Reports of exploratory ottcr-trawling between Nova Scotia and Virginia 359 



unknown species. In this same period a number of bottom hauls were made stilJ 

 deeper along the slope, beyond 800 fathoms, by the Blake and the Albatross. It was 

 just before these cruises, in 1879, that the tilefish had been discovered within this 

 region. But, although various published reports appeared subsequently dealing with 

 these catches, no organized deep water exploratory hshing was done along our 

 northeastern Atlantic coast during the following seventy years, except a few stations 

 made by the Albatross at widely separated times up until 1920. 



The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution vessel Caryn, in 194S and 1949, made 

 a few short cruises along the slope off southern Nova Scotia and New England and. 

 for the first time, an otter trawl was used here in depths as great as 460 fathoms, 

 all the earlier fishing having been done with relatively small Blake trawls and beam 

 trawls, both of which were attached to rigid frames. The Caryn, although not well 

 adapted to this type of fishing, made a total of 20 successful otter trawl hauls between 

 100 and 460 fathoms, the deepest haul being limited by the capacity of the winch. 

 Many interesting specimens of fish and invertebrates were taken. 



It now seemed timely to explore more fully the outer part of the shelf and upper 

 slope, not only to seek rare or little known species and to learn something about them 

 ecologically, but to determine whether or not any fish or invertebrates were to be 

 found there in quantities and of a sort that might be of interest to the commercial 

 fishery; in other words, to locate new fishing grounds. Accordingly, Cap^n Bill II. 

 an 83 ft. dragger built in 1952 in Thomaston, Maine, owned and captained by Henry 

 W. Klimm, Jr., was chartered by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for three 

 cruises in June-July 1952 and three cruises in June-July 1953. 



Up to the present time most of the bottom trawling done by the commercial 

 fishing fleet along the Atlantic coast has been in less than 125 fathoms, although the 

 redfish vessels have recently been operating near the southern part of the Grand Bank 

 in depths approaching 200 fathoms. Beyond this extreme, most of the boats are not 

 equipped to fish much deeper with otter trawls, being limited by the amount of wire 

 that can be wound on the winches which they now carry. In the commercial fishery 

 two wires, or v/arps, usually f or ^ inches in diameter, are used in fishing the traw Is 

 which are upwards of 100 feet wide at the mouth with otter boards each weighing 

 from 700 to 2000 pounds or more. In our experimental fishing we used a single wire 

 of I inches with a 20-fathom bridle of -^ inches reaching to the otter boards. In 

 making our earlier hauls various types of boards were used, but during most of 

 1952 and all of 1953 a standardized type was employed, each board having a weigh! 

 of 160 pounds. The trawls measured, respectively, 35, 50, and 60 feet at the foot rope, 

 and about 18 per cent less at the head rope, with body and wings of 3 inch, 15 thread 

 stretched mesh, and the cod end of II inch, 24 thread. Double j^ inch galvani/cd 

 chain was attached to the foot rope, and floats in varying number, to the head rope. 

 Glass floats proved the most satisfactory for withstanding the great pressures beyond 

 300 fathoms, although some of them became partially filled with water and had to 

 be replaced. Aluminium floats of the sort we used, were the least effective as most 

 of them imploded beyond 200 fathoms. 



The duration of the tows varied from one-half to one hour depending on depth, 

 roughness of the bottom, and weather conditions. Fishing was done chiefly during 

 daylight hours, but in some instances extended into late evening. In cases where 

 long runs from one area to another were necessary, these were made at night without 



