Do shallow-water habitats function as refugia for juvenile fishes?

The role of shallow salt marsh creeks as refuges for juvenile fish is uncle ar and recent investigations have produced conflicting results. Using gill nets, this study examined the distribution of large piscivorous fish in a r ange of shallow and deep water environments in a temperate southern African estuary. Results indicated that interidal creeks, along with adjacent shal low water habitats, were nor utilized by a number of piscivorous fish speci es which were common in the deeper estuarine channel environment. This stud y provides support for the hypothesis that shallow estuarine areas may prov ide refugia for fishes vulnerable to predation. (C) 2000 Academic Press.