other پژوهشي Orginal research papers Occurrence and distribution of larval and juvenile fish was investigated in nearshore waters of the southeastern Caspian Sea including the Gorgan Bay. Samples were collected during seven surveys using a fine mesh beach-seine in five sampling sites from July 2014 to June 2015. A total of 15500 individuals mostly juvenile were captured, representing 18 species from 8 families. Most juveniles belonged to <em>Liza saliens</em>, <em>Atherina caspia</em>, <em>Neogobius pallasi</em> and <em>Neogobius melanostomus.</em> &nbsp;The juveniles of <em>Alburnus chalcoides</em>, <em>Vimba persa</em>, <em>Syngnathus caspius</em> and gobies <em>Neogobius caspius</em> and <em>Ponticola syrman</em> occurred in low number (relative abundance 0.1% - 9.3%). Highest number of juveniles were caught in summer season. The occurrence of larval fish in coastal waters of southern Caspian was recorded for the first time (<em>Atherina caspia</em> with minimum length of 12 mm in Caspian and 9.5 mm in Gorgan Bay). In spring, early juveniles of mullet, <em>Liza aurata</em>, increased in the Caspian sites but they moved up to deeper waters by the end of the season. Based on results, the density of juvenile fish (specially <em>Liza saliens</em>) in Gorgan Bay was several times more than Caspian sites so it could be considered an important nursery ground in the region Southeastern Caspian, Larval and juvenile fish, Gorgan Bay, Surf zone, Fish diversity, Miankaleh 332 348 http://jifro.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-600-155&slc_lang=other&sid=1 S. Shahlapour shahinfly@hotmail.com 100319475328460029850 100319475328460029850 Yes Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran M.A. Afraei Bandpei 100319475328460029851 100319475328460029851 No Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran M. Rabbaniha 100319475328460029852 100319475328460029852 No Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran N. Pourang 100319475328460029853 100319475328460029853 No Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran H. Nasrollahzadeh 100319475328460029854 100319475328460029854 No Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran Caspian Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran