The timing of fish larvae abundance was investigated at Helgoland Roads in the southern North Sea for the years 1990, 1993–1996, 1998, and 1999. From the 44 species identified, 27 were sufficiently abundant in more than 3 years and had well defined seasonal changes to calculate their phenology. The passage of the 15%, 50%, and 85% annual cumulative abundance thresholds was used to define the “start of season”, “middle of season”, and “end of season”, respectively. The timing of a significant number of these events was correlated with the mean annual winter sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in weeks 1–10 with higher temperatures leading to earlier appearance. The timing of the end of season was also negatively correlated with the SSTs. Sole (Solea solea) is presented as an example of the general functional relationship.

Understanding the details of local and regional extinctions allows for more efficient allocation of conservation activities and resources. This involves identifying where populations persist, where populations may still be present, and where populations may be locally extinct. Three threatened angel sharks occur in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea: Sawback Angelshark (Squatina aculeata), Smoothback Angelshark (Squatina oculata), and Angelshark (Squatina squatina). Population sizes and geographic ranges of these species have been reduced due to overfishing and habitat loss, placing them among the world s most threatened chondrichthyans. We revise distribution maps, review global status, and present a Conservation Strategy to protect and restore these angel shark populations by minimizing fishing mortality, protecting critical habitat, and mitigating human disturbance. Updated distributions reveal that a halving of the geographic extent may have occurred for all three species, with potential declines of 51% for Sawback Angelshark, 48% for Smoothback Angelshark, and 58% for Angelshark. While 20 national and international management measures are now in place for Angelshark, only half of these include the other two species. We encourage further conservation action to adopt and develop this Conservation Strategy to restore angel shark populations to robust levels and safeguard them throughout their range.

(1) primarily pelagic food utilisation for bentho-pelagic fishes; (2) increased habitat-dependent utilisation rates at locations of interception with the sound-scattering layer; (3) diel changes in utilisation rates due to availability of prey; (4) sufficient resource partitioning among species in order to avoid competitive exclusion.KEY WORDS: Permutation test · Hutchinson's rule · Sound-scattering layer · Bentho-pelagic fishes · SeamountsResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

One specimen of the largetooth cookiecutter shark Isistius plutodus was caught in the north-eastern Atlantic at 43 58 0 N; 28 32 0 W. This is the first record of this rare species in the north-eastern Atlantic and the northernmost point of its known distribution. # 2004 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles