Dispersal of Homarus americanus Larvae in the Gulf of Maine from Browns Bank

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Abstract
Studies of larval lobster (Homarus americanus) distribution off southwestern Nova Scotia during the summers of 1977 and 1978, were used to estimate an average larval recruitment or production of 1918 and 5284 stage IV lobsters per square kilometre per year inshore and offshore, respectively. Results indicate that the offshore may contribute up to 97% of the larval recruits for the entire southwestern Nova Scotia region. Current patterns and velocities of 3-16 cm .cntdot. s-1 were estimated from surface drifter returns within the Gulf of Maine. Limits of larval dispersion are estimated from surface currents in the region and the physiological and ecological traits of the larval lobster. Offshore lobsters could make an important contribution to recruitment not only off southwestern Nova Scotia but in the entire eastern sector of the Gulf of Maine to Casco Bay. Larval dispersal provides another line of evidence that the Gulf of Maine area represents one lobster recruitment center. Our results are consistent with the idea that ontogenic seasonal migration of female lobsters has evolved to locate planktotrophic larvae in warmer shoal areas where growth and survival is optimal and from which ocean currents subsequently disperse a large portion of these larvae to settle over highly productive juvenile grounds.