Fecundity of the American Plaice, Hippoglossoides platessoides (Fabr.) from Grand Bank and Newfoundland Areas

Abstract

Fecundity estimates were made on a total of 140 mature American plaice from the southern and northern slopes of the Grand Bank and from St Mary''s Bay. Log-log relationships were established between fecundity and fish length, gutted and gilled weight, age, and ovary weight. No differences were found to exist between the fecundity-length relationship of plaice from the three areas, but there is a suggestion that within areas there may be annual differences in egg production. At comparable ages plaice from the southern slope of the Grand Bank are larger in size and produce more eggs than those from the northern slope and St. Mary''s Bay.