#spawning ground

If bass spawning in these areas is an annual recurring phenomenon, is not clear. The new, more northern spawning activity is likely to be much more dynamic in terms of timing and location, reflecting changing conditions in the southern North Sea. Moreover the presence of bass larvae in the southern North Sea is difficult to interpret. Either they originate from the English Channel or from closer to the shore. It is difficult to establish what’s what as the standard larvae and egg surveys have two big deficiencies. Firstly they are not conducted during spring (April and May), which is bass spawning season in the southern North Sea. Secondly they don’t cover enough possible spawning grounds. The area around the Dogger Bank is only partially surveyed and the shallower coastal zones are a blind spot as no surveys have been carried out there.