BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF NORWAY POUT (TRISOPTERUS-ESMARKI NILSSON, 1855) IN THE NORWEGIAN DEEP

Between 1985 and 1987 Norway pout was widely distributed at moderate depths in the Norwegian Deep, generally 5-10 m above the sea bed, but somewhat closer by day. The bathymetric distribution was progressively deeper with increasing age; within an age-group, larger individuals were distributed deeper than smaller ones There were relatively small geographical and seasonal differences in abundance, except that the abundance tended to increase from south-east to north-west. especially for the mature part of the population in the spawning season. Close to 100% matured for the first lime as II-group. The diet was highly dominated by euphausiids and the feeding was more intense at night than during the day. © 1994 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.