Dispersion of vendace eggs and larvae around potential nursery areas reveals their reproductive strategy

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The cnidome and ultrastructural morphology of late planulae in Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus, 1758)—With implications for settling competency

The larval pre-competency period and competency window are important in delimiting the potential dispersal distance for pelagic larvae of sessile marine fauna. Here, we provide evidence for morphological changes in the late planulae of Lophelia pertusa that have implications for their dispersal potential. Three weeks after spawning, the planulae gain functional cnidocysts, indicating that they are competent to settle at this time. Cnidae have been shown to be used for primary anchoring during settling, and before this time point, the larvae most probably do not have the ability to attach to a substrate in high flow conditions. The appearance of functional cnidae coincides with larvae gaining a flexible mouth that can be opened to the full width of the larva. The larval isorhizas differ the most from the adult polyps isorhizas, while the p- and b-mastigophores bear more resemblance to the adult homologues of similar size. The external and internal morphology of late planulae is further described with demonstration of long apical cilia and its effect on swimming agility, morphological changes of the ciliated cells in the larval mouth region and an internal nerve plexus. This study also indicates that L. pertusa planulae seek out cryptic spaces for settling.     

Winter aspects of the ichthyoplankton community in Antarctic Peninsula waters

Summary Ichthyoplankton was sampled from the Antarctic Peninsula area of the South Polar Ocean in early winter (May and June 1986). A total of 153 eggs from two species and 1368 larvae or juvenile stages from 12 species were obtained. These included pelagic species, and demersal species with a long pelagic larval or juvenile phase. Most abundant were larvae of Pleuragramma antarcticum and Notothenia kempi, and eggs of Notothenia neglecta. The distribution of notothenioid and paralepidid larvae was apparently unaffected by ice cover, whereas myctophid larvae were confined to ice-free waters. Areas where newly hatched Chionodraco hamatus occurred coincided with dense aggregations of Euphausia superba (Krill) furcilia larvae which is a potential food resource during winter. The hatching of icefish larvae during winter is apparently independent of the seasonal production cycle. Epipelagic eggs of Notothenia neglecta were found during the spawning season, which suggests that eggs ascend to the surface after demersal spawning and that development takes place near the sea surface during winter. Larvae of Notothenia kempi were chiefly confined to shelf and slope waters to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula, with larger larvae found in coastal shelf areas. Pleuragramma antarcticum occurred in the coastal waters off the Biscoe Islands, in the Gerlache Strait, and in the northern Bransfield Strait. The smallest larvae were found in the northern Bransfield Strait, whereas those at the Biscoe Islands and in Gerlache Strait waters were larger and of a similar size. A cyclonic gyre to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula observed in the austral summer was likely to have affected the larval drift of Pleuragramma antarcticum and Notothenia kempi. Differences in the timing of spawning and hatching and the vertical distribution of these larvae will lead to different transport and spatial distribution patterns. It is hypothesized that early winter conditions do not imply severe limitations on the year-class success of larval fish. Dispersal and increased mortality may occur during the second half of the winter.     

Effect of spawning ground location on the transport and growth of chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) eggs and larvae in the East China Sea

Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) are an important pelagic fish species within the China Sea. Annual recruitment of this species is determined primarily by survival in the early life history stages. Minor changes in the physical marine environment can have a significant effect on the growth and survival of eggs and larvae, thereby affecting recruitment of population. To model this interaction, we constructed a bio-physical dynamic model of the early life history of chub mackerel in the East China Sea (ECS). The physical model was based on the unstructured grid Finite Volume Coast and Ocean Model (FVCOM) and simulated the 3-D physical fields. The biological model was based on individual-based models (IBMs) in which the early life stages of chub mackerel were divided into five stages based on age or length. The model was parameterized using functions describing spawning, growth, and survival for chub mackerel in the ECS. Using this coupled physical and biological model, driven by the March–July climatological forcing, we tracked super individuals from spawning grounds to the nursery grounds to evaluate the influence of the physical environment at each of the spawning locations (western, normal, eastern) on the transport and survival of chub mackerel. The model suggests that spawning location has a significant effect on larval transport, although the larvae were generally advected northeastward to enter the Japan/East Sea through the Tsushima/East Strait or southeastward with the Kuroshio Current which then flows along the eastern Japanese coast. Spawning to the west was highly influenced by the Taiwan Warm Current (TWC) during early transport when the larvae were advected northward and then northeastward. The speed of drifting during this period was relatively slow. The model predicted that a large number of eggs and larvae would enter and transit through China’s coastal waters (Changjiang River Estuary, Hangzhou Bay, and the Zhoushan Islands). Under this scenario, the majority of larvae were transported to the northern nursery grounds, 79% to the nursery at Jeju Island and 10% to the nursery at Tsushima Strait. In contrast, only 11% were transported to the southern nursery grounds in the Pacific Ocean and Kyushu. Larvae spawned at the eastern spawning ground were primarily influenced by the Kuroshio Current which transported the larvae southeastward. Kuroshio acts as a barrier, restricting larvae from being advected to the interior of the western Pacific Ocean. Under such circumstances, almost no eggs and larvae were retained in the coastal waters of China. Instead, the larvae were rapidly transported northeastward from the Chinese shelf towards the coast of Japan. The model predicted that a large number of larvae would be transported to the southern nursery grounds in the Pacific Ocean and Kyushu, before entering the Pacific Ocean and Japan Sea. In total, 36% of larvae were transported to the Pacific Ocean nursery, 45% to the northern nursery grounds of Jeju Island and Tsushima Strait, and 27% to the Jeju Island nursery. The three simulations assumed the same number of eggs were spawned (2.17 × 10¹²) and the survival of larvae at the western, normal, and eastern spawning grounds was 0.0306%, 0.0353%, and 0.0234%, respectively. The average length was 123.7, 126.0, and 123.5 mm, respectively. Our results suggest that larvae spawned in different regions encountered different physical environments and were subject to different transport processes. These differences explain the changes in survival and growth observed between larvae from the different areas. Survival and growth was highest for chub mackerel that were spawned at the normal spawning location and subject to suitable water depths and temperatures during transport.     

Lemon sole Microstomus kitt in the northern North Sea: a multidisciplinary approach to the early life-history dynamics

Lemon sole Microstomus kitt is a commercially valuable flatfish species that occurs in shelf waters around the northeast Atlantic. Only the most basic life-history information is available for the North Sea. Spawning is generally assumed to occur between early May and October, with a peak between May and August. Lemon sole larvae have been found in the water column in the northern North Sea in winter during standard surveys. Larvae captured in November/December 2016 and January/February 2017 using the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas standard 2 m Midwater Ring trawls (MIK) were analysed to gain a better understanding of the pelagic early life-history stages of lemon sole, especially in relation to the timing of spawning and the dispersal of overwintering larvae. Larval age was estimated from sagittal otolith primary increment counts. The larvae caught in November/December ranged in nominal age from 4 to 45 days post-hatching which suggests that spawning continues into late October and November. Most, but not all, of the larvae caught in January/February were post metamorphosis, and the difference in age between the two sampling dates was consistent with the elapsed time between samplings. The estimated hatching dates confirm that lemon sole spawning extends into late autumn in the northern North Sea, with overwintering larvae in all developmental stages. Drift modelling of eggs and larvae released at historically documented spawning grounds in the northern North Sea suggests that these grounds are also the source for all of the larvae sampled during the 2016–2017 surveys.     

Substrate dependent larval development and emergence of the mushroom pests Lycoriella auripila and Megaselia halterata

Pasteurized, spawned, full-grown and immediately-cased full-grown compost were simultaneously exposed to natural populations of the mushroom pests Lycoriella auripila (Winnertz) (Diptera: Sciaridae) and Megaselia halterata (Wood) (Diptera: Phoridae). Different numbers of adults emerged from each of these composts. Highest numbers of L. auripila emerged from spawned and pasteurized compost whereas lowest numbers of L. auripila emerged from full-grown compost. the emergence from full-grown compost was delayed, which could be explained by the delayed development of the larvae in this type of compost. High numbers of M. halterata emerged from compost that was completely colonized by the mycelia of the edible white button mushroom Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach. The immediate covering of the compost with a casing layer significantly lowered the numbers of emerging M. halterata flies. Compared with the emergence pattern from full-grown and immediately-cased full-grown compost, adult M. halterata showed a delayed pattern of emergence in spawned compost. Adult M. halterata did not emerge from pasteurized compost. The results of these experiments enabled us to improve the timing of the application of insect pathogenic nematodes in the control of the larvae of both insect pests.     

