A comparison of the length distributions of larval capelin (Mallotus villosus) taken by Gulf III, MIK and MOCNESS samplers

Abundance of Barents Sea capelin larvae (6–25 mm) is estimated every summer using samples from a Gulf III sampler. It has been suggested that a MIK net would be more efficient in sampling larvae exceeding 18–20 mm in length. On this basis the length distributions of larval capelin captured by Gulf III, MIK, and MOCNESS in six consecutive hauls were compared. The catches taken by Gulf III and MIK nets had similar length distributions whereas the MOCNESS captured smaller larvae than the other samplers. There would thus be no gain in replacing the Gulf III with the MIK for estimating abundance of larval capelin smaller than 25 mm.