On Population Structure of Beaked Redfish (Sebastes Mentella Travin) in the Irminger Sea as Related to Larval Drift

The biological features of adult beaked redfish (Sebastes mentella Travin) of the Irminger Sea, distributed within pelagic depths (outside 200-mile zone) and on the slopes of Iceland and Eastern Greenland Shelf are discussed in the paper, as well as the data on the latter larvae and 0-group distribution. The results of comparisons carried out supported the hypothesis of a lack of close relation between adult redfish in the two areas. The results also allows to assume the existence of 2 populations Sebastes mentella in the Irminger Sea, one in the area of Iceland and East Greenland shelf slopes (coastal stock) and another in pelagic zone over significantly deeper areas (ocean stock). Concerning the early stages, the redfish larvae, drifting towards Western Greenland, seems to originate from a spawning area located at the shelf edge southwest off Iceland, while the larvae hatched in the central sea area were found to be developing within the closed eddy generated by surface currents. No data revealed a possible mass entrance of larvae into the flow of Irminger Current. It was also unlikely that young redfish originating from the ocean spawning grounds would from the major source of the coastal stock recruitment