A century of research on the larval distributions of the Atlantic eels: a re‐examination of the data

The spawning areas of the Atlantic freshwater eels were discovered about a century ago by the Danish scientist Johannes Schmidt who after years of searching found newly hatched larvae of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla, and the American eel, Anguilla rostrata, in the southern Sargasso Sea. The discovery showed that anguillid eels migrate thousands of kilometers to offshore spawning areas for reproduction, and that their larvae, called leptocephali, are transported equally long distances by ocean currents to their continental recruitment areas. The spawning sites were found to be related to oceanographic conditions several decades later by German and American surveys from 1979 to 1989 and by a Danish survey in 2007 and a German survey in 2011. All these later surveys showed that spawning occurred within a restricted latitudinal range, between temperature fronts within the Subtropical Convergence Zone of the Sargasso Sea. New data and re‐examinations of Schmidt's data confirmed his original conclusions about the two species having some overlap in spawning areas. Although there have been additional collections of leptocephali in various parts of the North Atlantic, and both otolith research and transport modelling studies have subsequently been carried out, there is still a range of unresolved questions about the routes of larval transport and durations of migration. This paper reviews the history and basic findings of surveys for anguillid leptocephali in the North Atlantic and analyses a new comprehensive database that includes 22612 A. anguilla and 9634 A. rostrata leptocephali, which provides a detailed view of the spatial and temporal distributions and size of the larvae across the Atlantic basin and in the Mediterranean Sea. The differences in distributions, maximum sizes, and growth rates of the two species of larvae are likely linked to the contrasting migration distances to their recruitment areas on each side of the basin. Anguilla rostrata leptocephali originate from a more western spawning area, grow faster, and metamorphose at smaller sizes of <70 mm than the larvae of A. anguilla, which mostly are spawned further east and can reach sizes of almost 90 mm. The larvae of A. rostrata spread west and northwest from the spawning area as they grow larger, with some being present in the western Caribbean and eastern Gulf of Mexico. Larvae of A. anguilla appear to be able to reach Europe by entering the Gulf Stream system or by being entrained into frontal countercurrents that transport them directly northeastward. The larval duration of A. anguilla is suggested to be quite variable, but gaps in sampling effort prevent firm conclusions. Although knowledge about larval behaviour is lacking, some influences of directional swimming are implicated by the temporal distributions of the largest larvae. Ocean–atmosphere changes have been hypothesized to affect the survival of the larvae and cause reduced recruitment, so even after about a century following the discovery of their spawning areas, mysteries still remain about the marine life histories of the Atlantic eels.     

Biogeochemical responses following coral mass spawning on the Great Barrier Reef: pelagic–benthic coupling

This study quantified how the pulse of organic matter from the release of coral gametes triggered a chain of pelagic and benthic processes during an annual mass spawning event on the Australian Great Barrier Reef. Particulate organic matter (POM) concentrations in reef waters increased by threefold to 11-fold the day after spawning and resulted in a stimulation of pelagic oxygen consumption rates that lasted for at least 1 week. Water column microbial communities degraded the organic carbon of gametes of the broadcast-spawning coral Acropora millepora at a rate of >15% h⁻¹, which is about three times faster than the degradation rate measured for larvae of the brooding coral Stylophora pistillata. Stable isotope signatures of POM in the water column reflected the fast transfer of organic matter from coral gametes into higher levels of the food chain, and the amount of POM reaching the seafloor immediately increased after coral spawning and then tailed-off in the next 2 weeks. Short-lasting phytoplankton blooms developed within a few days after the spawning event, indicating a prompt recycling of nutrients released through the degradation of spawning products. These data show the profound effects of coral mass spawning on the reef community and demonstrate the tight recycling of nutrients in this oligotrophic ecosystem.     

Possible impacts of environmental change on pelagic fish recruitment: modelling anchovy transport by advective processes in the southern Benguela

Climate change may influence pelagic fish by altering advective processes or by changing where fish choose to spawn. Using a simulation model, the effects of altered advection and spatial distribution of spawning by anchovy on recruitment off South Africa were explored. Cape anchovy Engraulis capensis spawn on the region of the Agulhas Bank, south of South Africa. Currents transport eggs and larvae to nursery areas. Transport of eggs and larvae was modelled using a flow field based on averaged Acoustic Doppler Current Profile data, Feasible Scenarious of altered advection were modelled. For modelling purposes, the ocean surrounding South Africa was divided into blocks with dimensions of a quarter-degree latitude by a quarter-degree longitude. Acoustically measured distributions of spawner biomass for the years 1986–92 were used to calculate egg production per block. In the model, batches were released from each of these blocks each day of the spawning season. The modelling study indicates that passive transport of young anchovy may account for a substantial proportion of year-class variability. Model results show that distribution of spawners influences the distribution of young of the year, as well as the number and the location of advective losses across offshore boundaries.     

