170 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



or less homogeneous unit, we assembled data 

 aimed at determining the relative size of the stock, 

 the mortality due to fishing and natural causes, 

 the growth, and the recruitment of young fish. 



A complete and accurate determination of these 

 factors would permit a precise estimate of the 

 effect of fishing on the species. The factors vary, 

 however, and the best we can expect from our 

 present knowledge is an approximation; conse- 

 quently, our estimates will be subject to revision 

 as additional data become available. Therefore, 

 we anticipate further study of the yellowtail and 

 are making the data fully available in this report 

 even though some appear inconclusive or irrele- 

 vant to the major problem at this time. 



Little information on the habits and life history 

 of the yellowtail is available in the literature, al- 

 though naturalists and taxonomists have known 

 the species for many years as one of a considerable 

 group of very similar flounders of the genus 

 Limanda. Species of this genus occur off north- 

 west Europe, in the Bering Sea, and off the west 

 coast of Canada. In the northwest Atlantic, the 

 yellowtail (L. ferruginea) occurs from the north- 

 ern part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence south to 

 the vicinity of Chesapeake Bay. Its habits have 

 been summarized by Bigelow and Schroeder 

 (1953, pp. 271-275) and by Hildebrand and 

 Schroeder (1928, p. 168). 



Our data are the result of many people's efforts. 

 Milton J. Lobell was assigned in 1938 to investi- 

 gate the several species of flounder. His principal 

 task was the study of the winter flounder, but he 

 made many observations on the yellowtail. Alfred 

 Perlmutter, from 1939 to 1942, continued the 

 study of the winter flounder, but, recognizing the 

 growing commercial importance of the yellowtail, 

 he began to tag that species and obtain samples 

 of the commercial catch. In October 1942, a study 

 of the yellowtail was begun by William F. Royce, 

 who was detailed to the port of New Bedford, 

 where most of the landings were being made. He 

 sampled the catch and interviewed fishermen for 

 information on place of fishing and amount of 

 fishing effort. This work was continued by Ray- 

 mond J. Buller from 1946 to 1949 and by Ernest 

 D. Premetz from 1949 to 1951. O. E. Sette made 

 available the data on eggs and larvae of yellow- 

 tail that he had collected in connection with his 

 investigation of the mackerel in 1929 and 1932. 

 We also acknowledge the interest and cooperation 



of many fishermen, especially Captains Albert 

 Griek and R. E. Sutcliffe. 



COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF 

 YELLOWTAIL 



PRICE TRENDS 



Before considering any of the data that may 

 have had a bearing on the decline of the yellow- 

 tail flounder, we considered the possibility that 

 fluctuations in the catch may have been due to 

 changes in demand. In table 1 we have assembled 

 data from the statistical reports of the United 

 States Fish and Wildlife Service on the aver- 

 age annual prices received for yellowtail by the 

 fishermen. The data indicate that the greatly in- 

 creased production from 1938 to 1942 was ac- 

 companied by an increase in price that may well 

 have contributed to the increased production. 

 However, the price rose further in 1943 when pro- 

 duction declined markedly. In late 1943, in 1944, 



1945, and part of 1946, prices were fixed under 

 wartime price regulations, and we can note only 

 that during this period production continued to 

 be fairly small. After controls were removed in 



1946, the average price rose to 8.1 cents a pound 

 in 1947 and continued to rise in the following 

 years, reaching 13 cents a pound in 1951 — a price 

 almost three times that of 1942, the peak pro- 

 duction year. Despite this incentive the fishermen 

 produced far less in 1951 than in 1942. Thus, the 

 production of yellowtail has declined and re- 

 mained low despite increases in price that reflect 

 larger markets and greater demand. From this 

 we have concluded that the decline in production 

 was not due to a decrease in demand. 



Table 1. — Average price received by fishermen in New Eng- 

 land for ytllowtail, by years, 1938-51 



1 Includes small quantities of sand dab (Hippoglnssnides plalessoirles) . 

 » Price at principal ports of Gloucester, Boston, and Portland only. 



LANDINGS 



Detailed records on the landings of most species 

 of fish in the northeastern United States are 



