FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 72. NO. 2 



FALL 

 >5( cm-Tolol length 



'^^-iush.^ 







□ <-0.24 

 [~1 025-0.99 

  1.00-2.49 



Figure 22.— Distribution and abundance of mature Urophycis 

 tenuis during the fall. Abundance in each sampling stratum 

 is indicated on a log scale. 



shoaler than 60 fm. They were moderately abun- 

 dant in most deeper strata and most abundant in 

 Strata 28 and 36, which were deeper than 100 fm. 

 Catches of adult U. tenuis off southern New 

 England were very small. Consequently, tem- 

 perature-abundance estimates (Figure 24) are not 

 reliable. Adult U. tenuis occurred from 6° to 12°C 

 in the summer, from 4° to 13°C in the fall, and 

 from 4" to 10°C in the winter. Adult U. tenuis 

 were taken in the Gulf of Maine from 4° to 9°C 

 in the summer (Figure 24). The highest mean 

 catch was at 8°C. During the fall, the range of 

 occurrence was 3" to 11°C, the highest mean catch 

 occurring at 9°C, and in the winter the range was 

 2° to 7°C, the highest mean catch occurring at 7°C. 



WINTER 

 >5I cm Totol length 



Figure 23. — Distribution and abundance of mature Urophycis 

 tenuis during the winter. Abundance in each sampling stratum 

 is indicated on a log scale. 



/^»^ 



3 4 ^ G 7 e 9 10 II 12 13 14 3 4 5 6 7 B 9 10 II ■£ l3 14 1% 2 3 4 S G 7 



SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 



32 



iir^^23Z^iZ. 



% 



4 5 6 7 8 9 lOII 12 13 14 15 16 4 5 6 7 8 9 lO 1 1 (2 H 14 (5 



TEMPERATURE (°C ) 



Figure 24. — Seasonal catch per tow of mature Urophycis 

 tenuis off southern New England and the Gulf of Maine. 

 Abundance data are stratified by temperature intervals of one 

 degree (C). The total number of individuals captured during 

 each season = n. The number of stations occupied at each 

 temperature is indicated above each respective histogram bar. 



Annually, adult U. tenuis were taken from 2° to 

 13°C but were most abundant between 5° and 9°C. 

 Adult U. tenuis appear to occupy a more restricted 

 temperature range than immature U. tenuis. 

 Also, adult U. tenuis occupy a narrower and lower 

 temperature range than adult U. chuss. 



U. tenuis may be more abundant off southern 

 New England than the survey data indicate. 

 Edwards et al. (1962) and Schroeder (1955) fre- 

 quently captured U. tenuis along the continental 

 slope off southern New England at greater depths 

 than those sampled during the Albatross IV sur- 

 vey and recent research (Musick, unpublished 

 data) indicates that U. tenuis is a common mem- 

 ber of the continental slope fish fauna of Virginia. 



Distribution of Urophycis chuss and 

 U. tenuis with Substrate 



U. chuss and U. tennuis are absent or rarely, 

 occur on rock, shell, or gravel bottoms. Both 

 "prefer" sand or mud. Few or no Urophycis oc- 

 curred in Strata 24, 32, and 33 during any season. 



492 



