ABSTRACT
Anchovies and sardines have small body sizes and short life-span (Rochet 2000). To compensate for low lifetime fecundity these species display early maturation, produce many eggs per body mass and deploy the bet-hedging spawning strategy, laying a number of egg batches through protracted spawning periods (Blaxter and Hunter 1982, McEvoy and McEvoy 1992, Rochet 2000). As anchovies and sardines are broadcast spawners, releasing pelagic eggs the bet-hedging strategy further improves the chances that at least some eggs or larvae are present whenever “survival windows” are open (Cury and Roy 1989, McEvoy and McEvoy 1992).
