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Fisheries Sensitivity Maps in British Waters Individual species nursery maps. Fish hatch quickly from their eggs and many species remain in the water column as larvae, consuming microscopic organisms and gradually developing the body shape and behaviour patterns of adults. At this stage of the life cycle, many species occupy discrete areas, either in the water column or on the seabed, where opportunities for feeding, and for protection from predators are greatest. These are nursery areas. For example, juvenile flatfish will tend to converge on shallow coastal waters and feed on the abundant worms and crustaceans in these productive areas. Other fish, such as juvenile cod, can occupy coastal reef environments as well as deeper offshore regions. Juvenile fish can often be found in nursery areas together with slightly older individuals, and occasionally adults, and the prevailing water temperature and availability of food can also alter the position of these nursery grounds from year to year. As a result of these factors it is difficult precisely to define the limits of nurseries. The following charts are intended as an indication of the likely positions of juvenile concentrations around the UK coast, rather than a definitive description of the limits of all nursery grounds.