387 



PROSPECTS OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 



THE WEIGHT OF CATCHES 

 The best basis for any consideration of the possibiUties of developing commercial fisheries in the area 

 surveyed is the weight data collected in 193(^1. In the endeavour to present this mtelligibly but at 

 the same time in sufficiently concise form, I have divided the entire contents of all roughly comparable 

 hauls for which weight data are available into the categories shown below, with brief notes on which 

 each represents : 



Categories employed in 



further considerations 



of weight data 



Notes 



Elasmobranchii 

 Merluccius 



Maauronus 



Gadidae 



Nototheniiformes 



Thyrsites 



Genypterus 

 Stromateus 

 Other fishes 



Total fish 

 Lithodes 

 Squids 

 'Rubbish' 



Since dogfish are rare, this category consists almost entirely of the small rays and skates of the 



region, with a few Callorhynchus at some inshore stations. Not important 

 Hake (Merluccius hubbd), smaller than the European species and nearest to M. bilinearis, the 

 'whiting' of New England. Very important, and would be the staple of any trawlmg on the 

 shelf that could be developed 

 'Long-tailed hake' Macruronus magellanicus, allied to the true hake. Its 'rat-tailed' appear- 

 ance might be against it, but it is very good eating and locally abundant at times. Important 

 Here comprise only Salilota, Micromesistius (roughly equivalent to the 'Scotch haddock' or 

 ' forked hake' and the ' blue whiting' of British seas), and a i^v^imy Physiculus. Not important 

 The large southern group characteristic of the region, where they correspond ecologically to 

 the smaller 'rock-fishes' of the eastern North Pacific. Mostly too small to be ot value as 

 human food. Notothenia ramsayi, the principal trawled species, is sometimes so abundant 

 that it might be used for fish-meal if a fishery could be established on the more valuable 

 categories Unimportant, except as forage for hake, etc. Eleginops may prove useful in 



small-scale inshore fishing, but was not trawled 

 Thyrsites atun, the 'snoek' of South Africa, 'barracouta' of Australia. Properly an inhabitant 



of warmer seas; such stragglers as are taken oflF Patagonia would always be valuable tor they 



are excellent food fish, but are too rare for the species to be considered potentially important 



here 

 Genypterus blacodes, excellent food fish (the 'ling' of New Zealand, and very close to the 



'king-klip' of South Africa) but probably too rare to be important here 

 'Spotted pomfret', Stromateus maculatus, close to the 'butterfish' of eastern U.SJV. and the 



' silvery pomfret ' of China. A very good food fish, locally abundant in due season. Important 

 Unimportant, though the minute 'scald-fish' Thysanopsetta was numerically abundant in the 



intermediate region and is eaten by hake. Such odd herrings and rattails (Macruridae) as 



are included in this category, chiefly in the southern region, could be utilized 

 Useful for comparisons of the relative potential of the three regions, and the relative amounts 



of rubbish present 

 Lithodes antarcticus, one of the more abundant of the larger invertebrates, and prized as food 



in South America, where they are known as 'Centolla crabs'. Of some potential value 

 Several species. Some are eaten in South America, and they would be valuable as bait if any 



line fishing were developed. Imponant as food for some of the larger fish 

 The remaining contents of the trawl-invertebrates of no foreseeable value sand stones, etc. 



Of considerable negative importance, indicating where the greatest loss through damage to 



gear and time spent in sorting may be expected in any fishery that might be developed 



It is imperative to bear in mind that a commercial vessel, fishing with similar gear in the same area 

 as that surveyed by the ' William Scoresby', could reckon on much better catches. A surveying vessel 

 needs to cover and re-cover as much ground as possible, for from the point of view of the survey it is 

 iust as important to determine where and when the fish are not to be found, as it is to find out where 

 they are A commercial vessel, on the other hand, will continue to work as long as possible wherever 

 the fishing seems best. Consequently it is safe to assume that a commercial vessel would average far 

 greater weights of fish per hour's trawling-probably at least twice as great-as did the ' Scoresby . 



