Distribution of squid paralarvae, Loligo opalescens (Cephalopoda: Myopsida), in the Southern California Bight in the three years following the 1997-1998 El Niño

Large numbers of paralarvae of the California market squid, Loligo opalescens (10,560 paralarvae from 422 plankton samples), were collected in the Southern California Bight in 1999, 2000, and 2001 during the spawning season. Paralarval abundance increased dramatically (P<0.0041) from 1.5 squid/1,000m3 in 1999 to 77.9 squid/1,000m3 in 2000, and 73.6 squid/1,000m3 in 2001, following the El Nino of 1997–1998. The effects on the squid fishery of the...