A number of subpopulations of sandeels (genus Ammodytes) occur around Japan, each being relatively independent and undergoing local migration only. At least two species are involved, according to literature sources, Ammodytes hexapterus and A. personatus, which coexist in coastal waters off northern Hokkaido. A. personatus also occur in Sendai Bay, where the "species" comprises two distinct forms. Because identification of species or lower taxa of sandeels is difficult from external appearance, it is desirable that the population structure of Japanese sandeels is made clear. Although sandeels are commercially important, fluctuations in catch are short-spaced and unstable. The present study was intended mainly to clarify the population structure of sandeels around Japan. Some factors influencing mechanisms of population fluctuations have also been investigated.
(1) The history of studies in Japan and foreign on the population structure and the fluctuations of sandeels were outlined. A number of morphorogical and electrophoretic studies on Japanese sandeels have been reported. In these studies, population analyses have depended solely on vertebral counts and isozyme patterns. However, Japanese populations have not been subjected to such studies, resulting in a lack of understanding of their population structure around the country. Several reports have explaned the tendency of catch of sandeels and statistically analyzed catch with simple methods.
(2) Sandeel catches in Japan were examined, and three fishing terms were determined from yearly catch fluctuations. Term I was from 1953 to 1967, when sandeel fisheries had not been fully developed. The mean annual catch of sandeels reached 76,000 t. During Term II, from 1968-1976, fisheries developed rapidly as a consequence of expanded fish culture, and the mean annual catch exceeded 200,000 t. Term III, from 1977 to the present, has seen a decline in catches, to a level of about 140,000 t per annum. This seems to have resulted from overfishing. At the same time, however, sandeel production in Sendai Bay has increased, owing to the development of new fisheries by boat seines and trawlers. Based on these developments, the Sendai Bay fishery divided into three terms as follows: Term S I (before 1976)............Fishing by lamp and lift nets. Term S II (1977-1983)............Boat seines entry. Term SIII (after 1984)............Trawlers entry.
(3) For population analyses morphological, ecological and genetical studies were carried out. Five meristic characters for sandeel samples from different areas around Japan were examined. From the viewpoint of fisheries biology, growth (including life span studies) and reproduction were also investigated. Genetical studies included electorophoretic analyses of α-GPDH isozymes. The results revealed that although there are many subpopulations of sandeels around Japan, they can be divided roughly into three Groups. It was confirmed that Group I, that is A. hexapterus, is found off northern Hokkaido, and that Groups II and III, both belonging to A. personatus, coexist in Sendai Bay and off Tottori Prefecture, to the Sea of Japan. The relative growth rate (k) and fecundity was lowest in Group I and heighest in Group III, while the life span of Groups I and II was 6 years, considerably longer than that of Group III. The age at first spawning was youngest in Group III, and oldest in Group I . Clearly a major ecological difference among the groups, particularly between I and III, lie in their lifespan/fecundity level characterstics.
(4) An hypothesis regarding speciation in Japanese sandeels is as follows. During the glacial period of Wurm Age in Japan, the Japanese sandeel ancestral type which inhabited northern waters, moved southward along the Pacific coast to the Japan region, evolving into A. hexapterus and A. personatus. Since the Sea of Japan at the time was an inland sea, sandeels did not seem to have been able to enter that region. From 10 to 6 thousand years ago, temperatures increased. A. personatus distributed around Northern Japan took on the characterstics of Group II, and those around Southern Japan, Group III.
(5) Developmental stages and yearly cycle of Group III sandeels in Sendai Bay were described. Egg, yolk sac, larval, juvenile, young, preadult and adult stages were identified. Spawning adults were found only one year after birth. The yearly cycle can be divided into three seasons, viz. spawning season during Dec.-Jan., feeding season during Feb.-July, and estivating season during Aug.-Nov. The estivating season, which is peculiar to sandeels, has the adaptive significance of concentrating spawning to the period following immediately thereafter.
(6) With new fishing technology, as described above, pressure on the sanded resource in Sendai Bay has increased greatly. Accordingly, fluctuations in the resource of Group III sandeels in Sendai Bay was analyzed. The resource was seen to have a 3-year cycle of abundance. Analyses of fishery statistics, showing the reproductive relationship expressed by Ricker type regression of fishing Terms SI, SII and SIII mentioned are give in text Fig. 29. Due to the recent flowing southward to Sendai Bay of the first Oyashio Intrusion, the carrying capacity for sandeels has changed greatly. As a result, sandeel catches have increased. However, in spite of good habitat conditions for sandeels, the reproductive relationship has been worsening, and the resource has apparently declined. This appears to be the result of continual over-fishing. Dominant yearclasses peaked in 1978 and 1987 but did not represent a cyclic situation. Therefore it is possible that the reproductive system of the sandeel population has been changing. It is desirable to establish a management program which identifys the optimum level of fishing effort, based on reproductive fluctuations of the fish.