gadids are resident year-round. The tomcod is more common in estuaries than 

 the other gadids. 



The skates, also resident marine bottom fishes, are stingray-like in 

 appearance and are very abundant along coastal Maine. The winter skate, 

 little skate, and thorny skate are common in the shallow, cool waters along 

 the coast. The skates are of little commercial importance, although some may 

 be used as bait (Thomson et al. 1971). 



The Atlantic herring is the most important commercial finfish in Maine waters. 

 Juvenile herring support the sardine industry. Atlantic herring are pelagic 

 fish usually found in groups of hundreds or thousands. They are common 

 inshore and in bays and estuaries during summer months, and spend winter 

 months offshore. These fish are important prey for other fishes, birds, and 

 marine mammals. Herring are caught inshore by purse seine and in weirs. 

 The Atlantic menhaden is a large schooling fish of the herring family whose 

 commercial landings in Maine fluctuate widely (ranging from 3 million to 18 

 million pounds between 1973 and 1977). Their northern range extends in the 

 Gulf of Maine during summer months but they are not known to spawn there. 



The American sand lance is a small schooling fish found in shallow sandy 

 bottoms along the coast and out to the continental shelf. Sand lances are 

 extremely numerous and are important ecologically as food for larger fishes, 

 marine mammals, and seabirds. 



The redfish is an important commercial resource in Maine, contributing over 20 

 million pounds to Maine landings in 1977. A northern fish, the redfish 

 prefers the deeper, colder waters of the Gulf of Maine. It is plentiful, 

 also, in nearshore deep water areas (e.g., eastern Maine). 



The Atlantic mackerel migrates to coastal Maine in summer, moving in response 

 to seasonal changes in temperature. The mackerel is an important commercial 

 fish and supports a summer recreational fishery in Maine. Most mackerels 

 leave the coast in late autumn and winter in offshore waters. 



The sculpins (Cottidae) are ubiquitous resident bottom fishes, found in 

 shallow marine and estuarine waters along the coast. Sculpin include the sea 

 raven, grubby, shorthorn sculpin, and longhorn sculpin. Because they are 

 abundant and bottom-dwelling, sculpin are an important part of benthic food 

 webs. The sea raven, shorthorn sculpin, and longhorn sculpin are of minor 

 commercial importance as baitfish in the lobster fishery. 



The rock gunnel is one of the most abundant fishes along the coast, common in 

 tide pools and rocky areas. It is eaten by cod and pollock but much of its 

 role in coastal ecology is unknown (Clayton et al. 1976). 



Flounders are one of the major inshore groundf ishes . The winter flounder is 

 the most common, found from inland areas of estuaries to Georges Bank (TRIGOM 

 1974). This species is an important commercial and sport fish. The American 

 plaice is probably the most numerically dominant flounder in nearshore coastal 

 waters (personal communication from S. Chenoweth, Maine Department of Marine 

 Resources, Augusta, ME; December 1979). The plaice is also a major commercial 

 groundfish. The witch flounder and yellowtail flounder are important 

 commercial resources. Witch flounder populations are centered north of Cape 



11-4 



