Data for river populations of common freshwater species including dace, chub, roach, gudgeon and pike are examined to assess the magnitude of natural density-independent fluctuations in the strength of year-classes. Both in the cyprinid populations and in those of some salmonids, only occasional years give rise to large cohorts of adult fish. Correlations with temperature indicate that for the cyprinid populations these are often years when temperatures are high. In the River Frome, Dorset there is a significant relationship between the growth of 0-group dace and subsequent year-class strength. Faster-growing larvae may be better able to avoid predation. Both the habitat and feeding requirements of these young fish are different from those of the adults. A practical approach to improving recruitment in a population of a given species would be to first characterize, and then increase, the availability of suitable habitats and food organisms for the larval stages.

Scales and opercular bones from 632 roach from the River Stour were used for age and back-calculated growth determinations. The scales had clearer inner annuli but operculars clearer outer annuli in fish more than nine years old. The annuli were laid in late May or early June at the beginning of the growth period. Growth was minimal between November and April. Roach from both rivers grow faster than those in most other European waters. Female roach grow faster than males; River Frome roach faster than those from the Stour. Spawning occurred in May and elaboration of gonads between September and May. Immature roach have an annual cycle in condition with a maximum in June and a minimtim in early Spring. The condition of mature females is affected by the gonad cycle. The fecundity of Stour roach is represented by the formula: log egg number=4.43 log length (mm)-1.69. Approximately half of the Stour males attained sexual maturity at age 111 and most of the rest by age IV. Half of the females were mature at age IV and the remainder by age V. Both brood success and growth rate varied from year to year but independently of one another. Most Stour roach ate aquatic insect larvae and molluscs but algae were more frequent in the diet of larger fish.

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