The objectives of this survey were to map the distribution of herring larvae and other fish larvae on the Norwegian shelf and to collect data on hydrography, nutrients, chlorophyll and zooplankton. The data are used to calculate an index of the abundance of herring larvae which is used by the ICES Working Group on Widely Distributed Species (WGWIDE ) in the assessment of Norwegian spring spawning herring. The index is used as tuning index for the size of the spawning stock and is part of a time series which started in 1981. An additional objective of the survey was to undertake process studies on herring larvae to map the small scale overlap between the larvae and their prey and predators using the MESSOR (towed Optical counter and plankton sampling) system and macroplankton trawl in selected areas.