COLTON: TEMPERATURE TRENDS AND GROUNDFISH DISTRIBUTION 



BUTTERFISH 



Figure 12. — Seasonal distribution of butterfish. 



tribution of butterfish between July-August and 

 October-November (Figure 12). However, the 

 fact that the distribution during October-No- 

 vember extended beyond the western limits of 

 the sampling area indicates that butterfish begin 

 their offshore migration from New England 

 coastal waters at this time. By January-Feb- 

 ruary the offshore migration was completed and 



butterfish were only found in deep water in the 

 southwest corner of the sampling area. 



DISCUSSION 



A seasonal cold-water temperature barrier in 

 the region of Cape Cod and Nantucket Shoals 

 separates the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine 

 and the Middle Atlantic Bight from the end of 



651 



