The Gauntlet

The primary determinant of year-class strength for marine groundfishes in the GOA is early life survival. This is regulated in space and time by climate-driven variability in a biophysical gauntlet comprising offshore and nearshore habitat quality, larval and juvenile transport, and settlement into suitable demersal habitat.

Regional Comparisons

The physical and biological mechanisms that determine annual survival of juvenile groundfishes and forage fishes differ in the eastern and western GOA regions.

Interactions

Interactions among species (including predation and competition) are influenced by the abundance and distribution of individual species and by their habitat requirements, which vary with life stage and season.