Synchronous spawning in a recently established population of the zebra mussel,Dreissena polymorpha,in western Lake Erie,USA

Seasonal patterns of reproduction in a newly established population of Dreissena polymorpha are described for a site in the western basin of Lake Erie. Reproduction was monitored by histological examination of gonads, analysis of shell length-dry weight relationships, and following abundance of planktonic and settling larvae. Patterns of planktonic larval abundance and settling showed a distinct bimodal pattern in July and August, but conflicted with histological and length-dry weight data that showed spawning was a brief, highly synchronous event occurring in late August. Differences between histological data and abundance of larvae in the plankton can be explained as resulting from drift of larvae from disjunct populations of D. polymorpha which spawned earlier, into the study area. Veliger larvae were present in the plankton at low densities throughout the warm months before and after periods of peak abundances. The presence of these larvae can be explained by a combination of asynchronous spawning among local populations and postponed settlement by planktonic larvae.     

Evolution of cannibalism in the larval stage of pelagic fish

Larvae of several ocean pelagic fish species, such as tunas and marlins, have been known to have large jaws, but the ecological significance of this unique morphological character has been hardly analyzed in evolutionary ecology. Pelagic spawners produce small and nutrition-poor ova, and spawning and nursery grounds of the open ocean migratory fishes are oligotrophic. We hypothesize that cannibalism would be a possible life style in the larval period and the large mouth gape would be an adaptive morphological characteristic for a cannibal in the oligotrophic pelagic environment. We showed that mouth gape size of the open ocean pelagic fish is significantly larger than that of offshore/coastal pelagic fish in larval period. A mathematical model demonstrated that cannibalism would tend to evolve in high sea environment. Our findings suggest an evolutionary pattern of cannibalism trait in the larval stage of pelagic fishes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Diversity of nosed charrs <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus malma</Emphasis> (Salmonidae) of Lake Kronotskoe (Kamchatka)

The littoral benthivorous charrs Salvelinus malma with subterminal mouth distributed in Lake Kronotskoe basin are separated into three distinct morphs. These morphs significantly differ in head proportions, jaws' length, skull structure, and degree of gill rakers' reduction. The morphs spawn in distant lake tributaries at the spawning grounds of various types. Joint spawning has never been observed for these morphs in any type of spawning grounds. The differences in the external morphology and growth rate of the morphs become evident during the riverine life stage. The adult charrs inhabit the same sites of the littoral zone. No reliable difference is found in the diet among morphs, since all nosed charrs dominantly feed on amphipods with the exception of a few individuals that fed on chironomid larvae.     

Cross-shelf dispersion of Dover sole (Solea solea) eggs and larvae in Biscay Bay and recruitment to inshore nurseries

We studied the cross-shelf dispersion of Dover sole (Solea solea)eggs and larvae from the offshore spawning grounds to the coastalnurseries of Biscay Bay in 1987. Eggs and larvae were retainedover the spawning grounds from late February to early April,consistent with the limited movement of satellite-tracked Lagrangiandrifters at different depths in the water column. The distributionof the larvae coincided with maximum zooplankton abundance.In mid April, both sole larvae and drifters moved northwardin response to wind forcing but the advection rate of the larvaewas about one-third that of the drifters. No significant onshoreadvection of the pelagic stages was observed. No evidence wasfound for a behavioural selection of tidal currents by the pelagiclarvae that could lead to onshore transport Unless that behaviourdeveloped after settlement to the bottom, cross-shelf diffusionof the pelagic stages would represent the main avenue of transportto the coastal nursery grounds. This dispersion strategy wouldimply that the vast majority of sole larvae fail to recruitto the bays and estuaries and arc lost to the population.     

