(Degree) or/ A IONSHIPS IN THE STRIPED

Abstract approved A study was conducted at Yaquina Bay, Oregon, to determine the age-fecundity relationships in the striped seaperch Embiotoca A questionnaire was sent to California, Oregon, and Washington to ascertain what regulations were in effect, and the value of the family Embiotocidae with regard to the sport and commercial harvest. The questionnaire revealed that no state maintained a systematic account of each species landed, and further life history data appeared desirable for sport and commercial species. Fish were collected from March 20 to August 21, 1960, with 140 females and 26 males being collected for analysis by hook and line or 125-foot experimental gill net. Scales were imprinted on cel-lulose acetate cards or mounted between glass slides. The catch was measured in centimeters of standard length and weighed in grams. From 123 females, 2, 654 embryos were obtained, and a maximum of 22 embryos per female was measured in millimeters of standard length. The estimated time of annulus formation in most scales was from March 15 to June 12. Second and third annuli were primarily laid down in March and April, with the probable peak of annulus for-mation for females of ages IV, V and VI in May. Length-frequencies were presented by age-class and sex. Eighty-one females of age-class III dominated the sample. Females of age-classes II and III attained greater average lengths than males. In age-class II, ave-rage weights for females were slightly greater than those for males, Both sexes generally mature for the first time in their third year of life. Length-weight, and length-number of embryos per female, for females of age-classes were expressed by the regression equation Yc = a + b (X). High correlations for length-weight were ob-tained. Additional females were needed to evaluate that age when weights would digress. Females of age-class V produced the most embryos per unit increase in length; this rate declined in age-class VI. The largest number of embryos produced by an age class was 1, 431, in age-class III. The average number (in parentheses) of embryos produced per female of each age class, was: II (17); II