Analysis of migratory route of Larimichthys crocea in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea

Migratory route of the greater yellow croaker,Larimichthys crocea,in the the East China Sea(ECS)and the Yellow Sea(ESYSP)was re-analyzed with fishing data collected during 1971-1982.Only one population,the ECS-ESYSP population was determined in the sampling areas.Two wintering grounds of the population were located,the offshore wintering ground lies in the waters of 30°00′-32°00′N,124°00′-126°00′E,and the nearshore wintering ground lies near the outside of the forbidden fishing zone line in the mid-southern ECS.The offshore group began spawning migration during March and April towards the waters of west Zhoushan islands and Changjiang estuary,in which they merged with the fishes,come from the nearshore group from the mid-southern ECS.Some continued to migrate northward into the waters of the Lvsi Fishing Ground,some westward to the waters of Daiquyang,Huangzeyang and Damuyang near the Zhoushan islands for spawning in May.After spawning,these fish groups moved north-east to nearshore waters of the south Yellow Sea for feeding and growing.They finally came to 34°00′N waters near the forbidden fishing zone line in September.Under the influence of cold northwest monsoon after October,the population returned to the Changjiang Estuary.From there,fishes split into two major groups,one swam eastward back to wintering ground in offshore waters,the other moved back to the wintering ground in nearshore waters in the mid--southern ECS.The parts of group wintering in waters of the mid-southern ECS to and fro between wintering grounds and nearby spawning grounds,such as the waters of the Maotouyang in Sanmen Bay,the Dongtouyang at Oujiang Estuary,and the Guanjingyang in Sansha Bay.The groups grew up in waters nearby the spawning ground.