Comparative riverscape genetics reveals reservoirs of genetic diversity for conservation and restoration of Great Plains fishes

We used comparative landscape genetics to examine the relative roles of historical events, intrinsic traits and landscape factors in determining the distribution of genetic diversity of river fishes across the North American Great Plains. Spatial patterns of diversity were overlaid on a patch‐based graphical model and then compared within and among three species that co‐occurred across five Great Plains watersheds. Species differing in reproductive strategy (benthic vs. pelagic‐spawning) were hypothesized to have different patterns of genetic diversity, but the overriding factor shaping contemporary patterns of diversity was the signature of past climates and geological history. Allelic diversity was significantly higher at southern latitudes for Cyprinella lutrensis and Hybognathus placitus, consistent with northward expansion from southern Pleistocene refugia. Within the historical context, all species exhibited lowered occupancy and abundance in heavily fragmented and drier upstream reaches, particularly H. placitus; a pelagic‐spawning species, suggesting rates of extirpation have outpaced losses of genetic diversity in this species. Within most tributary basins, genetically diverse populations of each species persisted. Hence, reconnecting genetically diverse populations with those characterized by reduced diversity (regardless of their position within the riverine network) would provide populations with greater genetic and demographic resilience. We discuss cases where cross‐basin transfer may be appropriate to enhance genetic diversity and mitigate negative effects of climate change. Overall, striking similarities in genetic patterns and in response to fragmentation and dewatering suggest a common strategy for genetic resource management in this unique riverine fish assemblage.     

The Role of Hydrodynamic Processes on Anchovy Eggs and Larvae Distribution in the Sicily Channel (Mediterranean Sea): A Case Study for the 2004 Data Set

Knowledge of the link between ocean hydrodynamics and distribution of small pelagic fish species is fundamental for the sustainable management of fishery resources. Both commercial and scientific communities are indeed seeking to provide services that could “connect the dots” among in situ and remote observations, numerical ocean modelling, and fisheries. In the Mediterranean Sea and, in particular, in the Sicily Channel the reproductive strategy of the European Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) is strongly influenced by the oceanographic patterns, which are often visible in sea surface temperature satellite data. Based on these experimental evidences, we propose here a more general approach where the role of ocean currents, wind effects, and mesoscale activity are tied together. To investigate how these features affect anchovy larvae distribution, we pair ichthyoplankton observations to a wide remote sensing data set, and to Lagrangian numerical simulations for larval transport. Our analysis shows that while the wind-induced coastal current is able to transport anchovy larvae from spawning areas to the recruiting area off the Sicilian south-eastern tip, significant cross-shore transport due to the combination of strong northwesterly mistral winds and topographic effects delivers larvae away from the coastal conveyor belt. We then use a potential vorticity approach to describe the occurrence of larvae cross-shore transport. We conclude that monitoring and quantifying the upwelling on the southern Sicilian coast during the spawning season allows to estimate the cross-shore transport of larvae and the consequent decrease of individuals within the recruiting area.     

Phenological and distributional shifts in ichthyoplankton associated with recent warming in the northeast Pacific Ocean

Understanding changes in the migratory and reproductive phenology of fish stocks in relation to climate change is critical for accurate ecosystem‐based fisheries management. Relocation and changes in timing of reproduction can have dramatic effects upon the success of fish populations and throughout the food web. During anomalously warm conditions (1–4°C above normal) in the northeast Pacific Ocean during 2015–2016, we documented shifts in timing and spawning location of several pelagic fish stocks based on larval fish samples. Total larval concentrations in the northern California Current (NCC) during winter (January–March) 2015 and 2016 were the highest observed since annual collections first occurred in 1998, primarily due to increased abundances of Engraulis mordax (northern anchovy) and Sardinops sagax (Pacific sardine) larvae, which are normally summer spawning species in this region. Sardinops sagax and Merluccius productus (Pacific hake) exhibited an unprecedented early and northward spawning expansion during 2015–16. In addition, spawning duration was greatly increased for E. mordax, as the presence of larvae was observed throughout the majority of 2015–16, indicating prolonged and nearly continuous spawning of adults throughout the warm period. Larvae from all three of these species have never before been collected in the NCC as early in the year. In addition, other southern species were collected in the NCC during this period. This suggests that the spawning phenology and distribution of several ecologically and commercially important fish species dramatically and rapidly changed in response to the warming conditions occurring in 2014–2016, and could be an indication of future conditions under projected climate change. Changes in spawning timing and poleward migration of fish populations due to warmer ocean conditions or global climate change will negatively impact areas that were historically dependent on these fish, and change the food web structure of the areas that the fish move into with unforeseen consequences.     

