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Growth and diet were compared among larvae of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus, Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus and Pacific round herring Etrumeus teres. Compositions of prey items of the three species in the same month showed greater similarity than for the same species in different months. Prey size as well as prey taxa of the three species overlapped considerably with one another. Therefore, interspecific prey competition is likely in the case of limited food availability. The most abundant species tended to change from anchovy to round herring in early winter, from round herring to sardine in late winter and from sardine to anchovy in early spring, indicating a temporal segregation in use of the nursery grounds. Similar seasonal changes in growth rates were observed for the three species. Although interspecific prey competition is likely, the temporal segregation and similar temporal changes in growth rates could favor their coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the catch forecasting of Japanese anchovy larvae applying a net survey prior to the fishing season. Shirasu is the larvae of the main Japanese anchovy or Engraulis japonicus and the Japanese sardine or Sardinop melanostictus which is commercially significant in the northern part of the western inshore waters off the Kii Peninsula, Japan. Accordingly, catch forecasting were assigned to fishermen and processors because of the large yearly fluctuations in the shirasu catch. Several graphs were shown including the yearly changes in larval abundance in the inner and outer areas of western inshore waters off the Kii Peninsula.