation that larval total densities were more than an order of magn itude higher in 1998 than in 1997. In terms of larval production, late spaw ners may be particularly important to successful egg hatching in the coasta l waters of Newfoundland.