NO A A PROFESSIONAL PAPER 11 



tumn cruises from this time series, stations were occupied 

 off the New Jersey coast in the same area as the 1976 low- 

 oxygen water mass. Data from this time series are used 

 and discussed in relation to the anoxic event. 



In addition to the otter trawl assessment information, 

 we used data obtained from ongoing State and Federal 

 studies, recreational and commercial statistics, and nu- 

 merous reports received from fishermen, naturalists, and 

 concerned citizens. 



Detailed tabulations of much of the data used in this 

 report are included in a workshop publication (National 

 Marine Fisheries Service 1977). 



METHODS 



Cruises to study the low-oxygen water mass were de- 

 signed to investigate the extent of a phenomenon in a 

 relatively small area; stations were laid out in simple tran- 

 sects or grids. Resource assessment cruises were designed 

 to show seasonal distribution and relative abundance of 

 finfish over a large portion of the continental shelf, and 

 stations were randomly selected. A description of station 

 procedures, sampling methods, and gear used can be 

 found in the NMFS 1977 publication. 



Listings of finfish catches in this paper have been 

 grouped into demersal or nondemersal categories, based 

 on our knowledge of certain fishes' close association with 

 or degree of dependence on the seafloor. This is not to 

 say that demersal types are not occasionally found in the 

 upper waters or the nondemersals (pelagics) close to or 

 on the bottom. But if only nondemersal fish are taken 

 where the waters below the thermocline are unsuitable for 

 their existence, we assumed they were caught in the upper 

 waters while the trawl was being lowered or raised. Several 

 demersal species were usually present in the vast majority 

 of trawl catches made during our surveys in the Middle 

 Atlantic shelf waters. The number of fish species and in- 

 dividuals taken varied considerably, but only rarely was 

 none present. If several standard assessment tows are 

 made in any area in New York Bight and none of the 

 demersal types listed here is caught, the existence of a 

 stressed or unsuitable environment is suggested. 



Another indication of a stressed environment is the 

 catch of certain benthic invertebrates in trawls. These an- 

 imals, such as surf clams, mud shrimp, and marine worms, 

 usually avoid capture, because they live in deeper sedi- 

 ments or they burrow as the trawl approaches. Chapter 

 12 discusses such invertebrates caught during our 1976 

 surveys. 



Also included are data that show the effects of the low- 

 oxygen water on the American lobster (Homarus 

 americanus) , bluefish {Pomatomiis saltatrix) , and the sum- 

 mer flounder {Paralichthys dentatus). The lobster data are 

 from commercial catch statistics and a special study made 



of lobster pot catches by the State of New Jersey (NMFS 

 1977). The summer flounder discussion was based on a 

 NMFS study (Freeman et al. 1976; NMFS 1977) and a 10- 

 year State of New Jersey creel census (ending in 1976) of 

 a small-boat fishery (NMFS 1977). The bluefish data are 

 from a NMFS tagging program during the summer of 1976 

 and unpublished NMFS tagging data from the 1960s 

 (NMFS 1977). 



NMFS's Sandy Hook Laboratory has made ichthyo- 

 plankton surveys off the New Jersey coast since 1966. 

 Summer surveys by the RV Dolphin, on June 17-24 and 

 August 5-10, 1966, and by the RV Delaware II, on June 

 3-9, 1975, and June 9-13, 1976, are considered here. The 

 methods used in 1966 are described by Clark et al. (1969); 

 those used in 1975 and 1976 are described by Jossi et al. 

 (1975). 



SURVEY RESULTS 



Trawl and Ichthyoplankton Surveys 



The catch results of trawl hauls from eight investigatory 

 and assessment cruises (table 13-1) made during summer 

 and autumn 1976 may be found in the NMFS workshop 

 report. Included also are data from eight assessment 

 cruises made during summer and autumn between 1971 

 and 1975. Some of the sampling area considered (fig. 13-1) 

 was never reported to be anoxic, but data from these areas 

 are included for comparison. The report (1977) contains 

 a brief summary of each anoxic investigatory cruise along 

 with a detailed description of the catch. Table 13-2 lists 

 all finfish species taken during the investigation cruises of 

 1976 and historical trawl surveys. 



An analysis of the 1976 catch data and confirmed reports 

 from divers, fishermen, lifeguards, and others show that 

 fishes normally found within the 11,300 km- outlined in 

 figure 13-1 were at one time or another disrupted by the 

 low-oxygen water mass. What effects these "disruptions" 

 had on finfish resources is difficult to estimate; this paper 

 later discusses a qualitative appraisal of some possible 

 effects. 



During the 1976 RV Atlantic Twin cruise, a 2,900-km- 

 area (fig. 13-1) was found to be without any demersal 

 finfish species. This is most unusual and can be attributed 

 without doubt to the anoxic waters. 



Table 13-3 lists the fish larvae caught during the four 

 historic ichthyoplankton surveys. The 33 families, genera, 

 and species listed represent many of our most important 

 recreational and commercial species. 



Recreational Fish Surveys 



Summer Flounder 



The results from the State of New Jersey creel census 

 and the NMFS recreational fish survey indicate that the 



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