(Figures 2.4 and 2.6). In the autumn, catches are higher in the northern 

 inshore and offshore strata sets. 



Length frequencies for six strata sets, arranged by season, are shown in 

 Figures 2.8-2.19. These data show that young spiny dogfish (<32 cm) rarely 

 occur in the inshore areas (Figures 2.8-2.10) as "pupping" (the term used when 

 sharks give birth) is exclusively an offshore event. During the autumn, 

 especially in the middle of the study area (Delaware-Chesapeake strata set), 

 the offshore catch is still almost exclusively young fish (Figure 2.18), with 

 only older larger fish inshore (Figure 2.15). 



Figures 2.2U and 2.21 show the percentage occurrence by stratum of young- 

 f_the-year (YOY), which were defined as fish under the 32 cm cutoff size. 

 YOY virtually never move inshore. During the autumn, some of the strata in 

 the mid- and southern areas again show a distinct distribution by size (Figure 

 2.21). 



45 



