YOSHIDA: AMERICAN SAMOA LONGLINE FISHERY 



ranged in length from 50 to 120 cm. A single 

 prominent mode was present in both the male and 

 female distributions. For the males the mode was 

 located at 91 cm and for the females at 88 cm. 



The albacore size data were also summarized 

 into smaller units of time and area to detect any 

 variations which might exist. Initially the 

 geographical area of the fishery was divided lon- 

 gitudinally at long. 150°W and by 10° of latitude 

 from the equator to lat. 40°S. This was done on a 

 quarterly basis, keeping all the years separate. 

 This analysis did not indicate any obvious 



differences in the length-frequency distributions 

 of albacore east and west of long. 150°W, nor did it 

 show any consistent annual and seasonal 

 differences within each geographical unit. There 

 were, however, differences in the length- 

 frequency distributions between the latitudinal 

 subdivisions of the fishery. Therefore, the length 

 data were rearranged by 10° of latitude but 

 without regard to longitude, seasons, and year 

 (Figure 13). 



Almost without exception, the modal sizes of 

 male albacore were larger than those of female 



MALES 



FEMALES 



o 

 q: 



z 



UJ 

 O 



z 

 a: 



60 70 80 90 



FORK LENGTH (cm) 



60 70 80 90 



FORK LENGTH (cm) 



100 



120 



Figure 13.— Length- frequency distributions of albacore arranged by sex and 10° bands of latitude, 1966-70. 



763 



