Effect of oceanographic processes on the distribution and feeding of the larvae of Sardina pilchardus, and their consequences on growth, on the Asturian coast.A total of 11 stations were sampled during the daytime (09:00 to 13:00 h) along 4 transects perpendicular to the coast . Vertical profiles of temperature, salinity and fluorescence were taken at each station using a Mark III CTD with a Sea-Tech fluorometer attached to a rosette of 24 Teflon Niskin bottles. Live experimental animals were collected with a triple WP2 net (0.60 m diameter, 200 µm mesh) equipped with 3 l cod-ends. Hauls were made vertically from 200 m to the surface, or from 5 m above the bottom to the surface at the coastal stations. Once on deck, 1 or 2 cod-ends were immediately processed for gut pigment content analysis. Another haul was made and the 3 cod-ends were diluted in a 5 l plastic jar filled with 100 µm-filtered seawater to ensure that the animals remained alive for our experiments. Water used for the incubations was collected with Van Dorn bottles (15 l) from the depth of maximum fluorescence (MFD). Bongo net hauls were performed to collect zooplankton samples for abundance estimations as described in González-Quirós et al. (2004). A bongo net (0.60 m diameter, 200 µm mesh) equipped with calibrated flowmeters was towed obliquely from 200 m to the surface, or from 5 m above the bottom to the surface at coastal stations

SARDINA Cruise (29GD20000502) carried out on the Research Vessel García del Cid in 2000