ABSTRACT
When humans consider other animals, they usually envision the adult life stage. However, ecologists must consider all life stages, especially early developmental intervals that we refer to as “young.” Adequate numbers of young must survive or there will be no adults, no reproduction and in time, no species. Perhaps we should even be more concerned about young ‘sh because they are usually more sensitive than adults to changes in physical, chemical, and biological conditions of their environment. And for most ‘shes, the young are indeed important regulators of the ‘sh population. Even a small variation in mortality rate, growth, or stage duration can result in a “tenfold or greater ¤uctuation in ‘sh recruitment” (Houde 1987, p. 17).
