Publication Abstract

Patterns of spawning and recruitment of sea bass to Bristol Channel nurseries in relation to the 1996 'Sea Empress' oil spill

 

Young-of-the-year bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were sampled from ten Bristol Channel sites during 1996, 1997 and 1998 to investigate whether the pattern of recruitment to southWales nurseries observed following the ‘Sea Empress’ oil spill in spring 1996 was anomalous. Back-calculated egg fertilization (spawned) dates indicated that early spawning events (February-March) at the Trevose Head spawning area provide recruits to south Bristol Channel nurseries, and that the majority of recruits to southWales nurseries arise from subsequent spawning events. Recruitment of post-larvae to all nurseries in the Bristol Channel starts in late June-early July. The late recruitment of 0-group bass to all nurseries in 1996 was attributed to lower water temperatures in February and March than in 1997 and 1998, and was not restricted to southWales.

However, 0-group bass were relatively less abundant in 1996 at sites nearest the ‘Sea Empress’ oil spill, suggesting a possible effect of the latter on survival of post-larvae in the nurseries, rather than during the offshore egg and larval stage.

 

W. J. Reynolds*, J. E. Lancaster and M. G. Pawson*

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K. 83, 1163-1170