Relation of fish larvae and zooplankton biomass in the Gulf of Aden

This study is based on zooplankton samples collected in the upper 50 m by the F.R.V. Manihine in the Gulf of Aden during October–November, 1966 and February–March, 1967. Generally, the displacement volume of zooplankton varied between 20 and 67 ml/m². Some higher values, up to 100 ml/m², were also observed. The number of larval fish in positive hauls ranged from 2 to 282 larvae/m². An inverse relationship between the number of larval fish and the accompanying volume of zooplankton was noted. This relationship is discussed. It is hypothesized that larval mortality due to predation in the Gulf of Aden during the northeast monsoon (November, February and March) was very high.