Reports of exploratory otter-trawling between Nova Scotia and Virginia 



363 



Table II {continued) 



Thus the 193 hauls yielded only 21 species of which the aggregate catch was greater 

 than 100 individuals, 21 species which ranged from 11 to 100, and 33 species from 1 

 to 10. 



It is not surprising that most of our commercial species, including haddock, 

 pollock and various flounders, were not taken as deep as 200 fathoms, for their known 

 depth range does not extend that far. On the other hand, the total absence of cod in 

 our hauls, and the capture of only 1 cusk and of 1 halibut deeper than 200 fathoms, 

 indicate that they are much too scarce along the northwestern Atlantic slope, within 

 the scope of our exploratory trawling, ever to support or contribute materially to a 

 fishery there. While cod are not taken in substantial numbers deeper than 200 fathoms, 

 in fact about 125 fathoms marks the ordinary limit in our fishery, the cusk descends 

 to 250-300 fathoms (though most plentiful considerably shoaler), and the halibut to 

 400-500. It is possible that a scarcity of preferential food and type of bottom may be 

 chiefly responsible for this paucity of cusk and halibut along the slope. On the other 

 hand, temperature, per se, does not seem to be a limiting factor; for the 3S 42" 

 which exists throughout the year aU along the route of our exploratory fishing, in 

 200-500 fathoms, is a favourable range for both these species. 



While the shoaler water fishes (those which we caught above 200 fathoms and no 

 deeper) are included in the preceding table, species other than those listed arc known 

 to be present in winter but not in summer within this depth range— notably the spiny 

 dogfish {Squalus acanthias), the summer flounder (Paralichthys dcntaius), the scup 



