If data from a similar time series in summer were available the distributions 

 would have been concentrated closer to the coast. This demonstrates the 

 summer flounder's availability to coastal recreational fishermen. 



The decline of the summer flounder population in the Mid-Atlantic from 

 the mid-196U's to 197U and the increase after 1970 are substantiated by the 

 graphs of mean weight and number per tow (Figures 7.4-7.7). The lateness of 

 the spring 1973 survey, and the resulting high inshore catches in northern 

 inshore strata also are reflected. As expected, consistently higher numbers 

 and weights were obtained in the inshore areas during fall cruises as well as 

 in inshore southern areas during spring cruises. 



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

 Figures 7.8-7.19. These plots indicate the importance of the Delaware- 

 Chesapeake area (Figures 7.9 and 7.15). Not only were consistent catches made 

 in this area, but also the largest incidence of summer flounder of less than 

 20 cm occurred here. Larger and probably older fish occur more frequently in 

 the northern inshore and offshore strata sets. 



Figures 7.20 and 7.21 show the percentage occurrence by stratum of young- 

 of-the-year (YOY); cutoff sizes were 17 and 27 cm, respectively, for spring 

 and fall series. The importance of the Chesapeaice Bight to the species is 

 demonstrated by the fact that almost all of the YOY caught during the spring 

 series (Figure 7.20) were from this area. Some appeared in the other areas 

 during autumn (Figure 7.21), but the percentage was very high in the 

 Chesapeake Bight. 



A report prepared by Sissenwine et al . (1979) using these data analyzed 

 distribution based on depth and water temperature in addition to the 

 parameters considered in this report. They found that during spring, summer 

 flounder occurred in depths from 9 to 360 m; during summer and autumn they 



160 



