F I S H and F I S H E R I E S , 2008, 9, 44–66 Ocean transport paths for the early life history stages of offshore-spawning flatfishes: a case study in the Gulf of Alaska Kevin M Bailey1, Alisa A Abookire2 & Janet T Duffy-Anderson1 1Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115, USA; 2Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Kodiak Facility, 301 Research Court, Kodiak AK 99615 USA Abstract Correspondence: Offshore- and deepwater-spawning flatfish species face the problem of transport of Kevin M Bailey, Alaska Fisheries their planktonic stages to shallow juvenile nursery grounds that are often far Science Center, 7600 shoreward in bays or estuaries. We compare life history attributes of four offshore- Sand Point Way NE, spawning flatfish species in the Gulf of Alaska: Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), Seattle, WA 98115, arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), rex sole (Glyptocephalus zachirus) and Dover USA sole (Microstomus pacificus) to examine how their larvae get from a spawning location Tel.: +1 206 526 4243 at the edge or beyond the continental shelf to specific inshore nursery zones. We Fax: +1 206 526 utilize historical records of survey catches of different life stages to characterize the 6723 stage-specific changes in distribution of spawning, planktonic stages and juvenile E-mail: kevin. nursery areas. We infer transport mechanisms based on the shifts in distribution of
[email protected] the life stages and in comparison with local physical oceanography. This comparison Received 24 May 2007 provides insight into the different mechanisms marine species may use to solve the Accepted 6 Nov 2007 common ‘problem’ of planktonic drift and juvenile settlement.