Distribution and breeding biology of offshore pelagic cyprinids and catfish in Lake Malawi/Niassa

Synopsis Lake Malawi/Niassa is a permanently stratified lake, consisting of an oxygenated layer of 230 m depth that overlies an anoxic zone that extends to the lake bottom at a maximum depth of over 700 m. Some fish are found throughout the oxygenated zone of the offshore waters, and lead a pelagic existence, although many of the species form part of the demersal community in shallower waters where the lake-bed is oxygenated. This paper reports on the distribution of cyprinids and catfish at six offshore locations, sampled with a mid-water trawl and gillnets, along the north-south axis of the lake. These two groups formed, respectively, 5% and 13% of the offshore fish biomass in the trawl catches. The offshore cyprinids comprised the small lake-spawningEngraulicypris sardella, the only species to have pelagic larvae, and the larger river-spawningOpsaridium microcephalum andO. microlepis. These cyprinids occurred mainly in the upper 100 m of the water column. The biomass of both larvae and adults ofE. sardella showed considerable fluctuations over the two years of study. The spawning site ofE. sardella remains a mystery, but is no longer believed to be in the offshore pelagic zone. The most abundant catfish was the mochokidSynodontis njassae, that exhibited diurnal movements from just above the oxic-anoxic boundary layer during the day to the surface layers at night. The clariid catfish of the genusBathyclarias were caught infrequently offshore, but owing to their large size, they could form a significant part of the biomass. Their abundance was difficult to quantify, as it was believed that the majority are active in the near-surface layers and were under-sampled by the trawl and gillnets. Information on some aspects of the breeding biology is included in the paper, although our knowledge in this area is very incomplete.     

Recruitment of amphidromous sleepers Eleotris acanthopoma, Eleotris melanosoma, and Eleotris fusca into the Teima River, Okinawa Island

Recruitment courses of three amphidromous sleeper species, Eleotris acanthopoma, E. melanosoma, and E. fusca, were investigated at the surf zone adjacent to the river mouth and at five stations in the Teima River on Okinawa Island, Japan. All three species occurred at the surf zone as pelagic larvae with transparent and compressed body, a conspicuous air bladder, and an emarginated caudal fin. Eleotris fusca (16.0–19.6 mm in standard length: SL) sometimes possessed a vestige of the larval chin barbel and were larger than E. acanthopoma (9.7–13.2 mm SL) and E. melanosoma (11.2–12.8 mm SL). The pelagic larvae were also collected during full tide from the lower reaches of the tidally influenced area of the river. The pelagic larvae may be carried in and out of the estuary with some tidal fluxes, and they may settle when they reach the upper tidally influenced area where the salinity becomes extremely low. Body width and pigmentation of newly settled larvae increased. E. fusca was considered to migrate upstream to the freshwater area against the flow of the river just after reaching the settled stage. After settlement, all three species became completely pigmented, the caudal fin became round in shape, and the fin ray counts became complete with growth. Also, E. acanthopoma dispersed widely to the lower part of the tidally influenced area or to the lower reaches of the freshwater area, E. melanosoma dispersed to the lower part of the tidally influenced area, and E. fusca dispersed upstream.     

Spatial,Temporal, and Habitat-Related Variation in Abundance of Pelagic Fishes in the Gulf of Mexico: Potential Implications of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Time-series data collected over a four-year period were used to characterize patterns of abundance for pelagic fishes in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) before (2007–2009) and after (2010) the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Four numerically dominant pelagic species (blackfin tuna, blue marlin, dolphinfish, and sailfish) were included in our assessment, and larval density of each species was lower in 2010 than any of the three years prior to the oil spill, although larval abundance in 2010 was often statistically similar to other years surveyed. To assess potential overlap between suitable habitat of pelagic fish larvae and surface oil, generalized additive models (GAMs) were developed to evaluate the influence of ocean conditions on the abundance of larvae from 2007–2009. Explanatory variables from GAMs were then linked to environmental data from 2010 to predict the probability of occurrence for each species. The spatial extent of surface oil overlapped with early life habitat of each species, possibly indicating that the availability of high quality habitat was affected by the DH oil spill. Shifts in the distribution of spawning adults is another factor known to influence the abundance of larvae, and the spatial occurrence of a model pelagic predator (blue marlin) was characterized over the same four-year period using electronic tags. The spatial extent of oil coincided with areas used by adult blue marlin from 2007–2009, and the occurrence of blue marlin in areas impacted by the DH oil spill was lower in 2010 relative to pre-spill years.