Sexual Maturity and Spawning of the American Plaice, Hippoglossoides platessoides (Fabricius), from Newfoundland and Grand Bank Areas

Abstract

The peak spawning period of American plaice was the first part of April for Flemish Cap and ranged from the end of April for the Grand Bank and surrounding areas to the first part of June for Labrador–Northeast Newfoundland Shelf. Average bottom temperatures during spawning ranged from about 3.5 C for Flemish Cap and the deep spawning areas to the north, to about −1.3 C for St. Mary's Bay and the northern half of the Grand Bank. For the Southeast Grand Bank, Southwest Grand Bank, and St. Pierre Bank average spawning temperatures were 1.1, 2.8, and 2.7 C, respectively.There was evidence that some older, larger fish spawned first and also that plaice in deep water spawned later than those from shallower depths. At the latter depths light was a possible factor.According to samples from St. Mary's Bay the development of the sex products for spring spawning was apparently controlled by water temperatures during the previous fall and late summer.Fifty per cent of the females from Flemish Cap were mature at 7.8 years, the bottom temperature being almost constant at 3.5 C. For other areas the number of years ranged from 12.2 for the Southwest Grand Bank, with prevalent temperatures 0–3, to 15.2 C for St. Mary's Bay where temperatures were −1 to 1.0 C. For males the range was from 5.3 years for the Southeast Grand Bank to 7.5 years for St. Pierre Bank, no data being available for Flemish Cap.