STUDIES ON THE STRIPED BASS OF THE ATLANTIC COAST 



11 



The increased abundance in these 2 years was due, therefore, entirely to the 1934 year- 

 class. This group of fish is treated in some detail in the section on age and rate of 

 growth (p. 26), but a glance at figure 5 will sufficiently emphasize the relative abun- 

 dance of the 3-year-olds in 1937. This figure is composed of three length-frequency 

 curves made up from a random sampling of the commercial catch at different localities. 

 Since striped bass 3 years old ranged in size roughly from 35 to 55 cm. (peak at 40 to 

 45 cm.) during the period these samplings were made, it is evident that the great 

 majority of the catch was made up of 3-year-olds. 



LENGTH FREQUENCIES OF STRIPED BASS MAKING 

 UP COMMERCIAL CATCHES IN CAPE COD BAY (A), 

 AT NEWP0RT,R.I.(6), AND AT MONTAUK, L. I. (C) , 1937 



RANDOM SAMPLING OF STRIPED BASS 

 SEINED IN CAPE COD BAY, 

 AUGUST 2*4, 1937 



RANDOM SAMPLING OF STRIPED BASS 

 CAUGHT IN POUND NET 



AT NEW PORT. R I , 

 OCTOBER 20 t 21, 1937 



RANDOM SAMPLING OF STRIPED BASS 

 CAUGHT IN POUND NET 

 AT MONTAUK, L.I., N 1. 

 OCTOBER 25, 26,  27, 1937 



Figure 5.— Length-frequency curves made up from random samplings of the commercial catch in different localities in 1937. Data 

 smoothed by threes in all cases (see Table 5 for original measurements). 



Additional information on the 1934 year-class is seen in the catch records of a 

 haule-seine fisherman at Point Judith, R. I., from 1928 to 1937. 6 (See figs. 6, 7, and 8.) 

 Not only were the numbers and approximate poundage of the fish taken at each haul 

 recorded, but also the date of each haul and the number of hauls annually, thus 

 making it possible to equalize the fishing intensity throughout the entire period. 

 The same areas were fished over this 10-year period. The annual catch in numbers 

 of fish and total poundage are shown in figure 6, and the average weight of the striped 

 bass taken each year is plotted in figure 7. The small proportions of the catch from 

 1928 to 1935 correspond well with that shown in figure 4, and the tremendous increase 



• These records were provided through the courtesy of Mr. Chester Whaley, Wakcfleld, R. I. 



