Dataset provided to ICES by the Estonian Marine Institute with ichthyoplankton records from the Gulf of Riga (Baltic Sea).

Abundance and distribution of herring larvae are investigated using Gulf III and T-80 plankton samplers on surveys conducted in March/April along the Norwegian coast.

Abundance and distribution of capelin larvae were investigated using a Gulf III plankton sampler on surveys conducted in May-June in the southern Barents Sea. The time series started in 1981 and lasted until 2006, when the survey series was discontinued.

This historical dataset includes data gathered from various surveys conducted in different times in North Atlantic. The surveys were focused on different stages of eel larvae. The ICES group taking care of the data is WGEEL.

The ICES programme of international herring larval surveys in the North Sea and adjacent areas is in operation since 1967. The main purpose of this programme is to provide quantitative estimates of herring larval abundance, which are used as a relative index of changes of the herring spawning‐stock biomass in the assessment. The larvae surveys are carried out in specific periods and areas, following autumn and winter spawning activity of herring from north to south. Catch data together with specific information like haul position, survey area etc. are reported to the ICES International Herring Larvae database annually. The database contains information about the surveys conducted since 1972. The ICES responsible group for the dataset is WGIPS.