record, but that a massive winter kill may have reduced 

 this dominant year class drastically. 



This is an important recreational species in the mid- 

 dle Atlantic region (Table 25). The reported catch in 

 1970 was nearly 10,000 metric tons, considerably greater 

 than any commercial catch on record. 



Table 25.— Estunated commercial and recreational catches 

 of spot in the middle stlantic region of the United States 

 coast 1960-1975. Weights in metric tons. 



The national saltwater angling surveys for 1960, 1965, 

 and 1970 did not give data by individual states. New 

 York was included with the New Eaigland states and New 

 Jersey with the other middle Atlantic states. 



No domestic commercial or recreational catches of spot 

 were reported north of New Jersey from 1960 to 1975 

 inclusive. Unreported catches are possible. 



Figures for 1975 in parentheses assume that unavailable 

 landings in N.H., Conn., and Del. equal the average of 

 recent years. 



- An unreported catch is possible. 



* Less than 0.5 metric ton. 



Spot favor even shallower waters than croaker. The 

 species was a minor component of inshore otter trawl 

 catches off Delaware Bay from 1946 to 1953 inclusive 

 (June and Reintjes 1957) but was not reported in off- 

 shore catches. It is not likely to be taken by foreign 

 fishermen. 



Although it is subject to much the same environmen- 

 tal stresses and fishing pressures as croaker, spot has 

 shown no downward trend in abundance in the Middle 

 Atlantic Bight as a whole, as croaker and many other 

 coastal species have. Commercial landings have declined 

 in New Jersey and New York and this apparently has not 

 been balanced by increased sport catches, although in 

 the middle Atlantic region the recreational catch was up 

 sharply in 1970 (Table 24). Why spot has survived 

 stresses in some areas that have driven many other 

 species with similar habits to historically low levels of 

 abundance is unknown. 



Butterfish 



The pattern of butterfish, Peprilus triacanthus (Peck) 



f leeo 90 



Figure 24.— Annual commercial landings of butterfish inTJew Jersey 

 1889-1975. 



landings in New Jersey (Fig. 24) has been similar to that 

 for New York (McHugh 1972a). Neither Earll (1887) nor 

 Mather ( 1887) mentioned the species as occurring in New 

 York Bight catches in the 1880s. A maximum was reach- 

 ed about 1940 in both states at levels of about 2,500 met- 

 ric tons each. Landings dropped to a minimum about 

 1950, rose sharply immediately thereafter, and have 

 trended downward ever since. Peaks in 1951 in New Jer- 

 sey and in 1952 in New York were produced almost en- 

 tirely by increased catches in otter trawls. This suggests 

 that a relatively strong year class moved up the coast 

 farther offshore than usual and that it reached New York 

 waters a year later than New Jersey. This might have 

 been a wave of older fish from a strong southern contin- 

 gent. Colton (1972) reported that coastal water tem- 

 peratures were higher than average at that time. He also 

 concluded that butterfish respond to temperature change 

 by shifting their range north or south. 



Most butterfish landed in New Jersey are caught in 

 otter trawls. In the period 1946 to 1953 inclusive June 



Table 26. — Estimated commercial catches of butterfish in the north 

 and middle Atlantic regions of the United States coast 1960-1975. 

 Weights in metric tons. 



Figures for 1975 in parentheses assume that unavailable landings 

 in N.H., Conn., and Del. equal the average of recent years. 



- An unreported catch is possible. 



27 



