FY 96 is the final year of the field program. As planned, the egg sampling system (depicted in figure) was used to survey Onslow Bay and Raleigh Bay during the spawning season of the Atlantic menhaden in December, January and early February. During the two previous years substantial egg patches were detected southeast of Cape Lookout shoals and lesser events in Raleigh Bay and the southern part of Onslow Bay (images of eggs and larvae from previous years). This year for the first time there was no virtually no spawning detected during any of the biweekly surveys. Few eggs and early larvae were seen. Due to engine problems aboard the FV/Oregon II the surveys were less extensive than in prior years but we believe the explanation is more likely to be biological. The population either spawned elsewhere or later than anticipated based on our prior experience. The system was functioning properly. Indeed after the completion of this project it was loaned to the SWFSC for a survey of anchovy and sardine eggs off the California coast. It has worked exceptionally well and will enable them to eventually use the egg production method to estimate recruitment. This will represent a major improvement in their ability to estimate year class strength.