"...it doesn’t matter if a fish is taken at 10cm or 40cm,
unless it reaches the age of maturity of 42cm before
becoming available to the dead fish market,
it will not have spawned..."
was started in the beginning of 1998 in close conjunction with FishBase,
the largest data base on finfish
holds little information on ichthyoplankton and lacks detailled data on fish larvae identification and
rearing. The LarvalBase-Project aimed to close these gaps.
LarvalBase is a comprehensive
information system on fish larvae that are relevant in the field of
fisheries research and finfish aquaculture, combining traditional sources such as primary and grey
literature. In addition, data from various sources as Internet and
practising aquaculturists, even in developing countries, are considered to be
valuable for the database.
Why do we
need LarvalBase ?
The information base for
aquatic sciences and fisheries is growing at a staggering rate. However, access to this
widely scattered informations is difficult; this is especially true for developing
countries. This is the situation, where a well-focused database can help.
LarvalBase is a supplement to FishBase, providing data on larval and
juvenile stages of fish.
was published in close integration with FishBase on CD-ROM/DVD
and in the Internet and follows the same publishing policy.
was presented at numerous occasions, specifically in training courses in
New scientific output based on synoptic analyses
of the data sets is being published in journals.
The project was proposed
by the World Fish Center (former ICLARM,
Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management in Manila) and
IfM-Kiel (Institute for Marine
Research in Kiel), funded by BMZ
for 4 years and
established at IfM-Kiel. Responsible project leader was Dr.
Bernd Ueberschär under supervision of
Prof. Rosenthal, both cooperating in close conjunction with the coordinator of the FishBase-Project,
Dr. Rainer Froese.
At present, no dedicated funding is available. however, the service is still
maintained. We are seeking for new funding opportunities to continue the
extension of this important repository on specific knowledge about larvel and
For more informations or
if you feel interested in this project and if you would like to become a
please check the and the Cooperation page
and contact the coordinator of Fish- or LarvalBase.
The Northeast Pacific Ichthyoplankton
Last Updated: 15.09.2006
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