The recruits of Merluccius merluccius were studied in their distribution according to time and space. In a monthly sampling lasting about two years on littoral bottoms, two main recruitments were observed each year, in the spring and in the autumn. On the basis of a stratified sampling effected between 0 and 700 m, the nurseries (i.e. bottoms where the fish lives its first year of life) were located at levels between 50 and 250 m with the youngest fish concentrated near the 100 m level. A daily growth curve for 0 group fish is given. In contrasts to the adults, this fish lives in relatively constant environmental conditions.