Ecosystem-based management requires the development of indicators that allow anthropogenic impacts to be detected against the background of natural variation. Size-based community metrics are potentially useful indicators because of their theoretical foundation and practical utility. Temporal and spatial patterns in size-based community metrics for Celtic Sea fish are described and calculated using data from the English groundfish survey of the area (1987-2003). The results reveal that the size structure of the community has changed over time, and that a decrease in the relative abundance of larger fish was accompanied by an increase in smaller fish (4-25 g). Temporal analyses of the effects of fishing and climate variation suggest that fishing generally has had a stronger effect on size structure than changes in temperature. Therefore, size-based metrics respond clearly to the effects of fishing even in variable environments, reflecting the ubiquity of size-based processes in defining community structure and responses to mortality. Spatial analyses were inconclusive, probably owing to the limited area for which fishing effort, temperature, and survey data were all available

The family life cycle concept has long received attention as an important influence on the pattern of household consumption and earnings and an influence on product marketing. While its adoption in the analysis of housing consumption is by no means new, it does appear to have received surprisingly little attention, such that most recent studies of housing consumption and tenure determination do not explicitly consider the family life cycle concept (Carliner, 1974 ;Struyk and Marshall, 1974 ;Du Rietz, 1977 ; Wilkinson and Law, 1978) .In this paper we follow up some recent work in this area (McCarthy, 1976 ;Doling, 1976) by analysing the influence of family life cycle on the pattern of housing consumption, financial position and location of a sample of recent movers in the Perth housing market . Particular attention is given to the presence of income constraints on consumption (McCarthy, 1976), the role of wealth accumulation over the life cycle (Doling, 1976) and the extent to which the consumption cycle is completed with households in the final stages having reduced housing consumption . Some evidence on location over the life cycle is also presented .Summary. The family life cycle has long been an important element in the analysis of household consumption and earnings patterns . Housing studies have, however, given surprisingly little attention to the concept . Using a sample of recent house purchasers from Perth, Western Australia, this paper analyses the pattern of housing consumption and location over the family life cycle, together with the financial position of the household . The results indicate that marriage-partnering and initial schooling are the significant stages . Contrary to some recent work, we find clear evidence of reduced space consumption once child rearing is completed and for the presence of income constraints within life cycle stages . Wealth and income are found to be more important in explaining housing consumption than the family life cycle concept .

Male Scyliorhinus canicula possess a longer and narrower mouth than females resulting in pronouced sexual dimorphism with respect to the mouth length/mouth width ratio (0·49 and 0·43, respectively). Significant sexual differences in the girth of the head and pre-oral, pre-branchial and head lengths were also recorded. Males were found to have longer teeth than females. Reasons for these differences are discussed.1995 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

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