1999 



OUR LIVING OCEANS 



Bluefish. 



hydroacoustic and midwater trawl surveys to esti- 

 mate herring and mackerel abundance, and alter- 

 native types ot sampling surveys to estimate blue- 

 fish abundance. A modest etkirt to improve stock 

 assessments using these methods has begun. 



Underutilized Species 



All ot the pelagic species, except bluefish, are 

 considered to be underutilized. Total recent aver- 

 age yields (158,S00 t) could be quadrupled and 

 still not reach the aggregate long-term potential 

 yield lor the Northeast pelagics (477,700 t. Table 

 2-1). The aggregate current potential yield 

 {477,550 t) is nearly five times the total recent 

 average yields. Although current estimates of stock 

 sizes for the principal pelagic stocks are relatively 

 imprecise (see abow), the foregone yields tor mack- 

 erel and herring are substantial, and domestic har- 

 vests could be increased without jeopardizing the 

 productivitv ot these stocks. 



Bycatch and Multispecies Interactions 



Concentrations ot schooling fish such as the 

 Northeast pelagics are utilized by a wide variety ot 

 predatory fish, marine mammals, and birds. In 

 winter months, the fisheries directed for Atlantic 



mackerel and herring historically have taken some 

 marine mammals, including pilot whales and com- 

 mon dolphins, as bycatch. An intensification ot 

 these fisheries to take advantage ot these under- 

 utilized resources might result in greater marine 

 mammal takes, t'hoosing the correct lime and 

 place tor fisheries could keep these takes at mini- 

 mal levels. 



LITERATURE CITED 



Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 19963. Report of 

 the 20th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Work- 

 shop (20th SAW) Stock Assessment Review Commit- 

 tee (SARC) Consensus Summary of Assessments. 

 Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Docu- 

 ment ')S-1S, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 211 p. 



Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1996b. Report of 

 the 20th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Work- 

 shop (20th SAW) SAW Public Review Workshop. 

 Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Docu- 

 ment 95-19. Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 52 p. 



Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1996c. Report of 

 the 2 1 St Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Work- 

 shop (21st SAW) Stock Assessment Review Commit- 

 tee (SARC) Consensus Summary of Assessments. 

 Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Docu- 

 ment 96-05d, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 200 p. 



Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1996d. Report of 

 the 2 1 St Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Work- 

 shop (21st SAW) Public Review Workshop. North- 

 east Fisheries Science Centet Reference Docunieiir 9(i- 

 05h, Woods Hole, Massachu.setts, 50 p. 



Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1997a. Report of 

 the 23rd Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Work- 

 shop (23rd SAW) Stock Assessment Review Commit- 

 tee (SARC) Consensus Summary ot Assessments. 

 Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Doeu- 

 ment 97-05, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, I'd p. 



Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1997b. Report of 

 the 23rd Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Work- 

 shop (23rd SAW) Public Review Workshop. North- 

 east Fisheries Science Center Reference Document 97- 

 06, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 40 p. 



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