160 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SEEVICE 



Coast of Nova Scotia 



Numbers and distribution.- — Information on the occurrence of mackerel eggs 

 along the coast of Nova Scotia is limited to the results of a survey in 1922 reported by 

 Sparks (1929, pp. 443-452) . 4 Stations were occupied along the entire coast from Cape 

 Sable to the Straits of Canso during the period May 31 to September 18, but no eggs 

 were taken after the middle of July. For the most part the hauls yielded very few 

 eggs, the average number taken being 14 per station, which presumably represents 

 the sum of three tows. 6 Although Sparks stated neither the dimensions of his nets 

 nor the duration of his tows, it may be presumed that at least the surface net was a 

 meter in diameter at the mouth and that the tows were 15 to 30 minutes in duration. 

 If so, the egg concentration was exceedingly low compared with the other regions. 

 Furthermore, the occurrence of eggs even in this low concentration was limited to a 

 relatively narrow band along the coast (table 1). Thus the waters along the Nova 

 Scotian coast are poorer in mackerel eggs than any others within the known habitat 

 of the. species. 



Season. — Spawning occurs along the Nova Scotian coast from about the last of 

 May to the middle of June. 



Table 1.- 



-Number of mackerel eggs taken per station in Nova Scotian waters at variovs distances from 



shore 



Gulf of St. Lawrence 



Numbers and distribution. — The Canadian Fisheries Expedition of 1914-15 ex- 

 plored the Gulf of St. Lawrence during the spring and summer of 1915 (Daimevig, 

 1919, pp. 8-12). Their surveys were made with a meter net hauled at the surface for 

 10 to 15 minutes, supplemented in many instances by vertical hauls, which, however, 

 took few mackerel eggs. The average catch in horizontal tows was 324 eggs per 

 positive haul, and the largest catch was 3,800 eggs. Since eggs were taken at almost 

 all stations south of the 100-fathom contour marking the southern border of the 

 Lauren tian Channel, it may be presumed that mackerel spawn over this entire area. 

 The numerous larvae taken there indicate that this area not only is the site of consider- 

 able spawning, but also that conditions there are suitable for the development of the 

 larva. The largest larva taken measured 9 millimeters in length. 



In addition to the catches in the southern part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a few 

 larvae were taken near Cape Anguille on the southwestern coast of Newfoundland. 

 Also, there was a number of mackerel eggs in a sample of fish eggs collected from the 

 Bay of Islands by the Newfoundland Fishery Research Commission and referred 

 to the Bureau of Fisheries for identification. It thus appears that spawning takes 



< In addition to Sparks's results there is the listing by Dannevig (1919, p. 60) of two mackerel eggs taken ofl Halifax and one egg 

 (listed with a question mark) near Sable Island. 



J According to Sparks, three tows were taken at each station: No. 5 net, about 7 meters deep; No. net, 0-2 meters deep; No. 

 net, 23-27 meters deep. 



