How do fish populations regulate themselves? Why do some fish stocks flourish and then die away? These questions have fascinated fisheries scientists for decades, and in the last twenty years answers have begun to emerge. In this comprehensive 1995 account, David Cushing shows how the fate of fish larvae which live close to the centres of production in the sea has a crucial effect on population regulation. He shows how the timing and development of tidal fronts in particular regions has profound implications for fish and plankton production, which in turn affects fish recruitment. If recruitment of fish larvae into the pool of adult fish is insufficient, stocks may fail. It is only by understanding these processes that we can hope to recognise the implications of global climate change on marine populations. This book will be essential reading for all those interested in marine ecology and fisheries biology.