Abstract
The change in the fish assemblage in an estuarine lagoon, Lake Shinji, Japan, was surveyed with a set net monthly from October 1994 to September 1995. Although abundantly caught by net, the brackish water fishes, Konosirus punctatus and Sardinella zunasi, were not commercially utilized. Abnormally high water temperature and salinity in the summer of 1994 seemed to affect the fish fauna of Lake Shinji during the winter. Juveniles (total length = 32 ± 3.4 mm) of a commercial marine fish, Lateolabrax japonicus, entered L. Shinji in May, which was earlier than previously believed. They had grown 165±6.8 mm in total length by September. One of L. japonicus prey fish, Acanthogobius flavimanus, also entered L. Shinji in May with a length 32±2.1 mm, and grew 114±16 mm by September. These facts suggest that L. Shinji plays an important role in the growth of L. japonicus during its early life stages.
