Growth and survival of Pacific saury Cololabis saira in the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional waters

Growth and mortality rates of larval and early juvenile Pacific saury Cololabis saira were estimated for spring and autumn spawning seasons in the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional waters and for winter spawning season in the Kuroshio waters in 9 years from 1990-1998, based on quantitative fish sampling and otolith daily ring readings. Growth and mortality rates were more variable in the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional waters than in the Kuroshio waters. The estimated production of 40-mm preschooling juveniles was a positive function of larval production in the hatching length class (5.9-9.9 mm) in the Kuroshio waters. In the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional waters, rather than larval production in the hatching length class, cumulative survival through the larval and early juvenile stages determined the juvenile production. Variable growth and survival rates of saury observed in the transitional waters seem to be associated with large environmental variability in the waters, including shifts of the Kuroshio and Oyashio fronts and development of streamers and eddies between the fronts.