AMERICAN PLAICE 



FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 70. NO. 3 



Figure 11. — Seasonal distribution of American plaice. 



11). In addition, it was only during January- 

 February that plaice were caught in the shoal- 

 water areas of Georges Bank. This seasonal 

 shift in distribution appears to be associated 

 with temperature change. The seasonal max- 

 imum and minimum bottom-water temperatures 

 at the dei)ths most freciuented by plaice (30- 

 200 m) occur during October-November and 



February-March respectively (Colton, 1968a; 

 Colton and Stoddard, In press). Bottom-water 

 temperatures over the shoal-water areas of 

 Georges Bank are appreciably higher than those 

 along its periphery during the summer and fall 

 while in the winter and spring the reverse sit- 

 uation exists. 



There were no appreciable changes in the dis- 



650 



