Population differentiation by size for 0-age-class Champsocephalus gunnari at Shag Rocks and South Georgia, CCAMLR subarea 48.3
In 1991 Chamsocephalus gunnari <1 year old were sampled at Shag Rocks on 18 January and off five bays on the north-east coast of South Georgia between 19 January and 12 February. Two separate size-groups of 31–46 mm and 55–87mm standard length (SL) were found at Shag Rocks. However, samples taken off Possession Bay, South Georgia, within two days of those at Shag Rocks, contained only one size-group of 25–57 mm SL. Samples taken at other locations at South Georgia also contained only single size-groups between 24–63 mm SL. The mean and median length of the large size-group at Shag Rocks are significantly larger (P<0.001) than those at South Georgia. For those at South Georgia there was an apparent growth of around 0.76% SL d−1, which is comparable with previous reports of their growth rate during the first year. Based on this growth rate, the differences between the average size of the larger size-group of C. gunnari at Shag Rocks and those at South Georgia indicates that they hatched at periods separated by about three months. This and other published evidence suggests there may be separate populations of C. gunnari at Shag Rocks and South Georgia.