Growth of larval walleye pollock related to domains within the SE Bering Sea

The relation between growth rates of larval walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma and the frontal system within the SE Bering Sea was investigated. Growth rates were determined by enumerating daily growth increments on the otoliths of larval pollock collected from various areas within the Bering Sea in 1978 and 1979. Growth rates were constant with length for 1066 larvae from 4 to 25 mm standard length (SL), and averaged 0.35 mm d⁻¹. Differences in growth rates of larvae from separate oceanographic domains, years and areas were small, although statistically significant. Based on growth rates, no starving larvae were found, and no interval in time was especially favorable for their survival. It was concluded that food was abundant enough to allow survival of first-feeding larval pollock during a long period of time over a wide area of the Bering Sea in 1979.