Intra- And Interannual Variation In Fecundity And Egg Size Of Lumpfish (Cyclopterus Lumpus) In Iceland

Intra- and interannual variability of fecundity and egg size of lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) were assessed for 2009 and for 2014-2019 and compared with fecundity estimates from 1967 and 1969. Downregulation of fecundity was apparent throughout ovary development, but the intensity was reduced close to spawning. The fecundity of fish spawning later in the year was higher than that of fish that spawned earlier. Carcass weight was a better predictor of fecundity than length. The model was improved through the addition of liver weight, but this led to an increase of <1.0% in the explained variance in fecundity. Variation in fecundity between the periods studied (2009 and 2014-2019) was low; however, fecundity in these study periods was higher than in 1967 and lower than in 1969. Whether these differences were due to differences in methods could not be ruled out. Average egg diameter was positively correlated with fish size and decreased from the first to the second batch, and only limited variation between years was observed in this characteristic.